While Teaching A Class, These are Our Thoughts

If you ever wonder what a Zumba® Fitness Instructor thinks about while teaching a class, you have come to the right place. The myriad of thoughts that pass through our heads range from being completely lost in the music, focusing on choreography, and thinking about someone in class all the way to weird and extremely random thoughts. Just the other day I was astounded by the number of people that were wearing bright orange shirts in class and I found myself doing calculations in my head on the actual percentage of people wearing the same color (yes while we were dancing). The weird thing is that all of the bright orange shirts were on the right side of the room, but I digress.

Some other more prevalent things that pass through my head often revolve around choreography, the music, a personal connection or honestly something personal like an injury, illness or the fact that I may be starving or thirsty. 

• I always wonder if people are happy, having fun, enjoying the workout 😀.
• I often wonder if when my sweat flies if it is going to hit someone in the front row 😂.
• The other day someone yawned while jumping and I was trying to figure out how that was physically possible 😉.
• Sometimes I am so engrossed in the choreography I think about absolutely nothing at all outside of the pure joy of the moment💗.
• Often times I focus on someone who is smiling or doing something unique and fantastic (we have a lot of individual styles in class which is beyond AMAZING)👏!
• Occasionally I wonder what move is next, and if I can't remember I try to decide if I am going to step touch and clap or do a V-step.
• There are those moments I am dyyyyyyyying of thirst and I truly wonder if I am going to make it through.
• Every once in a while when I am up in the air jumping I wonder what is going to happen to my injured leg when I land and I try to make accommodations for averting a disaster. 
• Sometimes I look at the clock and wish there was another hour left to dance! (Who am I kidding, not sometimes, ALL the time)
• Sometimes I wonder if the person standing outside the door looking in wants to come in and dance, or I wonder if they are just looking for someone.
• I watch in admiration as my Zumba® peeps KILL it and take over while I lead and think about how much I 💗 them.
• Sometimes I literally STOP in my tracks and watch everyone dance and it makes my heart swell with joy.
• I wonder when I bring a new song if people like it or hate it (although most times I know they will like it after a week or two).
• When I play an old song, I wonder if people are sick of it, or find comfort in something familiar. 
• The list is really endless...and I could on for days and days...

Most importantly, there isn't a class that goes by that I hope everyone in the room knows the impact and difference they are making in their own lives through physical fitness, and the lives of others by making personal connections, smiling, laughing, having fun and showing up. 

Zumba® Fitness is so much more than great music and dancing. It is about community. It is about finding your tribe and knowing that for one hour WHATEVER you are thinking about (or not thinking about) it is an escape from the "real world". It is an opportunity to reset and find that pocket of happiness that comes along with each and every class. 

Article Written by: Dana
Find Dana on Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/yvettemeekphotography/

Want to Try Something New This Year? We Have the Scoop!

So a new year and a new decade has begun! It is definitely a time to keep up the good habits, form new ones, and resolve to do something new. So, the thought of you becoming a Zumba® instructor has crossed your mind. The prospect of becoming a Zumba® instructor has crossed your mind but something has stopped you. I bet you are wondering what it takes to become a successful instructor.

I can help you answer many of your questions!

First, and most importantly, SUCCESS means something different to everyone. Take some time to think about what moves you and set some small obtainable goals. Next, either you already have your Zumba® license or are thinking about getting it. If you already have your license, GREAT JOB! If you are looking for an upcoming training, visit: www.zumba.com to find a training in your area.

Now to the good stuff. I know first hand that starting a class is not as easy as it looks. I have been a Zumba® instructor for over 5 years now, and I have tons of good and bad experiences in my career; and I want to share them with you; so read on....

Zumba® Fitness Instructor Ran Rabiela

After I got my first Zumba® license, I had a major question: Am I ready to teach? The answer was obviously no. Many instructors struggle to learn choreographies, find songs, find their style; but that wasn’t my fear. My biggest fear was getting up on stage and messing up in front of people. Because that would lead to them not returning and I would have failed. Failure was not an option! So how did I get over my fear? I was lucky to have a mentor who just pulled to the front and pushed me through my fear. It was horrible, I messed it up but I did it! It felt amazing and scared at the same time. Through that experience, I learned that the only way to be successful is to have a safe environment to practice, practice, and more practice. At that moment, I wanted to return to those who fear not succeeding, a place for them to safely try, fail, and try again! And most importantly to be a guide and mentor to help them push through!

I am part of the Zumba® Mentoring program; however, mentoring someone that is hundreds or thousands of miles away is hard; so I got an idea: mentoring sessions as regular classes, so I could help newbies going across all the suffering I went through on my first class in a safe environment. No judgments just learning and fun.

In my mentoring program, I will focus on 5 key principles to help my mentees.

• Disperse knowledge to help people get their foot in the door at local gyms. 
• Provide tips and tricks on how to help people find their style, their unique selves.  
• Help find the "why" you chose to become instructors. 
• Facilitate an understanding of the true importance of collaboration and team building

Most importantly, inspire other people and build and help build confidence. We will focus specifically on:

• How to cue
• How to OWN your choreography
• How to "have fun" while teaching
• How to build a playlist list
• How to choreograph
• How to find jobs
• Recognizing people's individual needs
• Creating a community
• Help with getting your group fitness certification 

Follow me on my journey. You will get to know me and my style. You will learn about my mentees. You will see our successes and failures (I promise to post videos). We will do it all with PRACTICE! Stay tuned for what is next, you will be blown away by our creativity, our journey, and our passion collectively as a group.

Article Written by Ran Rabiela. Find Ran online 👇

Contact Ran: Email
Find Ran Online: Fitness Website

Ran's Zumba Profile