Zumba classes coming to Faraday Community Centre

By Mike Riley

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Zumba classes are coming to the Faraday Community Centre starting on Sept. 18, courtesy of the Faraday Recreation Committee. Katie Baylis, owner of the House of Healing Arts will be teaching the classes, which cost $80 for six weeks of classes, every Monday at 10 a.m. For more information, please contact Baylis at 905-914-3939 or at thehouseofhealingarts@protonmail.com.
Baylis told Bancroft This Week that she's known the Faraday Recreation Committee's Amanda Stone since Stone used to run her gym LiveFit in Bancroft.
“Prior to COVID-19, I used to teach Zumba there for her on a weekly basis. She's been trying to get me to teach for Faraday for a little while now and it's not worked out until now as I teach at other locations, including my own studio,” she says.
According to Zumba.com, its origins go back to 1990s Columbia, where a fitness instructor by the name of Alberto Perez accidentally left his aerobics music at home and used his own music collection, featuring Latin tracks, to teach his class. It was so successful that a fitness program was developed and evolved over time. Today, Zumba is taught in over 185 countries and has become a global phenomenon.
Baylis herself has been teaching Zumba for the last 12 years, both on her own and contracted. In that time, she's won the nomination for Readers' Choice: Best Zumba Instructor in Port Perry two years in a row and is nominated again this year.
Stone says that the Zumba class was something they had on their radar but weren't able to make happen until now. She says the recreation committee is excited to have been able to make it work this year and look forward to offering the class to the community.
“There's been quite a bit of interest along with requests made previously for this type of class. We are working on more recreation activities and sessions and will be announcing them as they become available,” she says.
Zumba is best described as a cardio dance party, according to Baylis, set to some super fun Latin and international dance music.
“The best part is, you don't need to know how to dance. You're welcome to just move your body to the music. It's great for all ages!” she says.
Baylis says she's not sure what the turnout will be like yet, but hopefully they'll have a good response.
“It's always so much fun when there are big groups of people,” she says. “The energy is amazing!”