zumba – The Bucknellian

Downtown Dance now open on Market Street

By Carolyn Williams

Contributing Writer

A new dance studio recently opened on the corner of Fifth and Market Street. Christine Rozolis, owner and artistic director of Downtown Dance, hopes to see many University students use the new facilities.

Rozolis, a Philadelphia native and dancer since she was three, moved to Lewisburg in July to open Downtown Dance.

“My parents, sister and uncle went to Bucknell, so I was comfortable with the area, and I like the charm of Lewisburg very much,” Rozolis said.

After completing college at UMass Amherst, Rozolis was unsure whether she wanted to pursue a dancing career. She briefly worked in marketing and taught dancing on the side. Rozolis later decided to take the plunge and open Downtown Dance.

The new studio offers a number of different classes in both dance and Zumba targeting varying age groups, from “Baby Ballet,” Ballet Tap Combo and Beginner Jazz for younger dancers to advanced classes for more experienced dancers. Rozolis hopes University students will join her intermediate and advanced–level Tap Club and lyrical classes.

In Tap Club, held on Mondays at 7 p.m., Rozolis leads warm–ups, but the class is mostly collaborative, focusing on team-building and learning new combinations. Rozolis describes her Adult Lyrical class (Tuesdays at 5 p.m.) as “a blend of ballet and dance set to modern soft rock and soundtrack songs.” Rozolis offers a student rate: $75 for 10 classes.

Downtown Dance’s Zumba classes are held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. These classes are open to individuals of all dance levels and backgrounds, and Rozolis hopes to draw a crowd from both the University and Lewisburg communities.

The studios’ decor of cheery blue walls and large windows create an energetic class environment. Many students enjoyed the class and the different dance experience.

“The class is a great workout; it’s amazing how much more fun you can have when you’re dancing to all sorts of fun music instead of watching the number of calories burned on the treadmill,” Liz Walker ’14 said of her first Zumba experience. “I can’t believe what a good time I had. I’ll be coming back again, and I’m definitely bringing my roommate next time. She’d love it.”

Zumba classes remain popular

By Maggie Schneiderman

Contributing Writer

Ten years ago in Cali, Columbia, fitness trainer Beto Perez forgot his aerobics music. It was too late to go home for it, so he used the Latin Salsa tapes he had in his backpack, and Zumba was born.

Zumba is an aerobic workout combining Latin and international music with dance. The program is currently taught at over 60,000 locations in 105 countries, has sold millions of DVDs and is the work-out favorite of about 7.5 million Americans, according to zumba.com. The University is no exception, with free classes held each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4-5 p.m.

A session of Zumba can feel more like a nightclub than a gym. An energetic instructor teaches you to shake your hips and do fast footwork for a mix of dances ranging from Salsa to aerobic-inspired steps, all to the beat of loud, popular music. The Zumba program fuses rhythmic Latin beats and easy-to-follow moves to make a fun, full-body workout. Unlike repetitions with weights or an hour on the treadmill, you don’t even realize you’re working out, but your body reaps the same benefits—an hour-long Zumba class can burn hundreds of calories, according to the Zumba official web site. Zumba’s slogan, “Ditch the workout, join the party” is an accurate description. Adri Hartung ’14 said “the best part is dancing with your friends. It doesn’t even seem like a workout, but it’s really great exercise.”

In a class of almost 45 girls with various levels of dance experience, everyone had a smile on her face and was able to sing along to songs like “3” by Britney Spears and Trey Songz’s “Say Ahh.”

Any level of ability is welcome. As instructor Grace Ragold ’13 said in the beginning of class, no one is watching you, and everyone is there to improve her fitness and have fun. The Zumba program moves are easy to follow, and no previous dance experience is required.

Maddie Lawrence ’14, who has no previous dance experience, was pleased with her ability to follow along. Kira Kukon ’14, who is a newcomer to Zumba but has experience in dance, said it was a fun way to exercise. She was even able to put her own spin on some of the moves to personalize the workout.

Ragold’s passion for Zumba really shows through in her class. She motivates the girls to have fun and challenge themselves to keep up with the pace. Zumba is a “great cardio workout that also works different muscle groups, and aside from the fitness benefits, it’s a great way to meet people,” she said.

The Zumba workout can be a stress reliever after a full day of classes and is an exhilarating was to tone muscles, burn calories and have fun all at the same time. Next time you want to hit the gym but the elliptical looks daunting, ditch the workout and join the party.