This week we sat down with Michelle, who has many things to be proud of at the moment. She just recently got married and successfully defended her PhD! Michelle has also been an avid Zumba client for the past 2 years and has completed the Zumba training. Through all her life changes she has turned to Zumba as her ‘break’ from it all.
What do you like about Zumba?
Zumba allows me to combine two things that I really love, dancing and exercise! My love of dancing comes from my Dad, who always wanted to be showing off his dance moves when the music started. When uforia opened, I tried Zumba for the first time with Asya and I have been hooked ever since!
What else do you do for exercise?
Besides doing Zumba about twice a week, I also lift weights about 2-3 times a week. On weekends that aren’t too busy, my husband and I like to go hiking and mountain biking for some outdoor cardiovascular exercise. I also enjoy road biking.
What would you suggest for a new client who wants to get into Zumba?
For anybody who is interested in trying Zumba, I would encourage them to give it a shot! If you love the music and the energy of your first class, then keep coming back! It will take a few classes to learn the routines and then learning new routines becomes easier and easier!
What is your favorite dance or song?
There are so many songs that I love to dance to that it would really hard to choose just one! Of the Latin rhythms we dance to in Zumba, my favorite is reggaeton! Some of my favorite artists include Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel and Pitbull!
How has Zumba helped you deal with stress in your life?
Zumba has helped me get through the final two years of graduate school. There were so many stressful days towards the end that I really turned to Zumba to take my mind off of my thesis and to allow myself to to have fun while exercising at the same time. I always leave a Zumba class smiling and rejuvenated. Without those Zumba breaks, I am not sure what I would have done to get through it!
What is the most unusual location that you’ve done Zumba?
My answer for this question is not as exciting as I think it could be! I mostly do Zumba at uforia. Although, I have done Zumba at a nightclub, a pool party and in the center of the lab on many occasions at night when nobody is around! My favorite Zumba location thus far was at my wedding this past November where Asya and I did Gangnam Style! It was actually quite hard to Zumba in my wedding dress! Luckily, I had Zumba shoes to change into prior to dancing since there is no way I would have been able to do the moves in the dress and in heels!