Reader Request: Is ZIN worth it?
Of the emails I receive, 3 topics are the most popular:
-health and wellness
-military life (dealing with deployments, moving, making friends, etc)
and
Quite a few people have asked about the Zumba licensing process, if ZIN is worth it and what to expect, so I thought it would be a fun post for any future Zumba instructors out there.
A Little About Zumba Instructor Training
So here’s the down low:
Zumba is a licensing process, which means that you get your Zumba license and can teach under the Zumba name. It’s not a certification, which honestly, is kind of a drag because there’s no way to filter out the nuts, and the gym where you’d like teach also has to have Zumba licensing permission to call it “Zumba.” (Any gym managers out there know what the process is like?) If they don’t, you have to call it something else, which is why you see a lot of “salsa heat” and “latin cardio” classes out there, which are very similar.
There are quite a few types of Zumba licenses you can get (B1, B2, Aqua Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba Toning, Zumbatonic etc), but you’ll usually want to start with B1. It’s the basic license, and is an all-day thing. The best part (for me) about getting B1 was the 2-hour Master class before all of the educational part began. It was such a giant party, the instructor was INSANE and made me so excited about the rest of the day. After that, we had lectures and went over the different steps for each dance, practiced coming up with choreography and called it a day.
Here’s what a Master class looks like:
During the day, we also had the opportunity to buy Zumba gear (which at the time, I thought was clown clothing. Now I’m happy to clown it up) and sign up for ZIN.
What is ZIN?
ZIN = Zumba Instructor Network. It’s provided by the Zumba company to kind of create a “standard” for classes and give you new options for music and choreography. It’s $30 per month (automatically drafted out of your bank account) and each month you have something to look forward to: either a Mega Mix CD (no choreography) or a CD and DVD combo pack (with two choreography options: a one-on-one break down and a live class setting. Two different dances for each song, so you can pick what you like or mix and match).
Top Benefits of Being a ZIN Member
-With ZIN, you keep your license indefinitely as long as you’re paying each month. Without ZIN, you have to re-license in a year to keep teaching (which is $200 + ).
-With ZIN, you also get a discount on Zumba gear (CDs, accessories, clothes, DVDs and shoes) and future training (if you want to attend B1, Zumba Gold, or other workshops). There are also message boards, promotional materials (you can make your own posters and business cards) and choreography notes available through ZIN.
Is ZIN Worth It?
For me, I can’t preach the awesomeness of ZIN enough. I always look forward to the DVD combo pack or Mega Mix CD, even if I can’t use any songs for that month. Sometimes they’re not very good, other times they’re AMAZING. It helps inspire me with new music and choreography, and I also like the discount on Zumba clothes. Once you get started, it’s kind of addicting. At work, we team-teach Zumba (there are two of us and each person will do two songs while the other shows low-impact modifications and we switch), and we’ll always ask each other “ok, what are you wearing today??”
We also like crazy hair 😉
ZIN was also extremely helpful for me when I first started teaching and wasn’t sure of what moves to do with each type of rhythm. Now, thanks to ZIN, I can easily determine what the rhythm is when I hear a Latin song and know what moves would go with it.
When ZIN Might Not Be Worth the Cost
If you’re not going to be teaching very often. $30 is a decent amount of month to pay each month (it adds up over the year!) and if it’s more than you’ll be making teaching one class per week, it might be something worth waiting for. Or you can always try it for a couple of months and cancel if you decide it’s too much.
I hope this was helpful for anyone who is considering getting their Zumba license or debating signing up for ZIN!
Check out Zumba.com for instructor training
Do you like dance cardio? If you could teach any group fitness class what would you choose?
68 Comments
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Thanks so much!! I went to a Master class a couple of months ago to receive my certificate! I can not wait to take the time to choreograph. I’m still having a tough time distinguishing rhythms! I may have to become a ZIN member now!
Going back to Zumba for the first time in weeks tonight. I am so excited!!!!!!!! I have missed it so much!
I knew about zero about the licensing side of Zumba before this post. Really interesting!
I teach BodyCombat, a Les Mills cardio martial arts class. Les Mills has a similar licensing program. Once you take a weekend long training, though, you have a team teaching period, and then have to submit a video of yourself teaching a class to be assessed before you can be cleared to teach on your own. I pay for DVDs, too, except our releases come every three months so it’s a little cheaper. I love taking Zumba, but like you said, it’s a little hard to weed out the bad teachers. I want to start teaching BodyStep next!
Thanks for posting! I’m ZIN, too, and thought about giving it up. I’m moving more toward Powder Blue Productions (PiYo Strength and Turbo Kick) classes, but ultimately, I don’t think I’ll be able to leave the ZIN program just yet!
Do you ever poke around on the Forum? I had to stop…there’s so much negativity out there! I’d rather play with ZINs on twitter, where they’re more likely to post positive things about the Zumba Fitness program.
thanks so much! i’ve actually debated getting my license!
Hi,
Pls help…
I cancelled my Zin membership long back and I want to renew it now but don’t want to do the same b1 training again…in that case can I go for b2 or Zumba step training to renew my Zin???
Pls advise
you have to take B1. Sorry, but there are always updated information, so worth taking it.
That is one thing about zumba instructors, I’ve gotten some amazing ones and some… not so amazing ones. But I think it’s so fun! If I could teach any class it would probably be a body-pump type class, or Jazzercise! I love jazzercise…
I prefer the more sport-inspired cardio classes like body attack. I tried Zumba one and requires way too much coordination for me! Hopefuly I was just having a bad day.. Will need to try it again before I close that book completely :p
lol, when i quit the 9-5, actually, the 7-8 on most days i daydreamt about opening up a women’s zumba studio similar to curves, but more sexy;) i checked out ZIN and it looked like fun, i realized i just wanted jazzed up zumba (the instructors my gym had at the time were majorly SUCKING! like overweight women who had to stop for seconds at a time to be able to go onto to the next slow paced song, OMG AWFUL) and not a full-on business. those zumba conventions look LIKE SO MUCH FUN!!!! i mean, pitbull was at the zumba convention last year! PITBULL!! and BETO!! i haven’t joined ZIN yet, but i have taken classes in Puerto Rico, Miami, and Mexico City which certainly jazzes things up:) for some reason, male zumba instructors aren’t as common in Chicagoland but they are in “latin” countries???
Very helpful! My absolute DREAM is to teach Hip Hop classes. For now, I’m just a loyal student! 🙂
This made me want to go to a Zumba class right now!! I love how fun Zumba is!
I’ve always been a fan of step aerobics but that doesn’t seem to be popular or offered much anymore. I tried a Zumba Gold class at work but it was sitting on a chair and seemed really odd, I think I would get a better workout standing up…
Teaching Zumba sounds like such a blast! Love the clothes! How many excuses do you have in life to dress in crazy bright colors and dance! 🙂
Zumba is the one class I’ve loved enough to consider getting licensed/teaching. Thanks for this post.
My roommate just got certified for Zumba and we had a blast going over the DVDs she got! If I could teach anything, it definitely would be a Bodypump / Group Power class. I love weight lifting and have been talking to my class teacher about getting certified. Hopefully it’s in my future : )
I LOVE being a part of ZIN! You’re so right-sometimes it’s good, sometimes the moves/music are not good, but the good outweighs the bad 😉 LOVE being a Zumba instructor. Such a huge love of mine! YAY-great post!!
Great post! Zumba is one type of exercise I haven’t tried yet, but I definitely want to!
Great info! I have a long way to go, but one of my “fitness bucket list” hopes is to become a Zumba instructor someday. I take the classes fairly regularly now, but am in no way a master at it…yet. I love the energy I find in all the Zumba classes I take – they seem to have that in common.
Thanks so much for this zin post!! I’m considering really seriously to become a zumba instructor! I’m just not sure would I have all the necessary time to do it. I have a full time job, a baby and now another job,+ studying…so it’s really hectic…I’m interested to know if I would let’s say teach 2 times a week, how much work would I need to do at home(choreographing and rest).My instructor says she practises every day at least an hour + hours you tube-watching,music…and she’s a professional ballerina…and she(and her classes which are super super intense and awsome-like no easy songs at all except the stretching:))So I would obviously want to have great classes I just can’t imagine how much time would I need daily and would I be able to do it…Cause if I end up paying a lot of money and then realise I’m not able to do it(having the time for it)…Ah, can’t decide….:)
No way do I spend an hour a day. I did the first few weeks to get ready for my first class, but I spend a lot less than that now. I have only taught 9 classes, and I teach on the weekends because I work full-time during the week. Friday nights I always run through my routine half effort to make sure its in my brain. During the week while I am at work or driving I will listen to any new songs. On Thursday nights I will watch the song I am adding on the DVD a few times and run through it a few times. I only add one or two new songs for each weekend. Remember – you have to know the song so well that you are sick of it because you have to cue your students before that part of the music comes on. You have to know the order of the song by memory.
I love Zumba. I haven’t been in months because I couldn’t afford it (The place I went had a $5/class option, but it adds up, and I wasn’t going enough to justify the $80/month option). I should really go back sometime soon. It was so much fun!
I have a few comments to make: There are a lot of people not paying their ZIN membership, and after their year of licensing is up, they are still teaching. If you are not paying your ZIN, you shouldn’t be teaching. If you are a participant, please go to zumba.com and MAKE SURE the instructor you are going to is on the list of “Find an Instructor.” If they are not, don’t give them your money. Also – your Zumba instructor should be doing at the minimum, 70% Latin rhythms, and up to 30% not. Not includes many pitbull songs, songs on the radio, and some Shakira songs, etc. Just because they are Latin artists doesn’t mean it is a Latin rhythm. If the instructor you go to is not following this, you should report them on the zumba.com website.
I agree that for an instructor to keep teaching Zumba when his/her license has expired is wrong, very wrong.
As for the music…are you part of the Music Police? Really, I would not get my nose out of joint because an instructor threw in a great song that wasn’t totally Latin. Report an instructor for THAT? My biggest disappointment with Zumba is that there are no qualifications you need to teach. The unsafe instructor is allowed to continue.
And, CPR training is not required either. Neither is any sort of certification by fitness organizations like ACE, AFAA, or ASCM.
The unsafe instructors and lack of knowledge are a far bigger problem than some instructor not following the 70/30 formula!
And to add to that..though I am a new ZIN member, I am shocked that the website looks like it was created by a 10 yr old! I am sorely disappointed. The boards are ‘dead’ and there are NO live forums. Only reason for ZIN is to push MORE classes and products.
I like Zumba for the exercise and the women but my least fav part is the Latin music…FYI. -Not an instructor-just a paying customer!
Clubs do not need a separate license to advertise that they offer Zumba ® or to put a Zumba ® class on their schedule AS LONG AS the class is taught by a licensed ZIN™ (unlike Les Mills which requires both individual instructors AND the gym to have a license fee). It may be better to check out the license/trademark guidelines directly from Zumba.com as they do change periodically. http://www.zumba.com/trademark/
Totally thought you were talking wine…like red ZIN or white ZIN. Ha!
in those cases, it’s always worth it 😉
That is so funny. You go girl!
I just started getting in to Zumba, and so far, I absolutely LOVE it!! I would love to teach either a Zumba, Barre, Pilates and/or strength endurance or circuit type class. Ok, fine. There are a million group fitness classes I’m interested in teaching!!
I love Zumba so much but my gym changed all the times and now it’s so inconvenient to go. You are making me miss it even more.
I’m totally on board with you. While they sometimes suck it’s worth it to me for the music and to not have to worry about my licenses (I have them all except Sentao) expiring.
I feel this is the time to say that I have this longing dream that someday a bunch of us bloggers that are ZIN arrange to do a big ole master class at one of the blogging conventions. Wouldn’t that be AWESOME!?!
I love ZIN. So worth it. I also am a huge fan of jam™ sessions with Zumba Jammers. Love the choreo and info! Do you go to Jams? Was your ZES For b1 Tanya?
no i WISH i could have had tanya! i had jani roberts and she was fantastic, though
from what i’ve heard, the jams here aren’t too great :/
Hi Gina. I’m quite new to the blog world, and let me just say, I ADORE your blog 🙂 One question I had about zumba is, how old do you have to be to participate in a class? Thanks and love ya <3
it depends on the gym- some gyms offer zumbatomic classes for kids, too!
can’t wait to check out your blog, and thank you for reading mine 🙂
xoxo
Hey Gina! I found your blog through Danielle @Clean Food Creative Fitness. LOVE IT!! I am also a Zumba Instructor and love ALL THINGS Zumba!! This was a great post and very-well explained. I absolutely recommend ZIN.. Sometimes I don’t use any of the songs from the DVD’s, but it is nice to just have those options. Plus, most places I teach at require me to be a ZIN. Now going to go read more of your awesome posts 🙂
thank you, eva! so nice to meet you 🙂
thank you for checking out my blog <3 hope to see you around here more often!
xoxo
Hi! Great article. I, like many, am considering becoming a Zumba instructor. My question is, say your year is up after you’ve completed your initial training,and you’re paying your ZIN membership to retain your licensing…and you stop paying your membership (my reason would be because my husband is in the military and it usually takes us 2-3 months to relocate and settle), would you have to re-certify after not paying for a few months or can you you just cotinue paying without having to recertify?
no, i’m pretty sure you would have to re-certify :/
Hey Gina, could you tell me the name of the first song in your recital routine?! I keep hearing it everywhere, but Shazaam isn’t working for me and I can’t quite figure out the lyrics to google. Thanks!! 🙂
“bomba” -it’s a zin song
I have a passion for dance and ball room dancing experience from Europe growing up. I love Zumba and I think it would be good fit for me to teach. I am thinking to get certification next coming month, but my gym where I go to has enough Zumba instructors and they offered me to sub or teach in rotation, maybe 1 a month. I don’t know if it is worth it do go for it. I am sure I will need practice teaching to get me up to speed after the certification. How do you look for jobs ? Is there available any choreography on DVD to help get started ?
I have been an instructor for a few months now but opted not to get ZIN because I actually really like making up my own choreography. I decided that if I got it, I would right before my year expired to save some money. However, I keep hearing about this clothing discount but no where can I find out exactly what the discount is. I am interested because I do buy quite a bit of clothing so might be worth it. 🙂 Can you share?
Can anyone that is a ZIN member tell me what kind of discount you receive on Zumba gear? Is it a set percentage off, or is it just different lower ZIN prices on each item that kind of vary?
i think it’s 25% but not positive.
What if you cancel it and then renew ZIN? If you cancel at all, are you required to re-certify the original way? I just don’t want it throughout the entire year. I guess I’m wondering if I can cancel and then reactivate…
Hello,
I found this very interesting. I am getting my zumba certification this week and I have a place to teach my classes but I am extremly nervous!! Any pointers on what to expect on day one on my own as an instructor
I have been taking Zumba Classes for the past 9 months and I live and breathe it now. I danced when I was a child right up to 16 then stopped as I wanted to hang out with other teenagers. Zumba has allowed me to find my love of dance again. I work shifts so take classes in various locations within my city, some instructors are amazing making me instantly jealous, but some am sorry to say need to improve. Those instructors do moves half-hearted and it annoys me because I am trying to commit. I have a secret dream to teach one day, am constantly you tubing videos and have 5 Zumba dvds. I also attended a Part Pink Zumbathon and had a blast. Fingers crossed one day I will be living my zumba dream and delivery a good quality class.
The price has gone up to be a ZIN. I’ve been one since 2009, so I get mine for a little break. They said it is because we now have a warm-up section.
i noticed that! i’ve been a member since 2008, so thankfully i’m still paying the lower rate. crazy!
I think that there is some misinformation in this post. Buried very, very deep in the fine print is this info:
“•Instructor may cancel this Agreement and its membership in ZIN at any time after the Initial Term. If Instructor
cancels his/her ZIN membership prior to expiration of the Initial Term, Instructor shall pay a termination fee equal to US
$10.00 for each month remaining in the initial term of six (6) months. For example, if the ZIN membership is cancelled
after two (2) months, Instructor shall pay Zumba a termination fee equal to US $40.00.” So you can’t really just try it out for a month or two without facing cancelation fees, as I understand it.
Among is correct, currently there is a minimum of six months if you sign up for zin. Once you do, there is a ton of bonus material on the website available to you (music, videos, choreo, playlists), so you can definitely make it worth the money if you use it.
Answers to other questions asked above: you do get a set of music and dvds when you take the Zumba certification class so that you can practice at home. There is also a manual (downloadable) that goes through class structure, choreography, playlist structure, 4 basic Latin styles used in class, and other really useful info. I have been teaching dance for years and still found this info comparable to what I got in a semester-long college course.
You can cancel zin or choose not to join it during your first year after training, as long as you join before your year is up. If you let it lapse before joining zin, you have to re-certify.
Clothing discount is typically 20 off or a little more, even off sale prices.
Thanks so much for this. It’s a great resource and answers a lot of questions. I’m definitely aiming to get my Zumba license in spring 2015.
BUYER BEWARE: Although I believe it was true at the time of this article, Zumba had revamped the ZIN contract for their own benefit. Although you used to be able to continue teaching and had to recertify within 1 year, canceling your membership now CANCELS YOUR CERTIFICATION WITHIN THE MONTH OF LAST PAYMENT.
As a part time instructor who has been barely making enough to cover costs, I was hoping to save enough on stopping ZIN payments to take a specialty training within the year. I was certified in May 2009, took B2 training in 2010, & have been a ZIN member for over 5 years. When I told the customer service rep my plan, she informed me not only will I not be able to take a specialty training without first taking B1 again, I also must stop teaching Zumba at the end of my last paid month. I was and am very disappointed, I love teaching Zumba, but financially it has not been worth it for a long time.
I told her to cancel me, but refused to go through their clear sales pitch. When she still continued, I told her to cancel my membership and that I was going to hang up now. So I received a voicemail saying I needed to call back and complete my ‘inquiry’. I did, restated to a different rep that I cancelled the first time I called, this was my second call, and considered my membership cancelled. I have since recieved 3 more voicemails and an email thanking me for my ‘inquiry’ and to call back to finish my ‘request’. I don’t consider 2 phone calls clearly stating my decision a request. I’ve put a stop payment on the auto deduct. Good luck ZIN members, play the game their way and you may not get harassed.
Thanks for this solid reality check. I’ve read some pretty lousy reviews on ZIN and am scared to get sucked down its money hole. Even if I can barely do anything with my B1 licensing sans ZIN, I’ll be happier than having the entire process soured by having to fight with Zumba to get money back or get out of the membership. My intention was to do B1 followed by a Zumba Kids training, but I realize you have to do ZIN to do the kids class and arrrghhh…
It really sucks the joy outta the whole process. Jeeze, and not even a week trial or something, like Netflix? BollyX gives you a free month of their version of ZIN after you take their class.
I got re-licensed in 2019 and paid $225. But now, the license is only good for 6 months instead of a year and ZIN is $40/month.
thank you for this comment this is what I am worried about and this is the main reason I am not teaching Zumba anymore despite my love of it. This whole thing is pushing away the passionate instructors who are creative enough to create their own choreography away just because we can’t teach enough classes to financially remain a ZIN member. Very disappointed.
I’ve been thinking about becoming a zumba teacher too! seems there’s a lot of us around. I’ve done salsa dancing for years and enjoy attending zumba classes, though I do think I could do better than some teachers! Although, like some of you I have a full time job and am trying to see whether the costs of taking the course and the monthly £30 Zin membership would be worth it, if I were only to do say one or two classes a week. Plus, if I were to rent out a town hall or perhaps it’d be best to try get job at the gym? And how much time it would take during the week to prepare. Though the more you do the easier choreo will become. It’s been interesting to read some of your experiences and similar dilemmas. Any advise would be welcomed! Thanks.
Holding private classes outside of a big name gym also requires you pay for liability coverage if someone gets hurt in your class and a music license(s).
Questions –
1. What is the advantages of JAM session(s) once I become ZIN. DO I get some money OR it will go to ZUMBA group since I think all the money needs to pay directly to Zumba site. Right?
2. I had taken ZIN member ship two month ago but other then the DVD’s I got during my B1 certification nothing been received so far, then what is $30 is charged for other the ‘ retaining’ the licence.
The certification I plan on taking is called “Jump Start Gold Training”. My question is, can I receive my certification from that if I’ve never been to a B1 training (or any other training for that matter)? It’s made to sound like it’s for beginning instructors but I just want to be sure.
You have to take B1 and be a ZIN memeber.
Hi! Thank you for sharing this, I’m happy for you that you had great journey being Zumba. I am a ZIN but didnt get a chance to teach consistently. I wish I have lots of support like you.
To those who would like to be a Zumba instructor,
tips: make sure you have support before you get the B1 and attend classes so you have familiar what you are going to teach. get the ZIn member when your license is nearly expired so you save money because when you pass B1 you are license for a year plus if you registered ZIN member you need to pay automatically every month, when your lisence expired your ZIn is your extension of your license every month.
DID YOU KNOW WHY OTHERS TEACH WITHOUT LICENSE?, let me tell you
If you would like to hold your membership lets say you dont like to teach for few months, you still need to pay $9 everymonth.
By freezing the membership you can keep your member join date, your Basic 1 licence and you can lock in the current membership fee of $30 USD (the lowest one). You do not have to pay a reinstatement fee of $140 USD to reactivate your account.
Please note that once your membership has been canceled, you:
?Lose your indefinite teaching license and must attend a training to renew and be able to teach classes legally.
Lose your class listing and instructor profile on our website, as well as your “Member Since” date.
Forfeit the rights granted under your License Agreement, including use of this program’s trademarks, copyrights, logos and other marketing materials.
Must pay a $140 USD reinstatement fee to rejoin this membership in 12 months after the cancellation date.
Lose any other specialty licenses.
Forfeit any affiliate fees you may have earned.
There will be anew membership fee of $35.95 USD per month.
Please note that, in order to cancel the membership, there needs to be a final payment of $30 USD processed. You will be able to use the benefits and to teach Zumba by the end of January 2019.
We would like to inform you that if you cancel and rejoin after January 2020, you will be required to take a new Basic 1 training. Please be advised that the validity of your licence will be 6 months after the date of the training if you are not a ZIN member.
Goodluck to all of you!
I just cancelled my ZIN membership. The cost has gone way up to $39.95 a month and they no longer offer the CD’s and DVD’s only downloads from the site. JAM sessions for me are 4+ hours away. I just couldn’t find any value in it for me. It really started to feel like it was all about the money with Zumba and the changes in the small print to their contract should be something they are telling you upfront from the start.
I hate to be negative and I love my students but I feel like they are taking advantage of their instructors. We sell their product, do almost all the work, buy their apparel and pay pay pay at every step.
Plus how will you be able to get a job as a zumba instructor. Gyms only hire a few