ZUMBA® Covention AKA ZINCON® is Right Around the Corner

A Convention Experience with Zumba® Fitness Instructor Mirna Arroyo.

ZINCON®!!! So excited! My first time was in 2013 after teaching Zumba® for four years. Honestly, I never felt I needed to go as I thought "I already knew how to dance - I am Puertorrican and grew up dancing to Latin rhythms". 

One of my fellow gym instructors said it was a religious experience. I was curious but lacked a Zumba® bestie to go with. I decided to convince my husband to go to the 2013 ZINCON® in Los Angeles so he could also visit his family. Great idea!! The Theme Concert was with Pitbull – O.M.G. but I still I felt that I was missing that religious experience. Fast forward to 2016. 
Now I had an AMAZING Zumba® bestie; There we went! 

My thoughts...

• First, so many bags and outfits!! Of course, you can always bring an empty suitcase to fill up at the ZIN® Wear Store!! 
• Hotels. Must book early!!! After all, Orlando is the largest ZINCON® with 6000+ attendees!! And having a comfy
  
  and easily accessible place to crash or even change outfits (here we go again) between classes is a must. Actually, I would go to my room after each class and snack, shower, and change clothes to include my sneakers (must save those valuable feet that let us Zumba® day in and day out!)

My experience...

• Now, to the overwhelming feeling you get when you see the 6000+ people jumping, screaming, hugging – many type "A's" going at it…Have I found my ‘religious experience’? 
• What about the star sightings - from seeing Beto walking to his room at night to getting a nice pic/selfie with the star ZINCON® instructors!! Oh, wait, booking a pre-or post-conference party might yield more sightings!! I went to Mango’s and there they were – Armando performing, a very pregnant Heidi, and Beto singing and dancing!!! 

The party....

• Non stop party. The concert. My religious experience took me through the after-concert craziness up the escalator with the peeps singing, screaming, and taking maddening selfies!! 
• Then there was the ‘parade of flags’ – the after-concert informal gathering of hundreds of ZIN® instructors from around the world displaying their flags and singing songs from their countries…and then IT HAPPENED – I found MY TRIBE. A bunch of Boricuas singing songs from our childhood, dancing like our ancestors – electrifying moves at the sound of drums, chants, and rhythmical hand-clapping. I could not resist but join in but not before just lounging down on a bench and take it all in, while videoing all of course. 

 IT WAS MY VERY OWN PERSONAL RELIGIOUS ZUMBA® EXPERIENCE. 

What will be YOURS??!!