Filipinos love music and dance. What happens when you combine them both? You get Pinoy Zumba!
So, why the craze with Pinoy Zumba? Because it’s a fun-filled cardio workout enjoyed by Filipinos, young and old. This ‘ZumBuzz’ was evident in Friday’s Zumba-thon at ZINster Qatar’s 4th anniversary celebration.
All roads led to University of Doha for Science and Technology Friday, drawing a huge crowd of more than 400 Filipinos on the dance floor. Nope, this wasn’t the usual party where people groove to the DJ’s beat. The revelers were mostly women (and a few men) all eager to stretch their muscles on a Friday afternoon, a non-working day for many.
The reason? Filipino celebrity Zumba instructor Wowie de Guzman was in town to spice up ZINsters Qatar’s 4th anniversary party, in cooperation with Music Lounge and with special guests Zayaw Kuwait and Qatar Zins.
ZIN Wowie is the Philippine 90’s matinee idol and award-winning actor, which mounted the excitement of the Zumba-crazy community here to meet him.
It was a 4-hour celebration with live entertainment and non-stop Zumba. The celebrity guest was in the spotlight, backed up by four pioneers of ZINsters (a portmanteau of ‘ZIN’ that stands for Zumba Instructor Network and ‘sters’ a suffix of the word ‘sisters’ as the group founders are all-female and close friends).
The brains behind the said event are Qatar ZINS, who formed the ZINsters group. They are licensed instructors composed of Janice Magsalin (Zin Barbie), Morena Altura (Zin Morena), Arlene Valin (Zin Arlene), and Richelle Virtudazo (Zin Rich).
Pinoy Zumba Fever
In the previous issue of Qatar Tribune, the ZINSters, a Doha-based team of fitness enthusiasts, was featured. This time, in a recently concluded press conference with ZIN Wowie, the group shared their happiness as they mark their four years of bringing quality and affordable dance and fitness programs to communities since 2019.
The officials of ZINsters Qatar and Quwait International collaborated for this initiative and put Wowie in the limelight being one of the most requested celebrity Zumba instructors in the Middle East.
As for the actor, when asked why he resorted to Zumba after dominating the Philippine primetime TV shows, he answered, "I started as a dancer in this industry. It was my stepping stone to enter the world of showbiz.”
He believes that Zumba is related to dancing. When he first engaged in this form of exercise, the experience felt like a déjà vu for him as it flashed back his good old memories with his former dance group Universal Motion Dancers (UMD).
According to the dancer-actor, Zumba is a popular choice among the elderly. But, it is widely accepted by people of different generations, regardless of age.
"Zumba is a form of exercise, not a competition”, Wowie stressed. "In my experience, I saw politicians and several men taking part in our Zumba classes. There’s even a 90-year old person who joined us before”, he added.
For Wowie, Zumba is a great way to bond with loved ones and friends. He stressed that just because it is dominated by ladies, doesn’t make it less masculine. In fact, it’s a full-body workout that teaches focus and coordination for both men and women.
The best part? There are no rules. There’s choreography to follow, but it’s not required.
Pinoy Bayanihan Spirit
"As Filipinos, it is part of our culture to celebrate through music and dancing. Another one is the community spirit, helping one another through Bayanihan or enjoying doing things together. Today, the Filipino community spirit is very much visible. Dance music and community spirit make Zumba more appealing not just in Qatar but also across the world,” said Third Secretary and Vice Consul Monica Remsy Calangian of the Philippine Embassy in Qatar, who represented the ambassador in delivering an inspirational message to the event attendees.
The event was attended by Philippine Embassy officials, Zumba instructors and aficionados, as well as social media influencers and media partners.
So, onwards to the Zumba action. Imagine being in the stadium full of energetic Zumbanatics. Everyone around was friendly and cheerful as they danced their hearts away to the upbeat music. A whole dance floor of smiles and sweat made the Zumba event even more fun.
Warm Welcome in Qatar
Upon arrival at the Hamad International Airport last September 25, Wowie was welcomed by the gracious hospitality of ZINsters and some Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Qatar.
"I’m overwhelmed by the warm welcome of my Kabayans in Qatar. Here in the Middle East, I’m inspired to further harness my skills in Zumba as it’s fulfilling to give joy to the OFWs when they feel homesick while working abroad and being away from their families,” said Wowie.
On September 29, after his performance on stage, he reiterated his gratitude to the Kabayan community in Qatar for the tremendous support he received from them. That was how the event was capped off, like a concert where the Zumba king thanked his audience.
Special awards were given to the Best Zumba Dancers and participants with Best Zumba Outfits. Raffle prizes and freebies were also given away to the event attendees.
More Surprises Await Zumbanatics
The ZINsters Qatar group is brewing up more special activities for their members and upcoming members.
"We are inviting everyone to join in our regular Zumba classes and other programs”, said Zin Morena.
According to her, there will be a "Zumba Glow” session and a lineup of themed events for Zumbanatics in Qatar. In addition, there will be evening activities for the benefit of those who are unable to attend their morning Zumba classes on Fridays.
"Health is wealth. As OFWs, it is our top priority to take care of our health as we are here for our family. If we don’t care for our health first, we can’t achieve our goals and dreams for our loved ones,” she added.
(Photo Credits: Leo Bautista and Ronnie Castro of RC Events)