Zumba

[onela]

Maybe I'm just a Debbie-Downer, but I've yet to see any evidence that Zumba is anything but mad as a hatter.



My little sister is 25 weeks pregnant, and frantically called me at work to ask my opinion on if she should do Zumba or not (I think a friend asked her to go with her). I decided the jury's still out!

 

[adiemus]

Is this the so-called 'bellydance' version of it? If so...hmmm.... doesn't look like any sort of bellydance I know!

 

[Kashmir]

I did one class to see what it was about and I hated it. It was ugly moving while music was playing - updated aerobics - and the "belly dance" bits were total crap.

 

[Mosaic]

Zumba is kind of aerobics with a salsa flavour, Rhumba, samba, and kind of stylized bellydance moves to fit the exercise style, but it is not meant to be any of the dances, just a fun fast & furious way to have fun while getting fit.

I believe it started out with mainly latin American style dance moves then other dance styles that utilised different muscle groups found their way into the routines, but it isn't advertised as any type of dance.
~Mosaic

 

[onela]

Zumba is kind of aerobics with a salsa flavour, Rhumba, samba, and kind of stylized bellydance moves to fit the exercise style, but it is not meant to be any of the dances, just a fun fast & furious way to have fun while getting fit.

I believe it started out with mainly latin American style dance moves then other dance styles that utilised different muscle groups found their way into the routines, but it isn't advertised as any type of dance.
~Mosaic

Oh, I know it isn't advertised as a type of dance- but with it having so many dance roots, I don't know why you'd do it instead of just going to a dance class (and then you'd at least have some slick moves to show off at the next family reunion or wedding or whatever). Getting back to my original post, I think I'm just a Debbie Downer :/

 

[gisela]

I tried it a few times but at my gym they call it Latinmix and they don't claim to have any bellydance in it. I found it quite fun actually. The classes I've tried are way more focused on working out and getting the puls up, more than a dance class.
It is a bit too hard on my knees though and I had to stop until I can afford better shoes.
I've been doing bellydance for 7 years and never gotten any pain, and I try zumba for two months and get bad knee pain
there are so many movements where the knees are kind of going a bit inward. I don't quite get it.

Ok I just watched that video and it looks awful. And that misplaced hipscarf that has nothing to do with the moves...
Wht I tried looked nothing like that and seems to be a much tougher workout that in that video.

 

[~Diana~]

I been to one zumba class and it was painful to experience the teacher doing a "bellydance" movement. They actually told the class it was bellydance. OMG!! Seriously I wanted to walk out then and there. At the end they even put on coin belts and did a redicoulus "bellydance" routine.

Zumba is pretty much cardio dancing around taughted by people who mostly don't have a clue about the actual dances they are trying to mimick movements from.

 

[Daimona]

Zumba is kind of aerobics with a salsa flavour, Rhumba, samba, and kind of stylized bellydance moves to fit the exercise style, but it is not meant to be any of the dances, just a fun fast & furious way to have fun while getting fit.

I believe it started out with mainly latin American style dance moves then other dance styles that utilised different muscle groups found their way into the routines, but it isn't advertised as any type of dance.

Yes. It's simply an updated form of aerobics mixing in moves of various dance forms (About — Zumba®).

I must admit that I've not done it myself, but from what I've seen (commercials and youtube videos) I have not been tempted to try it as I'd rather learn the dances themselves than the mishmash it seems to be.

 

[adiemus]

I'm a bit worried that people may go to Zumba, not be taught correct movements, then 'imagine' they can 'dance' LOL or worse, learn really bad movement patterns that they have to unlearn if they go to the real dance form (& may even injure themselves)!

It's like the old 'jazzsercise' movement - and I could see it being fun for a short while, but fading fast. As others have said, why not just do a dance class or two? (Oh I know...dance class means dedication, hard work, learning about more than the movements, learning to listen to the music...far too hard!)

 

[Moon]

I've joined my neighbour (who does it once a week I believe) twice and it was quite fun I must say, I think it can really build your stamina if you do it regularly. I was a bit concerned for the people who don't have any dance experience though. The warm up sucked and I think it could be bad for your back if you have never done a lot of hip movement before.
We also zumba'd to some Arabic pop music and though it was fun to do, ofcourse the moves had nothing to do with bellydance.

 

[Jane]

Zumba is the hottest fad since cheeseburgers around here. It will eventually fade away. Honestly, I think it has an ugly movement quality. Nia at least can look pretty.

I got my class hours cut at the local YMCA, I worked there for six years, to facilitate EIGHT hours a week of Zumba classes. I quit.

 

[Daimona]

Zumba is the hottest fad since cheeseburgers around here. It will eventually fade away. Honestly, I think it has an ugly movement quality. Nia at least can look pretty.

I got my class hours cut at the local YMCA, I worked there for six years, to facilitate EIGHT hours a week of Zumba classes. I quit.

Whoa! :shok: No wonder you quit! I really hope you'll succeed in your new studio! ray:


My local gym offers various types of dance inspired aerobic classes, including classes inspired by latin dances, african dance and a mix of funk, hip-hop, streetdance og r&b. I've not tried the Afro class yet, but the rest I know is ok. Thank god they haven't jumped on the zumba fad yet.

After giving birth, a friend of mine (who'd been a pro dancer for several years) tried some kind of dance inspired aerobic class at another gym that included "bellydance" (I don't know what the class was called) a while ago, but she couldn't stand the "bellydance" part. Bad (and unhealthy) postures (even the instructor had this) and exaggerated movements that didn't have anything to do with dance. No wonder she never went back....

 

[onela]

Zumba is the hottest fad since cheeseburgers around here. It will eventually fade away. Honestly, I think it has an ugly movement quality. Nia at least can look pretty.

I think that's what grinds my gears about it too.