You have probably noticed a significant slowing down in my blogging pace. Not only has work kept me busy, but so have my hobbies. In fact, since my first post about becoming a Zumba instructor, a lot has happened (and in a weird, unexpected way, I think God has been leading):
- I was interviewed for FabUplus magazine — a magazine that promotes body positivity, self love, self worth and self acceptance and also celebrates the curvy community. My interview will be published online and/or in print soon. When it’s published I will post in on my blog and social media.
- Spoke to a few gym managers…we’ll see what happens…
- There is a lunchtime Zumba class at the YMCA in downtown Ottawa on Fridays. The instructor, Susan Sloan, is super amazing and super cool and super nice. I decided to try out her class one day and I introduced myself afterwards, mentioning that I had just earned by Zumba basic license a few weeks prior. She offered to mentor me and allow me to teach a song or two (and perhaps in the near future three???) during her Friday class.
- Nellie Taylor is another amazing, super cool, super nice and spunky Zumba instructor who attends Susan’s Friday class. She saw me teach my song “Shake It” by Anane and figured that she wanted her class to learn how to shake it too. She invited me to teach a song or two (and maybe one day three or more…) at her class at the Carlingwood YMCA on Tuesdays (yes, I am explicitly promoting the classes of these instructors. They have been so helpful to me and so promoting their classes is the least I can do).
- Nellie had a Y Strong Kids fundraiser at the Carlingwood Y. It was well attended and Nellie kindly let me teach my now infamous “Shake It” song to the crowd.
- The boyfriend (Kris Guntermann) of one of my friends from law school teaches Yoga at the Taggart Family Y and offered to put in a good word for me. As a result, I am in the process of getting on the sublist for the Taggart Family YMCA (with the hopes that I will be able to get my own class somewhere down the line).
- I received my Aqua Zumba license on April 3 with the talented, high-energy and multilingual Richard Gormley. I am now licensed to teach both Zumba Basic and Aqua Zumba!
- Susan will be hosting a Y Strong Kids fundraiser on April 24. All proceeds for the fundraiser will help ensure that income will not be an impediment to children who want to access (and have fun at) the YMCA. You should come!! It’ll be 2 hours of Zumba with a variety of instructors, and plus I’ll be leading the warm-up!
So, yeah… a lot has happened. 🙂 Now to address my initial fears:
Did anyone tell me that they think I’m fat or too fat to be an instructor? No.
Did gym managers or fellow Zumba instructors raise their eyebrows when I said that I’m an instructor? No. (In fact, one gym manager said that I would be able to appeal to a certain clientele because of my size. We had a good conversation about how the images that are used to promote fitness and gyms are not representative of the people who actually go to the gym and the clientele that they are seeking to attract).
Once again, I have proven that the only limits I have are the ones in my mind and the ones I place upon myself. ❤
Okay… Gotta go finish meal prepping and making lunch for tomorrow. See you on April 24. Yes?
Simone Samuels 
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