Zumba

For other uses, see Zumba (disambiguation).
Zumba Fitness, LLC
Founded 2001
Founder Alberto "Beto" Perez,
Alberto Perlman,
Alberto Aghion
Headquarters 800 Silks Run, Suite 2310
Hallandale, FL
Number of employees
 217
Website www.zumba.com

Zumba is a dance fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez during the 1990s.[1] Zumba is a trademark owned by Zumba Fitness, LLC. The Brazilian pop singer Claudia Leitte has become the international ambassador to Zumba Fitness.[2]

Zumba at People's Park Davao City.

Zumba involves dance and aerobic movements performed to energetic music. The choreography incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo. Squats and lunges are also included.[3] Zumba Fitness, the owner of the Zumba program, does not charge licensing fees to gyms or fitness centers.[4] Approximately 15 million people take weekly Zumba classes in over 200,000 locations across 180 countries.[5]

Origin

In the mid 1990s, Beto Perez forgot his tape of aerobics music for a class he was teaching. He went to his car, listened to music – consisting of non-traditional salsa and merengue music – and improvised a class using this non-traditional aerobics music. After finding initial success in Colombia, he moved to the United States in 2001, where he teamed up with cofounder Alberto Perlman and a childhood friend, COO Alberto Aghion. The trio produced a demo reel, and the concept was discovered and licensed by a company called Fitness Quest to create a direct marketing campaign and a line of home videos.[6]

The name "Zumba" has no particular meaning, it was chosen arbitrarily as a brand name.[7]

Classes

An instructor coaches a Zumba class in a fitness center.

Zumba classes are typically about an hour long and are taught by instructors licensed by Zumba Fitness, LLC.[8] The exercises include music with fast and slow rhythms, as well as resistance training.[9] The music comes from the following dance styles: cumbia, salsa, merengue, mambo, flamenco, chachacha, reggaeton, soca, samba, hip hop music, axé music and tango. There are nine different types of classes for different levels of age and exertion.[5] Zumba Gold is a program designed for the needs of the elderly. Zumba Step is a lower-body workout that incorporates Zumba routines and step aerobics with Latin dance rhythms. Rumba Toning is for the people who do their workouts with toning sticks. Zumba Toning will target the abs, thighs, arms, and other muscles throughout the body. Zumba Toning provides participants with a cardio workout and strength training. Aqua Zumba classes are held in a swimming pool. The instructor leads the class poolside while participants follow in shallow water. Moves have been specially adapted to combine the same dance movements used in a Zumba Fitness class with those used in aqua fitness classes . Zumba In The Circuit combines dance with circuit training.[10] These classes usually last 30 minutes and feature strength exercises on various stations in timed intervals. Zumba [8] Kids and Zumba Kids Jr. classes are designed for children between the ages of 4 and 12. Zumba Gold-Toning is a toning class for older participants with goals of improving one's muscle strength, posture, mobility, and coordination. Zumba Sentao is a chair workout that focuses on using body weight to strengthen and tone the body.[11] Zumba instructors have the option to become ZIN™ Members (Zumba Instructor Network members) to receive bimonthly training DVDs to assist with the creation of music and choreography for their personal Zumba classes.

Because Zumba offers different options, proponents of the Zumba program claim that it is safe for all ages, meaning that anyone from age 0 to 100 can participate in this form of aerobic exercise.[12] At least some of the classes are specifically aimed at elderly people, to help them build strength, improve motion and posture, and socialize.[13]

Products

DVDs

Zumba sold DVDs via infomercials in 2002.[14] In 2005, the Zumba Academy was launched to license instructors for teaching Zumba classes.[15] In 2007 the company launched a clothing line called Zumba wear.[16][17] In July 2012, it released the compilation album Zumba Fitness Dance Party. More than 10 million DVDs have been sold.[18]

Clothing

As of 2012, official apparel sales amounted to $10 million per year.[18]

Video games

In 2010 Zumba released its first fitness video game on November 30, 2010.[5] As of August 2011, it has sold 3 million copies.[19]

The Zumba Fitness 2 video game was released in November 2011. A similar game was released on the Xbox 360 as Zumba Fitness Rush in February 2012.[20]

Zumba Fitness Core was released in October 2012 for the Wii and Xbox 360. The game includes new features such as nutrition tips and ability to set personal goals.[21]

Most recently, Zumba Fitness: World Party was released on November 5, 2013. That game features the new World Tour mode that unlocks songs from seven global destinations as you progress, exposing you to authentic customs, local rhythms and native dance styles.[22]

The game was followed by Zumba Kids on November 19, 2013.[23]

All of the Zoë Mode-developed Zumba titles run on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3.

Games

References

  1. ↑ Zumba brings the dance party into the health club, USA Today, 10 October 2011
  2. ↑ "Claudia Leitte se une ao time de estrelas internacionais da Zumba Fitness - Notícias - Claudia Leitte".
  3. ↑ Fitness Guinea Pig: Zumba, Brides Magazine
  4. ↑ Zumba Shakes the Monotony Out of Ordinary Aerobics Classes, The Washington Post, 31 July 2008
  5. 1 2 3 "About Zumba Fitness". Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  6. ↑ Issie Lapowsky (26 May 2010). "Zumba Turns Dancers Into Entrepreneurs". Inc. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Zumba Fitness Trademark Usage & Zumba Logo Guide - Zumba.com".
  8. 1 2 Carrie Stevens. "Why You Should Give In to the Zumba Craze". Fitbie. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  9. ↑ Jane Alexander (30 March 2009). "Get fit dancing: Dance to a different beat with Zumba". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "Zumba Fitness". Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  11. ↑ "Zumba Fitness - About". Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  12. ↑ Barbara Russi Sarnataro. "Zumba: Fun Is Secret Ingredient of Latin Dance Workout". WebMD. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  13. ↑ Lindsey Getz. "Zumba Gold Program Attracts Elders". AgingWell. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "The secret to fitness craze Zumba's success?". The Independent. 7 September 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  15. ↑ Elaine Blaisdell (24 January 2011). "'Exercise in disguise,' Zumba really catching on". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  16. ↑ http://www.GreedyGirlsGuide.com, "5 Websites to Get Zumba Gear", Zumba Information, 2013-25-11
  17. ↑ Cindy Vanegas (11 April 2011). "Zumba Movement Catches On, Now Comes the Hard Part". Fox Business. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  18. 1 2 Philby, Charlotte (8 September 2012). "Zumba: You get fit, they get rich". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015.
  19. ↑ Soham Chatterjee (13 September 2011). "UPDATE 2-Zumba Fitness, new game launches boost Majesco outlook". Reuters. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Zumba Fitness Rush by Majesco". GameStop. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  21. ↑ "Zumba Fitness Core by Majesco". GameStop. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  22. ↑ "Zumba Fitness World Party by Majesco". Majesco Entertainment Company. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  23. ↑ "Zumba Kids by Majesco". Majesco Entertainment Company. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
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