Zumba! It's time to celebrate one year of hip shimmying, tummy twirling and smooth moves in the Battlefords.

Rena Fauchon-Smockum, the mover and shaker behind ZumbaŽ With Rena, is inviting everyone to a party celebrating her venture's one-year anniversary.

Wednesday, April 11 Rena and her associates will offer a free ZumbaŽ class at Holy Family School starting at 7 p.m. After a fun session of grooving and moving the party will shift to Metaxxa's Lounge where appetizers will be served and door prizes drawn for.

Rena says it's a celebration of a full year of fun and fitness.

“ZumbaŽ is such a fun workout that anyone can enjoy,” she says.

ZumbaŽ became a major focal point of Rena's life after she attended a demonstration session. She bought the CDs and began practicing the dance fitness routines in her basement. She found the activity so enjoyable she began taking training.

With her first level of training completed, she launched ZumbaŽ With Rena in April last year. She says interest in the fitness form, which incorporates the dance moves of Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggaton, Flamenco, belly dance and many more, has grown to the point where she now has three associate instructors helping lead the classes.

ZumbaŽ was created in the late 1990s by Alberto Perez, a fitness instructor in Columbia. After forgetting his music for a class he improvised by using Salsa and other Latin dance music. His class loved it and begged for more.

“A class must have 70 per cent Latin Music and 30 per cent instructor's choice,” Rena explains. “It's hard to not get moving when you hear the music, and this certainly accounts for the success of ZumbaŽ .”

Because ZumbaŽ music changes throughout the class it is never stale or boring, she adds, describing ZumbaŽ as “exercise in disguise.”

The moves can be challenging for beginners, but Rena says throughout a six-week class she may change one or two songs, but the basic line up of music stays the same.

“You get used to the music and the moves,” she says.

The fun aspect is what gets participants hooked.

“For the traditionalist, who may ask, ‘but where are the weights and the 50 push ups?' ZumbaŽ is not a strict exercise regime,” Rena explains.

“And for many bored or tired of a structured workout, that is the appeal. Your heart rate will certainly get going, meeting the cardio requirement of any workout, and it's a lot more fun that running on a treadmill.”

And, Rena says, it gives participants the opportunity to try out those moves they've been dying to make, but wouldn't dare attempt on a dance floor.

Initial training soon led Rena to explore more aspects of ZumbaŽ. She is now certified in ZumbaŽ Basic 1 and 2, ZumbaŽ Gold for the Baby Boomer Generation, Zumbatomic for kids and ZumbaŽ Toning, which puts the focus on body sculpting.

ZumbaŽ with Rena classes are offered four days a week, including Saturdays. The schedule for the current session, which runs until May 4 is: Monday - ZumbaŽ 6:15 to 7:15 a.m. (instructor: Tammy at Adams Holy Family School), ZumbaŽ 8 to 9 p.m. (instructor: Rena Fauchon-Smockum) at Notre Dame; Wednesday - Zumbatomic for four- to seven-year-olds 6 to 6:30 p.m. and eight- to 12-year- olds 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (instructor Larissa Jordan/Rena Fauchon-Smockum) at Holy Family School; ZumbaŽ Toning/ZumbaŽ - 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. (instructor: Rena Fauchon-Smockum at Holy Family School; Thursday - ZumbaŽ 6:15 to 7:15 a.m (instructor Tammy Adams) at Holy Family School. ZumbaŽ - 7 to 8 p.m. (instructor Nicki Holtzhausen at Notre Dame School; Saturday - ZumbaŽ , 10 to 11 a.m. (instructor Rena Fauchon-Smockum at Holy Family School.

ZumbaŽ With Rena can be contacted at 441-0669 or on Facebook under ZumbaŽ with Rena for class information. Punch cards are available for six to 24 classes and may be used at any class, with the exception of ZumbatomicŽ. Drop in fee is $10 for a class. Those attending the sessions up until April 11 will have their names entered in draws for the door prizes during the anniversary celebration.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your shoes, find a class and join the ZumbaŽ movement.