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Matt Richman
ENG 112
2 February 2016
Professor Intawiwat
The Best Workout
The music, the artists, its all amazing, as are the stories of how these amazing people
came to be involved with music. Imagine, however, being a choreographer and dancer and
inventing a new workout program or routine that incorporates many different variations of
music from all over the world. Talk about a cultural phenomenon, right? Thats exactly what
Alberto Beto Perez did when he came up with Zumba. He didnt realize that he had created a
dance fitness class from his regular dance choreographies. Another thing that Beto didnt realize
is that he would go on to create one of the most well-known exercise classes around the world.
Zumba has turned into a universal sensation, turning into video games and DVDs as well. One
can even become a licensed Zumba instructor just by signing up to take a course somewhere near
ones location, while still having to pay the participation fee of course. The cultural influences
produced by Betos creation are how it has increased the music industry, unified society, and
provided the youth with opportunities to exercise.
The impact that Zumba has had on the music industry is truthfully larger than most would
think. Why is that the case? It is due to the fact that Zumba has created such a large following
that some artists will make songs specifically for instructors to use during their classes. Because
Zumba is Latin based cardio dance, most of the songs and artists are from Spanish speaking
countries. In addition to types of music and dance such as Reggaeton, Cumbia, Salsa, and more,

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instructors can also use more contemporary music to add a bit of Pop into their classes. Having
been a Zumba instructor for two years, I have learned to utilize both sides of the spectrum in
order to create an even more diverse environment for those taking my class to experience.
Creating that type of environment basically comes with the class because all forms of judgment,
of oneself and others, just dont exist in any class. Its nearly impossible to be judgmental of
someone and try to enjoy doing Zumba at the same time. That helps to create a closer
environment for the participants in the class, as well as the community and society as a whole.
Zumba brings people together, and all different types of people as well. Some are athletic,
and others are not. Some are looking to lose weight, and others are looking to just get a good
work out. No matter what you want to do with the Zumba class, you wont get turned away.
Theres always a place for people in a class. That same thing cannot be said for the music
industry. You have to either work hard, have talent, or both, in order to achieve success there,
whereas participation in a Zumba class just requires you to show up and have fun. If you are
someone who is looking to meet new people, that would be a great place to go because everyone
who goes is looking for one of the previously mentioned goals and would be a great place to
have fun. Another thing thats great about Zumba is that there are classes that are for specific age
groups. For example, Zumba Gold is for those who are looking for a lower impact cardio
workout, while regular Zumba classes are likely to be higher impact. Another example would be
that theres a Kids Zumba certification that instructors can get in order to teach kids aged
anywhere from 4 12 years old. This creates a rare opportunity for young kids to get experience
with real rhythm and more complex movements than just walking or waving.
For the kids, Zumba can be a lot of fun. In addition to doing dances and learning sets of
movements in repetition, they also play fun games to get them to get used to the movements

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better. Everything about Zumba has changed the entire culture of exercise and fitness because it
can now be a family affair as well as a fun activity to do. We, as instructors, enjoy seeing
people smile and laugh, which is why we do the same during our classes. We believe that its
important to show where the next moves are going so that the participants dont get lost and are
able to follow a bit better. The widespread culture of Zumba has improved the overall health and
confidence of all who attend, in addition to those who witness the participants having fun. Its
contagious, and its still spreading all over.
Zumba is taught on every single continent except for Antarctica, and the cultural aspects
of it have extended globally as well. More people are seeing the benefits of Zumba and are
participating in classes all over. The cultural and personal benefits can be seen at a local level, as
well as a global level. What Beto has created has been the greatest modification to exercise,
fitness, and music. When one person can influence that many large entities, he should be
considered an influential person, whether regarding exercise and fitness or music and culture.

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Works Cited
Toscano, Lisa, Shawn Ladda, and Lauren Bednarz. "Moving to the Beat: From Zumba to HipHop Hoedown." Strategies 27.2 (2014): 31-6. ProQuest. Web. 1 Feb. 2016.
"Zumba." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2016.