A Latin-inspired fitness trend has enthusiasts ready to Zumba for a cause in the Arrow Lakes region.
The Second Annual Zumba Block Party set for Saturday, May 28 is once again getting reinforcements from the Okanagan.
“We did it last year and it was so much fun - we had a lot of onlookers and they enjoyed it just as much as the participants did,” said organizer Sharon Metlewski.
The setting for the fundraiser is, like much of Nakusp, particularly breathtaking. The street in front of the Leland Hotel, a 21-room gem and B.C.’s oldest continuously operated hotel, which overlooks the village Promenade - and Arrow Lake and the Nakusp range of the Selkirk mountains.
The event is a collaboration with a group of three other Zumba instructors from the Okanagan, as well as a group of female motorcycle riders who will ride to Nakusp to participate, Metlewski said.
Originally a Latin-inspired dance fitness movement - with the emphasis on movement - Metlewski’s Zumba class at the Legion has expanded to include moves inspired by India’s Bollywood musicals and the swing dance movement as well.
Last year the event raised $1,300 for Relay for Life and research in the Canadian Cancer Society’s battle against breast cancer - and Metlewski is hoping to exceed that this year.
The cause is a good one, she said.
“Cancer affects everyone - we all know someone who has passed away from it or is suffering from it,” she said.
“I’ve had friends with breast cancer, who have either passed away or survived.”
The event is set for Saturday, May 28, from 5:30-7 p.m.
The minimum requested donation is $5, and participants and observers are invited to wear their pinks to support the fight against breast cancer.
Novices and experts are welcome.