Dance crazes come and go, and Zumba is now enjoying its time in the spotlight. Today Zumba is practiced by 14 million people in more than 150 countries and this latest fitness phenomenon has now hit Shanghai.

Phrases attached to the phenomenon like "party yourself into shape" are said to explain the reason for its huge popularity, and it is seen as much a fun way to spend time with friends, as a hardcore way of keeping fit.

Calorie burning

One hour in an intensive Zumba class reportedly burns off between 500 and 600 calories, which is the calorific equivalent of two Big Macs. Celebrities including Madonna, Shakira, Victoria Beckham, and US basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, are all said to be big fans.

Zumba is described as a fitness routine for people who don't usually like to exercise. It is a form of aerobics blended with various dance styles including salsa, mambo, belly-dancing, cha-cha, Bhangra, Merengue and Reggaeton.

The word Zumba derives from a Colombian slang word that means to buzz like a bee or to move fast.

Zumba was created as the result of a lucky accident in the 1990s by Beto Perez who worked as an aerobics instructor and choreographer in his home city, Cali in Colombia. One day when he forgot his workout music, he had to use a tape he had lying in his car - a mix of Latin salsa and Merengue - and he improvised the class using this. The class was so successful that he decided to take it further and merge aerobics with Latin dance beats. He moved to Miami to continue his fitness revolution and the rest, as they say, is history.

A list of Zumba classes in Shanghai is available on the Website zumba.com, a search of which brings up 40 different classes with seven different teachers. You can also choose to join Zumba Shanghai, a fitness studio solely dedicated to teaching the fitness program. And if you prefer to exercise alone, you can choose from a selection of Perez' Zumba DVDs.

Zumba Shanghai

Zumba Shanghai (2/F, Joy Towers, 9 Zhenning Road, 镇宁路9号九尊大厦2楼) was founded by three friends, Siri Nordheim, from Denmark, Lisa Bean, from the US, and James Hu from China.

All three are certified Zumba teachers and the club runs eight classes per week, with a maximum of 16 people per class.

"The main rule for Zumba is that 70 percent of the music should be Latin," Nordheim told the Global Times. "The remainder is the kind of popular music that you hear on the radio, such as Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez or Jason Derülo."

In November the trio will be opening a new, larger club near Plaza 66 near Jing'an Temple. They will also be adding new classes for children.

Zumba Shanghai offers a trial class for free. After that, participants can pay 150 yuan ($24) for a drop-in class, or get a package of 10 classes for 140 yuan each class, or 20 classes for 120 yuan per class.

According to Bean, the majority of participants are students and expats, and are mostly women, although she added that men occasionally turn up. 

"For a Zumba class, you can wear any type of fitness clothing such as sweat pants, shorts, tank tops or T-shirts. Anything that is comfortable and cool," said Bean. "As for the shoes, you will need soft leather dance sneakers. These shoes don't stick to the floor as much as regular running and walking shoes, and will help to move, turn and jump more easily."

Nordheim added that the classes are open to all ages and abilities.

"Anyone can Zumba. You don't even need to know how to dance. Our students, after three or four classes, can do the moves very easily, even if they had no experience in dancing before. The great thing about Zumba is that it doesn't feel like you are exercising because you have so much fun while doing it."

Zumba Shanghai also organizes monthly parties at The Apartment (3/F, 47 Yongfu Road 永福路47号3楼). The next one will be held in November. For more information on dates, check on their Website at zumbashanghai.com.

Alive Shanghai

Alive Shanghai, run by German native Martina Klotz, offers Zumba classes three times a week at Lakeville Regency in Xintiandi (168 Shunchang Road 顺昌路168号) and Casa Lakeville (506 Huangpi Road South 黄陂南路506号).

"When I moved to Shanghai a year and a half ago, there were only two Zumba teachers here and the classes weren't very popular," said Klotz.

Klotz has been working in the fitness industry for the past decade and is a certified Zumba instructor. She has been practicing the technique for five years.

Her Zumba classes are 200 yuan for a drop-in, 180 yuan per class if you buy 10 classes in advance and 150 yuan per class for Lakeville residents if they buy 10 classes in advance. The classes are on Thursdays (7:15 am to 8:15 am), Fridays and Saturdays (both from 10:15 am to 11:15 am).

"My class is very energetic, as I am a very energetic person," said Klotz. "There is a lot of jumping around and you end up burning a lot of calories."

Alive Shanghai also organizes special Zumba Nights every six months. The next one will be an early "Christmas Night" on November 28 from 7 pm to 9 pm, when more than 50 people will gather to practise Zumba together.