That’s exactly what the Zumba® program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health. WHO WE ARE
Zumba Fitness® is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a
"fitness-party" that is downright addictive. Since its inception in 2001, the Zumba program has grown to become the world's largest – and most successful – dance-fitness program with more than 12 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 110,000 locations across more than 125 countries. OUR STORY
Sometimes great ideas are born from accidents. In the mid-'90s, no one could have predicted the success of the Zumba® program, not even Alberto "Beto" Perez, who created the Zumba experience, after what many have called a true "happy accident." THE ORIGINAL "FITNESS-PARTY"
As a fitness instructor in his native Cali, Colombia, Beto's life took an unexpected turn one fateful day in the mid-'90s when he darted off to teach an aerobics class and forgot his traditional aerobics music. He improvised using his own mix of music from tapes he had in his backpack (salsa and merengue music he grew up with). Spontaneously he created a new kind of dance-fitness, one that focused on letting the music move you (instead of counting reps over the music). Energy electrified the room; people couldn't stop smiling. And on that day, a revolutionary new fitness concept was born – the Zumba® Fitness-Party. ZUMBA® FITNESS: THE COMPANY
In 2001, Beto brought his new dance-fitness style to Miami, Florida, and, through a student (Alberto Perlman’s mom), met entrepreneurs Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion. All three hailed from Colombia and all three had a vision to bring this dynamic dance-fitness class to the masses. The three Albertos formed an alliance and created a business, calling it Zumba Fitness. They trademarked the word Zumba® and set a goal to expand the brand all over the world. First came the DVDs, then the infomercial – which introduced the Zumba Fitness-Party to the public on a wide-scale basis – then came the demand for Zumba classes and Zumba Instructors. That’s when the company took off and the Zumba program expanded in a big way. By 2005, Zumba Fitness spawned a full-fledged Zumba Academy™ to license Zumba Instructors to teach Zumba classes. More expansion followed with the launch of Zumbawear™ apparel and accessories, music CDs, and in 2008, one of the best-selling at-home fitness DVD series ever – the Zumba Fitness® Total Body Transformation System – which starred Beto and introduced Zumba Fitness’ newest stars, Tanya Beardsley and Gina Grant. In 2010, Zumba shook the ground (once again) by being the first branded fitness program to launch a video game on all three major gaming platforms: Wii, Xbox, and PS3. FROM "HAPPY ACCIDENT" TO WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON
Fast forward to today, the Zumba program is now taught in gyms and studios all over the world to millions of Zumba enthusiasts. And as the program continues to evolve – from its humble beginnings, to a global movement, to a way of life – its growth has only deepened our commitment to providing accessible fitness, without the strain, without the sacrifice, just the pure joy of a party. So, whether it’s a life-saving drug or a new kind of dance-fitness, a "happy accident" can move you in a new direction and change your life forever. That’s what happened to us. And now we look forward to sharing the Zumba program with you.
