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Lutz Elementary Learns To Zumba

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2008

LUTZ The Great American Teach-In continued an additional day at Lutz Elementary today, getting third-graders on their feet and rocking.

The children took part in a Zumba lesson from mom and second-grade teacher Victoria Morse. Morse, who teaches the Latin dance routines to teachers after school at Lutz and Martinez Middle, wanted to share it with students to promote healthy living.

"I love to exercise, and it has been a part of my life since I was your age," Morse told the students. "Not only am I working my heart and building my muscles, but I'm having fun at the same time."

Schools across Hillsborough County celebrated the Teach-In on Wednesday, inviting parents and community leaders into classrooms to talk about their careers and hobbies. Some added extra days because Wednesday was a half-day for children.

Morse's son, 9-year-old Wilson, joined his class to Zumba with his mother. He said he prefers to play football, but he giggled along with his classmates as they tried out fancy footwork, jumps and hand motions. Children peeled off their sweatshirts as they heated up from the dance.

Daniel Knox, a third-grader, twisted like he was hula-hooping.

"Whoa," he said. "I feel like a tornado."

Third-grade teachers Tara Young and Michelle Logan surprised their classes by dancing along dressed as Dr. Seuss's Thing 1 and Thing 2.

"You've got the rhythm," Logan told her class as they mimed drumming in the air.

After about 20 minutes, Morse paused the music and told the children to put their hands on their hearts and feel them thumping fast.

"That's what you need to be doing every day," she said. "If you're sitting in front of a computer, can that get this going as much as it's going now? Probably not."

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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