Team Sonia

Zumba has been steadily gaining popularity in recent years. Created by Colombian choreographer Beto Perez after he left his aerobic workout music at home, Zumba enjoys a unique status beyond the hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue generated by Zumba Fitness, a company founded in the 2000s.

At the Centre Multisports, three instructors share the floor to teach Latin-inspired dance classes blending salsa, cha-cha, reggaeton, merengue, and mambo. Among them is Sonia Vézina, who has been teaching since the Centre first opened.

Zumba, Head to Toe

On Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings, many participants enter Sonia Vézina’s Zumba class. With carefully curated playlists, Sonia goes all in to deliver an energetic, unique experience:

"There’s an energy in the class," she says. "Sometimes it’s truly magical—something happens."

She recently began teaching Zumba Gold on Sunday mornings—a slower-paced version aimed at older adults or those who want to avoid knee impact. Zumba came into her life sideways, so to speak. Long active in fitness, she taught aerobics for many years after dancing ballet and jazz. After taking a break from training, a friend introduced her to Zumba. Sonia took the instructor course "just to accompany her friend," she says, but discovered a deep love and affinity for this dance:

"The music lights me up," says the pharmaceutical sales director. "I’m super attached to my students—I rarely miss a class. I’m dressed head to toe in Zumba gear, colorful and bold, and I love it."

The Art of Reinvention

Zumba changed Sonia Vézina’s life. Through it, she connected with people and built a community whose bonds go far beyond dancing. Will Zumba fade away like many fitness fads? Sonia doesn’t think so:

"Zumba provides tons of fresh music and dedicated choreography. The branding is incredible. They’re always innovating—it’s a business model worth studying. And they genuinely care about people."

To use the Zumba name, instructors must purchase a license and pay a monthly fee to Zumba Fitness, which grants access to a treasure trove of content. Sonia attended the annual Zumba convention in Florida two years ago and came back energized and inspired.

She knows the formula and how to keep it fresh:

"A good instructor must teach in a way others can follow, but also bring entertainment. If you can strike that balance—bingo! You can’t be too much of one or the other."

Why Try Zumba?

When asked what makes Zumba beneficial for the average person, she answers without hesitation:

"Unless you hate Latin music or group settings, you’ll love it. People almost always come back."

Beyond its physical benefits, Zumba unites, lifts, and energizes:

"We’ve created a tight-knit group of friends, and I really nurture that," she says. "We even have a Facebook group called Team Sonia! It’s electric—everyone cheers each other on. No judgment. Just pure joy. I remind people: you’re not here to perform, you’re here to have fun. And I try to remind myself of that too!"

Meeting Sonia Vézina makes it hard to separate the Zumba instructor from the rest of her personality. The two identities overlap completely.

"The Zumba instructor—that’s the real me. That’s when I feel most at ease."

This joy in dancing and teaching is something she hopes to keep alive for a long time, sharing her energy and passion with a growing, multigenerational community:

"Young people don’t really dance that much," she notes. "It’s older folks—people like me who grew up with disco and dance on trips down south. They see a bit of themselves in me. I’m not some young Barbie—we’re just having fun together."

On Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings this summer, in a class at Centre Multisports, Team Sonia will be back at it—dancing, smiling, and savoring a passion that’s far from fading.