FEATURE OF THE WEEK: zumba

'In 1986, Alberto 'Beto' Perez forgot his tape of aerobics music for a class he was teaching. He took the tapes he had in his backpack — consisting of traditional Latin salsa and merengue music — and improvised a class using this non-traditional aerobics music.'

for me, this wikipedia extract describing the 'history and origins' just draws the most EXCITING picture of a zumba class. in 1986, the year i wish i lived in every year of my life, you can just imagine this impromtu class: leg warmers, flourescent lycra and a LOT of sexy dancing. yes that.
having only heard good things about this form of exercise (how can learning to dance like shakira not be a good thing?), i attended my first zumba class on monday. obviously conducted in italian, i placed myself firmly at the rear of the group so as not to midunderstand any of her instructions, and uno-due-tre, i was zumba-ing. if it hadn't been for the extremely malcoordinated woman in front of me (who looked like an epileptic hailing a taxi), i think i would have picked up the rythmn much easier. having said that, by the end of the class i was certainly in the flow and most definitely exhausted.

watching one woman's behind for an hour suggests to me that this is more of a female activity. having said that, a man resembling lenny from of mice and men took up the right hand side of the group and stayed right until the end; not letting those hips stopping from wiggling. whether it was his incentive to get fit or to watch 8 females girating on the spot, one cannot be sure.

nevertheless, i would recommend zumba to EVERYONE. feeling thoroughly exercised, extremely sexy and happy throughout, exercise has never been better...

for more information on zumba classes in the centre of rome, visit http://www.farnesefitness.com/