After months of behind the scenes preparation, blood, sweat and tears, the Zumba® tour bus rolled into town for the UKs first Fitness Concert – a completely sold out event featuring an hour’s Zumba® class led by Zumba® creator Beto Perez, world music and a live performance by Grammy-winner Wyclef Jean.

An appearance on ITV’s flagship breakfast news programme Daybreak, as well as numerous other interviews and features, ensured that everyone was talking about the event and London was buzzing with excitement.

It’s not every day that you find yourself at a concert, surrounded by thousands of men and women dressed from head to toe in pink, where security staff  actively encourage you to get up on your feet and dance, but that’s precisely what happened on Sunday when Beto took to the stage in front of 3,800 Zumba® enthusiasts for the UKs first Fitness Concert at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace.

When Beige first announced the Zumbathon event, no one quite knew what to expect.  Anyone who is familiar with the Zumba® programme will tell you that it’s like one big party, but how does that translate into a concert setting?  One thing was certain, as the excited queues started forming early on Sunday morning, it was going to be one almighty party where every attendee felt like the guest of honour.

Celebrity Zumba ® fans including Amy Childs, Rachel Stevens, Gail Porter, Charlie Brooks and Tameka Empson chatted happily with the assembled photographers, film crews and other media at a VIP reception before the event, all eagerly awaiting the arrival of Beto and Wyclef. 

Once inside, everyone was treated to a visual and audio spectacle; amazing Zumba® dancers from around the world, a moving stage, Wyclef Jean and, of course, the main man himself, Beto Perez.  The atmosphere was electric as Beto rose up from the stage and launched into the first routine, supported by live musicians and a DJ; the audience went wild, waving their arms in the air and screaming out his name. 

After a fantastic hour of dancing, Beto was joined on stage by Wyclef, who treated the audience to a 40 minute set of all his best know hits including the soundtrack to the Party in Pink™ campaign, Historia (listen once and you’ll be singing it all day!).

The Zumabthon event, part of Zumba Fitness’ global Party in Pink™ campaign, raised an outstanding £130,000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Cure Cancer @ UCLH and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Global Promise Fund.

Everyone left the event smiling and the Beige team collapsed, exhausted but over the moon.

By Michael Hickson