Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Morris
Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to share my story! I’m Jen, a licensed Zumba instructor in Hollywood, Florida, on a mission to bring joy and fitness to people’s lives through personalized Zumba dance workouts. My journey started ten years ago, the moment I first stepped into a Zumba class. I was determined to get back in shape, but balancing work and family life left me with little time for self-care, and I started to feel the impact on my health. Realizing this, I knew it was time for a change. My mom suggested I try Zumba, a dance fitness workout, and I’m so glad I did. It was amazing, and truly life changing. The music, the energy, the vibes – everything made me want to keep coming back for more. I started inviting all my friends to join me, until one day, my sister encouraged me to become a Zumba Instructor.
I registered for the instructor training, not intending to teach, but to learn more about Zumba, its history, music and moves. I never expected the training to be such an inspiring experience. I became immersed in the idea of sharing this amazing fitness experience with others, hoping to get people moving and feeling the same joy and excitement that Zumba brought me. Around the time of my training, my friend Joanne Verde lost her battle with cancer. We never had a chance to Zumba together, which inspired me to start “Helping by Dancing”- using Zumba to help individuals and the community. My goal was to not only improve our own personal, physical, mental well-being, but also help others in our community by fundraising for various causes in memory of Jo.
Once I became an instructor, I reached out to local communities to start classes and fundraisers. At first, I was teaching mostly Aqua Zumba, a blend of dance and aqua fitness. Today, eight years later, I’m still on a mission to get everyone dancing. I teach many types of Zumba classes and feel grateful every day that I can share my passion for Zumba with others.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My Zumba journey has been mostly smooth, with a few bumps along the way. Although I didn’t realize at the time, those struggles helped me grow and brought new opportunities. For instance, just as my fundraising Aqua Zumba classes were gaining momentum, the pandemic hit and put everything on hold. But this led to a new opportunity to teach my classes online. Our virtual Zumba classes during pandemic became very important. We were all facing tough times alone, and Zumba became our therapy. To this day, my virtual classes continue. We’ve built a welcoming online group that gets together every week to dance; and anyone is welcome to join us!
Post pandemic, my challenge has been getting back to regularly scheduled in-person classes. Although there’s interest, finding a time that suits everyone is difficult. Time constraints are a big issue, so I’m always looking for ways to make my classes more accessible and easier for everyone to benefit from the Zumba experience.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor and Certified Group Fitness Instructor with the American Council on Exercise. I offer the following Zumba class formats, customized to suit the client’s preferences and conveniently conducted at their chosen location.
Zumba, a dynamic dance fitness workout that combines Latin and international music with a mix of low and high intensity moves.
Zumba Gold, a slower paced and lower intensity Zumba class, but just as much fun!
Aqua Zumba, a high-energy, low-impact aquatic workout that combines dance moves with water resistance exercises.
Zumba Toning, a blend of Zumba dancing and muscle toning exercises using light handheld weights.
Zumba Kids, a dance fitness program for children that features age-appropriate music and moves, and is designed to be fun and playful.
I also offer weekly Virtual Zumba and Zumba Toning. These classes can be accessed from home using Zoom.
My specialty is Aqua Zumba, it’s the class I first started teaching and it’s the source of my fundraising events.
I’m most proud of the Zumba fundraising classes where all of the proceeds went directly to charity. At first, we collected funds mainly for the American Cancer Society in memory of Jo Verde. Over time, we expanded the charities to include Alzheimer’s Association, Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital and other local charities, reflecting the interests of our Zumba community. The unity and generosity of our Zumba family in supporting these charities is incredibly fulfilling.
What I think sets me apart is my dedication to accessibility, community and inclusivity. I want people to enjoy the Zumba experience and make it easy for them to join. That’s why I bring the Zumba party right to the client’s doorstep, whether at a residential building, hotel, workplace, or in their own space. I also customize classes to suit the needs of the community and offer online options and videos, so even if you can’t make it in person, you can still benefit and participate from home. Additionally, I offer classes in French and cater to the French Canadians visiting Florida in winter. Imagine the fun of Aqua Zumba in January, with outdoor dancing and pool workouts under the sun!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Keep dancing! Life has its ups and downs, but it’s important to find something that you are passionate about and stick with it. Having a passion gives purpose, motivation and joy. It also helps navigate life’s challenges and bring a sense of fulfillment. Keeping an open mind is also important. A passion can be anything, for me it turned out to be Zumba. I never expected that trying one Zumba class would lead me to create a community connected by dance, helping people feel good about themselves and supporting good causes along the way. Embrace a passion, keep an open mind, and enjoy the ride!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zumba.com/p/jennifer-morris/1444363
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/helpingbydancing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpingbydancing
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@helpingbydancing
- Other: https://linktr.ee/helpingbydancing
