February Zumba Music Playlist

Little known trivia about me: I hate February! Nothing good ever happens in February and I am so glad it’s over…

But still, I hope you enjoy my February Zumba songs:

La Cucaracha (Cumbia / Latin Pop – Warm Up)
Kumbia Kings

I Gotta Feeling (Pop – back by popular demand!)
Black Eyed Peas

Chaiyya Chaiyya (Bollywood / Zumba Toning)
Bombay Dreams

Me Gusta, Me Gusta (Salsa)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Jump in the Line (International)
Harry Belafonte

Chiquilla (Cumbia)
A.B. Quintanilla III Y Los Kumbia All Starz

Hava Nagila (Traditional)
Zumba Gold

Kiss Kiss (Belly Dance)
ZIN Megamix 4

A La Nena Le Gusta (Merengue)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Tigy Tigy (Reggaeton/Arabic)
Zumba ZIN Mega Mix 15

Salome (Salsa/Pop)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Fuego (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN Megamix 4

Loba (Latin Pop)
Shakira

La Isla Bonita (Pop – Cool Down)
Madonna

My January Zumba Song List

Happy 2010!

Pa’mayte (Calypso)
ZIN MegaMix15

La Fiesta (Flamenco + Belly Dance / Warm Up)
Zumba Original Soundtrack

Baila Esta Cumbia (Cumbia)
Zumba Megamix 14

Hava Nagila (Traditional)
Zumba Gold

A La Nena Le Gusta (Merengue)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Solo Se Vive Una Vez (Rumba Flamenca)
Zumba ZIN Megamix 13

Ritmo Caliente (Quebradita)
Zumba ZIN 22

Kiss Kiss (Belly Dance)
ZIN Megamix 4

Krazy (Hip Hop)
(Pitbull Featuring LiL Jon)

La Morena (Merengue)
Zumba Megamix 14

African Beat (African)
Zumba ZIN 22

Fuego (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN Megamix 4

Baila Pa Emociona (Calypso)
Zumba

Me Gusta, Me Gusta (Salsa)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24

Tigy Tigy (Reggaeton/Arabic)
Zumba ZIN Mega Mix 15

Chaiyya Chaiyya (Bollywood)
Bombay Dreams

Drive (Reggae)
50 First Dates Soundtrack

My November Zumba Song List

Better late than never… Happy Thanksgiving!

La Fiesta (Flamenco + Belly Dance / Warm Up)
Zumba Original Soundtrack

I Gotta Feeling (Hip Hop)
Black Eyed Peas

Ça Plane Pour Moi (Merengue)
(Plastic Betrand – National Lampoon’s European Vacation Soundtrack)

Baila Esta Cumbia (Cumbia)
Zumba Megamix 14

Bonita (Samba)
Zumba Megamix 14

La Morena (Merengue)
Zumba Megamix 14

Solo Se Vive Una Vez (Rumba Flamenca)
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 13)

Rompe (Hip Hop)
(Daddy Yankee)

Fuego (Cumbia)
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 4)

African Beat (African)
(Zumba ZIN 22)

Ritmo Caliente (Quebradita)
Zumba ZIN 22)

Krazy (Hip Hop)
(Pitbull Featuring LiL Jon)

Dance the Night Away (Salsa)
(The Mavericks – The Best of the Mavericks)

Every Breath You Take (Cool Down)
(UB40 – 50 First Dates Soundtrack)

My October Zumba Song List

I’ve been teaching Zumba for a solid month now at a local community center. Here is my Rencsi.com Zumba song list for October. Enjoy!

So Fine – Warm Up
(Sean Kingston)

Asejeré
(Las Ketchup)

Colegiala
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 13)

Ritmo Caliente
(Zumba ZIN 22)

Kiss Kiss
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 4)

The Anthem
(Pitbull – The Boatlift)

Solo Se Vive Una Vez
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 13)

Krazy
(Pitbull Featuring LiL Jon)

Friday I’m In Love
(Dryden Mitchell – 50 First Dates Soundtrack)

Fuego
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 4)

African Beat
(Zumba ZIN 22)

Rompe
(Daddy Yankee)

Dance the Night Away – Cool Down
(The Mavericks – The Best of the Mavericks)

Also see My September Zumba Song List.

My September Zumba Song List

Tonight, I lead my first solo Zumba class at a local community center. There were seven very nice ladies in the class. I think it’s safe to say we all had a great time and a good workout! Here is the highly successful Rencsi.com Zumba song list that I will be using during the month of September. Enjoy!

I Gotta Feeling – Warm Up
(Black Eyed Peas)

Asejeré
(Las Ketchup)

Colegiala
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 13)

Friday I’m In Love
(Dryden Mitchell – 50 First Dates Soundtrack)

Ça Plane Pour Moi
(Plastic Betrand – National Lampoon’s European Vacation Soundtrack)

Solo Se Vive Una Vez
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 13)

Rompe
(Daddy Yankee)

Fuego
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 4)

Krazy
(Pitbull Featuring LiL Jon)

Obsesion
(Aventura)

Run Run Away
(Slade)

Zumbandando Por Un Sueno
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 4)

Tu Mama Y Tu Papa
(Zumba ZIN Megamix 4)

I Know You Want Me/Calle Ocho
(Pitbull)

Every Breath You Take – Cool Down
(UB40 – 50 First Dates Soundtrack)

Also see My October Zumba Song List.

Oh, I don’t know, let’s see, crushing Dwight Yoakam’s voice box with my five iron?

My favorite episode of King of the Hill is “Hank’s Got the Willies” from Season 1, originally aired in February 1997.

Hank and the guys go golfing. Bobby loses his grip on his club and the club hits Willie Nelson in the head. Bobby later runs into Willie…

WILLIE NELSON: Hey, I know you. You’re the kid that rakes my lawn.
BOBBY: No, I’m the kid who hit you in the head.
WILLIE NELSON: With a rake?
BOBBY: No, with a golf club.
WILLIE NELSON: You been raking my lawn with a golf club? I want my quarter back.

…

BOBBY: Dad, guess where I am?
HANK: Oh, I dunno, let’s see, crushing Dwight Yoakam’s voice box with my five iron?
BOBBY: I’m at Willie Nelson’s, and he wants you to come over!
HANK: Son, you’re teasing the gorilla in the monkey house.

(In case you’re wondering, I found the quotes at http://www.geocities.com/arlen_texas/willies.htm.)

On a Dwight Yoakam-related note, Dwight Yoakam provided the voice for recurring King of the Hill character, Lane Pratley, in “Nine Pretty Darn Angry Men,” although later appearances were voiced by someone other than Dwight.

King of the Hill has featured many celebrity voices such as the late John Ritter, Trace Adkins, Johnny Knoxville, Tammy Wynette, Betty White, Charlie Daniels, and Reese Witherspoon just to name a few.

Best Movie Soundtracks

Last week, American Idol had Quentin Tarantino as a guest and the contestants performed songs featured in movie soundtracks. I could not believe the garbage the contestants picked out of all the wonderful movie soundtracks that exist.

Here are my top ten best movie soundtracks arranged by movie release date:

Urban Cowboy (1980)
1. Hello Texas – Jimmy Buffett
2. All Night Long – Joe Walsh
3. Times Like These – Dan Fogelberg
4. Nine Tonight – Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
5. Stand by Me – Mickey Gilley
6. Cherokee Fiddle – Johnny Lee
7. Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
8. Lyin’ Eyes – Eagles
9. Lookin’ for Love – Johnny Lee
10. Don’t It Make Ya Wanna Dance – Bonnie Raitt
11. Devil Went Down to Georgia – The Charlie Daniels Band
12. Here Comes the Hurt Again – Mickey Gilley
13. Orange Blossom Special – Gilley’s Urban Cowboy Band
14. Love the World Away – Kenny Rogers
15. Falling in Love for the Night – The Charlie Daniels Band
16. Darlin’ – Bonnie Raitt
17. Look What You’ve Done to Me – Boz Scaggs
18. Hearts Against the Wind – Linda Ronstadt

Valley Girl (1983)
1. Million Miles Away – The Pilmsouls
2. Johnny, Are You Queer? – Josie Cotton
3. Eyes of a Stranger – Payola
4. Angst in My Pants – Sparks
5. Who Can It Be Now? – Men at Work
6. Everywhere at Once – The Plimsouls
7. I La La La Love You – Pat Travers
8. He Could Be the One – Josie Cotton
9. Love My Way – The Psychedelic Furs
10. Jukebox (Don’t Put Another Dime) – The Flirts
11. Fanatic – Felony
12. She Talks in Stereo – Figures, Gary Myrick & The Figures
13. Oldest Story in the World – The Plimsouls
14. School Is In – Josie Cotton
15. I Melt with You – Modern English

Pretty in Pink (1986)
1. If You Leave – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
2. Left of Center – Suzanne Vega
3. Get to Know Ya – Jesse Johnson
4. Do Wot You Do – INXS
5. Pretty in Pink – The Psychedelic Furs
6. Shellshock – New Order
7. Round, Round – Belouis Some
8. Wouldn’t It Be Good – Danny Hutton Hitters
9. Bring on the Dancing Horses – Echo & the Bunnymen
10. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Smiths

Batman (1989)
1. Future – Prince
2. Electric Chair – Prince
3. Arms of Orion – Sheena Easton, Prince
4. Partyman – Prince
5. Vicki Waiting – Prince
6. Trust – Prince
7. Lemon Crush – Prince
8. Scandalous – John L. Nelson, Prince
9. Batdance – Prince

Pure Country (1992)
1. Heartland – George Strait
2. Baby Your Baby – George Strait
3. I Cross My Heart – George Strait
4. When Did You Stop Loving Me – George Strait
5. She Lays It All On The Line – George Strait
6. Overnight Male – George Strait
7. Last In Love – George Strait
8. Thoughts Of A Fool – George Strait
9. The King Of Broken Hearts – George Strait
10. Where The Sidewalk Ends – George Strait
11. Heartland – George Strait

True Romance (1993)
1. You’re So Cool – Hans Zimmer
2. Graceland – Charlie Sexton
3. In Dreams – John Waite
4. Wounded Bird – Charles & Eddie
5. I Want Your Body – Nymphomania
6. Stars At Dawn – Hans Zimmer
7. I Need A Heart To Come Home To – Shelby Lynne
8. Viens Mallika Sous Le Dome – Howard Blake
9. (Love Is) The Tender Trap – Robert Palmer
10. Outshined – Soundgarden
11. Amid The Chaos Of The Day – Hans Zimmer
12. Two Hearts – Chris Isaak

Clay Pigeons (1998)
1. Timebomb – Old 97’s
2. Another Perfect Catastrophe – Firewater
3. Moon over Montana – Jimmy Wakely
4. Everybody’s Talkin’ – Tonic
5. Sea of Heartbreak – Don Gibson
6. 1229 Sheffield – The Verve Pipe
7. Almost New – Sara Evans
8. Teach Me About Love – Lyle Lovett
9. Let Your Love Flow – Sister Hazel
10. Stop the Clock – Tonio K.
11. Moody River – Pat Boone
12. Clay Pigeons (The Ballad of Lester Long) – Collapsis

Sliding Doors (1998)
1. Have Fun, Go Mad – Blair
2. Drug Soup – Space Monkeys
3. Turn Back Time – Aqua
4. Good Enough – Dodgy
5. Thank You – Dido
6. Use the Force – Jamiroquai
7. Miracle – Olive
8. On My Own – Peach Union
9. Amateur – Aimee Mann
10. Honky Cat – Elton John
11. Don’t Feel Like Cryin’ – Abra Moore
12. Call Me a Fool – Those Magnificent Men
13. More Love – The Brand New Heavies

50 First Dates (2004)
1. Hold Me Now – Wayne Wonder (original by The Thompson Twins)
2. Love Song – 311 (original by The Cure)
3. Lips Like Sugar – Seal featuring Mikey Dread (original by Echo and the Bunnymen)
4. Your Love (L.O.V.E. Reggae Mix) – Wyclef Jean featuring Eve (original by The Outfield)
5. Drive – Ziggy Marley (original by The Cars)
6. True – Will.I.Am & Fergie (original by Spandau Ballet)
7. Slave To Love – Elan Atias featuring Gwen Stefani (original by Roxy Music)
8. Every Breath You Take – UB40 (original by Sting and The Police)
9. Ghost In You – Mark McGrath (original by Psychedelic Furs)
10. Friday, I’m In Love – Dryden Mitchell (original by The Cure)
11. Breakfast In Bed – Nicole Kea (original by UB40)
12. I Melt With You – Jason Mraz (original by Modern English)
13. Forgetful Lucy – Adam Sandler

Marie Antoinette (2006)
1. Hong Kong Garden – Siouxsie And The Banshees
2. Aphrodisiac – Bow Wow Wow
3. What Ever Happened – The Strokes
4. Pulling Our Weight – The Radio Department
5. Ceremony – New Order
6. Natural’s Not In It – Gang Of Four
7. I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
8. Kings Of The Wild Frontier – Adam & The Ants
9. Concerto In G – Roger Neill
10. The Melody Of A Fallen Tree – Windsor For The Derby
11. I Don’t Like It Like This – The Radio Department
12. Plainsong – The Cure

Zumba: Great Workout, Silly Name

I recently canceled my Snap Fitness 24-7 gym membership to join an independent gym called Fitness Crossroads. For $10/month more, the independent gym provides showers, lockers, towel service, and best of all – group fitness classes!

Being a dancer, I have always loved group fitness classes. I’ve often thought I was born too late and missed my true calling of being a aerobics instructor in the 1980’s. In fact, when asked my dream job, I often respond “aerobics instructor slash dog walker.” (Watch Eric Prydz’s Call On Me Video here. If you haven’t seen it before, it’s racy and nsfw.)

I had been away from the group fitness scene for a few years while I lived in Europe and while I held mini-gym memberships here in the States. After I joined my new gym in March, I soon saw an announcement that they were adding two “Zumba” classes to the group fitness schedule. Zumba? It sounded silly, but I decided to Google it.

The Zumba workout is based on latin rhythms and dance moves. It is like going out to a nightclub dancing, but with the freedom of not caring how you look and getting sweaty in the comfort of your own gym!

I loved Zumba from the very first minute. I was a member of the pom pon squad in high school and the dance team in college. Each song in Zumba is a mini dance routine, much like danceline. The instructor breaks down the moves first and then brings the moves up to speed. The moves are intuitive and easy-to-follow. The main goal is to keep moving.

One thing I especially love about Zumba is that each class participant can increase or decrease intensity according to their comfort level, which makes it suitable for all ages and fitness levels. In fact, many of the participants in my daytime class are 65 and over! I love to see the older men and women smiling, laughing, and dancing up a storm! Zumba Gold was designed specifically for older adults. I hope I am still dancing at age 70!

I highly recommend looking for Zumba classes at your local gym or community center, regardless of the silly name. It is so much fun, it’s like working out without working out! I love Zumba so much, and Zumba is so much fun to me, I am becoming a certified group fitness instructor through ACE (American Council on Exercise) in order to become a certified Zumba instructor.

Ditch the workout, join the party!

I’m Never Gonna Dance Again

As a preteen, I had this George Michael poster over my bed.

George Michael music was the soundtrack of my youth as I danced away the days in my parents’ basement and driveway.

After my early affection for George, it’s no wonder I loved the rock version of the song as soon as I heard it on the local hard rock station, 93X. Seether has covered George Michael’s Careless Whisper and it rocks.

Careless Whisper
by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley

I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind the silver screen
And all its sad goodbyes

I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool

Should’ve known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’ve been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There’s no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you’ll find

I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool

Should’ve known better than to cheat a friend
And waste this chance that I’ve been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Never without your love

Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it’s better this way
We’d hurt each other with the things we’d want to say

We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But no one’s gonna dance with me
Please stay

And I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool

Should’ve known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’ve been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

(Now that you’re gone) Now that you’re gone
(Now that you’re gone) What I did’s so wrong
That you had to leave me alone

Speed of the Sound of Loneliness

I’m going to see my favorite local musicians, Matty O’Reilly and John Schjolberg, play tonight at the 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis.

I first saw Matty O’Reilly (acoustic guitar and vocals) and John Schjolberg (pedal steel guitar) perform Speed of the Sound of Loneliness by John Prine at one of Matty’s restaurants, the 318 Cafe in Excelsior, Minnesota. I loved it so much I told my friends it was like, “Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one.”

You can download a free live version of John Prine performing Speed of the Sound of Loneliness from Glide Magazine here: http://www.glidemagazine.com/free-music-downloads/1012/john-prine-speed-of-the-sound-of-loneliness-mp3.html

Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
by John Prine

You come home late and you come home early
You come on big when you’re feeling small
You come home straight and you come home curly
Sometimes you don’t come home at all

So what in the world’s come over you
And what in heaven’s name have you done
You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You’re out there running just to be on the run

Well I got a heart that burns with a fever
And I got a worried and a jealous mind
How can a love that’ll last forever
Get left so far behind

So what in the world’s come over you
And what in heaven’s name have you done
You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You’re out there running just to be on the run

It’s a mighty mean and a dreadful sorrow
It’s crossed the evil line today
Well, how can you ask about tomorrow
When we ain’t got one word to say

So what in the world’s come over you
And what in heaven’s name have you done
You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You’re out there running just to be on the run

You’re out there running just to be on the run
You’re out there running just to be on the run
You’re out there running just to be on the run