I was in a really bad mood today. BAD. But I’d brought gym clothes with me with the intention of taking a 5:30 Zumba class at my gym and I tore out of my office so that I could get there on time. I got into that class room and almost from the moment the music began my mood lifted. It certainly didn’t hurt that the instructor looked around the room and sang her approval of those of us who’d come prepared in bright colors – me in my red and fuschia banded groove pants and red bra top. Yea baby! And then I got to moving and it was unbelievably transformative. I was having fun and I felt sexy and suddenly all of the crap that was going on didn’t matter and my bad mood was a distant memory. I actually felt ecstatic.

Zumba, for those of you who have been living in a cave – which was me until a few months ago – is a workout craze that is based on dance moves.

The Zumba program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba Fanatics achieve long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

The routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Add some Latin flavor and international zest into the mix and you’ve got a Zumba class!

Zumba is a serious workout. I can’t remember the last time I sweat so much and felt like I got such a good workout. And let me tell you, I never felt anything close to ecstasy taking step class.

The delicious irony here is that when I first joined my gym a friend kept trying to get me to take this class with her and I wouldn’t. Dancing, I scoffed. No thanks, I want to take boxing lessons. What a silly girl I was! I wouldn’t give up Zumba now for anything. And for the next class, I’m going to pull out the super psychedelic yoga pants I bought in San Francisco a few years ago. Alexa will be so proud.