Students participated in glow in the dark Zumba on Sunday as a fun way to get active. Photo by James Singer.
Campus Recreation held Glow in the Dark Zumba in the pool, which caused participants to grin from ear to ear on Sunday night at the Tootell Aquatic Center.
Rather than having the class in a pitch-black pool area, the lights were dimmed so participants could still easily see. Members were given different colored glow sticks that could be worn around their necks or wrists while engaging in the class.
According to Jessica Daltorio, a class member, the glow in the dark element added a fun twist to a normal exercise class. The dim lighting and pool setting, allowed for participants to dance freely, without feeling insecure.
“It was easier for people to let loose because it was darker,” said Jessica. “You’re not standing up in the light in front of people, you’re in a pool, so it makes it easier to have fun.”
Fifteen students came to participate in the class, which was instructed by Vale Trainor, an advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences and a group fitness instructor at the Anna Fascitelli Fitness and Wellness Center. Trainor stood outside the water demonstrating the movements to the class. She consistently had a huge smile on her face and cheered the attendees on while she lead the class. Her upbeat energy spread to the participants, who smiled back up at her.
When the song “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner played, Trainor could not help but sing along. Participants joined her, and together chanted the line, “Proud Mary keep on burning.”
“It was really cool because even though we were all at different stages of Zumba, we all we were all having a lot of fun,” said Victoria Helle, who attended the class. “I swear to god, I did not see one person who was frowning, everyone was smiling.”
According to Trainor, Zumba in the water is a great workout for people who have joint issues because the water reduces the pressure on the knees and ankles. The resistance of the water is used in the workout.
The movements consisted of a lot of foot and leg work such as tapping, kicking and even jumping. The majority of the arm movements were out done out of the water, or swimming through it. At one point Trainor yelled, “Now dosey doe and find a partner!” and the class linked arms and skipped around each other.
In a high energy dance class like Zumba, music guides the workout. Trainor played a mix of dance, pop, electric and urban music, as well as some popular hits such as “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and “No Excuses” by Meghan Trainor.
Trainor finished the class by leading a relaxing stretch of the arms, neck and legs. She thanked the class for attending and the class returned the gratitude. Every one of the participants left the pool smiling. “How often is this class?” one member asked Trainor.
Trainor is a certified Zumba instructor who has been teaching for 10 years. She started dancing when she was 18 years old and continued her rhythm through Zumba. She currently teaches STRONG by Zumba which is a high intensity interval training and POUND Zumba which incorporates weighted drumsticks into dance.