Miami based Beto Perez, the creator of the world’s largest branded fitness programme Zumba®, visited Pune for the first time to conduct a non-stop 90 minutes master class cum fitness concert with over 1500 fitness enthusiasts in attendance at Phoenix MarketCity on 15th November.

Beto set the stage on fire with a mash-up with his international music producer and artist friends Ray El Ingeniero from Miami and Bonnie Lovy from Bolivia, premiering the track Uh La La Pinche Party, a collaboration between these artists. Beto taught the official Zumba® choreography for the track live on stage to the huge audience.

Touted as India’s biggest fitness party,over 20 Indian Zumba® presenters came together in Puneto support Beto and groove to the beats of energetic music. The Zumba love extended across shores as fans from India, Sri Lanka and other parts of south East Asia travelled miles for this event – another first for the country’s ever flourishing Zumba® scene.

In true Indian tradition, Zumba® fans welcomed Beto with a ‘tikka’ and even performed the ‘Maharastrian Lezim’ to showcase the magic of Aamche Pune. Deeply moved by this warm gesture, Beto joined the performers for a few impromptu steps of this folk dance on stage, which further drove the crowd wild with excitement!

Commenting on the exhilarating experience Beto says, “The people of India blew me away with their energy and passion for Zumba®. I know they love music and dance, so it’s no surprise to me that Zumba has taken off so spectacularly.” Talking about the importance of mental health he added, “I have been told India is facing a serious mental health crisis, with an estimated 56 million people suffering from depression and 38 million from anxiety disorders. The benefits of working out go far beyond the calorie burn. Many people come to me after a few weeks of Zumba® and claim that their mental health has improved significantly with regular practice.”

A globally popular fitness programme, Zumba® mixes dance and aerobic elements with accompanying music that is primarily Latin but draws from a wide range of different genres. In addition to delivering positive health outcomes to participants Zumba® is in the business of creating fitness entrepreneurs, male and female.

As captured on happy faces at the event, the evening was high on energy as Beto’s infectious enthusiasm kept everyone on their toes. The audiences’ cheers were a testament to its success as people from across continents sweat it out on salsa, Bollywood and hip-hop beats – waiting to be back next year as Beto announced his return in 2020.