In the encyclopaedia of the 21^st century, ‘Z’ will quite possibly stand for ‘Zumba’; the latest aerobics craze currently sweeping the Western world. You may scoff, but Zumba is a truly postmodern activity in that it combines elements of dance, aerobics and martial arts to create a stronger, yet more uplifting and diversified workout.

Musically, Zumba incorporates Latin Samba and Salsa with Hip Hop, Flamenco, Reggae, Bhangra and pretty much anything that can loosely be described as ‘danceable’. The dance elements themselves include elements of Belly Dance, Tango, Bollywood, Mambo and Meringue amongst many others, so you see, only in the multi cultural melting pot of the 21^st century global village could this activity have emerged.

Originating in Colombia sometime in the 1990’s, Zumba started out life as one of those happy accidents, and probably would have stayed that way were it not for the quick thinking and business savvy of its cofounders, who swiftly built a brand around which DVD releases, International classes and even a clothing label all orbit. Zumba is a money spinning company in its own right (again, truly 21^st century thinking). It may have risen from the ashes of the previous century, but if you want a comprehensive rundown of how things are done in the here and now, then look no further than the official Zumba website, which has all this information in far greater detail.

With this Zumba fitness kit, you can get everything you need to dive headfirst into the world of Zumba, with four DVDs and a set of toning sticks that shake like maracas, you can get cracking on a fitness regime that’s far more rewarding than boring old aerobics, but not nearly as demanding as mastering a dance form. This is a good Christmas present to dance away those extra pounds you gained over Christmas, for sure. Zumba practitioners frequently describe feelings of boosted confidence, strength and physical vitality, so why not see what all the fuss is about?

You can really get your teeth into Zumba, you can learn all the different styles, buy all the DVDs and become a self-contained fitness machine, or, you can pick it up and put it down at your leisure, have a laugh without getting too deeply involved, its entirely up to you. Zumba is spreading like wildfire and showing no signs of going away anytime soon, with its enticing mixture of dance moves, martial arts, fitness and fun, Zumba seems to appeal to, well, everyone. (If I were at all business-savvy myself, I’d have patented that before publishing it here –damn.) The dance craze of the new millennium (alright, its a decade or so old, but that’s still new in my book) is all things at once; successful business venture, multi cultural experiment, hi-concept leisure activity and multi-faceted reflection of the fast-paced times in which we live.

Zumba is a mile-a-minute aerobic thrill ride that opens your mind and body to a whole new world, click here to get the best prices.