Continued from page 1
Ashley Guevara
Junior, Exercise and Sport Science
Class instructor at Koret Health and Recreation Center
That heart-thumping Latin music emanating from the Koret Health and Recreation Center might sound more at home in a dance club than a gym. But, it’s from Koret’s most popular exercise class—Zumba, a dance-based aerobics class. Instructor Ashley Guevara’s Tuesday and Thursday evening classes regularly draw so many people—up to 75 at a time—that the class had to be moved to a bigger room. Her Friday afternoon class attracts about 25.
“People always come up to me and say, ‘Oh my God, I loved your class,’” says Guevara. “I understand. You’re at the gym, you want to work out, you can run on the treadmill, but that’s no fun. This is like being at a club without the lights.” Guevara recognized that the instant she took her first Zumba class back home in Miami. She was hooked, taking classes every chance she got. When she saw a San Francisco workshop to certify Zumba instructors, she signed up right away. “The first thing I did (after getting certified) was go to Koret,” which didn’t join the Zumba craze until Guevara’s class debuted in September.
Homework: Guevara is always on the lookout for new songs to use in class; when she finds one, she choreographs dance steps by practicing at home and then drawing stick figures to remind herself of the moves. Because that prep takes a few hours, she doesn’t always change the songs as often as she’d like. “If you notice my songs are the same a lot, I haven’t had free time,” she says.
No Experience Needed: Guevara’s classes draw a mix of students, faculty, staff, and other gym patrons, but there’s one group she hasn’t yet persuaded to stop by—her exercise and sport science professors, who cite a lack of dancing skills. But, as Guevara points out, she includes only four basic steps in each song and repeats those throughout so that people of all dancing abilities can enjoy the class. “People who dance love it, people who don’t dance love it. They really want to learn,” she says. All have smiles on their (sweat-soaked) faces: “That’s what Zumba is all about—having fun while you work out.”
more: Student Jobs 1 2 3 4 5 6
Share This Article
Email Comments
As Printed PDF