How to Learn the Basic Steps of Zumba

Zumba is a way of exercising that incorporates Latin rhythms with simple moves to create a fun fitness routine. Zumba combines fast and slow rhythms in intervals and also include resistance training for toning. According to Zumba.com, as of 2010, Zumba classes are being taught in over 60,000 locations. Learning how to Zumba is easy once the basic steps are learned. These steps include merenge, salsa, cumbia and reggaeton.

Instructions

• 1

  Do the merengue. The merengue is a Latin dance that is similar to a march, but the dancer doesn't lift his feet too high off the ground, as in a typical high step march. Arms should move in small circular motions and should remain close to the hips or the waist.

• 2

  Move in a salsa rhythm. The salsa rhythm is a triplet step rhythm that is counted as one-and-two, three-and-four. Your right foot goes out to the side on "one", left foot steps in place on "and", right foot back in on "two". Then the left foot steps out on "three", right foot in place on "and" and left foot back in on "four". This becomes your simple salsa step.

• 3

  Dance the Cumbia, a folk dance from Columbia. The history of the dance helps the dancer to learn how the movements work. Workers in the sugar cane fields of Columbia were bound ankle to ankle. This makes the Cumbia a dance that only moves one side of the body as if the other side was chained. The cumbia step is right foot front, left foot steps in place, right foot back, left foot step in place. The cumbia feels like a rocking from front to back.

• 4

  Practice dancing to reggaeton. Reggaeton is a combination of Latin and hip hop. Reggaeton does not have a specific basic step to it but is more of a style of dance. It requires stomping feet and bent knees. Stomping is not a harsh, marching type of stomp. Stay low to the ground when dancing Reggaeton.