A few weeks ago, I decided to start going to the Zumba classes that are offered here at my school. I was very anxious about the first class; I did not know what to expect. I knew that it would be somewhat similar to my Wii Zumba DVDs. And trust me, I was somewhat wrong but also right. Even though I have only been to three classes so far, I now know what to expect at each class. But for any Zumba newbie, one may not know what to expect when they attend their first class.

First off, the dances that the instructor will choose will be very fast. Zumba is a Latin-based type of dance, so expect that the dances will be fast-paced. Depending on the instructor, s/he may select some slower songs for the class. The dances will vary too. Zumba is a kind of exercise class, so interspersed in the dances, the instructor may include squats or lunges.

Which brings me to my next point, don't forget to stretch beforehand. Definitely aim to stretch your legs and feet the most, as those parts of your body will be used a lot during the class.

And don't expect to nail the dances on the first day. At every single class I go to, I always compare the instructor's moves to mine and others in the class. No two people will look alike in their moves, and that's okay! With Zumba, there is no dance requirement. So expect to learn the moves in each class, and before you know it, you may be performing them in your sleep! (Just don't fall off your bed... ) With that in mind, the dances that the instructor will perform will be repeated at each class. So as you keep going to each class, you will be able to remember the dance from the last class and perform each dance a little bit better each time.

Now that you would know what to expect at a Zumba class, you don't need to worry about going to Zumba class and not knowing what to expect. Have fun, and don't forget to hydrate!