Campus Recreation provides many more opportunities to work out than just frequenting their gym facilities. The group exercise class offerings include a mix of different difficulty level classes such as High Intensity Interval Training, cycling and its most popular class, Zumba.
According to Campus Recreation, Zumba combines international dance and music for a cardio workout where participants rhythmically exercise using fun and manageable routines.
“Students respond so well to this class because it is not like the others, and they’re just encouraged to have fun and do their own thing,” student Zumba instructor Fran Bellizzi said.
Bellizzi started teaching Zumba after participating in the classes herself when she first started college. It helped her create a workout schedule that she enjoyed.
The class is so popular that it usually fills all 25 spots and maintains a waitlist in case someone does not show up.
“It gives students the opportunity to have a fun workout, where they only have to use their body weight,” Bellizzi said. “I mean, who doesn’t love dancing for an hour?”
For her part, Bellizzi shares her knowledge of the dance styles with the students, so they feel prepared for what they are going to do. “I choose to inform my participants on the dances we are doing and how much energy they require,” Bellizzi said.
Additionally, she tries to make the class more interactive by taking an active role. “Dancing with the instructor makes it more enjoyable for the participants, instead of just going through the motions of following the leader,” Bellizzi said. Still, she is not afraid to speak up and she wants to act as a “personal hype-man.”
Bellizzi wants the class to be an opportunity to have fun while working out, so she believes students should not worry about having Zumba experience or coordination.
“Students should know that they do not have to be coordinated or even be a good dancer in order to come to Zumba classes, because it’s all about having fun, getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat,” Bellizzi said. However, if students still feel apprehensive, she said she wants them to know that she turns off the lights, “so nobody can really see you anyway.”