BORP (Adaptive) Zumba

For those unaware, I'm working with BORP to create a Zumba class that everybody, literally every body, can enjoy.  BORP is the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program, and they are one of the main programs within the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley, CA.

BORP is the leading provider and promoter of accessible sports and recreation opportunities for children and adults with physical disabilities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

The class vision: a person in a power wheelchair will be sweating along to the music while a 20-year-old Cal student is dancing behind them.  A mother of two dances beside them, while someone with leg braces is workin' it in the back.

I'm not a licensed Zumba Gold instructor yet (though I'm signing up for a class in September).  However, I don't really want the class to be called Zumba Gold.  I don't even want to label it "Adaptive Zumba" (so I haven't).  I don't want people to think that it's only for seniors or only for people with disabilities.  I want it to be a fully integrated community dance class.  I guarantee that you can still sweat if we sit down for a song or two.  We want you to feel free to do what you can, and to try something new.

This is not a picture of my class. This is how it feels, though!

The class mantra: you are a person first, and your disability should not define you, nor should it isolate you from the community.  You should be able to dance like everyone else.  If you are a marathon runner, a dancer, have a little problem moving around, are a senior, or if you are in a wheelchair, this class is meant to make you feel included and still get you a good workout.

I've heard from my dancers with disabilities that they've been told their whole life to "keep up" or that "instructors usually get nervous or anxious when I show up to their classes".  Well, I don't.  However, I also don't want you to think that I'm going to take it easy on you.  You're going to sweat.  You're going to dance.  And you're going to have fun!

Your first class at BORP is free, and you can find out how to register on the Zumba w/ ~RoB tab.

I'd love to get some more of the community into the studio to shake their booties with me.  Plus, you'll get to use the brand new facility that's adjacent to the Ashby Bart Station in Berkeley.

Come join us Thursday evenings at 6:15 pm, and please, please, please tell your friends!

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

Truckee Independence Day Parade

For the 4th of July holiday weekend, my girlfriend and I headed up to her hometown on the north shore of Lake Tahoe in Northern California.  As it turns out, we are really good at finding barbecues.  It was at one of these bbqs that one of my girlfriend's closest childhood friends mentioned that she was going to be Zumba-ing in a parade on the 4th.  (This same friend was featured in my first official class.  Thanks for making the shirts!)

It sounded interesting, so I wanted some more details.  Her local, Tahoe City, Zumba instructor had teamed up with one in Truckee to include a bunch of Zumba dancers into the hometown parade.  There were 3 songs that were choreographed, and they had been posted online.  As she was telling me about it, she looked at me and exclaimed 'You should come do it, too!'  (Paraphrased... she may not have exclaimed it.)

My first thoughts were, 'Thanks, but I don't know the instructors, and I've never seen the choreography, and I would really feel like I was imposing.'  Skip ahead 18 hours or so, and I'm standing next to her in the parade lineup with my favorite Zumba outfit on ready to dance and sweat and cheer.

Why did I decide to do Zumba in the parade?  She fessed up to not really knowing the routines, and she waited until I was in a food coma to have my girlfriend coerce me to committing.  After all, I could look at the videos online, I was pretty confident in being able to pick up on dances quickly, and it made for a good story for you guys (my readers).  As it turns out, they were more than happy to have me.

A few minutes into the parade, I was called out by a radio station announcer.  "Hey, is that Richard Simmons?"  (I'll blog more about this often-made comparison later.)  I took the opportunity to shimmy and really show off, and the crowd ate it up.  I'm happy to take advantage of moments like that, and it was probably the best part of the parade for me.  Here are some photos that were snapped along the route:

I'm a little bit of a ham. I regularly ran out into the audience and got them to dance with me!

Shimmy-ing to 'Livin La Vida Loca' at the judges booth.

I've since added two of the parade songs to my list of go-to Zumba songs.  I also got to hand out some of my business cards to the lovely people that I danced with, in hopes they might be able to swing by one of my classes in the Bay Area if they are ever visiting.

The group that we were dancing with ended up winning for 'Best Commercial Float'.  Our superb dancing didn't go unnoticed!

So, morals of the story are: the Zumba community truly is inviting and gracious and fun, and you should take every opportunity to just go out and dance.  Oh, and Go America, too!!

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

Financial Investment

10 days ago, or so, I had a momentous occasion.  For the first time ever, I was paid for teaching Zumba!  Technically, I haven't been paid yet, but I know it's coming, and how much it is, so I guess I'll count it.

This was the first time that I added a 'positive' value to my spreadsheets that thoroughly detail the total amount I've spent throughout this process.  I was asked by someone today (a gentleman!) about the process for becoming a Zumba Instructor.  (I'm sending him your way, Joy!)  The thing that I've left out of my story so far is the financial investment you have to make before you start earning any money back.

Everything costs money, and you need to be ready to front a lot of it until it starts coming the other way:
- Instructor Training (The largest and first-seen cost.)
- Monthly ZIN Membership (You should definitely do this.)
- Promotional Posters / Business Cards (You'll want something to get your name out.)
- Zumba Gear (Become the fitness instructor, don't expect words to work on their own!)
- Liability Insurance (Get it if necessary, and I had to.)
- Zumba Classes (You'll still want to keep going to Zumba classes to continue to network and learn.)
- Zumba Music (You want to personalize your music, so have a few unique songs to stand out.)
- Parking/Memberships/Bridge Tolls/ Etc. (All those little expenses that add up if you track them.)

In general, I'd say you should expect to invest about 2.5 times the price of the instructor training before you will see any money back.  Obviously, that number varies widely depending on how long you wait to start teaching, and how much you immerse yourself in gear and promotional items, but I think that is a fair number to plan for.

Money shouldn't discourage you, but you should be serious about the investment considering the economic times we're in.  Hope this helps those of you considering starting a Zumba journey of your own!!

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

Getting to the BORP Fitness Center

So, you're interested in the FREE ZUMBA class and you've registered online by following these instructions.  You've looked for directions online, but you are still a little unsure about how to actually get to the class.

In showing up to finalize things at the BORP Fitness Center yesterday afternoon, I realized that it might be a little difficult to find.  So, below is a virtual tour showing you how to get to the studio if it is your first time.

Coming from BART
Get off BART at the Ashby Station.

After you've passed the stanchions, look up and slightly left.

Follow the signs through those glass doors.

Turn right through the doors and get on an elevator.

Go to the first floor (it is starred).

Turn left out of the elevator and walk beyond the desk.

This is where the Zumba magic will happen!

Coming North on Adeline
You'll be driving beside the BART station on Adeline.

You'll encounter this sign. Aim for BART Parking, NOT ERC!

You'll drive past the main entrance, but you'll see it on your right.

Turn right past this sign to go to Free BART Parking.  

Follow the path back to the parking lot.

Find a spot, park, and aim for this door.

Walk inside and head down the hallway, then turn left.

This is where the Zumba magic will happen! (You just came down that hall on the left.)

Coming South on Adeline
You'll be driving beside the BART station on Adeline.

You'll encounter this sign. Follow the arrow for Free BART Parking.

Follow the path back to the parking lot.

Find a spot, park, and aim for this door.

Walk inside and head down the hallway, then turn left.

This is where the Zumba magic will happen! (You just came down that hall on the left.)

I hope these help photos make finding the class easier, and I'm very excited to dance with you,
~RoB

MY OWN CLASS!

The first Zumba class I'll be teaching at the Ed Roberts Campus on Thursday, June 23rd is ABSOLUTELY FREE TO EVERYONE!!!

The Ed Roberts Campus is a new facility in what used to be entirely an Ashby BART parking lot.  Now, what's left of the lot surrounds the building, and BORP is one of the programs housed within that provides services for physically disabled children and adults throughout the Bay Area.  The BORP Fitness Center wants to bring in able-bodied members of the community to get to know the building, which is why they are offering classes that cater more toward general fitness, with little-to-no emphasis on adaptive recreation (though anybody that shows up is invited to join in on the fun).  50% of the proceeds from each class go towards this amazing, non-profit organization!  The address is below, and it links to a google map view of the property.

3075 Adeline St, Suite 150 
Berkeley, CA 94703

I'm worried that the class is going to fill up, and I want to give my friends and family (and blog readers) first dibs at a spot in the class.  Following are detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to register online.  In order to start, CLICK HERE.

This is the first screen. You should see my class near the bottom. Click 'Sign Up Now'.

Your first time, you'll need to fill out the bottom section and click 'Next'. If you're returning, input your username/pass.

This is all the info you must provide your first time. Remember your username/pass for future classes!

You may have to go back to the beginning, or it may take you straight to this page, but your name should be at the top-right (censored here).  When you get to the signup page, 'Register as Unpaid'! After your first time, classes are $11 each, but your first class at BORP is free!

This is your confirmation/schedule screen.  Only one class will be listed, but you can go add future ones!

Now, don't register unless you can show up.  I expect the class to sell out, and it would be unfair for you to hold a FREE reservation if other people are available to attend.  Feel free to forward this information on to all who are interested, and I'm excited to see you on Thursday.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions/problems by going to my Bio & Contacts tab!

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

First Real Classes

An instructor in Concord, CA, needed a sub for her Zumba class while she recovered from a pinched nerve.  Two people that I had originally met at B1 training posted that they were subbing, and I asked for details so I could come to the class.  They offered for me to teach a song or two, and I gladly accepted.  (This is a perfect example showing how important networking becomes immediately, so make friends when you go to that instructor training!)

The class was amazing.  It turned into a mini-Master's class, except the 'masters' were new instructors that had never taught in front of a full class before.  By the end, 4 of us fresh instructors had a chance to teach songs, but most of them were taught by Amelia, the wife of the couple I had met at the instructor course.

These were the 4 new instructors that taught!  Amelia's up front.

None of the pictures that my darling girlfriend took on her phone turned out spectacularly.  I'll take all the blame, though, since I didn't give the dancers a second to stand still.  All they could do was:

Lift!

& Jump!

& Cross!

& Slide!

I led two songs, and the feedback from the class afterward couldn't have been better.  It was a really enthusiastic crowd in the largest dance space I've had the privilege to use since I started Zumba.

It was so fun that I went back this week.  This time, the regular instructor was on vacation, which is probably going to help her heal faster (instead of trying to dance too soon).  Anyway, I taught 2 more songs!  I planned on doing 2 different songs from the week before, but I had requests for one of the previous songs.  That's right.  People are already requesting favorite songs!  I can't describe how good that makes me feel.  The crowd this week was just as enthusiastic afterward.

I'm so pumped for my first hour-long class, for the opportunity to show you all of my moves!
~RoB

Aquazumba w/ Yeni

On Saturday morning, I went to my first Aquazumba class.  I really want to get exposure to all of the different types of Zumba, except for Zumbatomic.  I can already tell that Zumbatomic just isn't for me.  I believe that I'd be amazing at Zumba Gold, and I think I should get into Zumba Toning, but Aquazumba was the first class I found outside of the realm that I am already familiar with.  It was the first day that it was being taught by an instructor that I had already taken 'Land' Zumba from, Yeni.

Meet Yeni!  (Click here to go to her website.)

Funny story.  I met Yeni at a Zumba class, where she was dancing along instead of teaching.  It was the first time I had ever seen her, so I made some comment about how great she was (specifically at salsa).  Her response, "Yeah, I teach Zumba here."  It was awkward, but it left an impression.  The talented, unforgettable Yeni.  Her 'Land' Zumba choreography can be a little more complex than the average beginner class, but that makes it way more fun the second or third time you see it, and you're able to do it all!  Her dancing talent is obvious in every move she makes.

It was Yeni's first Aquazumba class (which fit well with my first time taking Aquazumba).  She recognized me as soon as I showed up to the pool, so I felt very VIP.  My overall feelings about Aquazumba: I didn't love it.  It wasn't the instructor or choreography or music, Yeni was great!  She was very conscious about using buoyancy in your favor to avoid injuries, and it made me realize how ideal this class would be if I had any sort of sports injury.  The amount of intensity and overall fitness the instructor has to exude from the deck while the class is flopping around in the water is unbelievable, and I'm positive that I couldn't do it at my current fitness level.  (Luckily, Yeni is in great shape [rockin' the abs] and spent the hour jumping around as if gravity didn't fully effect her either, even though she wasn't in the water.)

I just found myself continuously frustrated that I wasn't able to dance on beat.  It's just too difficult to move fast enough.  I wish I was better at figuring out how to best move my limbs to make snappy, in-sync motions in the water, but I just don't know if that is even possible.  As someone who likes to add the little flourishes to make my dancing look that much fancier, I struggled with not being able to move my feet quickly or shimmy to my heart's content.  I also found some of the moves to fight me to the point of stagnation.  Trying to move to the right while pushing water to the right is great resistance training, I'm sure, but it is frustrating to work hard and not go anywhere.

I'm sure I'll go back in a month or so, since I don't have a free Saturday to spare until after the 4th of July, but I don't see myself going regularly.  It's just too much money; money that I'd rather spend on 'Land' Zumba!

Nevertheless, Thanks for the experience, Yeni!  Keep up the good work!  I recommend everyone to try Aquazumba at least once, and I think some of you may enjoy it more than I've led you to believe here.
~RoB