Zumba

Zumba is an exercise program that combines Latin music with choreographed dance moves to create an aerobic exercise workout. Since its origin in Colombia in the 1990s, Zumba has spread throughout the world and spawned a number of variations, including Zumba performed in water and Zumba classes designed for specific age groups and abilities. Exercise experts have determined that Zumba is an effective form of exercise and that the "fun factor" involved in the spirited music and lively moves may inspire people to continue exercising.

Overview

Zumba was created accidentally in the 1990s when Colombian exercise instructor Alberto "Beto" Pérez forgot his usual music recordings for a class. Without enough time to return home to get them, Pérez substituted recordings of music used for salsa and merengue, two forms of Latin dancing. He improvised some choreographed moves to go along with the upbeat music and discovered that his class enjoyed it.

Pérez moved to Miami in 1999 and introduced the United States to his new style of exercise class. By 2001, he had met American businessmen Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion, and the three struck up a partnership. They named Pérez's new aerobics style Zumba, a made-up word with no meaning, and prepared to teach classes in multiple areas. By the 2020s, an estimated fifteen million people worldwide take at least one Zumba class each week. The business formed by the "three Albertos," as they are called, sells music, exercise DVDs, clothing, footwear, and video games and is estimated to be worth in excess of $500 million.

Standard Zumba is an interval-style aerobic workout. An aerobic workout includes movements that encourage the heart to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body, especially to the muscles. A low-impact workout includes movements that do not involve jumping or other activities that require both feet to be off the ground at once; this protects the joints and lessens the risk of injury.

Zumba workouts incorporate moves similar to the dance moves used in salsa, merengue, samba, and other Latin-style dances. Some classes have evolved to include other music and dance styles, such as jazz, country, and hip-hop. Variations have been developed to focus on the needs of children, seniors, and people with disabilities.  Instead of rigidly counting out repetitions of kicks, lunges, and other moves that are common in aerobic exercise classes, Zumba participants focus on moving their bodies to the music. The louder music and freer atmosphere give participants the feeling that they are at a dance party instead of an exercise class. Other formats of Zumba also combine dance-based cardio with strength training exercises.

Exercise experts and researchers have determined that Zumba provides a good interval workout, with bursts of low- and high-intensity activity interspersed throughout the class. They estimate participants burn an average of 300 to 600 calories in an hour-long session. That exceeds the results from other forms of aerobic exercise, such as kickboxing and step aerobics.

Bibliography

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Sánchez, Nacho. “Beto Pérez, the Creator of Zumba: “I Always Dreamed of Traveling and Dancing with Many People, but I Never Thought I’d Be Famous or a Millionaire.”” EL PAÍS, 22 Sept. 2023, english.elpais.com/people/2023-09-22/beto-perez-the-creator-of-zumba-i-always-dreamed-of-traveling-and-dancing-with-many-people-but-i-never-thought-id-be-famous-or-a-millionaire.html. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Shaw, Yowei. "Zumba is a Hit, but is it Latin?" National Public Radio, 5 Mar. 2012, www.npr.org/2012/03/05/147818919/zumbas-a-hit-but-is-it-latin. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Walters, Jennipher. "All About Zumba Class." SparkPeople, 10 May 2011, www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1633. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.