It’s Thursday night in the elementary school gym, and there’s a party going on.

Or at least it looks like a party, with Latino dance music and a dozen or so women moving to the beat.

But this isn’t a party. It only feels like one. It’s Zumba, a Community Education class led by Sherry Jensen.

“Zumba literally means to move fast and have fun,” Jensen said.

Zumba is a Latin-inspired, dance-fitness class that incorporates Latin and international music and dance movements. The class format combines fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body in an aerobic and fitness fashion to achieve a unique blend of cardio and muscle-toning benefits.

Jensen said she originally learned about Zumba on an info-mercial and ordered the DVD. It was created by Alberto “Beto” Perez.

“I started teaching it a little then, and last fall, I attended a workshop to get certified,” she said.

She will also attend a convention over Labor Day weekend in Florida to become certified for the next level, she added.

Jensen has been a fitness instructor for nine years, and also teaches Zumba at the Albert Lea Family Y on Thursdays at 5:30 a.m.

She said she personally enjoys it because she loves to dance. “I’m not a person who likes treadmills and machines,” she said. “And I love the music.”

In addition to the physical benefits, she said Zumba has its psychological benefits as well. “The music is really uplifting,” she said.

Jensen has taught Zumba for two years through Community Education and for the last session, which ended on Thursday, she had an all-time high number of 40 people sign up.

“We’ve usually had between 25 and 30 before,” she said. “The more people, the more fun.”

She stresses that people don’t have to be good dancers to join. “We get a lot of beginners,” Jensen said. “The steps are basic and then we add bells and whistles. People catch on quickly. They don’t have to be dancers to do this.”

Classes start out with a warmup and active stretches. “Then we pick up the pace to warm up the heart,” she said. “The dancing starts with the fourth song.”

The class runs for an hour. The first 45 minutes are Zumba, and the final 15 are a pilates and core workout with stretching at the end.

Kelly Webb said some of her co-workers talked her into taking the class. “They’ve been here minimal times,” she said with a chuckle.

And while it was her first time, she doesn’t see it being her last. “I will sign up again. It’s a fun class, with more dance than aerobics.”

Amber Busall said she likes the variety the class offers. “It’s definitely different than going to the gym. It’s a good mixture — not your typical treadmill. And the pilates is a nice touch at the end.”

Sara Davis said she does Zumba because it’s not what a person typically thinks of as exercise. “It’s never dull and there’s lots of laughing,” she said of the class. “Any age can do it and at their own pace.”

Sisters Holly DeVries and Jenny Iverson took the class together. “It’s so much fun it doesn’t feel like exercising,” DeVries said.

Added Iverson, “We’re Zumba-ers for life. We’re addicted now.”

The next session of Zumba begins April 6 and runs through May 28 at Brookside Education Center. Classes are from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Visit Community Ed at Brookside Education Center, es.albertlea.k12.mn.us or call 379-4834 for more information or to register.

“We say, ‘Ditch the workout and join the party,’” Jensen said.