Burning calories? Sounds painful...

Now face it, us intellectual types are not the ones you typically find running around town in spandex or pumping iron in the gym. I have always been more fond of spending my time reading a good book, or sharing a cup of coffee and engaging conversation with a good friend.

This week, however, I found my workout. Zumba is NOT for the shy or faint-hearted individual. If you attend a class at the Y, you will find a room full of women of varying ages and sizes, and the occasional man. Under normal circumstances, I would wish death upon someone asking me to sweat that much, but the instructor was motivating at all the right moments. Her whoops, claps, hollers, and whistles seemed to keep me going when every muscle in my body was telling me to stop. Mostly, I would credit the mix of Latin, African, and Indian beats with adding enjoyment to the class. Old ladies, middle-agers, and under-30's alike, along with the token "dude", were swinging their hips, jumping up, waving their arms, and boogying down at a rapid pace. I truly feel sorry for the people who had to stand behind me and witness my intense workout. I wouldn't wish that "back view" on my worst enemy.

All-in-all I am excited that I made it through the entire class without being completely bored or passing out. Although I was pretty close to the latter during one song that required an excessive, in my honest opinion, amount of spinning. The beauty is that we had strength in numbers- no one was less or more coordinated than the person next to you.

I did, additionally, thoroughly enjoy attending the class with my mother. I have only ever seen her cut a rug when she has had two glasses of wine at a family wedding! I can see that I have inherited my dancing prowess from her. Oh well. ZUMBA!