Fairhill: Zumba Gym Holds Glow-in-the-Dark Fundraising Party

Sometimes it’s the students who help the teachers.

Zumba instructors Ivy Holmes and Ingrid Perez sought help from the Fairhill community to raise money to go to the 2012 Zumba Instructor Convention in Orlando, Fla.

As hip-hop, Spanish and pop music blared through the speakers at Watts Fitness Studio, Zumba dancers attended the gym’s glow-in-the-dark party, one of the special events that Perez has planned in order to cover the costs of registration, flights and hotels.

“We just told our students that we are going to have some themed parties that are going towards funding our trip to make us better instructors,” Perez said.

Perez, who teaches Zumba at Watts three days a week, brought in more customers by advertising the event at her other gym, Lucille Roberts. Attendees paid $20 for the hour-and-a-half-long class. The instructors also sold belly scarves, Zumba shirts and fitness magazines to raise more money.

The event had a large turnout, as men, women and children stopped by to show their support. Participants wore glow-in-the-dark bracelets and frayed shirts to get into the spirit of the evening. Holmes and Perez had everyone sweating as they had them performing a variety of Latin dance moves.

Rose Velez-Miggins, who is a part of Perez’s Zumbathon team, said she has become hooked to Zumba.

“I’m only a member at the gym because of Zumba,” Miggins said with a laugh.

The instructors’ next fundraising event will be a Zumba class with live drummers in March.