Mount Pleasant resident Dale Ellison had never heard of Zumba. But when she saw a poster for it while living in Connecticut, she gave the rhythmic dance a whirl.
“It was a complete fluke but ended up being a perfect fit for me,” said the dance instructor, whose career spans 14 years.
Ellison taught salsa while living in San Francisco and then got into tango where she taught it for five years there and four years in Connecticut.
But once Ellison took the Zumba class, she was hooked. She went on to receive her Zumba certification and teach her own class.
Ellison had been teaching Zumba for a year and a half when she moved to warmer weather in Mount Pleasant eight months ago. She knew of Creative Spark, so she walked in and asked if they would be willing to let her teach a class there.
“They were open and receptive,” said Ellison, whose Zumba classes started in July.
Ellison noted that Zumba is based on Latin rhythms but not entirely. There are also rhythms from Africa and the Middle East.
“The concept of Zumba is based on interval training where we dance fast to bring up the heart rate, then slow it down a little, then bring it back up with fast rhythms. It makes it energizing and works the heart more efficiently (cardio); it also burns calories faster,” she said. “Zumba makes you strong and tone.”
According to Ellison, a lot of people say, “I don’t have any rhythm.”
She advises her students to “keep moving.”
“There are really easy to follow dance steps and one doesn’t necessarily have to be fit,” Ellison explained. “The particular rhythms typically found in Zumba are: cumbia, salsa, cha-cha, merengue, reggaeton (others are bachata, Indian bhangra, belly dance, swing, and more).”
“Almost everyone says that they’ve never danced before, that they can’t hear the beat, and they are uncoordinated. But that’s usually not the case; they just haven’t danced like this before,” Ellison explained.
She admits that the first class is challenging. There are variations of moves and then one adds the hips.
Class participant Patricia Guerry said, “I love the exercise and I love the freedom of the aerobic dancing. I can go at my own pace. Based on how exaggerated your moves are and how intense they are, you can get as much or as little from it.”
Guerry added that Zumba is “fabulous for clearing your mind.”
Kim Perry has been coming to Zumba classes for two months. “As you get older, you need a better sense of balance and this gives you that better sense,” she said.
“Some are basic aerobic steps and some have Latin rhythm to it. This is new for me and I like it.”
Paige Pollack agrees that Zumba is a good aerobic exercise with a Latin flair. Pollack, who has done a lot of yoga, thinks that Zumba provides more cardio workout than yoga. She admits that she has gotten into routine workout ruts, but Zumba is different.
And now Zumba has made its way to the local area.
In addition to Creative Spark, Ellison teaches classes at the Isle of Palms Recreation Department, Mount Pleasant Recreation Department, Thomasena Stokes-Marshall Senior Center and Spirit Moves in West Ashley.