Zumba Mama

Yesterday I decided to take up Therese on a babysitting offer and head to the west side Princeton Club for a different zumba class. I've been heading to zumba on Tuesday mornings at 8:45, Wednesday nights at 6:30, and Thursday mornings at 8am when I can. There is also a Sunday class at both the east and west side, and usually I can't make that one because of Nadia's napping and eating schedule. I try to work out five days a week, and since I hadn't done anything on Thursday or Friday, this was my way of making up a day of laziness. :)

I decided that the 4pm class on the west side would be great, since Therese could watch Nadia while I was working out, and then we could all have dinner when I was done. Perfect. I drive to the Princeton Club (which was a fete in itself) and swipe my card. I realize that the changing rooms are around the far back corner on the bottom level, below where I signed in. I then figure out that the giant dance room exactly opposite the entrance is most likely the zumba room. In other words, you have to travel a lot if you want to take a class at the west side Princeton Club. I change my clothes in front of a lot of women that look "with it," almost certainly my competition in zumba class. By the time I reach the doors, it's ten minutes 'til the class starts, and I'm already the 20th person in the room. Even the busiest class on the east side has 30 people. Tops.

Little by little, women were surrounding me. I even had two women stand directly in front of me, and of course I thought I was at the front of the room. By the time class started, we had 50 people in one room. Shortly after class started, I saw that the room seemed more full and in turn, I figured at least another ten people had joined us as the music started. There were literally five dozen women (and a handful of men, one including a young black man with clearly "trained" moves) all in the same workout room for a one hour, fast moving cardio/dance class!

This was insane. I was hit twice by the woman on my left who kept glaring at me because I didn't know all the crazy moves. I was confused by the woman on my right who had her own personal set of Two Left Elephant Feet. I was wonderfully challenged by all the new choreography that this new teacher had to offer, but not enough room to experiment on my own or to make mistakes. For those of my family and friends who haven't taken a workout class in a while, picture this: there are 60 people in one room. All of them are trained for several weeks in the same choreography to the same songs in a room filled with mirrors. People are dancing 10 people wide and 6 people deep from door to window, and can only see the actions of those in front of them and not necessarily themselves or their teacher. Here comes me, a creative soul and not necessarily used to conforming, even in zumba class, looking like a leaping frog amongst an army of ants.

I rock in zumba class. I pick up choreography quickly and if I don't, it's no skin off my back. I just keep trying until I get it, and then when I have it, I do it with conviction. I know I don't look like a trained dancer, and I really don't even look like the latest thing at the club, but I'm definitely having fun and setting a fearless example for those around me. I smile a lot. I add little shimmies and turns. When it comes to the "Low" song ("Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur...) I rock it probably more than I should. But none of my strengths were welcome in this mass zumba class on the west side. I'm going to attempt the 8pm class on Tuesday night and see if it's any better. I'm more comfortable with the bouncy, aerobics and latin-influenced teachers on the east side. But if I can zumba almost every day of the week, it's worth a shot! Wish me luck!