09/04/2026
Mentors are important and can play a critical role in our development as instructors as well as humans. The mentor who gave me the next piece of advice was a tremendous mentor and opened some big doors for me. At the same time, even a trusted mentor can be wrong once in a while. 13 years ago plus a few months, a mentor I deeply admired told me that I would never be a presenter for Zumba, either as a Jammer or as an education specialist. She told me that although my choreography was good and my teaching skills were top notch, the field was so wide and deep that Zumba could choose anyone and would be more likely to choose someone a bit more presentable.
That hurt. A LOT. A few weeks later, I contacted U-Jam and offered the gym where I worked as a host facility for their training. They came to Portland and the first U-Jam instructors in Oregon came from that training. Yes, U-Jam fans, if you fell in love with U-Jam because of an instructor at Bally / Boom, like Crystal and Nisi and Sarah, I'm probably your great-great-great U-Jam grandmother! Anyhow.... 13 years ago today at 9:15am, I taught my first U-jam class. 😜🤪🤣😂
I can’t say that I was any better at U-jam and then I was at Zumba. In fact, I was probably worse as a dancer, but I was bad with GREAT ENTHUSIASM and enthusiasm gets attendance in a nonjudgmental gym environment. It felt nice to have a short period of a rebellion.
After about a year, I decided that I was more of a Zumba instructor than a U-jam instructor. Four years later, when I wasn't looking for the job, I was asked to apply. I DIDbecome both types of presenters for Zumba.
Even our mentors can be wrong once in a while. Listen to them. Really, really listen. Then decide which portions of their advice will sink in and which parts will roll off.
LOL, I still cue like that sometimes, with the focused face and the strong arm up with fingers flying.
