Zumba the Feel Good Aerobics

Zumba is Latin aerobics. It's perfect for the Pinoy temperament. Never mind if you have two left feet. The music will nudge the inner Latina out of you and before you know it, you're rhumba-ing and cumbia-ing to the rhythmic tempo. You can't help but smile while doing each number. It's just plain fun and the best part is you're burning calories and keeping fit. This can't be exercise, your brain tells you but your body says otherwise.


Dina Berrio Grieve is everything you imagine a Zumba instructor to be. Tall, pretty, lithe, and graceful, she makes sure each class is exciting and different. Originally from Caracas, she comes from a family of runners and fitness buffs. She describes Venezuela as geographically endowed with natural beauty and Caracas, its capital, as a very cosmopolitan city with a warm, tropical climate like the Philippines. 

Dina Berrio Grieve

Her husband's work for UNICEF takes them to many parts of the world and fortunately for us, he was recently assigned to Manila. Like many expats, she found it difficult to adjust to life here particularly to the levels of pollution in the city. After nine months in residence however, she's found her step so to speak, and has established quite a following for her Zumba classes. She loves to teach and finds Filipinas given to dance and have an innate sense of grace and rhythm. Her students' degree of commitment inspires her to continually vary each class and avoid monotony.


Zumba was started by Colombian fitness instructor Beto Perez. He claims it was a series of happy accidents that led to the creation of Zumba. Whatever it was, the craze swept through gyms and dance studios all over the world. This vigorous fitness program is highly addictive and burning calories has never been this fun.

Dina and her 9am class at Arts in the City, Fort Boni

Dina makes sure her dance routine is easy to follow. She patiently demonstrates each step before a number. Classes begin with a heart pumping warm up and continues with high energy moves like salsa, merengue, cumbia, chacha, samba, and others. The steps are familiar and uncomplicated. And it targets specific areas like the arms, abs and thighs. But the most enjoyable part of all is the music. Dina chooses tracks from well-known Latin American artists like Shakira and original Zumba recordings from well-known hip-hop performers. The Latin tempo just naturally motivates you to shake that booty. Before you know it, the hour is up and the music slows for the cool down.

Letting the music move you to fitness

Dina extreme left demonstrating latin steps

Dina teaches Zumba everyday. Apart from her 9AM Tuesday-Thursday classes at Arts in the City, she also has evening classes at her home. Her instructor profile, contact number and schedule of classes are found here in the Zumba website.