How I Build My Own Zumba Playlists — And Why Finding the Right Song Is So Hard

Finding new music that truly speaks to me is one of the hardest parts of teaching Zumba. Most of the music that comes with the program doesn’t do it for me, so I build my own playlists and create my own choreography. The challenge is that eventually you get bored with the same songs, and keeping the energy fresh is everything. My students show up every week expecting to have a great time, and I take that seriously

My process is hard to explain but easy when it works. I hear a song, and if it excites me, the choreography just comes — naturally, almost instantly, like it was always there. I don’t force it or search for it. It either happens or it doesn’t. When it does, it’s a beautiful thing. That’s the feeling I’m always chasing, and finding new music that triggers it is rarer than I’d like.