MY ZUMBA EXPERIENCE

         I am aware that I am not physically fit. I always find reasons to eat. I sit down all day until my legs complain. I even wished I can float so that every time I move, I won’t spend a pound of energy. Those things that I’ve said wasn’t the exact thing I did last Friday, July 31, 2015.

          That day was the culminating activity of the celebration of the Nutrition month. I was part of the Theatres’ Art Guild presentation so I stuff myself with food and drinks that I think can satisfy me until 4 o’clock, before the salu-salo with my classmates.

  I really thought that was it. After our presentation we can go where ever we want, until Sir Rommel said we are going to lead the Zumba after the culminating activity and each of us is going to lead the crowd. We should go with a pair. I’ve picked Valerie (I’m sorry for dropping your name), she didn’t have a partner so did I.

  There, the Zumba craze started. I stuffed myself at the back so that the audience will not see me dancing. I am really terrible at it, I swear. Sir Rommel lifted the atmosphere. He led everyone with the warm up exercise and some of them were hard to follow but I managed them all because I was pressured. I was pressured in a way that I am also a TAG member though I wasn’t into dancing. I need to do this!

  Then Sir Rommel started calling the names of my fellow TAG members, oh my. I suddenly felt nervous. What if our names are going to be called? I just calmed myself by focusing on the dance movements and temporarily forget it.

  While dancing and executing the steps, I felt strange. I was sweating. Not only me but almost everyone. My red t-shirt became dark red. And aside we were all sweating we were also smiling and enjoying every beat of the songs played. Some of us even shouted adlibs like HEY to maintain the energy of the crowd and us ‘leaders’.

    It was I and my partner’s turn to lead the crowd. I knew I wasn’t at my best. I really see that the two of us weren't on ourselves at that time because we’re really panicking on what to do next but for me, that experience was the best. Although I wasn’t the main dancer during that time, I was proud of myself. I was able to change a bit of my history. I actually enjoyed exercising for the first time.

-Maria Lallene M. Cinco

- Photos by Jeanille B. Cogtas