Get Zesty With Zumba

This steamy workout will leave you dripping and ready for summer

By Kate Johnson

With the promise of summer sun just around the corner, even if you live in Syracuse, I am sure you are getting ready to show off your hot bikini bod. However, some of us are thankful for the two months left to prepare for those long days on the beach or by the pool. Wondering how you are going to feel like a goddess by next month? Check out Zumba!

Synchronized activities are no longer just for old ladies, but young hot women trying to get ahead in this world are doing them, too. Dancing has never been this fun or this exhausting. What makes Zumba different? Zumba not only throws in squats and lunges, but involves a variety of dances including, salsa, hip-hop, samba, and merengue, too. But don’t let the dance aspects fool you! Zumba classes are a workout that will leave you feeling the burn and glistening with salty sweat, while not feeling the boredom.

The instructor often squats and twists along with the rest of the group, calling out the dance moves as the class proceeds. For a Zumba beginner her instructions were much needed, but after a couple classes, I promise you will be a Zumba pro and rock even the most complicated steps.

No matter what class you go to, the Zumba atmosphere is a focused yet supportive one. All of the women have a common goal: get fit fast. No one laughs at uncoordinated attempts at a merengue step and everyone adds her own flair to the moves. Zumba provides the chance for women to get out there and get moving so they can feel confident in their bodies and take on whatever may come their way without pause.

Until Death Do Us Part

Love the ones you’re with

By Stephanie Diavoco

As I entered the airport for the first time today, completely alone, a thought dawned on me. As far back as I can remember I have always had one of my girlfriends with me to share new experiences and adventures. However, not this time. This time my friends had all booked their flights together for spring break, and being the procrastinator that I am, I ended up on a different flight, and as a result, in a different part of the country by myself. As I walked through the airport, I decided it to kill time at a small restaurant. As I waited for my food to arrive, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on two women eating lunch together in the corner. One of the women was sharing with the other that her husband, apparently a pretty good-looking guy, had proposed last night and she was now engaged.  As they chatted, the bride-to-be brought up memories the two women had shared together, such as “that one Halloween,” the death of her mother, and their infamous spring break trip to Miami, and said would be an honor to have such a close friend be a bridesmaid in her wedding. As she said this, the other woman began to cry.

Being witness to this situation made me I realize that this might not be so far down the road for my friends and I. AH! At this moment a specific quote popped into my mind:

As we get older, we will meet so many people who will come and go, but the true friends are the ones that will be there through it all, whether that is during a death of a family member or a crazy night out in Miami. While it is important as a woman to be independent in life, it is also important to realize when and how to keep those special friend relationships alive. It is not about how many people you know, or about how many people know of you; it is about having those few close friends to share those special life moments with. A true friend is someone who will be overjoyed at the good news you share with them and willing to do what ever it takes to help you in your time of need. Without these special friendships, like that of the two women in the airport, we would have no one to share our joyous moments with and our lives would not be the same. So value your best friends ladies, because you never know when you will need a maid of honor.

She’s Irreplaceable

How Beyoncé stays on top

By Mariah Kulak

 

Some women make a name for themselves through sex tapes, some make a name for themselves through the number of court hearings they have, (yes, I’m talking about you, Lindsay Lohan) and some make a name for themselves through their drama-filled reality TV shows. Beyoncé Knowles is the exception; she is the one who did it the right way. From her first hit single without Kelly and Michelle, “Crazy in Love”, she has made her way to the top and stayed there. No nudity, drama or handcuffs needed. Beyoncé defined herself the way she wanted to (with synonyms to go along such as irreplaceable, unstoppable and super human).

Beyoncé is the prime example of a Medusa woman. Confident, classy, sexy and sassy; she just about has it all. What is best about this bodacious beauty? She rocks everything she does. From Destiny’s Child to being the perfect mom and wife, she never loses her cool, never stops rocking the music charts, and never misses the latest fashion trends. From Grammys, to Best Dressed, to Movie Roles, to GQ’s “Sexiest Woman of the Millennium”, to her recently released documentary “Life is But a Dream”, her bucket list should be relatively short by now! Super Mom, Super Wife, and Super Star: Beyoncé Knowles’ is today’s version of Superwoman. Anyone who is anyone can see just how poised this diva is. Jay-Z sure did, which is why he made sure to put a ring on this once single lady.

So why does Medusa care? By holding it down every day, Beyoncé empowers women to stay true to themselves, to stay fierce and to always stay on top. Beyoncé Knowles knows exactly who she is and doesn’t let anyone tell her different or bring her down; she is the definition of “where cockiness meets class”. So, who runs the world? Beyoncé. It’s like she says in the lyrics of her upcoming album “Bow Down/I Been On”, “bow down bitches.”