“Zumba Q-C attracts fitness-minded crowds - Quad-Cities Times”

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Zumba Q-C attracts fitness-minded crowds - Quad-Cities Times Posted: 18 Jun 2010 09:33 AM PDT The Zumba party is in downtown Rock Island and the focus is on fitness with side benefits available for friendship and fun. "Ditch the workout, join the party," said Pauline Miller, who teaches the class with Patrice Williams. "We're like a family here." The Zumba (pronounced ZOOM-bah) instructors have moved their classes to the Skellington Manor, 420 18th St., Rock Island. The crowds at the Scott Family Y facilities filled up the space provided, so Miller and Williams found a larger venue and pumped up the volume. Zumba is a combination of Latin dance routines and movements meant to exercise the body's core area. Miller and Williams have relied on social websites such as Facebook and old-fashioned word-of-mouth to get the message out that they've moved to Rock Island. More than 130 people attended their demonstration activity last month. The focus on movement, and aerobic exercise benefits the cardio-vascular system. But there are other pluses, according to Williams. "I notice more friendships forming from our classes," she said. "People are bonding." The Facebook page for "Zumba in the Q-C" is accented by friendly, energetic messages. Kandis Konrardy, 24, of Eldridge, Iowa, plans a birthday party at a Zumba class next week, and she's invited her friends, both women and men. Williams promised to use some of Konrardy's favorite songs during the class exercises. "I can't think of a better birthday present!" Konrardy wrote on Facebook. Vickie Wilson, of Bettendorf, wrote on Facebook that she had a great night of exercise at Zumba last week: "… Thank you to Pauline and Patrice for working so hard to make sweating fun! Seriously, how could anybody not love Zumba?" New site Williams and Miller moved the class site after being invited by Penni Stein, who owns Skellington Manor with her husband, Mike. "It's a fabulous facility, sort of like a blessing from God," Miller said of the 4,000-square-foot, air-conditioned banquet room. Stein had met Miller and Williams during their previous classes and noticed the crowds they attracted. The building is the former Rock Island Masonic Temple, and one popular new use includes fall productions staged for Halloween. Miller and Williams plan to include demonstrations and classes keyed to the theme established at that time. The new setting also gives them the opportunity to sell Zumba merchandise and bottles of water — very popular in the summertime. Fans love dance The Latin-themed dance routines are inviting to people of different ages, types and cultures, according to Miller. Participants range from 6 to 85 years old. Zumba is favored by Dawn Peters, 31, of Eldridge, who so far has lost 40 pounds in the class. "I got hooked on Zumba," she said. "I never thought fitness would be so fun." Diane DeLashmutt, 49, of Davenport, has taken Zumba for almost three years from either Williams or Miller. She arranges her work schedule to attend their sessions in Rock Island. "I do enjoy Zumba so much," she said. DeLashmutt compares a typical summertime class to a car wash, because the exercisers sweat even in the air-conditioned room. The teachers get students to move around, Peters agreed, adding: "They got me to jump!" In the end, the Zumba class has healthier and happier exercisers. "There's lots of hugging going on in Zumba," DeLashmutt said. "Zumba people are just happier than normal," Peters said. Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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