Zumba workout raises $1,500 for Heart Association

Heart walks to benefit the American Heart Association may be a thing of the past. On Sunday, more than 100 north country residents proved that doing Zumba for the cause may be the way of the future.

"Right now, Zumba is the hot thing to do," said Andrea C. Bates, Jefferson Community College alumni development officer and benefit organizer. "Since it's so popular, we thought it would be a good way to get a lot of people to come out to support a good cause."

It didn't matter that some people couldn't keep up with the instructors, or that they turned right when everyone else turned left. North country Zumba fanatics filled the JCC gymnasium to raise $1,500 for the Heart Association. Instructors and participants wore red in support of heart health.

Zumba, a workout that combines Latin dance and fitness, is gaining popularity in the north country. Instructor Angelica Robinson, who started teaching Zumba classes in Watertown just over a year ago, now packs hundreds of people into gymnasiums to shake their hips to a blaring soundtrack of Latin, Hindu and hip-hop music.

"Zumba is about love and feeling good, and everyone is here today because they know this is helping other people," Mrs. Robinson said. "This is for the heart and for everyone's health. All of the red everyone is wearing is beautiful."

Valerie R. Vallone, Watertown, who started in Mrs. Robinson's Zumba classes in October, said she has lost more than 30 pounds doing the workout. She said she always loves doing Zumba, but the cause made Sunday's class special.

"It's worth the extra $10 to come out, get a good workout and give to a good cause," Ms. Vallone said. "This really shows how the community can come together and support something."