Zumba Rookie: JOMDC summer intern takes her first dance class!

My name is Sara Delcid and I am a 20 year old rising junior at Frostburg State University. I am studying Early Childhood Education and hope to become a kindergarden teacher one day. I like to do arts and crafts, run, go for long walks, get lost and find my way back, and spend time with family and friends. Nine times out of ten, you will find me either smiling or giggling at almost everything. I am often very shy and find it hard to voice my opinion at times. What I looked for coming in as an intern for Joy of Motion Dance Center was an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and try something people would have never imagined me doing. One of my biggest fears is being put on the spot and embarrassing myself. I’ve always been the shy, quiet girl who doesn’t say much, let alone perform any kind of body movement in front of others. When my mentor, Communications and Media Director Rachel Pearl, suggested it would be a great idea to go to a dance class, I immediately got a knot in my stomach from the nervous thought of having to dance with a group of people who probably knew what they were doing better than I did. Of course I agreed in hopes that I would eventually suck it up and do it. While assisting at another JOMDC location, I overheard a merengue song playing from a Zumba® class that was taking place during the same time. When I found myself moving my hips and two-stepping while organizing the closet, I knew I had to challenge my insecurities in one of those classes. On my own, I went to a drop-in Zumba® class at the Bethesda studio. I was so anxious and overly excited that I arrived before the instructor even got there! I didn’t know what to expect – it was my first Zumba® class ever and I was going in alone.
I stepped into the studio and the first thing I noticed were all the mirrors and no place to hide! For a second I thought to myself, “Am I really doing this right now?” Then the instructor, Ghita, walked in and shut the door and I said “Yup, you sure are!”. She introduced herself and went on to explain how her routines work. What helped me feel less nervous was how she reassured us that no matter if we got lost or missed a step, it was OK.  “Don’t worry about it, just dance it out!” she said. She then started playing music and I found myself loosening up. My favorite dances had to be the salsa and hip-hop routines because they allowed me to enhance my footwork by moving at a faster pace, trying different steps that I didn’t think I could do. The instructor gave encouragement throughout each dance and that encouragement helped me feel more and more comfortable about myself. I realized that many people just look to have fun while burning calories during Zumba® classes and I had nothing to be worried about all along. I walked out with so much sweat and satisfaction I couldn’t believe I missed out on Zumba® for so long! It was a great experience and I enjoyed myself. I am very glad I went and I will be going to many more Zumba® classes in the future!

Sara

 

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