Zumba combines dance moves with body-sculpting exercises

Zumba is also the name of one of the top fitness trends in the United States, and Perez is the creator. It's a cardio workout that combines dance moves such as merengue, salsa and samba with various body-sculpting exercises.

Perez started by giving a brief demonstration of a few Latin dance moves. Then, he led the crowd through a 12-minute warmup with stretches, squats and other moves designed to raise the heart rate. After that, the class jumped into high gear.

While a few first-timers appeared a little lost at first, they eventually seemed to find a way to follow along. People of all shapes and ages participated, and at least two women who looked obviously pregnant were dancing with the group.