“Shake it off! Shake it off!” Taylor Swift’s hit song blasted from the boom box to all four sides of Bayside Community Center. A large open space with tables and garden equipment placed on the outskirts of the Center creates an environment to connect with others and to shake off any uneasiness that accompanies meeting new people. Located in Linda Vista neighborhood of San Diego, Bayside Community Center hosts events for individuals of diverse backgrounds and ages including but not limited to dancing, art activities, and gardening classes. At 9:30 am, we as a class joined elders in a fun but energetic dance class called Zumba Gold. As a form of dance fitness, Zumba combines fitness moves such as squats, jumping, and hopping together with dancing to a variety of music genres including salsa, hip hop, and pop.
At the end of an hour of Zumba, our bodies glistened with sweat but every face beamed with smiles. After communicating with several elders who regularly Zumba, I realized that maintaining health through exercise combats cardiovascular diseases and obesity and mitigates depression. Exercise no longer needed to be a lonely and banal chore but a fun addition into our busy schedules. Any movement was better than sitting on the couch. One elder I communicated afterwards revealed that she loved Zumba because the class encouraged her to exercise while meeting new individuals. The Bayside Community Center was her home, as she found support, exercise, and fun. For her and many individuals, Zumba shook off the negative effects associated with aging!
At the end of an hour of Zumba, our bodies glistened with sweat but every face beamed with smiles. After communicating with several elders who regularly Zumba, I realized that maintaining health through exercise combats cardiovascular diseases and obesity and mitigates depression. Exercise no longer needed to be a lonely and banal chore but a fun addition into our busy schedules. Any movement was better than sitting on the couch. One elder I communicated afterwards revealed that she loved Zumba because the class encouraged her to exercise while meeting new individuals. The Bayside Community Center was her home, as she found support, exercise, and fun. For her and many individuals, Zumba shook off the negative effects associated with aging!