Friday morning, February 18th, Ashley Mays from Curves in Lake Park and I went to Lake Park Elementary school to talk to a few classes about the importance of exercise and being healthy, and I coordinated a short Zumbatomic® (Zumba for kids) demonstration for each class. Ashley spoke to them about healthy eating habits and gave some examples of why physical activity is important, and I showed them some fun ways to exercise. It's never too early to start teaching children about fitness. I started taking my son to a gym with a childcare facility when he was only a few months old. He has always known that his mommy likes to exericse. I believe that teaching young people about fitness, and providing a good example, is critical to our society's battle against obesity, heart disease, and sedentary lifestyles.
Most of the children were very enthusiastic about exercising. They loved to jump up and down and wave their hands in the air. It warms my heart to see the anticipation in their eyes when a song they like comes on, and they get to dance around to it! By the end of my demo, they were asking for specific songs like "Who Let the Dogs Out?!" I'll have to remember that next time I hold a Zumbatomic® class. Teaching the children about fitness was a reward in itself, but the students also presented both Ashley and me with a single yellow rose in a vase and sang us their "thank you" song!
I have done many Zumba® demonstrations in the past to expose more people to all the Zumba® love! I taught two full exercise sessions to different classes and gave a short speech on benefits of working out consistently to Lowndes High School students on October 8, 2010. I also instructed two "Party in Pink" Zumbathons to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research in September and October 2010 at Anytime Fitness 5 points.. I taught a volunteer Zumba® class to participants of the Hispanic Heritage Committee on Moody AFB on September 22, 2011 and showed young teenage girls sponsored by a VSU sorority chapter some Zumba moves in October 2010. I participated in the Old Navy fitness event on January 29, 2010. Details regarding that one are included in a previous blog.
I have several events planned for the upcoming weeks. I'm attending the Women's Health and Wellness Expo on February 26th at the James H Rainwater Conference Center from 10 am - 3 pm. I will be giving a 20 minute Zumba® demo at various time intervals throughout the day. I'm instructing a class to benefit Relay for Life at JL Lomax Elementary School on Saturday, March 12th at 11 am. I would love to do another Zumbathon® in Nashville, Georgia in March as well. I had a great time last weekend bringing them lots of Zumba® love with instructors Aniya Lamyotte and Teddie Kepple!
