Students looking to turn up the volume as well as their heart rate can do so Friday at WellBama’s first Zumbathon, a fitness event benefiting the American Heart Association. Attendees will participate in a three-hour Zumba session with multiple instructors.
Zumba, a Colombian dance fitness program involving dance and aerobic elements, has been growing in popularity throughout the United States since the 1990s.
“Zumba has been around for a long time and it has been known to be fun and lively,” said Carolyn MacVicar, a representative for WellBama. At its heart, Zumba is a dance-aerobics program with Latin and internationally inspired moves and rhythms.
Sara-Margaret Cates, a Zumba instructor who will be working at the event Friday, said the appeal of Zumba is that it really does feel like a dance party as opposed to a workout.
“I love the joy on participants’ faces,” Cates said.
Three hours of continuous Zumba means that several UA instructors will be participating in the Zumbathon. This will allow for a variety of exercises, as the programs and focuses vary among instructors.
Hannah Fulmer, a freshman secondary education major, attends Zumba classes three to four times per week.
“Zumba is a really high-intensity workout,” Fulmer said. “Some instructors focus more on cardio, while others go more for toning.”
MacVicar said this is the first time the University has hosted a Zumbathon on campus.
All of the proceeds from the event will go to the American Heart Association as part of the awareness and fundraising campaigns that will lead up to the West Alabama Heart Walk on Saturday, Feb. 16.
Fulmer said the hope is that Zumba’s wide appeal will make the Zumbathon a successful and enjoyable fundraiser.
“The fact that I’m getting a workout in while dancing, and that I’m doing it with other people who enjoy it, makes it a lot more fun,” Fulmer said.
The Zumbathon is being held at the Student Recreation Center from 5-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8. A $10 donation is required at the door.
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