You shimmy.

You shake.

You even do a little cha-cha and a whole lot of jumping around.

Welcome to the world of Zumba, one of the fastest growing dance and exercise crazes that’s reeling in fans by the droves.

“It feels like a party,” said Leslie Day, a certified Zumba instuctor who’s been teaching classes at Celebrations in Pell City for about a month now. “And really, it’s exercise in disguise.”

During her Thursday night Zumba class, a crowd of about 60 showed up to burn calories, get toned up and get their party started.

With Latin music pounding in the background, Day shouted to the class, “Let’s go! They say you can burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour doing Zumba! Just think how many calories that is between all of us in here tonight.”

Roughly figured, the calorie burn on this night could get a high as 60,000, taking care of a lot of calorie intake in just an hour’s time.

Things start out easy, with some lateral steps and arm stretches and a little forward and backward movement, but within a few minutes time, there comes the coordination of arms and legs and lots of torso treatment, too.

Then come the jumps and spins and before long, it’s full-fledged Zumba in progress.

Day said her infatuation with Zumba started with just taking a class, and then she went on to get certified to teach Zumba.

Now, she teaches Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights at 7 p.m. Classes are $8, and last an hour.

One of the great things about Zumba, Day points out, is even though things can get moving fast, participants can take part at their own speed.

“As long as you’re moving, you’re burning calories,” Day said.

Zumba was born in the 1990s and was created by dancer and choreographer Alberto “Beto” Perez in Colombia. Perez has choreographed dance routines for performers that include recording star Shakira.

Kelly Williams came from Talladega to try the class, and said she would definitely be back.

After the hour session, laughing, Williams said, “Well, I feel wet! It feels like I’ve worked out, I can say that.”

Prior to her first Zumba class, Williams said she’s done some aerobics and walks and does toning exercises at home using her Wii.

“But it’s been a while since I’ve been in aerobics, but I made it OK tonight,” she said.

Kaye Jennings of Sylacauga came with Williams, and has done some aerobics in the past, but never Zumba before.

“This is more intense,” she said. “But I liked it.”

Williams and Jennings both hope to find a class closer to home or help get one organized in Talladega County.

Lynn Nash of Ragland, and her daughter, Danielle Nash, joined the class earlier this summer.

“It’s an awesome way to spend time with my daughter,” the elder Nash said. “We both get good exercise.”

Her daughter agreed, saying, “It’s a really good workout.”

The Nashes aren’t the only mother and daughter team in the class, Doris Perry and her daughter, Samantha Hambright, are into Zumba, too.

Perry was on her third class Thursday night and Hambright, her second.

“I love the music and the movement,” Perry said.

Amber Rahim was in her third week of Zumba, and has become a fast fan, too.

She gave the class high marks, along with its instructor.

“She’s awesome,” Rahim said.