New World Record: Largest Zumba Class

On April 30, more than 1,200 Texans took part in a single Zumba exercise class, setting a new Guinness World Record as well as a brand new category.

The record attempt for Zumba, a Latin-inspired aerobic dance workout that has become extremely popular in the United States, was open to participants of all ages and fitness levels. Attendees ranged from children to World War II veterans, and more than a dozen Zumba instructors led the crowd during the class.

Held outdoors at a sports field in Brownsville, Texas, the free event was open to the public and part of a larger campaign sponsored by the city in order to promote exercise and healthy living . Prior to the attempt no official Zumba record had been set, and the minimum requirement to set the class record was 250 participants, according to GWR guidelines.

During the half-hour class, independent witnesses from a local university dispersed throughout the crowd and watched to make sure that everyone was participating . Anyone who stopped dancing was deducted from the total number of participants. A total of 1,223 people took part in the record-setting class.

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