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My name is Terry but I am known as “Mama
G”, “Bananas” or “Zumbamama.”!!! Born and raised in New
York, music and dancing have always been a big part of my
life-in fact I think I learned to cha-cha before I learned
to walk! From the age of four, I went to ballet school.
Having a difficult time with the “straight lines” of pointe,
my instructors suggested I try a jazz class. WOW! I
discovered a class where my hips and I wouldn’t get in
trouble!!!I lived for those dance classes as they were the
only place where I felt comfortable in my own skin. The love
affair continued all through high school and college- taking
classes, teaching classes in exchange for private lessons,
performing and dreaming of one day being on the cover of
Dance Magazine .
I also dreamed of having a family. That one became reality
when I married my best friend and we had two boys. Diapers
and play dates, baseball and tae-kwon-do, homeschooling and
football became my life. Dancing was something I did in the
living room with my children to Disney music!.
On September 11th,2001, after living with unbearable pain
for 6 months, I was told I needed emergency back surgery. I
spent 6 months in a back brace and 2 years in physical
therapy. Determined to never go through that again, I joined
a local gym. I gingerly began taking aerobic classes, if not
for anything else but the music and it was “sort-of”
dancing. The instructor approached me one day and said that
I “didn’t do aerobics like anyone else” (my hips again), and
maybe I should teach a “dance exercise” class.
Don’t know why but I took a Zumba demo class one Saturday
afternoon.My hips and I were ecstatic!!!This was the dancing
of my childhood! This was the joy and the comfortable in my
own skin feeling!! I felt like I had been reunited with a
long lost friend….And we haven’t been apart since.
I am also very aware of the pressure on women in our
“never-good-enough” society. It is most important for me to
see my students smiling and laughing and feeling good about
themselves. The bonus for them is that all their physical
goals are met with ease and happy feet!!!
My Dad has always told me the ultimate goal is to “Do what
you Love and Love what you do”, and after all these years, I
have finally taken his advice. I love teaching Zumba and I
love my students more.ZuMbAhUgS |
