Zumba makes a difference

Carolina Arias had no trouble convincing people to "ditch the work out and join the party" during her whirlwind one-day visit to Hawke's Bay yesterday.

The international Zumba instructor, originally from Brazil but now working in Auckland, arrived to lead a special class of the dance craze for Hastings woman Puke Halbert, who is battling cancer.

More than 100 people bought tickets to be in Ms Arias' one-off class at the Hawke's Bay Opera House in Hastings, and the proceeds would go to Mrs Halbert and her family.

"I was told about Puke's story and her love for Zumba, and it just made life real for me," Ms Arias said just before starting the Zumba session.

"So I realised how important it was for me to come here and really it's only one day out of my life, to me that is nothing, but I hope it can make a difference for her [Puke],' she said.

Ms Arias enjoyed her official welcome at the Camberley Community Centre earlier in the day where she was treated like an international VIP guest.

"I just told people how lucky I felt to be asked to come down. I told them that I am just an instructor and it is my job to be here to help," she said.

The community centre was where Mrs Halbert developed her fascination with Zumba over two years ago. Despite her terminal illness, she continued to attend the classes and was in fine form for the special one-off class yesterday.

Ms Arias said she'd worked out a special programme for her first Hawke's Bay class to accommodate the mix of experienced and first-time Zumba dancers.

She was surprised and happy to see how popular Zumba was to people in Hawke's Bay and the changes it had made in people's lives.

"I've met lots of people today, children and adults, and some of them told me they never did any exercise before they took up Zumba," Ms Arias said.

"It's this kind of experience that really connects you to the community and it's something that I don't get a chance to experience a lot."