Thursday, October 1, 2026
Oceanside resident Danielle Michaels took her first zumba class about two years ago. At the time, she weighed 230 pounds, and was looking for a new workout routine to help stay fit. Michaels said she had always struggled with her weight, and found it difficult to stick to a continuous program. But zumba was different. She found that the classes she took provided a supportive, fun environment — and a fitness routine that she said felt more like a party than a tedious fitness regimen.
“It's fun, and it's high energy,” she said, adding that she had a blast singing and dancing along to the music. Zumba is a type of aerobic dance that is mostly inspired by Latin music, although instructors often combine various international beats and rhythms. Classes are high-energy, and involve a series of steps designed give participants a constant, full-body workout.
Michaels said she was able to stick with the program because exercising no longer felt like a chore. She changed her diet and began taking classes regularly for about two years — first at her XSport Fitness in Garden City, and then at a dance studio, Bet U Can Dance, in East Northport — and dropped more than 60 pounds.
Now, Michaels is a certified zumba instructor. For the past four months, she has been teaching her own classes at South Shore Fitness on Lawson Boulevard and at various locations in Oceanside.
Melissa Grim took one of Michaels' classes with a friend three months ago. “I love it,” she said, adding that she was able to pick up the steps quickly. “We were hooked the first class that we took.” She believes she was able to stick with the program because it was so much fun.
Michaels, who has struggled with her weight for much of her life, hopes to bring the routine that has made a difference in her life to others who have had trouble finding and sticking with an exercise program.
“The whole thing about zumba is to do it in your comfort zone,” she said, adding that it's OK to take breaks or march in place if you can't keep up. The main goal is to have fun while you're working out. Before each class, which lasts about an hour, Michaels will go over the steps. She admits that while the first class can be intimidating, "after two to three times, you really learn the moves, and it really clicks."
Michaels is hoping to spread the zumba craze by hosting zumba dance parties each month in Oceanside. She organized her first party — complete with disco lights and a deejay — at Rocky Marciano Lodge on April 5, and more than 100 people — from ages 16 to 70 — attended.
To find out more about Danielle and about zumba, visit her web site, www.zumbabydanielle.com.
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