My first Zumba Class....... Yikes!!!

Can you possibly imagine my nerves.... not having taught dancing for 4 years, and there I am about to take a brand new style of exercise and dance, zumba, in a foreign country. Where as hard as I try, I still can't speak the language! Stomach ache, running to the toilet, dry mouth and sweaty palms, I had it all. I was so determined to make a success of it. I had worked so hard, with a website, facebook page, posters in shops, flyers given to shops and after a trial run and being too scared to do it I even gave flyers to the mums outside of the local primary school. Anything could happen. I could have 100 people turn up, I could have had none! Luckily for me I had around 25 the first night. I had decided to do a free class. One thing that is against me in Montoro is the fact that the town hall pay some teachers to run aerobics classes in town, plus spinning is popular too, however their favourite form of exercise is a walk round the town, in their matching track suits and their nice white trainers. This of course is also free and they can put the world to rights as they do it.

The night of the launching of zumba into Montoro arrived. The ladies had no idea at all what lay ahead of them in the class. Zumba is huge on the coast of the Costa del Sol, and I thought and hoped I could bring it straight to my new adpotive home town of Montoro. I had choreography my warm up's, dances and cool downs until I possibly could have danced them on my head, and then more. I had rehearsed and rehearsed how I was going to introduce myself too. Sadly the Andalucian accent is not quite the Madrid accent, and I'm not sure they understood exactly what I was saying, I think some was lost in translation, but it was all fun trying. Alan and I have learned if we need or want anything, that we have to ask for, we always start the conversation, in Spanish of course, by saying "I'm sorry I only speak a little Spanish!" This is usually met with a smile! Or on occasions "Madre Mia!" So of course I started with that, however just before starting the warm up, I thought I had told them to "Have fun" but I think it translated as "Have a funny time," or something embarrassingly similar to that! Imagine also taking every "s" sound out of the English language, yes everyone and not just at the end, Yep that's what I was, and still am up against. Plus they seem to be taught like that from being small children. I now know when I said the word "mismo" in other words the same routine again, they all looked at me so blankly until someone shouted "Ahhhh mi'mo!"

The very first week was great, 25 in the first evening class 21 in the morning class, of the same week. Since then I have been struggling in Montoro. Montoro is a wonderful little town, although the sort of town where nothing changes. For example we were looking for tiny swimming pool tiles to use in our oversized bath, that we call a "poolette" sounds posh eh? We did n't want swimming pool blue, but could n't get anything else in Montoro, because no one in Montoro wants anything other than "swimming pool blue." Also they would n't dream of going anywhere other than the local over priced furniture shops, because they always have done, and the ladies still seem to prefer walking round the town, sadly, to coming to my zumba cass. I do however have a small group of lovely ladies that are extremely loyal, and seem to have a great time, and they cannot believe why more ladies do not come regularly. They are super supportive and it is helping my Spanish no end! I will soldier on!

My very first zumba class

First morning class