Is Zumba on the Rise?
I switched it up this week and attended a class called "Zumba with Mandi," hosted by Amanda Garcia. I did not know what to expect coming to this class since she only had a Facebook page, and I had to text her to RSVP.
My friends and I were a little shocked to find out it was in the Sul Ross Senior Center in Waco, and we were a little skeptical because the location of the class was not in the safest place in Waco, even though it was close to campus. We got there a little early, even before Garcia, and met one of the other students who told us how much she loved Zumba and how we would have so much fun.
Courtesy of Linsey Jordan
*Pictured above is the space of the Zumba class located in the Sul Ross Senior Center.
When Garcia arrived, she was very welcoming and even invited my friends and me to stay to celebrate another student who recently got married. This shows the tight-knit community "Zumba with Mandi" offers.
Like many other classes, we started with a small warmup and little movements. I had heard of Zumba a long time ago, I thought this class would be easy, and I was proven wrong by the middle of class when all the dance moves got faster and faster. The difficulty for me was keeping up, not necessarily the exercise at first. Garcia would go over how to properly do specific exercises, like squat forms, before a song if she had them embedded in it.
One thing I noticed about the class is she would pull frequent students up on the stage to dance with her. She was able to engage everyone, regardless of age. There were people in their 30s to their 70s, and everyone was having fun when I looked around the room. My friends and I stayed in the back, and throughout the class, we were laughing, dancing, and just having fun even though we weren't dancers.
I was reluctant to attend the class, especially after I learned it was not in an actual workout studio. We were the youngest in the class of 20, but we talked to many people excited about us being there. After the class, Amanda and her mom stayed and spoke to us about our thoughts on the class and got to know us a bit. She said she had never had Baylor students come to her class before.
Courtesy of Amanda Garcia
*Garcia takes a self-timer picture with everyone who attended after every workout. This picture is from our class session, and the ladies in the middle are dressed up to celebrate the student who recently got married. My friends and I are on the far right!
The class was only $5, which is the rate for all classes. No membership is available, but that is an overly fair price for the class. The cost is very affordable, and that is what I love about this class. Garcia could charge more for this class and her expertise, but to make it affordable for the community, is incredible.
Would I recommend this class? Absolutely! I had a blast and got a good workout in. I don't think Baylor students would just come here on their own will, but my friends and I are already planning on when to go next week. You don’t have to be a good dancer: Garcia said Zumba's goal is to have fun, even if you miss some moves!
