Zumba

Zumba is a trademarked group fitness regimen involving dance and aerobic movements performed to upbeat music. Zumba offers a medley of dance styles including samba, tango, mambo, merengue, and soca; instructors often also incorporate squats and lunges in to the routine. A Zumba class is called a “dance party” and participants are not required to adhere to the instructor-led choreography. Zumba has been adapted to different situations: for example, Zumba Step incorporates step aerobics, Chair Zumba involves a seated position, and Aqua Zumba holds classes in the shallow end of a swimming pool.

Zumba originated in Colombia in 1996. The founder, Beto Perez, brought Zumba to the United States in 2001, and it spread across Canada (and over 150 countries) in the following decade. Today, it is widely practiced at gyms and recreation centres in the GTA.

Zumba usually occurs in group classes, and in the GTA Zumba sessions take place seven days a week throughout the year.

Although participants are of diverse ages and genders, young to middle-aged women form the largest Zumba demographic. A program called "Zumba Gold" has been designed specifically to engage elderly people in Zumba, and to help them exercise while socializing.