Is my website intimidating?

[Anonymous]

Hi Zumba mama - I checked out your site and do not find it intimidating at all - looks like fun- however, I just joined a gym and was sooooo excited they offer Zumba since all my foreign friends love and swear by it and have truly lost weight by it and are addicted. When I went to the class (BTW - I am fit and thin) I was VERY intimidated and walked away - all I saw was very fast butt shaking and it looked like intense salsa, one day I will have to try though.

[zumbamama]

Anonymous wrote:Hi Zumba mama - I checked out your site and do not find it intimidating at all - looks like fun- however, I just joined a gym and was sooooo excited they offer Zumba since all my foreign friends love and swear by it and have truly lost weight by it and are addicted. When I went to the class (BTW - I am fit and thin) I was VERY intimidated and walked away - all I saw was very fast butt shaking and it looked like intense salsa, one day I will have to try though.

aww...I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I know the first class can be intimidating if you're brand new. The more you go, the more you pick up....it definitely is a challenge and learning the steps may take a few classes to get the hang of it. Usually, the instructor will use the same routines for several weeks, so that newbies have a chance to build familiarity with the steps. I have seen some classes that are pretty intense and others that are very easy. Over the last 2 years, I've come to simplify my choreography a lot, to not intimidate the newbies.

I used to be step-aerobics queen in the 90s and then after 10 years I tried a class and was so lost. My muscles had forgotten all the moves...and I ended up walking out too. But I'm sure if I could get up to speed if I kept trying.

Salsa tip - it's 3 steps. (1) Step forward with your right foot. (2) Step in place with your left foot. (3) Bring your right foot back into place. Repeat on other side going back: (1) Step back with the left foot, (2) in place with the right foot, (3) bring the left foot back. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Once you get the feet down, sway your hips into the forward and back movements.

I will be holding a basic steps workshop in June to go over everything without the music!

[zumbamama]

as for the booty shakin...you can't think too much on that one. You kind of just have to let your hips go and try to shake as fast as you can. It WILL feel weird and silly...but it is great for your glutes! I've shaken lots of nasty jigglies off my butt. The more you do it, the better you get...one day you will feel like Tina Turner in the Rollin on the River video : )

[Anonymous]

After looking at your website, the only thing I found intimidating was your physical beauty. However from reading your posts here, words like thoughtful, tolerant, happy, wise, zen (OK now I'm sounding ridiculous) come to mind. I probably shouldn't tell you, but don't worry if one person doesn't think Zumba is right for them-maybe it isn't. It may have absolutely nothing to do with the website-some folks have committed to changing their lifestyle, some are still in the mulling-it-over stage. Obviously, the people you do instruct are very happy with their choice-focus on that.

[Anonymous]

I think your site looks great!!!! That said, here's what I learned from designing my company's website -- people don't usually page through the whole thing and they certainly do not read all the text. So you want to break it out in small pieces with pages focused on particular segments of the market. If I were you, I would add a page called "For Beginners" -- probably listed in between "Classes" and "About Zumba". I would use this page to highlight (a) that Zumba is for all shapes and sizes . . . and for those with no dance backgrounds and natural coordination as well as those with both; and (b) that you were 50 lbs. overweight when you started and you found you could jump right in to the classes. I'd be sure to use pictures on that page of your real class participants -- I think seeing all the super fit instructors may be a bit intimidating for some.

Above all else, it's great to see where you're teaching!! I'm always so impressed with your thoughtful and kind posts on this board. I'm sure your classes are a blast -- I'd love to drop by and give it a try!! In the meantime, good luck with your job search!

[Anonymous]

Not intimidating at all and I LOATHE exercise.

The people in the pics did not look ultra skinny to me. They look how normal people look.