5 p.m Zumba Class

THE 5 P.M.. ZUMBA CLASS

Thumpa, thumpa, thumpa the throbbing beat rumbled through the dance studio erupting into La Bamba as the instructor cranked up the volume. As the music washed over the room the twenty women and two guys mimicked the moves of the instructor as she danced to the music. Side step slide right, side step slide left. Arms lifted high, now down low.

Adrianna had signed up for the Zumba class on a whim. She usually just plodded along on her home treadmill in a long walk to nowhere. But she was bored with that routine and decided to try something new.

When she arrived at the class she almost chickened out. Most of the women in the class wore tank tops and dance pants. She’d worn a white t-shirt and her too-long gray sweat pants that pooled at her ankles, making her think of elephant legs. Even the two guys who wore shorts and t-shirts looked better than she did. Nervously she stood in the back of the room at the end of a line of 5 women. She was close to the door and felt comforted in case she wanted to make a quick getaway. The gleaming oak floor and forty foot mirrored back wall seemed to demand more dance skill than Adrianna felt she possessed.

As the music poured over the room and the class began dancing she was completely caught off guard. All around her legs were kicking, arms were pumping and she just stood there. Tentatively she began moving her arms, trying to copy the instructor. Looking at the class reflection in the mirror the grins on many of dancers made her think of a Broadway musical. Her movements on the other hand looked jerky as though she was a marionette with a novice puppeteer pulling the strings. With the final notes of the song, discouraged, she thought about leaving.

Before she could make the decision to go, the whoop, whoop opening notes of Gangman Style filled the room, a loud shout of yeah from the group and they were into the dance with such enthusiasm that Adrianna was caught up in the movement. Everyone was having such a great time, no one paid any attention to her, and she suddenly felt free and found herself smiling as though she was the star on the stage.