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Choreographing Global Health and Happiness with Beto Pérez
Manage episode 434671039 series 3593612
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How does a Grease loving, teenage aerobic instructor from humble beginnings in his beloved Cali, Colombia, end up living out the ‘American Dream’ as the ‘Father’ of an international fitness craze, and the Co-founder of a $500M exercise class company?
Today, Sandra and Sandy sit down with a true fitness visionary and the creator of the Zumba phenomenon, Beto Pérez, who shares his whirlwind journey from the vibrant streets of Colombia to the sizzling energy of Miami, and how he fused fitness and Latin music, turning exercise into an exhilarating party. His truly remarkable story, as shared here today, highlights the transformative power of happiness, the courage to chase your dreams, and the creative spark that has fuelled this passionately determined innovator’s journey each energetically choreographed step of the way.
Raised in Cali, Colombia, by a single mother, where he worked 3 jobs by age 14 to support his family, Beto Pérez ’s passion for dance eventually led him to Miami, where he invented ‘Zumba’, a fitness craze that absolutely broke the mold of what gym-goers had ever experienced before. In collaboration with Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion, he established Zumba Fitness LLC as an organization that sells Zumba content and products. Today, 15 million people in more than 200,000 locations in 186 countries take Zumba classes every week, and Zumba Fitness LLC is worth an estimated $500, 000, 000. Over the years, Pérez has also won a number of awards including Canfitpro Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), IDEA Jack LaLane Fitness Leader Award (2013), Canfitpro New Specialty Program Presenter (2008) and even received the key to city in Cali, Colombia.
Quotes:
"People always think that exercise is sacrifice; it's hard, it's not easy. But I think we had the idea to create exercise with a fun way, like a party."
"My passion for dance is for rock and roll from the '60s. After this movie, I was like John Travolta."
"When you do something with happiness, something positive happens in your life."
"I feel so proud and happy with my business partners."
"If I stop, I'll be boring. I'll be old, depressed."
"I have passion, the same passion I had when I was 15 years old. Yeah, I love to take the risks, the adventure, like adrenaline. I need to make projects all the time, to do something all the time, to create something."
"One of the tools that we need is good music."
"This is the country of opportunities... everything is possible."
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