Zumba® has very interesting roots. It was created by Colombian native and fitness instructor Alberto “Beto” Perez in the mid-90s quite by accident. One day, he darted off to teach an aerobics class and inadvertently forgot his aerobics music. He decided to improvise by using a mix of music from tapes he had in his backpack (mostly the salsa and meringue tunes he had grown up with). Instead of focusing on counting reps over the music, like you do with aerobics, he spontaneously let the body move to the music. His class loved it – they couldn’t stop smiling! He soon realized he had created a revolutionary new fitness concept.

In 2001, Beto brought his new dance-fitness style to Miami, and was introduced by an older female student to her entrepreneurial son, Alberto Perlman and to his colleague, Alberto Aghion. All three were Colombians who had a vision to bring this new fitness concept to the masses. They formed a company called Zumba Fitness®, trademarked the word Zumba®, and began marketing it to the world. They produced DVDs and an infomercial, then launched the Zumba Academy™ to license Zumba® instructors to teach classes. Additional growth followed with Zumbawear™ apparel  and accessories, music CDs, and one of the best-selling at-home fitness DVD series ever – the Zumba Fitness® Total Body Transformation System.

Today, the Zumba® program is taught in gyms and studios worldwide. Millions of Zumba® enthusiasts are now committed to adopting a high level of fitness, without strain and sacrifice, simply feeling the pure joy of a party and of loving everything they do, even their workout!