She didn’t start going to Zumba at the Y knowing it would change her life. Bonnie, quite possibly the coolest friend she’d ever met, invited her the first time. She agreed, taking in comadre time while checking off a workout for the day. After that first class, what she used to think was for silly señoras quickly became her favorite kind of cardio.
A few classes later, homegirl was hooked. She cropped all of her tees knowing how happy sneaking peeks of her panza in the studio mirrors made her. A little bump and grind, arms in the air like she just didn’t care, and then boom- a panza peek!
It wasn’t until she started taking classes with the best instructor the gym had ever seen-- Dreamy Mo with the long hair and best playlist. He’d lead the class in prayer poses to ass shaking and everything from Prince to song she only ever heard in Fresa Bars ten years prior. Mo made her live her best life.
One magical day, the evening class was in full swing and she was just another girl with a cute face + chubby waist dancing along to Ciara when a JLo backup dancer recruiter was in the area scouting new dancers. He saw her sashay and sway her nalgas up and down and then left and right, following Mo’s lead to perfection. Under his breath he whispered, “damn…” and wondered how this dancing queen was not already discovered. How was she not already in multiple Missy Misdemeanor Elliot music videos?
He anxiously waited for the class to end as the group got into the groove to Madonna’s 1984 hit for a cool down. What seemed like three minutes and 22 seconds later, they finally wrapped. She made her way to her phone and keys, out of breath and a bright shade of red with splashes of sweat all over her face. He approached her and asked her to pack her things and join Ms. Jennifer Lopez on world tour. “You’re gonna be a star, baby!”
She thanked him, grinning and accepting the compliment easily. “Thanks, mister. That sounds like a lot of fun, but I can’t leave all of this behind.” She winked and walked away, never turning around. When she got to her car, she gave a little twerk and pop then drove away.