My love hate relationship with Zumba

I love and hate the Zumba world. I can often be seen mocking Zumba and the antics that some ZIN partake in. I do this in a tongue in cheek humorous type of way, but some of the stuff is true.

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Crazy happy Zumba picture. Can I be down?

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I love teaching the Zumba format, it is by far the most fun format that I teach. However, I hate that every month, whether or not I’m teaching, I have to pay $29 a month to the Zumba corporation. They make you pay for a license to teach their format. In their defense, the same applies to many other formats such as Les Mills, and Piyo. I don’t like that too much, but that’s the format they use, and it seems to work because everyone and their grandmother is a ZIN now.

I talk a lot of shit, I know this, but that’s because, frankly, I don’t give a fuck. I don’t need you to like me. I stand on my own two feet, and I make my own way. I’ve learned throughout the years that no one is gonna look out for you, no one cares for you, it’s only you and your loved ones. There are people who will act like they can help you, but at the end of the day, ain’t nobody gonna do shit for you. So be a good person, be nice, but don’t take shit from someone because you think they may somehow benefit your career. The fact of the matter is, they don’t give a fuck about you, so speak your truth!

There are nice people out there, and the same applies in the Zumba world, and there are also jerky people as well. I notice how petty some instructors can be, it’s very cutthroat and sad. I started doing this because I enjoy it, it’s fun for me, and it gives me a workout that I control. Some Zumba instructors are weak, out of shape, and they cannot give me a real workout. So, rather than depend on them to give me the intensity I require, I became the teacher, and now I control the intensity for everyone. If you take my class, regardless of your fitness level, you are gonna sweat and work hard!

As with anything else, I’ve encountered haters. I’ve had a few people get mad because their students enjoyed me and wanted me back. I always tell people, my success does not mean you are a failure. Just because someone likes me, doesn’t mean they don’t like you. Take control of those insecurities and worry about yourself, don’t worry about me.

I consider myself a “solo” Zumba project, you know? What I mean by that is that I don’t care for conventions, I don’t care for jam sessions to learn new choreo, and I don’t care that Beto is coming to NYC to do a class. I mean, think about, their are hundreds of people attending his class, he’s on a giant stage, and you are among all these people. What is the benefit of attending Beto’s class then? You probably can barely even see him from the lower level that you are at. Look at this picture, you think any of these people are hanging out with Beto? Get the fuck out of here, it’s a concert.

Now, if Beto is gonna meet me and chill with me, shoot the shit and actually spend some time with me, then sure, I’d be excited. I think it would be awesome to hang out with Beto! But I don’t care to participate in his class among that insane crowd of sweaty, potentially smelly people. Not interested!

I have considered the Zumba cruise, but that’s just cause I want to take a cruise. But it’s not likely that I’ll do this either. I will admit that I do wear some Zumba gear, I like their stuff. Though if I’m completely honest, the cost and the quality are not equal if you know what I’m saying. You are just paying for the name on the clothes.

Zumba is great, but as with anything else that is great, there are some things that I don’t like. I love teaching the format, but I don’t care for some of the politics, and I don’t participate in them. I just keep it real as I always do, whoever likes it, good, whoever doesn’t, well, good too.

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