It’s been three years since Puente held its first Zumba class in the gym at Pescadero Elementary. Even in isolated Pescadero, the fitness class – which incorporates elements of salsa, merengue and other improvised Latin dances – was an instant hit. “People got hooked on the first day,” recalls Rita Mancera, Program Director at Puente and one of three Puente staff members who double as Zumba instructors. Today, twice-weekly classes are often so packed – with up to 50 adults and children jumping, spinning, and grinning – that there is barely room to move. On February 26, Puente kicked off its 15-year anniversary celebrations by holding the first-ever local ‘Zumbathon’ – a Zumba marathon that doubles as a fundraiser to keep the Zumba classes going at their current level. The event raised $737, slightly short of its fundraising goal of $1,000. Although Puente receives support from the Bella Vista Foundation for Zumba, Mancera explains that Puente needs to raise money to cover childcare and to replace the sound system that belongs to the La Honda-Pescadero School District. Zumba classes have low overhead and are donation-based. Puente does pay its instructors and covers ongoing training obtained through their membership to the Zumba instructor network. Zumba lover Erika Vera, 33, has been coming to classes since they began in 2010. Vera loves to dance, and she says … Continue reading Jump, spin and grin: Zumbathon kicks off Puente’s 15-year anniversary