The Zumba Life

It’s been awhile since I last joined our neighborhood Zumba session and there are many new faces now.  Unlike me who usually joins them only twice a week at most, they meet thrice, on Mondays at the residence of one of the members, Tita Grace Roth and on Wednesdays and Fridays at the spacious abode of Tita Shirley Napagao who is responsible for the inception of the group and the appointment of our Zumba instructor Znet Morales.

Znet or Net as we fondly call him is an indefatigable dancer and proficient in different Ballroom Dancing styles.  Born Renato G. Morales, he first learned the basics of dance at an early age from observing his older siblings and tuning in to a now-defunct TV show called Dance Fever.  He is also inspired by Michael Jackson.  A talented dancer, he was often picked to be the leader in school folk dances and presentations. 

In 2012, the Zumba craze hit Bacolod City.  Net was one of the pioneers to learn and teach the craft.  Initially he got into it as a gym instructor for President’s Fitness Hub before he decided to become an independent Zumba instructor. He became a licensed ZIN (Zumba instructor) in 2017. His advocacy in teaching Zumba is fitness.  He believes the exercise Zumba provides is beneficial to one’s health and well-being and that exertion is essential for the optimum functioning of the body.

As a Zumba instructor and person he is really patient and down-to-earth, not rigid at all in his instruction so that his students never get self-conscious.  He insists that the important thing is that one gets to move and perspire.  Aside from teaching Zumba at our neighborhood of Palmas del Mar, he also teaches at Santa Clara subdivision occasionally.

His Zumba groups are usually comprised of ladies ranging from the ages of 29-78.  The energy of the elder ones sometimes even exceeding those of the younger. These ladies coming from different backgrounds and all walks of life have found true kinship within the group.  Their friendship goes beyond Zumba as well having been to many adventurous places together in and out-of-town. 

They would also sometimes be invited to join Zumba sessions by other groups in malls, schools or public venues and would happily oblige.  Looking over at them now, enjoying rice cakes, boiled egg and tea around Tita Shirley’s square mahjong table while discussing anything under the sun after a rigorous Zumba session proves to me that truly Zumba has not only brought these bodies together but these hearts as well.