One to Five

In the last month, I've gone from teaching one Zumba class per week to FIVE!!! My second and third came on a month ago, and now this week, I added two more! [I agreed to take both Friday mornings (which I'll keep) and Friday evenings (which I said I'd do for March & April, after which I can reevaluate to see if it's too much strain on family time) at The Gym, since the former teacher left to open her own new studio. (So excited for her + good opportunity for me! :-))] It's funny to look back on the last year: not so long ago, I thought taking one Zumba class a week was something. :-P (NOT to be discouraging - it really WAS, starting out! And I lost 10 lbs the first six months I took once a week as a student!) But it is pretty awesome to see the endurance I'm building up now. :-) I've NEVER been an endurance person. EVER. :-D I sprint through life. ;-)

Taking over the former teacher's classes has been great. So often, you run into the "but she never did it like that" attitude, and I haven't gotten that ONCE (...yet. ;-)) I purposely taught several of her songs with her choreography to make the transition easier; but I changed the warm-up to my own, and I added five new songs to nip the comparison in the bud. My Friday morning class is mostly ladies over 60, (there are three of us youngins :-P) and those ladies are not big fans of change OR being pushed. I have a different teaching style than the last teacher - I do EVERY CLASS FULL OUT with my students, instead of demonstrating the moves and then monitoring - so the ladies were very nervous that I'd force them to bounce around like jumping beans, b/c that's how I looked when *I* took that class. I think they found a happy medium in me: I showed how to do everything high AND low impact, but b/c I did the class full out, they realized how lazy they looked when they barely raised their arms and didn't give it their all. They're not getting away with that, anymore! :-P ;-) One lady (whom I'd previously overheard question whether or not she'd keep coming as soon as the last teacher moved on) *did* still come, and she told me afterwards how good the class was, that "it was different, but you did a good job really working us out." :-D I don't mean for it to come across like I'm a drill sergeant; I'm completely NOT! I make sure everyone knows that I do NOT expect anyone to copy my steps perfectly, and I don't even care if they move opposite of me - just as long as they are moving, laughing about it, and having fun! I don't believe in exercise that isn't enjoyable. :-)

So, now the biggest thing on the Zumba horizon is the international CONVENTION.

The Zumba Instructor Convention, held annually in Orlando, is for ZIN (Zumba Instructor Network) Members ONLY. It's an amazing, highly-coveted event August 9-12 this year where you can take tons of Master Classes, network, and even get additional certifications. [I would *LOVE* to get licensed to teach Zumbatomic (Zumba for kids 4-12) and Zumba Toning (which the former Gym teacher had & I would love to be able to add back there.)] Registration for the convention is $400, which - if you know my cheapo self - makes me weak in the knees; but you can't deny what an amazing deal it is when licensing courses on their own are ~$200 each. With the convention, you also get: loads of materials, Thursday night's Party in Pink Zumbathon® Fitness-Concert™ charity event, Friday night's Live Music Concert (with someone famous - still a secret :-P), Saturday night's Theme Party, three extra Master Classes in addition to two Instructor Trainings (or eight Master Classes total), the 2012 Zumba Instructor Convention goodie bag (yay! :-)), and the 2012 Zumba Instructor Convention Flavors DVD (delivered with Mega Mix 32). I know I totally sound like a commercial for this, but I'm really just selling myself. ;-) [Plus, you have to be ZIN (a registered & licensed instructor) to go; not just an enthusiastic student. :-P It's not like I'd get a discount for bringing anyone with me. :-D] Personal bonus: I can't imagine we'll live w/in easier driving distance of Orlando ever again, so no airfare, and I even have a BFF with an apartment *in* Orlando whom I could hopefully stay with to avoid the $120 per night hotel that would have to be tacked on to the total. I think it would be so valuable and exciting (esp. b/c it'll pay for itself, if I get to add those new classes I'd be licensed to teach) ...but it's hard to shake my "worth it?" [re: $$$ & logistics] mentality. :-/

Closing with a couple silly me pics at one of my church Zumba classes, courtesy of my BFF here, Laura. I needed a few to put on my Zumba FB page when it switches to the timeline format: