Zumba Classes Near Boston

There more than 100 Zumba classes within 10 miles of Boston. We are not joking. Why so many? Because Zumba is awesome. It can burn 750 or more calories a session, and you learn valuable dance skills. Just ask your neighbor about her perfected cha-cha-cha, or your cousin about her merengue rhythm. Zumba also makes everything sexier (including your body). It’s not just a prostitution scandal, it’s a Zumba prostitution scandal! The music isn’t just music, it’s deejayed by Lil Jon!

The Zumba party in Revere last month.

Zumba was created by Alberto “Beto” Perez in Colombia, and he brought it the U.S. in 2001. Now, it has more than 110,000 locations in 125 countries. A Zumba class is typically 55-60 minutes long and incorporates slow and fast rhythms that are a mix of salsa, meringue, cha-cha-cha, samba, and more. If your dance moves are limited to the Electric Slide, there is no need to worry. The steps are easy to learn (really!). They call the classes “parties” and at times, it can seem a bit over-the-top, especially if you aren’t one to drink the Kool-Aid, like buy the clothing, CDs, etc. The Zumba brand is on everything from T-shirts to flash drives. Yes, flash drives. But all of that is just an effort to a make working out more fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

A Zumba flash drive on my desk.

Zumba doesn’t franchise or charge licensing fees, but in order to be called Zumba, the class has to be taught by a Zumba-trained instructor. That’s why at some local gyms you may see a class called “Latin Fusion” or “Latin Dance”. These classes are similar to Zumba but may not be taught be a Zumba-specific certified instructor. And Zumba is so popular there are websites, Facebook pages, and blogs dedicated to Zumba memes.

Even if you have two left feet (you know who you are), Zumba is still a great fitness class for you. Most gyms in our area offer Zumba classes and there is even a Zumba-specific studio called the Z Spot in the South End. Click here for a list of all 100 places to find Zumba in our area.