šZumbašŗ
My favorite Dance Workout
Zumba is a global fitness program blending cardio with Latin-inspired
dance, founded by Colombian dancer and choreographer Beto PĆ©rez in 2001.
Today, Zumba classes are offered in 200,000 locations across 180
countries, with 15 million participants attending weekly. The program is
a trademark owned by Zumba Fitness, LLC.
The origins of Zumba trace back to the 1990s when PĆ©rez, an aerobics
instructor in Cali, Colombia, improvised a class using cassette tapes of
Latin dance music such as salsa and merengue after forgetting his usual
playlist. This spontaneous fusion of music and movement evolved into a
concept PĆ©rez initially called "Rumbacize."
In 2001, PĆ©rez teamed up with Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion to
officially launch Zumba, promoting it through a series of fitness videos
sold via infomercials. The name "Zumba" was inspired by the Cuban
musical genre "rumba," with PĆ©rez experimenting with variations of the
word before settling on "Zumba," influenced by his childhood admiration
for the fictional character Zorro.
With investments from Insight Venture Partners and The Raine Group in
2012, Zumba Fitness expanded rapidly. By 2015, there were 14 million
students in 186 countries, and the program had grown to include
in-person class instruction.
Zumba choreography incorporates up to sixteen core steps across four
foundational rhythms: salsa, reggaeton, merengue, and cumbia, offering
participants a dynamic and engaging fitness experience.