Zumba instructor talks about benefits of Zumba Kids program

Editors Note: Many times, I take interviews and make all the pieces of the puzzle fit together for readers. Having worked with Zumba Instructor Kristina Robinson before, I thought I would piece together her adult Zumba program, Zumba Gold, Zumba in the Park and new Zumba Kids program for you.

But for the first time, I don’t think I can add anything to this interview. We cannot bring you the benefits of Zumba Kids any better than through the words of Kristina Robinson. So, we have taken her interview and posted it for you to read.

The Mahomet Parks and Recreation is now accepting registrations for Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba in the Park and Zumba Kids. Each link takes you to a previous article about each program.

Robinson has allowed us to use her comments so readers can understand how the Zumba Kids program enriched the lives of children in the B.L.A.S.T. program.

By Kristina Robinson, Zumba Instructor for the Mahomet Parks and Recreation District

Throughout this school year I have participated in each session of the B.L.A.S.T. program as the “Dancing Dawgs’ instructor.  The class was designed to give the kids that signed up the opportunity to sample a variety of styles of dance.  It quickly evolved into so much more…

I taught a session at Lincoln Trail, and had a maxed out class full of lovely girls.  My goal with these girls was to teach them some dance.  Dance is the best, but for me it is just a tool; a tool to promote confidence within.  On the first day I told them I was going to teach them to be amazing. Many were skeptical. Dance was new to most of them and someone even said “it’s not really nice to be a show off”.  This ended up being our theme.

On our final class together, we were planning to perform for the other kids that were involved in other B.L.A.S.T. classes and the parents of my class.  One girl said, “I’m so nervous. I’m going to be sick!”  We talked about how none of those people knew our secret dance, and none of them knew just how amazing she was.  “How will they know how amazing you are if you don’t show them.”  She kind of rolled her eyes at me and smiled.

Then that same little girl walked up to me at the end of our session and got my attention.  I bent down to her and she looked me right in the eyes and said “Guess what Mrs. Kristina…..I’m amazing”.  That moment will be etched in my memory forever.  I don’t care that she showed us and her classmates how amazing she is…I care that she knows.

Since B.L.A.S.T. is an after school program they provide students with a snack. We took advantage of that time to talk about how being different and unique and yourself makes you beautiful and amazing.  I had hoped our class would have some boys in it too, but since this particular one didn’t I took the chance to empower our girls.  I told stories about what can happen when girls build each other up rather than tearing each other apart, trying to help them realize they would be classmates for years.  Some of the conversations and behaviors I saw as a result of that short ten minute chat were priceless.

During that same session, a girl who often requires accommodations throughout her school day for a disability was given time to be completely submerged and integrated into a group with her peers.  While I was working to teach the beauty in being different, she received a much needed break from it.  She told me she felt like “one of the girls”.  She taught us all a bit about being amazing and might I also add, her dance moves were incredible.

I also taught two different sessions at Sangamon.  Two separate groups and all full of amazing kids eager to please and learn. The investment the teachers and administrative staff make in those kids throughout the day is paying off.  They were so incredibly well behaved I was able to teach them so much.

On the first day of the new session I had a little girl apologize to me in advance, “I have a really hard time sitting still.  I act really crazy, but my teacher and I are working on it.”  It was precious.  I told her that as long as she was respectful to me and the other kids, she never had to sit still in my class.  To say she thrived in BLAST would be an understatement.

I also had a couple of boys that ran into each class dying to know what type of dance we would be doing that day.  One of which told me “Uh, I thought my mom signed me up for the Tae Kwon Do class” then he pretty quickly realized that he was “meant to be a Dancing Dawg after all”.  His words, not mine.

I plan to continue to participate with MAYC over the summer and into the next school year.  The BLAST program in particular is a program I sincerely believe in.  The convenience it offers to parents is incredible and so many kids are being provided opportunities to do things they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. Kelly Cramer has worked tirelessly throughout this school year to build this program into what it is today.  You may have read that MAYC lost some of its funding.  Might I encourage everyone to look for a way to rally as a community behind this program.

I have had experience being a studio dance instructor.  Studio dance is a beast of its own.  Some kids have amazing experiences dancing competitively within a studio and make great lasting friendships doing so.  Unfortunately, it is a huge investment of time and money.  That is a commitment not every family has the means to make, so with the help of Mahomet Parks and Recreations Department we will work to fill this need.

I got certified to teach Kids Zumba for 7-11 year olds and Kids Zumba Jr for 4-6.  After working with so many kids throughout this school year, and realizing that the rhythms that excited them the most were the international rythms, I knew they would love it.

I hope to see many familiar faces and some new ones as this program is hitting the ground running for the summer.  The first country we will “visit” in our Zumba Kids program is Columbia and we will learn Cumbia, the rhythm of the region.  We will also dance to kid appropriate pop music, and play games that get our kids moving.  It is designed for boys and girls with TOO MUCH ENERGY.