Have you ever felt the rhythm of a song and just wanted to dance, well you could call Zumba exactly that, but much more intense. Back on Canada Day Tara Newbigging, head instructor of Fit 2 the T Zumba, and her two co-instructors Donna and Heather, were about to go on stage to give a Zumba demonstration when she saw, local hip hop artist, Godson performing some of his songs. Tara said his music was really getting them going and they all thought how awesome would it be to workout to some of Godson’s music. A few weeks later the Fit 2 the T Zumba class has a routine choreographed to Godson’s Yellowknife City song, which they use to cool down after an hour-long class.
Godson, who has become a local sensation has just released a new CD just over a month ago. He has many originals, including Yellowknife City, but also mixes it up a bit by collaborating with guys like Frank Sinatra. His music can be heard on the local radio station or at CD Plus.
Watch the short video to get a full idea of what Zumba is and see the Yellowknife City routine.
So What is Zumba?
In short is a way to have fun while working out. It can best be described as Latin based fitness and dance combined together for a fast paced workout while enjoying it. From what I saw, it looked as those a Zumba class could be closely related to how backup dancers for big music artists train. You move with music, but not as if it is a task, but rather because you want to. Heck, just being in the same room as the music, makes you what to start moving. This is how Zumba is described:
Lets face it, working out can be healthy, rewarding, beneficial… working out can be lots of things, but its never been known to be much fun… UNTIL NOW! Zumba fuses hypnotic musical rhythms and tantalizing moves to create a dynamic workout system designed to be FUN and EASY TO DO! Our goal is simple: We want people to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. By integrating Zumba into everyday life individuals may achieve long term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exhilarating hour of caloric burning, heart racing, muscle pumping, body energizing movements meant to engage and captivate for life… More at Zumba.com
For Everyone!
Although there were no guys at the class I attended, there are a few that do attend other classes. I can see why it would be hard for a guy to attend, heck I would have a hard to bring myself to attend one of these classes, but I can see the benefit. As someone who is out of shape, and finds it hard to workout or do any physical activity, I would definitely have a good time at a Zumba class. That being said, I’m a bit of a closet dancer and get be rather goofy.
Get Involved!
If I have persuaded you to get involved here is some basic information to know. Fit 2 the T offers 7 classes, 6 days a week, so there is always something going on. All classes take place at Breakaway Fitness. To find out when classes are or more information about the classes, either head over to Breakaway Fitness or email Tara at FIT2theT [at] live [dot] com. Class information is also in the video.
The final day of Folk on the Rock is by no means going to be a dull one. Just like Saturday it is filled with lots of great performances.
Left Stage
1:00 Kaley Kinjo
2:00 Endless Summer Strings
Featuring Six String Nation Guitar with
Old Man Luedecke on banjo, Tamara Nile
(T. Nile) on banjo, Dana Sipos on mandolin,
Pat Braden on Chapman Stick, Doug Liddle
(Swank) on slide guitar and Drew Gonsalves
on cuatro (Kobo Town)
3:00 Royal Wood
Right Stage
12:45 Gospel Hour with Rick Poltaruk and Friends
2:00 Wayward Sons
Dennis Allen and Jesse James
3:00 Nia Technique – Movement Workshop
Cultural Stage
1:15 Ravens and Corbeaux
Behchokò Drummers and Kobo Town
2:00 Kaiva
3:00 Dené Hand Games
Family Stage
1:00 Storytelling with Jim Green
2:00 Musical Imagination – make and play your own musical instruments!
3:00 Storytelling with Charly Chiarelli
Beer Garden
1:00 Dragon Fli Empire
2:00 Wake Up Hazel
3:00 Giant Con
4:00 T. Nile
5:00 Digawolf
6:00 Swank
7:00 Kodiak
Canadian North Mainstage
Emcee: Rich Terfry
4:00 Old Man Luedecke
5:00 Pat Braden
6:00 Forest City Lovers
7:00 Red Power Squad
8:00 Godson
9:00 Sam Roberts Band
10:45 Kobo Town
11:30 Festival Finale with Behchokò Youth Drummers
Are you going to be taking pictures while you’re there? Do you use Flickr? If so, tag your photos with FOTR2009 so everyone can see your great photos. Have Fun.
Here is the schedule for Folk on the Rocks July 18, 2009:
Left Stage
1:00 Poetic Champions Compose:
A musical discussion with Royal Wood,
Dana Sipos, Kat Burns (Forest City Lovers),
Laurie Sarkadi (Wake Up Hazel), Steve
Whittaker (Giant Con), Pat Braden and
Jesse James (Digawolf)
2:15 Art Johns
3:15 Forest City Lovers
Right Stage
1:15 Jim Green
2:15 Dragon Fli Empire
3:15 Swank
Cultural Stage
1:00 Behchokò Youth Drummers
1:45 Kaiva
2:15 Red Power Squad
3:15 Digawolf
Family Stage
1:00 Brian Heppelle – Learn to Tie a Fly!
Brought to you by the Fly Kid Foundation
2:00 Fish Tales
3:00 Charly Chiarelli – Once Upon a Pizzeria!
Beer Garden
1:00 Rocks the Folks Winner
1:45 Dennis Allen
2:45 Kaley Kinjo
3:45 Old Man Luedecke
5:00 Giant Con
6:00 Wake Up Hazel
7:00 Kobo Town
Canadian North Mainstage
Emcee: Rich Terfry
4:00 Festival Opening with Behchokò
Youth Drummers
4:15 Art Johns
5:00 Dana Sipos
5:45 T. Nile
6:45 Royal Wood
7:45 Collaboration Project: ExChanging Beats
Featuring Red Power Squad, Dragon
Fli Empire, Kaiva, Godson, Behchokò
Youth Drummers
8:30 Swank
9:30 Kodiak
10:30 Digawolf
11:15 Sam Roberts Band
There is a lot going on and I hope to get out to most of the stages, minus the beer garden stage unfortunately. If you are going to be there during any part of the festival let me know, I would love to meet up with some of you.
In a week and a half’s time Yellowknife will become an even larger tourist destination than normal. I’m talking about the Folk on the Rocks event of course. A weekend jam packed full of music from right here in the north to all over the world. This years festival will be taking place between July 17 and 19.
If you don’t yet have tickets I suggest you get one and check it out. Although I have lived here for 15 years I have yet to go to one myself but this year I plan to. You can buy your tickets online here.
If you are not sure what Folk on the Rocks is, here is a quick description from their website:
The two-day weekend event (plus the Friday opening gala Warm the Rocks) has grown into one of Canada’s top summertime music and cultural festivals, drawing musicians from the NWT and Nunavut and across the globe for the North’s biggest party under the midnight sun.
More than 24 hours of programming on five stages, including a children’s area, cultural area, and beer garden promises fun and enjoyment for all ages. Along with the music, crowds can savour international and traditional cuisine at the food fair, and buy Northern creative works in the Art on the Rocks area.
This years line up is more promising than ever. Talent that will blow you mind.
Have you ever felt the rhythm of a song and just wanted to dance, well you could call Zumba exactly that, but much more intense. Back on Canada Day Tara Newbigging, head instructor of Fit 2 the T Zumba, and her two co-instructors Donna and Heather, were about to go on stage to give a Zumba demonstration when she saw, local hip hop artist, Godson performing some of his songs. Tara said his music was really getting them going and they all thought how awesome would it be to workout to some of Godson’s music. A few weeks later the Fit 2 the T Zumba class has a routine choreographed to Godson’s Yellowknife City song, which they use to cool down after an hour-long class.
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