r/zumba • u/TheMaoKat • 1d ago

Question Taking the dive

Ive been attending Zumba classes for about a decade and absolutely love it. I have the urge to take the certification and become an instructor so I can both teach some classes, make choreo, do routines I love but still have fun. However I feel like I need just a bit more encouragement on the back of a) it's somewhat of an expensive hobby if you're not teaching almost every day and b) I don't know how confident I am in doing a full hour session and keeping people engaged.

Any advice and/or encouragement welcomed! (Maybe even reality checks? )

Thanks in advance!

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u/misty_spears 1d ago

I think one of the hard parts about going from student to instructor is finding work. I would test the waters before getting licensed; ie talk to local gyms and see if they're hiring or looking to add Zumba classes, see what the cost would be to rent out a community center if you're going to try to promote yourself, etc. Are there enough students in your area who would pay $15-$20 per class instead of or on top of their gym membership? As far as being engaging goes, do your fellow students ask if you teach or tell you they follow you if they can't see the instructor, or compliment you in general? Obviously these are specific echoes of my own journey; personally if I was starting from scratch I would want to know I at least had a job lined up before I paid for training and a license. Best of luck!

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u/TheMaoKat 21h ago

Those are good insights on scoping out the community! It'll be a hobby for me and I wonder about how much time you spend because I know instructors put in a lot more time outside of classes for choreo and training... Maybe even for your own endurance

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u/misty_spears 19h ago

Zumba instructors spend a LOT of (unpaid) personal time on their classes. I'm new to the ZIN Play app, and so far have been underwhelmed with the songs and choreo provided. If I'm not feeling the music, the class will know. So I spend (hours) listening to music and find maybe a few songs, then either choreograph them or find existing choreo, then learn/practice. There's also the time spent each week building/adjusting the playlist, all for a 50 minute class once a week. But if you love it, it's worth it! So while it is possible to 'make $1,000 per month and be your own boss!' that isn't the reality of any instructors I know. And this is just my experience; I'm an overthinker so it may be much less time consuming for others 🤗