Confessions of a ZumbaDaddy! My Extra-Fanatical Affair!

How High Will You Jump For Your Cause?





I admit it....I have strayed.  I had made a simple and seemingly attainable vow just about a month ago as the road to Zumba for Life was on the horizon.  I would take classes with my Certified Instructors before the event in an effort to prepare myself from our historic world record attempt on January 6th at the Aviator Sports Complex.  With my busy schedule at work, my commitment's to our Relay for Life Committee, with my girls coming home from college and the holidays it was gonna be hard to find the time, but I would try. Then it happened! Blame it on Phyllis! Blame it on Melissa! Blame it on Vanessa! Blame it on Wilson and Gerry too! After I few classes I caught the bug.

Zumba is fun and addictive! Not only am I finding the time for Zumba, I am finding too much time for Zumba.  I check out Zumba Music, Zumba Bracelets & Zumba Gear.  I talk Zumba Fashion with Wilson, Zumba Cool Down Songs with Phyllis and Zumba Recruiting with Vanessa.  I'm making covert plans to go into work late one morning so I can Zumba with Gerry! I'm even bugging Melissa for her Zumba Jersey size!  I'm recruiting Zumba people everyday and hanging Zumba flyers every night!  I even have a "Zumba Stash"! A collection of Zumba DVDs which I watch when no one is around to practice my moves. (Oh my! how times and stashes have changed!) I have even signed up for a 5 day fitness routine to get ready for January 6 which I have made part of my New Year's resolution.

I have strayed from my simple pledge and joined the fanatical world of ZUMBA! 

I am steam rolling into this event along with all you other fanatic! Zumba for Life is just 7 days away! I'm all in, as are dozens and dozens of you.  Come join the Bergen Beach, Mill Basin and Marine Park Relay for Life Team as we raise the roof, stomp our feet and kick cancer between the eyes! 

ZD
Isle of Malta
12/30/13

Pre-Register and receive a special gift commemorating our event.
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?team_id=1312772&fr_id=53634&pg=team

Visit us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/events/282940285139192/#!/events/282940285139192/

Look for our event on the News 12 Brooklyn (Our Sponsor) News Ticker  every day leading up to our event!

Twas The Morning of Zumba

A ZumbaDaddy Christmas

It's Christmas and just under two weeks until Zumba for Life.  Here's wishing you all a happy holiday season and a New Year full of health and happiness from everyone at the Bergen Beach, Mill Basin and Marine Park Relay for Life team.  Now for my vision.

 

 

Twas The Morning Of Zumba

 

 

Twas the morning of Zumba and all through the gym

Were a dozen fit chicas for every him

Stretching and shaking, warming up with such care

The crowd was abuzz

ZumbaDaddy was there!

 

Spectators were nestled all about the scene

There were big ones and small one and all in between

ZumbaDaddy in neon started to clap

DJ Kaz began to play his own Zumba rap

 

When all through the gym there arose such a clatter

900 Zumba feet all started to patter

The crowd became frenzied in what seemed like a flash

Excitement was building, Oh what a bash!

 

The Committee for Relay all took their place

Determined as ever to keep up the pace

There was Kathie, the Cool One, Nicole and Noelle

Relay Mommy, Sheri and Bubbles as well

They had all assembled for this fitness dance

The crowd was enormous, cancer had no chance

 

With old ZumbaDaddy neither lively or quick

Suddenly rockin the room

All thought their eyes had played trick

Each moment his movements became less and less tame

Then he wiggled his hips and called out their names

 

Go Phyllis! Go Wilson! Go Gerri! Vanessa!

He screamed even louder Go Get Em Melissa!

Go Deborah! Go Fran! Go Denyse! he did call

Now Zumbaway! Zumbaway! Zumbaway All!

 

The world record was broken

The team was in glee

It was all caught on video for Guinness to see

 

ZumbaDaddy exclaimed as he eased calves so tight

Happy Holidays to all

Never give up the fight!

 

ZD

North Pole

12.24.12



ZumbaDaddy Defies Medical Experts! Takes Another Zumba Class!





 

As the Fox News Alert went off on my phone I wondered what non-alert worthy headline would my phone be delivering to me today.  Mets trade Dickey? Jets bench Sanchez?  New Emblem3 tour? When I glanced down I could not believe my eyes.  "Death Prompts 'Gangnam Style Warning To Middle Aged Men'.  Health officials had issued a warning to out of shape middle aged men who can't dance ....not to! http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/gangnam-style-death-prompts-warning-to-middleaged-men-not-to-attempt-the-vigorous-dance-8411905.html  I anticipated my cell phone began to ring off the hook, even though cell phones don't really go on the hook.  "ZumbaDaddy, did you hear the news? ZumbaDaddy, how does this affect your journey to Zumba for Life? ZumbaDaddy will you hang up your neon shirt, is it over?"

 

 

 

I took a moment to reflect and put my mind at ease by stretching out Zumba style. I seemed to walk for hours trying to decipher what this all meant to me. Not only do I Zumba, but I also have been known to kick it Gangnam Style.  Just then I realized that only 3 minutes had gone by since the news alert.  Like any good chief executive I called my staff of instructors.  Wilson, Gerry, Vanessa, Melissa and Phyllis listened to my concerns and gave me the answer I had been looking for.  "ZD", their nickname for me, "Your very journey was undertaken to avoid the risk of injury.  You knew you had work it, in order to make it to Zumba for Life.  Just continue with your training, don't overdue it, and stay within your limits.  The very beauty of  Zumba is that you only have to do what you can and you are free to stay within your range of comfort..  That's why Zumba is for everyone.  From the younger folk to the older folk and to everyone in between.  Even first timers can have fun as long as they don't overdue it and stay within their zone."  You know what, they were right.  After all, my first class with the Fitness Chica had gone fine.  It was fun, I moved it (however slightly) and I had done Zumba.

 

My mind was made up and my confidence was renewed just in time to take my next class with Certified Zumba Instructor, Phyllis Sorrentino, who I am told  sometimes goes by the name ZumbaMamma!  It would take place 8:30 Saturday Morning at Elizabeth's Dance Image in Brooklyn.  I was greeted by half a dozen smiles which immediately put me in the mood to Zumba.  The studio reminded me of the one from Saturday Night Fever from all those years ago, so there really wasn't anyplace for me to hide this time.  I was up close and personal and for better or worse I was in a position to eye myself in a huge mirror for the duration of the class.

 

As soon as the class started I began to worry less about the mirror and more about keeping up with Phyllis. She is an energetic instructor who while doing her routine seamlessly telegraphs the next move in the routine making it easier  to follow. Her song selection was inspiring and made me feel rather hip!  I'm still a mess when any sort of rhythm is required, and I am still working on a time delay when it comes to the moves, but I think I may have done a little better this time! I did make one very important note to myself for my next class... more restrictive undergarments!   Most importantly, once again I had stayed within my comfort zone, I kept hydrated and again i had fun!  Everyone was so  supportive, though I am sure I saw a couple of peeks and giggles during some of my more spastic moments. When the class was over, once again I had made some new friends who all pledged to join me in the fight against cancer at Zumba for Life on January 6th! It was a spectacular way to spend a Saturday morning!

 

I walked out of Dance Image, past all the Mom's taking their kids to dance class.  Their stares and glares and looks of curiosity didn't phase me.  I'm still an out of shape middle aged man who can't dance headed full speed towards a Zumba world record.  But I'm a little bit stronger and a little more fit than I was last week and I'm getting better everyday.  I'm defying the medical experts and coming to a Zumba class near you.  I may even show you a little Gangnam Style along the way.

 

ZD

Castle Rock, Maine

December 16, 2012

 

 

 



 

 

 



ZumbaGate! Press Uncovers Plan Of Zumba Lovers To Unite & Fight Cancer

Phyllis , Gerri, Wilson, & Vanessa Show ZumbaDaddy How It's Done!

 

 

Wilson was right.  They just couldn't resist.  The tale of ZumbaDaddy has gone from the blog to the headlines.  It had to be the neon shirt!  All kidding aside Zumba for Life has now taken on a life of its own.  As I mentioned in my last post the new look for ZumbaDaddy was revealed this past Sunday at a photo shoot at the Aviator for the Brooklyn Daily family of newspapers. However, it turned out that the newspaper wasn't just interested in the fashion evolution of ZumbaDaddy.  Lead reporter Colin Mixson is known to have a sense for when a story is about to explode, and this time was not different.  He has a way of putting you at ease with his casual interrogation.  I never realized that our conversation just days ago would turn into the expose that has the Zumba world abuzz. 

 

Read his full story  http://www.brooklyndaily.com/stories/2012/50/mm_zumbarecordpreview_2012_12_14_bk.html?comm=1#feedback

 

The Sunday shoot also provided an opportunity for our Zumba Certified Instructors to meet each other for the first time.  Phyllis Sorrentino, Gerri Santoli, Wilson Gutierrez and Vanessa Romano went from the lighthearted photo shoot into some serious Zumba planning.  Our fifth Zumba Instructor Melissa Lopez, the Fitness Chica, was out rockin the town to celebrate her birthday but had provided the group with her input prior to meeting.  They huddled with intensity. It was all about routine, song selection, tempo, and fun.  ZumbaDaddy clearly had recruited an inspired, motivated bunch.  What was even more exciting was the fact that each instructor agreed to form a fundraising team for the Bergen Beach, Mill Basin and Marine Park 2013 Relay for Life.  By forming a team each Zumba instructor will now be able to allow their recruited Zumba participants and followers an opportunity to pre-register for Zumba for Life online at the dedicated web page for the instructor.  This will also allow us to tally the registered participants signed up by the instructor to determine the winner of the Battle of the Zumba Instructors (the winner gets an Amazon Kindle donated by Best Buy). Finally, it will help us document participants for the purpose of submitting our World Record Attempt to Guinness.

 

Like in Zumba for Life our goal in Relay for Life is to unite in the fight against cancer. The word is out and cancer doesn't stand a chance! Please continue to follow the exploits of ZumbaDaddy and please register for Zumba for Life!Also, feel free to contact me or our Relay Committee if you wish to join at Relay for Life. This is an extraordinary opportunity to start the New Year off on the right track by having fun, by getting fit, and by joining your friends, family and community in a World Record effort to promote cancer awareness and to "Zumba for Life"!

 

 

Now that I look at that photo, it really was the neon shirt. :)

 

ZD 

Artic Circle

12/13/12

 

Zumba For Life On Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/events/282940285139192/?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

 

Relay for Life Page for Bergen Beach, Mill Basin and Marine Park

https://www.facebook.com/BergenBeach1?ref=hl#!/BergenBeach1

 



Extreme ZumbaDaddy Makeover!

ZumbaDaddy

 

ZumbaDaddy with the Fitness Chica

In my dream I'm standing in front of hundreds of people and Ty from Extreme Home Makeover is screaming at me "Move that bus! Move that bus!" And then, just like that it isn't Ty anymore.  It's Wilson Gutierrez one of my Zumba instructors and he is screaming at me "Move that ass! Move that ass!" Suddenly my body cramps up and I awaken in a cold sweat.  This same dream, or nightmare has played out each night since my first Zumba class last week with the "Fitness Chica Melissa Lopez".  But it's not a nightmare for the reasons you might think.  I actually came through that class in pretty good shape.  Sure I had a couple of aches and pains, but I felt good and the feedback I got back from everyone was positive and encouraging except for two people.  My wife Debbie upon reviewing my exploits shared with me her trademark head shake and declared "You are an idiot! You weren't even moving!" But that didn't bother me.  It was the call I received a day after my post from Wilson Gutierrez, Zumba Instructor/Latin Dance teacher that had shaken my world.  "Joe, we have to do something about you right away or I just can't be a part of Zumba for Life"



Zumba Mafioso

I was stunned to say the least. "Wilson, what are you talking about? It was just my first class, I did the best I could!  The Fitness Chica's class was rocking and tell you the truth it was hard!"  There was a brief pause and then I heard Wilson say "Joe, what are you talking about?  You did fine for a guy your age and with your.....uh....physique.  I was talking about your look.  You just don't look Zumba! and if you don't look Zumba you can't be ZumbaDaddy!"  After noting the similarities between myself and Friar Tuck from the photos taken of me from behind, Wilson layed down the law on me.  "Besides your hair being a mess your mustache looks like a porn-stache from the 70's.  You are dressed all in baggy black which make you look like a Mafioso on a handball court. You are in need of an extreme ZumbaDaddy makeover!  Otherwise the whole event will be in jeopardy!"

Wow! I couldn't believe it. I had simply taken the name ZumbaDaddy.  I never realized the that with such a name comes great responsibility.  "It's not going to be easy.  We have barely a week to get you ready for the photo shoot.  If we can gloss you over enough to get through that then I will have another 4 weeks to get you ready for Zumba for Life.  First the hair.  Who are you fooling?  Shave it real close to let people know it's your choice for "The Look".  Next, the porn-stache.  Trim it, then give it some company by growing some shadow, and accentuate your grey goatee. After all your are the ZumbaDaddy not some adolescent Zumba Wannabe.  Mature and mysterious that's what you are all about.  The black pants we will have to keep for now because we can't do anything about your ass in just a week.  But above the waist we have a shot.  Clearly your belly needs work, a lot of work, but your shoulders are pretty broad and manly and you do carry yourself pretty well.....  I see neon!"  What?  Wilson looked at me and said it again "I see neon!  Zumba is all about attitude, about a look, and about color!  Neon on you says it all.  Dare people to look at you.  I will make you the most interesting ZumbaDaddy in the world!  Dos Equis will beg you to do a commercial for them! You WILL be ZumbaDaddy!"
He had me at neon!  After all this is Wilson, this guy IS Zumba.  He has the attitude and the moves.  His feet move so fast he walked from Jersey to Brooklyn in only 12 minutes.  But more than anything, he has the look.  This dude wears sheer shirts that you can actually see his body through!  He has hundreds and hundreds of followers that take his classes all over the tristate area.  If this is what I have to do, I will do it!  Like I always say ZumbaDaddy is all about credibility, and Joe Gillette is always all in!


Wilson



Makeover Reject

Haircut - Check, Porn-Stache Trim -Check, Shadow Growth - Check, Grey Goatee - Check, Black Pants - Oh Well...Check, Neon - You better believe
it!




ZumbaDaddy Grooming

 



Zumba Ready!

On Sunday morning as we got ready for the photo-shoot for a newspaper preview of Zumba for Life I was ready to reveal the new ZumbaDaddy.  The  spectators, my Relay for Life Committee members, and the press, all gathered round as we began to strike our poses for the photographer.  But my eyes were on one.  As he approached me he nodded his head, grinned and struck his best Zumba pose side by side with me.  He then said the words I had longed to hear "Hello ZumbaDaddy!"



ZumbaDaddy with instructors Phyllis, Gerri and Vanessa

There's Got To Be A Morning After

As my Zum met my Ba late last night I actually started to fear going to sleep because I didn't know how I would feel the morning after.  Lying in bed I did feel destined for a similar fate as the good ship Poseidon, especially when I thought about the eerily similar roll I had attempted in Zumba class which mirrored the luxury liners own movement went faced with that tidal wave. At times throughout the night I felt like Ernest Borgnine trying to get that door off him while he was underwater, but in my case it was just the double blanket Debbie had me sleeping under.  In fact the blankets are so heavy I felt like Shelly Winters was sleeping on top of me.  Every time I turned over I felt like Gene Hackman trying to turn that valve.  The one time during the night I had to get up to flood the lido deck I was so sore I was tempted to sit.  I thought better about it because I was fearful my Jack Albertson knees wouldn't allow me to get back up.  But as the song says "there's got to be a morning after"  I made it through the night and I found the sunshine.  I may walk though it a bit slowly today, but I remain...........ZumbaDaddy!

 

 

 

Surviving The Fitness Chica

"Are you Joe?"  It's 8:30 in the morning on North Broadway in White Plains and me and my buddy Mikey B are trying to find a way into the White Plains Presbyterian Church where I was supposed to take my first ever Zumba class.  "I looked you up on Google so I knew it was you". We walked over to the car and there she was, the "Fitness Chica" Melissa Lopez, destined to be the first Zumba teacher on my newly planned  road to Zumba For Life. 





We followed Melissa into the Zumba room and had an opportunity to chat with her while she set up for class.  Melissa has a contagious personality and was the first instructor to come on board for Zumba for Life.  I filled her in on what we were planning to do and as she had indicated to me before, she was all in.  As people came in we told them about Zumba for Life and I am pretty sure we will have some new recruits for our event. It didn't take long for the room to fill up and it was obvious from the looks me and Mikey B (my media coordinator) were getting that it was time to explain to the group what we were doing there.  Melissa explained about my blog, and also let the class know that this was to be my first class.  I received supportive applause and made my way to the back of the room, my self-imposed position in exile, so I could tackle this Zumba thing without interfering with class by either passing out on the floor in front of them, bumping into them, or distracting them to the point of laughter by being in their field of view.

And away we go.  Melissa commands the room like a champ and she clearly is the "Fitness Chica"  The music, which is not found on my normal radio station rotation in between Sinatra, Buffett and Cash, is fast, fun and furious.   My plan was to try and  learn as many of the moves as I could, not push myself to do what  I clearly had no business doing, keep moving and survive the class.  And I did it all!  Now more often than not, I was 6 seconds late for a move, or just plain confused, but I did at times manage to keep up (in my own mind at least).  I couple of times I even cut my normal delayed reaction to 2 seconds.  There were however some times when I couldn't even figure out how to command certain parts of the body that were supposed to be moving to move.  On me, there are just some locations that  can't move independently of a whole limb. 

Here are the top ten things I did that I was proud of.

1.  I showed up of my own free will.
2.  I left on my own two feet.
3.  I never stopped moving.
4.  I warmed up faster than any human in history (code for I was sweating in 45 seconds)
5.  I shook my booty.
6.  I shook my booty.  (I listed this twice because I have a big booty)
7.  I managed to smile whenever Mikey B. put the video on me.
8.  I promoted Zumba for Life and the American Cancer Society.
9.  I made some new friends.
10. I had fun.  Yes, I had fun!

When the class ended everyone clapped and I like to think there was at least one extra clap for me because I had made it.  My wife's taunts of "You'll never make it" and "You're gonna die" had not come true.

Thank you to Melissa and her class for having me. I am so glad you are on board with Zumba for Life!

To all my followers let me leave you with this. 

I am ZumbaDaddy and I am coming to a Zumba class near you!