Zumba is the newest and, according to many sources, the most fun workout program around. The Zumba concept was created by Beto Perez in Columbia in the mid-1990s when the former aerobics instructor forgot to bring his exercise tapes to class. He went out to his car and got his “listening” tapes, which were high-energy Latin tunes, and he winged it with the music. Zumba quickly became popular in Columbia and in 1999, Perez brought Zumba to Miami and it since has grown considerably throughout the U.S.

Julie Barnum of La Grange, an account executive with the prestige beauty product line of Proctor and Gamble, attended a company seminar a few months ago. The employees could pick various workshops or activities that were offered and when Barnum saw “Zumba” on the program, it piqued her interest.

“I had always wanted to try it, and this was a perfect opportunity,” she said. “I loved it!”

When she learned that there was an instructor’s program available in our area, she jumped at the chance to learn how to teach others to have fun while burning calories at the same time.

“It’s very fun and since I work with numbers all day, this appeals to my creative side,” she said.

To learn the ropes, Barnum subbed at a club in Barrington and then learned of a new program at SCORE Fitness, 6550 Joliet Road, Countryside. She now is teaching a class at the facility at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday nights.

Zumba is a combination of dance steps and cardio workout moves. The instructor is trained in the basic steps of salsa, merengue, cumbia, samba and more. Participants do not need to know how to dance to join in. True, your hips swing, your feet pivot and the class shouts and spins to a Latin beat, but it isn’t a dance class or a night club scene. The average Zumba participant burns 500 calories a session while exercising cardio and building muscle strength through interval moves. There are special considerations for children and senior citizens.

Lindsay Olson of La Grange Park also recently became a certified Zumba instructor. While studying in Costa Rica during college and living with a family that had young children, Olson was amazed at how much dancing the family did.

“They danced when they got up in the morning and even the little kids danced,” she said.

The rhythm and the style appealed to Olson, so when a Zumba class was offered at the Oasis for Women Club in La Grange Park, she joined in. Oasis offers a Zumba class to members.

Olson now is conducting a Zumba class at 8:30 a.m. Saturdays at the Oak Brook Park District, 1450 Forest Gate Road.

Both women said that you do not need to be a dancer to join in, the steps are easy to learn and the classes are small, so there is plenty of individualized attention to one’s workout.

As Barnum says, “This is not your regular routine — many people started aerobics in the ’ 80s and are now looking for something new. They are tired of the same old workout.”

This exercise program in particular appeals to the over-50 group in that the workout is varied, different and fun.

“You feel free!” Barnum said.

For more information, please call SCORE at (708) 482-4800 or Oak Brook Park District at (630) 990-4233. The phone number for Oasis is (708) 588-6305. Their current schedule includes Zumba at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays.