It’s early Tuesday, and seven moms breeze into the Mason Center in sneakers and workout clothes.
The heat is cranked up in an aging classroom with institutional white walls and bright baby toys. Winter light streams in. The moms greet each other and strap their babies into front-facing packs.
Dance instructor Louvelle Zinser starts the music. It’s “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang.
The moms warm up with simple moves. They’ll move through lunges and hip stretches, then merengue, cha-cha and basic salsa steps. The steps get faster and more complicated as the class moves along, and the music becomes more traditional salsa.
At one point, the eight women spin in a circle. They sing: “Ring around the rosie. Pocket full of posies. Mama, mama, turn me around!”
Zinser teaches Salsa Babies, a class intended for mothers and babies under a year or so. The mothers dance for about 45 minutes.
Durango has few opportunities for mothers of babies to exercise together. Salsa Babies was founded in Canada, and Zinser’s class is the only licensed Salsa Babies class in the U.S. The slogan – “Latin Beat for Tiny Feet” – goes a long way toward explaining the concept.
Durango has an active Meetup.com group for moms and kids, and a busy Facebook group called Durango Area Moms. But organized classes for moms and kids are few and far between.
CrossFit Durango offers a “Kid Friendly Class,” currently scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday.
“It’s been hugely popular,” said marketing coordinator Julie West.
At the CrossFit class, kids can participate in warm-up and cool down and play with other children while their moms work out, West said.
Swim classes are another option for moms and babies. Several organizations offer swim classes at the Durango Community Recreation Center, Trimble Spa & Natural Hot Springs and the SunUte Community Center in Ignacio.
Sue McClain, a local instructor, teaches at all three venues. She also does private lessons for babies as young as six months. Parents can come along, watch from afar or leave the lesson to McClain.
“I leave it up to the parent,” she said.
A key to the Salsa Babies class is the connection with other moms, Zinser said. Being the mother of an infant, “it can be isolating,” she said.
“You’re so tired, but after class, you feel so much better,” she said.
Leslie Looney brought her 5-month-old son, Isaac.
“I like it because I can do something with my baby,” she said. “They are so small, you can’t really do anything but this.”
The babies were remarkably quiet during Tuesday’s class. Zinser said it is common for the babies to fall asleep. The occasional gurgle could be heard as the moms worked out.
Looney said Isaac often naps during the class.
“He falls asleep every time,” she said.
The class ended with Kay McGuire leading the moms in reflexology, a practice that uses massage and acupressure to relieve tension. McGuire takes the Salsa Babies class with her 6-month-old daughter, Terra Star Buxton.
“I like that I’m doing something with her,” McGuire said. “It’s a great way to get back in shape and work out (and) meet other moms.”
Laure Sanders massaged her daughter Anna’s feet. Anna, 10 months old, broke out in giggles as she rattled a maraca.
Salsa Babies has other classes for other age groups. Salsa Tots is for ages 18 months to 5 years – kids who have outgrown the carrier and can move on their own. Salsa Kids is for ages 6 to 12. Salsa Bellies is for pregnant women.
Zinser said she hopes to expand her Salsa Babies class to offer the other age groups. She’s also considering expanding to Farmington. Zinser helps teach a salsa class for adults at the Smiley Building and works as a preschool teacher at Riverhouse Children’s Center.
Zinser said the babies in Salsa Babies like being close to their moms, especially during the first months of their lives, often called the “fourth trimester.”
“They need to be held, they need to be cuddled, they need to hear that same heartbeat they heard for nine months,” she said.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
