Zumba fits into NU's mission statement

A new group exercise is being offered on Fridays between noon and 1 p.m. in Plumley Armory, and is gaining a lot of attention and participants, due to the exercise and enjoyment it brings, according to Norwich students and staff.

The dancing exercise class is called Zumba.

"Zumba is essentially working out without knowing that you're working out. It's aimed at anyone who wants to do it, it could be aimed from a beginner to anyone who is advanced person who knows all the dance steps," said Margo Smutnick, a 19-year-old sophomore international studies major from Pomfret, Conn.

According to Elizabeth Kennedy, a senior development officer for Norwich, many faculty members take advantage of the lunchtime Zumba workout. "Part of the mission of Norwich is to have physically fit students, and it's no different for the staff. So it's important for us to work out during lunch," she said.

Zumba offers an enjoyable workout for all fitness levels, said Jo Lynn Ostler, the instructor for the course. Ostler is the assistant strength and conditioning coach for Norwich, professor of wellness academic courses, and the official wellness facilitator to NU faculty and staff. "Incorporated into the classes are first and foremost acceptability, comfort, no matter what your level of athleticism is. You (see) a broad spectrum of people attending the class in terms of age, a lot of faculty, a lot of students," she said.

According to Ostler, the main point of the class is physical fitness, so she incorporates a lot of strength and conditioning aspects into classes.

"It is incorporated with athleticism, including dance technique, it is a few steps beyond aerobics that were very popular in the 70's and 80's," she said. "Zumba incorporates many different dance moves, it's a nice broad spectrum of music and technique."

With all dance there is flexibility and stretching, which helps with athleticism, said Ostler. "I would more than recommend it, often football players do ballet. Strength and agility comfort with your body outside of the norm, prehab and rehab moves," she said.

Ostler's experience in strength and conditioning has helped her teach the course.

"Fortunately, with the training I've had for strength and conditioning and under Coach Kruger as well, I'm able to incorporate many of the techniques I've learned into the Zumba activity. It's fantastic in terms of getting your stretch within the workout and being able to move physically, if you're injured or recuperating you can still do Zumba. Fantastic," Ostler said.

The Zumba classes are open to both students and staff.

"Zumba can be taught to the masses, so as long as we have space we can provide the service to everyone. It's really about feeling good about who you are, no matter what you look like or feel like physically," Ostler said.

"It's a great opportunity that they've provided for the staff members to one, get in a good workout, and two, mingle with the students because there's both students and faculty living the core values together," Kennedy said.

Ostler is not new to teaching fitness courses on campus but she is a new Zumba instructor. She got certified this summer because she wanted to introduce the course to Norwich, she said.

One key aspect of the Zumba classes is to have a good time, according to participants.

"I have so much fun that I don't realize that I've been exercising hard for a whole hour and that's an awesome feeling," said Amber Ferland, a 21-year-old senior majoring in civil engineering from Vassalboro, Maine.

Ferland said she saw posters up all over campus for the Zumba class, in the chow hall, in dorms and mail room, and decided to give it a try because she likes being active.

"It makes us smile. We have fun dancing to good music," said Danielle Lacavalla, assistant director of class relations at Norwich.

Lacavalla got involved because her friends were going to the class. "We've been doing activities all week and thought this would be a good ending to the week of activities," she said. "A lot of the dancing is a core workout; you have to tighten up your core the entire time. Just like stiff movements. I do not feel sore yet but tomorrow I may feel the ‘Zumba effect'."

Danielle Krizan, also an assistant director of class relations at Norwich, had been participating in Zumba before it was held at Norwich.

"I go to Zumba in Berlin. I got involved in the first place because it is high energy and I like to dance so it kind of meshes everything together, where it's not just lifting, it's not just doing one steady thing, you're constantly changing what you're doing and working out all your muscles," she said.

Staff members agree that these types of classes improve the relationship between students and staff members. "I like that I get to do it with my Norwich staff, and I also get to mingle with the students as well, it's fun to do it with other Norwich people," Krizan said.

"All the programs that we can provide outside of the normal academic regiment are wonderful, a nice compliment to the academics," Ostler said.

"It's a great time as long as you can come to grips with looking like a fool. Be thankful there's no mirrors, I like that there's no mirrors if you go in town or some place you have to watch yourself, here you don't have to watch yourself," Kennedy said.

Lacavalla described the foolishness as "booty dropping." Lacavalla said she has a blast dancing to Zumba, no matter what type of "foolish" action it involves.

"I can't really booty drop but I attempted to do so," she said.

Zumba offers Norwich students and staff a chance to be physically fit without going to the gym.

"You don't have to be on a team to be fit, you don't have to come to the gym to be fit," Ostler said.