One of the benefits of teaching Zumba at a large American state university is the large number of international students. Here are some Chinese artists that were recommended to me by Chinese grad students studying abroad who take my Zumba classes. My personal favorite is Jolin Tsai. Enjoy!

Aaron Kwok – Just Move, Para Para Sakura

Coco Lee – Hip Hop Tonight, No Doubt, Real Lover

Jay Chou – My Zone

Jolin Tsai – Oh! Oh!, Honey Trap, Dancing Diva, 36 Ideas of Love

Penny Tai – Cinderella

Sammi Cheng – Enrapture, One and Only

Stefanie Sun – Green Light, Be Straightforward, Running

Wilber Pan – Happy Worship

Inspired by the mellow “About Her” Malcolm Mclaren version of The Zombies “She’s Not There”  on the Kill Bill Vol. 2 Original Soundtrack and the instrumental cover of “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” by the The Smiths in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off I am looking for popular music covered in a yoga-class appropriate style for the yoga class I teach once a week.

I know some yogis would frown upon this, and I want to be clear that I am not a professional yogi. I teach a free yoga-Pilates-stretching hybrid class once a week for 45-minutes. It is in a group fitness studio in a busy college wellness center so I like to use music to try to create a yoga-like atmosphere.

In my search, I came across the Yoga Pop Ups on Amazon.com. I like the concept, but not the music. You can download music to yoga to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Morrissey and The Smiths, Sublime, Jimmy Buffet, Journey, Lady Gaga, and Mötley Crüe to name a few. Mötley Crüe? Really?

If you’re interested in doing yoga to Girls, Girls, Girls, check out Yoga Pop Ups on Amazon.com MP3 downloads.

Cool Downs
Angel – Jon Secada (Pop)
Body Language – Jesse McCartney (Pop)
Banana Boat (Da-O) – Harry Belafonte (Calypso)
Drive – Ziggy Marley (Reggae)
Every Breath You Take – UB-40 (Reggae)
In Heaven – Da’Ville (Reggae)
La Isla Bonita – Madonna (Pop)
Love Song – 311 (Reggae)
Maria Maria – Santana Ft. The Product G&B (Pop)
Save the Last Dance for Me – Michael Buble (Cha Cha)
Slave to Love – Elan Atias (Reggae)
Stand By Me – Prince Royce (Bachata)
Take Me Home – Toots & the Maytals (Reggae)
The Tide is High – Blondie (Reggae)
Vida Loca – Zumba Fitness/Francisco Cespedes (Latin Pop)

Interval Workout
African Beats – Zumba Fitness (African Rhythms)
Rain Dance – The Very Best Feat. M.I.A. (African Rhythms)
Waka Waka (Por Estos Aftrica) – Shakira (Latin Hip Hop/African Rhythms)
Te Extrano – Xtreme (Bachata)
Boro Boro – Zumba Fitness (Bhangra)
Chaiyya Chaiyaa – A.R. Rahman (Bollywood)
Kiss Kiss – Zumba Fitness (Bhangra)
Mundian Te Bach Ke – Panjabi MC (Bhangra)
Tigy Tigy – Zumba Fitness (Bhangra/Reggaeton)Baila Pa Emociona – Zumba Fitness (Calypso)
Jump in the Line – Harry Belafonte (Calypso)
I Need to Know – Zumba Fitness (Cha Cha)
Baila Esta Cumbia – Selena (Cumbia)
Cumbia Arabe – Zumba Fitness (Belly Dance/Cumbia)
Gordita – Shakira (Cumbia/Reggaeton)
La Negra Tomasa – DJ Kane (Cumbia)
Mil Horas – Zumba Fitness (Cumbia)
Muevelo – Los Super Reyes (Cumbia)
Calabria – Rune – (Latin Hip Hop)
Do It To It – Cherish (Hip Hop ABS)
Evacuate the Dance Floor – Cascada (Pop)
Krazy – Pitbull Feat. Lil Jon (Latin Hip Hop)
Lean Like a Cholo – Down AKA Kilo (Latin Hip Hop ABS)
Na De Na – Angel & Kriz (Latin Hip Hop)
Pam Pam – Wisin & Yandel (Latin Hip Hop)
Que Te Pica – Notch (Latin Hip Hop)
Rompe – Daddy Yankee (Latin Hip Hop)
Shake – Ying Yang Twins Feat. Pitbull (Hip Hop)
A La Nena Le Gusta – Zumba Fitness (Merengue)
Ca Plan Por Moi – Plastic Bertrand (French Merengue)
La Morena – Zumba Fitness (Merengue)
Pegate – Zumba Fitness/Grupo Treo (Merengue)
Suavemente – Elvis Crespo (Merengue)
Vete – Zumba Fitness/Los Primeros (Merengue)
Hava Nagila – Zumba Fitness (Hebrew Folk)
Kalinka – Yamboo (Russian Pop)
Pa Pa Americano – DJ Kiky (Italian Pop)
Stereo Love – Edward Maya Ft. Vika Jigulina (Romania Pop)
Ritmo Caliente – Zumba Fitness (Quebradita)
ZuBailaito – Zumba Fitness (Quebradita)
Baile Del Pescao – Zumba Fitness (Reggaeton)
Hella Decale – Zumba Fitness/DJ Mam’s (French Reggaeton)
Oye – Zumba Fitness/Mara (Reggaeton)
She’s Hotter – Zumba Fitness/Pitbull (Reggaeton)
Ana Mile – Zumba Fitness (Salsa)
Dance the Night Away – The Mavericks (Salsa/Cha Cha)
La Agarro Bajando – Zumba Fitness (Salsa)
La Vida Es Un Carnaval – Zumba Fitness/Celia Cruz (Salsa)
Loca – Shakira (Salsa/Belly Dance)
Salome – Zumba Fitness (Salsa)
Danca Da Maozinha – Zumba Fitness (Samba)
Danza Kuduro – Don Omar (Samba/Latin Hip Hop)
Mueve La Cadera – Zumba Fitness (Samba/Cumbia)

I Feel Lucky
Performer Mary Chapin Carpenter
Composer Don Schlitz

Now eleven million later, I was sitting at the bar
I’d bought the house a double, and the waitress a new car
Dwight Yoakam’s in the corner, trying to catch my eye
Lyle Lovett’s right beside me with his hand upon my thigh
The moral of this story, it’s simple but it’s true
Hey the stars might lie, but the numbers never do

I feel lucky, oh oh oh, I feel lucky, yeah
Hey Dwight, hey Lyle, boys, you don’t have to fight
Hot dog, I’m feeling lucky tonight

. . . . .

When It Rains
Performer Gretchen Wilson
Composers Vicky McGehee, Gretchen Wilson, John Rich

When it rains, I pour, a couple more, rounds
‘Til the hurtin’ and the heartache start to drown
I turn out the light, I turn up Dwight
And I lock my door
When it rains, When it rains, I pour

Club Can’t Handle Me (Pop / Warm Up)
Flo Rida
Choreography by Rencsi

Pam Pam (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wisin Y Yandal
Choreography by Rencsi

Mundian Du Bach Ke (Bhangra)
Panjabi MC
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba Fitness with Bradley

Mil Horas (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Waka Waka (Latin Pop)
Shakira
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Shakira

Danca Da Maozinha (Axe)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

El Baile Del Pescao (Reggaeton)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Kalinka (Russian Folk / Pop)
Yamboo
Choreography by Rencsi

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by this YouTube video

Te Extrano (Bachata)
X-Treme
Choreography by Rencsi

Calabria (Latin Hip Hop)
Enur Featuring Natashja
Choreography by Rencsi

Dance the Night Away (Salsa)
The Mavericks
Choreography by Rencsi

Vida Loca (Pop Ballad / Cool Down)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Mega Mix 19
Choreography by Rencsi

I like to give my Zumba Gold participants more time with songs to get comfortable, and my Zumba Gold participants seems to like to have familiar songs too.

Here is a “master” Zumba Gold playlist of the music I have used in my Zumba Gold classes over the past few months sorted by style. Whether you are a Zumba Gold instructor looking for ideas, or a Zumba Gold participant looking for your favorite music from your class, I hope you enjoy!

Obsesion (Bachata/Warm Up)
Aventura

Pa’ mayte (Calypso/Warm Up)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Mega Mix 15

Matilda, Matilda (International/Warm Up)
Harry Belafonte

Papa Loves Mambo (Mambo/Warm Up)
Perry Como

Volare (Flamenco/Warm Up)
The Gipsy Kings

Asejere (Latin Pop/Warm Up)
Las Ketchup

Hot Hot Hot (Merengue)
Buster Poindexter And His Banshees of Blue

Suavemente (Merengue)
Elvis Crespo

Ça Plan Por Moi (Merengue)
Plastic Bertrand

I Need to Know (Cha Cha)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Volume 25

La Bamba (Salsa)
Ritchie Valens or Los Lobos

Dance the Night Away (Salsa)
The Mavericks

Here Comes My Baby (Salsa)
The Mavericks

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

Kiss Kiss (Belly Dance)
Zumba Fitness Megamix 14

Boro Boro (Belly Dance)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 22

Chaiyya Chaiyya (Bollywood)
A.R. Rahman

Mundian To Bach Ke (Bhangra)
Panjabi MC

Jump In The Line (International)
Harry Belafonte

Hava Nagila (International)
Zumba Fitness Zumba Gold Collection

Give Me Hope Joanna (Reggaeton)
Zumba Fitness Zumba Gold Collection

African Beat 2 (African Beats)
Zumba ZIN 22

Waka Waka (African Beats)
Shakira

Baila Esta Cumbia (Cumbia)
Zumba Fitness Mega Mix 14

La Negra Tomasa (Cumbia)
DJ Kane

Mil Horas (Cumbia)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Volume 27

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (Cumbia)
Selena

Banana Boat Da-O (International/Cool Down)
Harry Belafonte

Take Me Home Country Roads (Reggae/Cool Down)
Toots & the Maytals

Stand By Me (Bachata/Cool Down)
Prince Royce

As I’ve mentioned before, I try to add one or two new songs each week. That doesn’t always happen, but if I can’t add a new song, I bring back songs we haven’t done in awhile to keep things fresh. I try to have two playlists going at any given time so if participants can make it to class multiple times per week, I can mix it up for them.

Enjoy!

La Bamba (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wyclef Jean
Choreography by Rencsi

Disturbia (Pop / Warm Up)
Rihanna
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba with Renee

Pam Pam (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wisin Y Yandal
Choreography by Rencsi

Mundian Du Bach Ke (Bhangra)
Panjabi MC
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba Fitness with Bradley

Hot Hot Hot (Merengue)
Buster Poindexter
Choreography by Rencsi

Mil Horas (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Waka Waka (Latin Pop)
Shakira
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Shakira

Danca Da Maozinha (Axe)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

El Baile Del Pescao (Reggaeton)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Kalinka (Russian Folk / Pop)
Yamboo
Choreography by Rencsi

Papa Loves Mambo (Mambo)
Bing Crosby
Choreography by Rencsi

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by this YouTube video

Te Extrano (Bachata)
X-Treme
Choreography by Rencsi

Rain Dance (African Rhythms / Hip Hop)
The Very Best Featuring M.I.A
Choreography by Rencsi

Body Language (Pop / Cool Down)
Jesse McCartney
Choreography by Rencsi

I try to add one or two new songs per week, but that doesn’t always happen. There are two songs that I am still using one whole year later and they are warm ups. I’ve tried to retire them, but as soon as they disappear, someone asks for them back. I guess they’re here to stay…

Asejeré (Latin Pop / Warm Up)
Las Ketchup
Choreography by Rencsi

Disturbia (Pop / Warm Up)
Rihanna
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba with Renee

La Bamba (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wyclef Jean
Choreography by Rencsi

Mil Horas (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Waka Waka (Latin Pop)
Shakira
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Shakira

Danca Da Maozinha (Axe)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

I Need to Know (Cha Cha)
Zumba ZIN 25
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba Fitness

El Baile Del Pescao (Reggaeton)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

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

Boro Boro (Belly Dance)
Zumba ZIN 22
Choreography by Rencsi

Kalinka (Russian Folk / Pop)
Yamboo
Choreography by Rencsi

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by this YouTube video

Te Extrano (Bachata)
X-Treme
Choreography by Rencsi

Take Me Home Country Roads (Reggaeton / Cool Down)
Toots & the Maytals
Choreography by Rencsi

Thank you,
Rencsi

I was looking for a fun end-of-summer song to add to my Zumba playlist and I decided on Toes by the Zac Brown Band. I had the choreography ready to go. All I needed was a clean version of the song…

No such luck – there isn’t one. The clean version made available to radio stations is not available to the public.

I’m all for free speech, but I can’t blast the word “ass” over a loud speaker system to a captive audience of all ages. So Toes is a no-go and I’m sad.

Zorba (Greek / Warm Up)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24
* Warning: For the first time ever, I actually had a participant yell out, “I HATE THIS SONG!” during this warm up. I think she was referring to the choreography that gets faster and faster… Personally, I like it!

La Cucaracha (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Kumbia Kings
* Warning: This song contains the word “marijuana.”

Buttons (Pop / Warm Up)
Pussycat Dolls

Telephone (Pop / Warm Up)
Lady Gaga

Krazy (Hip Hop)
Pitbull Featuring LiL Jon

Suavemente (Merengue)
Elvis Crespo

Que Te Pica (Reggaeton)
Notch

Zu Bailaito MIX (Quebradita)
ZIN Bonus Download

La Agarro Bajando (Salsa)
Zumba Megamix 4

Boro Boro (Belly Dance)
Zumba ZIN 22

I Need to Know (Cha Cha)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Volume 25

Rain Dance (African)
The Very Best Featuring M.I.A.

Evacuate the Dance Floor (Pop)
Cascada

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo

La Negra Tomasa (Cumbia)
DJ Kane

Te Extrano (Bachata)
X-Treme

Body Language (Pop / Cool Down)
Jesse McCartney