Sucheta Pal, the global ambassador of Zumba in India will be coming to Kochi for a Zumba master class ‘Alloy’ to be a part of ‘Dance A’Fair 2018 conducted by The Floor

Text credit: Lakshmi Priya

Moving your legs to the most energetic music, sweating out the unwanted fat stored in the body and leaving the floor after a quick protein shake moment – the benefits of experiencing Zumba, the fun fitness workout are immeasurable. Be it the physical movement or the mental stimulation it provides, Zumba is turning out to be one of the most loved workouts in the country. Dance A’Fair 2018, the annual event of The Floor, happening on June 2 and 3 at JT Pac and Crown Plaza, Kochi is all set to bring out a cultural blend. The two-day event is a melange of art forms performed by both renowned artists across the country and the students of The Floor. Dance A ’Fair is a sincere endeavour of The Floor to spread the culture of dance and an artistic life in Kochi. As part of the event, Sucheta Pal, the global ambassador of Zumba in India is coming to Kochi for a Zumba master class on June 3.

“A specialised training for Zumba instructors was held a month back in India where we were trained by International Zumba presenters and the creator of Zumba, Beto Perez himself. I look forward to bring these learning with new Zumba routines for people in Kochi. The participants will experience fusion music like Mernegue Trap, Samba Bhangra and Cha cha cha pop”, says Sucheta, who finds extreme pleasure to be back with Arunima Gupta, one of the first Zumba instructors in the state who is hosting this master class on behalf of The Floor.

It was the passion and purpose towards dance that motivated Sucheta to quit her nine to nine corporate job. This journey took her to the US in 2009 where she discovered Zumba fitness for the very first time and realised her purpose. “I quit my job to inspire the nation towards a healthier lifestyle – one person, one move and one shimmy at a time. After pursuing my licence training there, I have never looked back,” says Sucheta. When she returned to India, she came with the tag of the first Zumba Education Specialist (ZES) in the country.

Zumba is distinct from other workout forms because it is branded and has a set structure and method of teaching which only a licensed Zumba instructor who is part of the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN) can teach. It is taught in a method that is easy, fun, and effective. The instructor will take the participants on a tour through various forms of music and dance across the world. In a single class, one can experience Samba from Brazil, Tango from Argentina, Flamenco from Spain or Cumbia from Columbia at the same time while receiving a total body workout.

Fitness experts of the Zumba Miami office regularly provide licensed instructors curated dance-fitness choreographies which ensure that the Zumba class participants not only get a fantastic cardio workout but also reap the benefits of muscular strength, endurance and burn 500 to 800 calories in the process. Whether the participant is 16 or 60, all are equally successful in a Zumba fitness class majorly due to its simplicity.

“The exclusive Zumba music, the science of Zumba and the passion of the licensed instructors have made it a worldwide phenomenon. The likes of Jason Derulo, Meghan Trainor, Steve Aoki, Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, Pitbull, and Shakira collaborate with Zumba fitness international office to create class music for licensed instructors across 186 countries”, says Sucheta.

This becomes the biggest pull for Zumba classes as this unique music cannot be heard or accessed anywhere else except in class. Rhythms like Quebradita, Soca, Dembow and Russian folk can only be experienced in Zumba classes. The intermittent class format is also a reason for success. In a 60 min class, over 15 songs are taught and the class simply whizzes, not leaving the students exhausted but craving for more. The trick is that the Zumba routines in the 60 minutes playlist are alternated such that the heart rates of the participants go up in one song and goes down in the following one. Thus, not only do participants get adequate rest but effectively burn more calories.

Sucheta has faced some major challenges while introducing Zumba in India. She said, “What I love about India is the mind set to accept new formats and experiment. Zumba was initially confused as a dance form, which still continues in some parts due to ignorance. My major challenge was to ensure that the population understood that we are here to teach them salsa in one hour, but we will be indulging in a fitness class which is inspired by music and dance across the world.”