How Was Zumba® Training?

Well, I did it! I'm now licensed to teach Zumba® classes! One thing that you should know about me is that in high school I would have definitely gotten, "Least Likely to Professionally Do Anything Involving Dance" had it been a category. I am a terrible dancer! It's okay. I'm perfectly fine with it. This isn't an expression of a lack of self-esteem, nor is it an insult. It's just a fact. Dancers are usually people who "feel the music," and it seems to me that they have a sixth sense for getting a step without studying it. These were the people in my class. I know that they have worked very hard perfecting their craft, and I admire them for it. I just don't seem to have the same kind of mind that they have. I'm an analyzer. I'm completely capable of getting it, but most definitely not on the first try. I have to watch it, understand every component, and then I have to digest it. (I can go through this process insanely fast in some subjects, but very slowly in others.) I'm perfectly fine with this aspect of my personality. It makes me good at some things, like understanding what I read. But it makes me a lousy dancer, especially on the first day. And it was a one day workshop.

The first thing that we did was called "Master Class". This is a Zumba® class as taught by someone who has completely mastered the steps and the attitude of Zumba®. I thought I was going to die! For over an hour, we did steps that I had never seen before. Okay, they did steps that I had never seen before. I'm not sure what I was doing. During the break, I prayed and read some Scripture. This was extremely helpful in helping me regain a good attitude. (I'm pretty sure that I looked sulky by the end of Master Class.)

After the first hour, things calmed down. We had lectures on theory and the basics of Zumba®, and we also practiced the basic steps. This was much easier. The day ended with a much shorter version of a Master Class, but I'm pretty sure that the trainer intentionally made the moves easier. He didn't want me to leave the place completely bummed, and I appreciate that.

I'm still a little sore, but I'm excited about starting to teach classes. I've got a lot of practicing to do, but I don't mind the work. Ella and I have been working on our moves together. I think Ella may be a natural, and we need at least one in this family.