Get your Zumba on at a Party Hearty Zumbathon to benefit the American Heart Association on Saturday, April 30, at the Malta Community Center.
Zumba instructor Stacey Doltz, who residents might know from classes she heads up at Saratoga County YMCA’s and Yoga Kids, will lead a two hour marathon Zumba class to raise money, stay active and have fun.
`I’m raising awareness for the American Heart Association because it’s the No.1 killer of women in the U.S.,` said Doltz.
Doltz has rallied area vendors who will have booths set up to advertise their products or services, there will be a DJ and 75 percent of the proceeds (tickets are $20 at the door) will go to the American Heart Association.
`I’m bringing on three other instructors who will be on stage dancing and we’ll see what we can do for the American Heart Association,` said Doltz.
Zumba is the dance fitness craze popping up in video games and gyms around the country, but for those who haven’t heard of it, it’s a program set to Latin music where exercisers learn Latin-based dances like Salsa and Reggaeton to get their workout.
`It’s high impact and within that class, you’re not doing just dancing, you’re doing a cardiovascular workout with that,` said Doltz.
The routine is all about dance but no dance experience is necessary to excel at Zumba.
`I lead all the songs and teach the steps. It’s also my philosophy that you burn your highest calories after you know the song well, so they ‘ll hear the same playlist after everyone knows the song,` said Doltz.
According to Doltz, Zumba-ers burn an average minimum of 500 calories and she has some class members who exceed 1,000 in one session.
`It’s not anything you have to sit and think ‘I’m getting a workout,’` said Doltz. `It’s a party atmosphere. I challenge anyone to come to my classes, listen to this music and not feel like you need to move or want to move around. Your behaviors and motivation change.`
Before Doltz was an instructor, she was just another regular Zumba amateur, trying the fitness craze to lose some weight.
`I did it to lose weight and get myself out of a depression and rut. I’ve had background in gymnastics and dancing and it kind of fused together,` said Doltz.
When she started Zumba, Doltz was a stay-at-home mother, having left a previous job of investigating child abuse reports in Saratoga County. After she started getting into it, Doltz became a full-time Zumba instructor, also teaching yoga to children in Malta and working to become a Reiki master, or energy healer.
`I’m going to inspire people and that’s what it does. It inspires people to lose weight, make friendships,` said Doltz.
Doltz is taking Zumba beyond the gym with the first ever `Zumba in the Club` at Vapor Nightclub in Saratoga Springs on Tuesday, May 17.
`Now it’s going into the nightclub atmosphere,` said Doltz. `It won’t be a class, it’ll be like a dance club.`
The `Party Hearty` Zumbathon at the Malta Community Center is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 30. For more information about Doltz’s Zumba classes, go to Facebook and search `Zumba with Stacey.`
“
