Shake Shake Shake Dance for a Cause 4/30/2011

I will be collecting canned food and other non-perishable food items in class all this week, April 25th for donation to the Shake Shake Shake Event in Sunderland, MA on Saturday, April 30th.

This event is to benefit the Amherst and Turners Falls Survival Centers.

I will also accept donations at my home if anyone can't make it to class but would still like to help out!

Please email me Kate@papercityzumba.com if you need to arrange a pick up or drop off outside of class time.

If you are interested in attending the event here are the details.

Time: 4pm-6pm on Saturday, April 30th, 2011

Location: First Congregational Church, 91 South Main Street, Sunderland, MA

Info: An introduction to the Zumba Program with area instructors, Bella Dickerman, Juliet Cannici, Kate O'Donnell, Lauren Franks and Zulma Rivera, with John Delapena from Seattle, WA

Proceeds will benefit area needy families and also the Amherst and Turners Falls Survival Centers.

Cost: $8 or $5 with canned food item

If you are looking for Zumba or Fitness classes in Western Massachusetts including, Holyoke, South Hadley, or West Springfield please visit www.papercityzumba.com for a complete listing!

Thursday Night's Playlist

DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love Again- Usher/Pitbull

Lagartija Azul

El Mambo de los Shorty's- Tito El Bambino

Alright- Pitbull feat. Machel Montano

La La La- La Banda Loca

Luna- Eddy Lover

Yeah! (Batuka Mix)- DJ Joao and DJ Payssao

Salsaton- El Rubio Loco

Like a G6- Far East Movement

Blue Zone- Don Omar

Sacudelo- Willy Chirino

Donya- Arash and Shaggy

Somewhere Over the Rainbow-

If you are looking for Zumba classes in Western Mass: Holyoke, South Hadley, or West

Springfield, check out www.papercityzumba.com for a complete class listing.

Paper City Zumba with Kate O'Donnell: Bringing fabulous to a class near you!

What is the best workout you can do?

What is the best workout you can do? The one that you will actually do! In my opinion, this is the key to Zumba's success. Zumba has tapped into the fun factor and has created an exercise program that everyone can benefit from: novice exercisers to highly conditioned individuals. For someone who is just beginning an exercise program, what better way to feel successful than to join a class where "go at your own pace" is the mantra, you will start with the basics! And if you are highly conditioned, we will work together to challenge your cardio endurance and work large muscle groups with holds and pulses! There is truly something for everyone!

I have been thinking a lot about the "best" workout and I truly believe it is the one you will actually do! What does this mean? Consistency! Find something you love to do and keep doing it! Does this mean that you can only Zumba, or run or swim as your only exercise forever? Nope! But that is the topic for the next post!

Fear

So this week I have been thinking a lot about fear. My oldest daughter, Erin, started Kindergarten on Wednesday at a new school. She had been to half day pre-school but this was her first time away all day. Every night she woke up with a bad dream that usually involved a lost lamb. We talked quite a bit about some of the things she could expect from her first day. Still, on the first day, when it came time for me to leave, she cried. I reminded her about all the great things we had talked about: learning to read, making friends, music class, recess, a brand new lunchbox! But did any of that matter? No, because Erin was scared and no amount of talking was going to fix it completely. So, fear of the unknown.

How many of us can relate? How many times have we put off doing something that we know will be good for us out of fear? Fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, fear of looking silly. How many wonderful things have we missed out on?

I think of this often in relation to exercise classes and specifically Zumba because of its dance component. One of the things I hear most often is, "Oh, I can't do that. I don't know how to dance." or "I'll look stupid." or "Everyone will be looking at me." I usually respond that I have no formal dance background. But I love music. And you don't come to a class already knowing how to do everything! What fun would that be? There would be no reason to come back. And finally, you won't look stupid and no one will be looking at you, they will be looking at me!

So wasn't my Erin lucky? She HAD to go to school and by being thrust into that new situation, she had, in her own words, "the best day ever!"

Isn't it time you had your best day ever? Let's conquer that fear together!