Leslie Marques

Have enjoyed sport, fitness and physical activity since I was a teenager. Being physically active has been my anchor through many ups and downs in life and supports my physical and mental health and well-being every day.

Witnessing my grandmother enjoy a full life with a physical disability inspired me to pursue my university education in Kinesiology / human movement and begin my professional career in physical rehabilitation. Wanting to create supportive environments for everyone to live full, healthy lives, I shifted my career toward promoting health, safety and well-being in home, workplace, school and community settings.

My Mum, who is living with a chronic illness, is now my daily inspiration to promote and support accessible opportunities for people to enjoy movement in whatever capacity they can and experience its benefits. Helping individuals and groups to develop their strengths, follow their passions and be active for life had been a focus of mine for many years through part-time personal training, consulting and volunteering.

I started Zumba for fun and fitness and my love of Latin music and rhythms. It quickly became so much more. I’ve had several injuries and other than walking, dance fitness has been the activity I’ve been able to participate in and enjoy consistently. Beyond the physical benefits, it’s the sense of togetherness and a shared experience in a class that I enjoy the most. I had been searching for a way to get back to contributing to my community again when I discovered that Zumba could be the way I did that.

I’ve always been encouraged by the positive energy that is created when people are moving, laughing, singing, and having fun together. Becoming a Zumba instructor has created a unique opportunity for me to combine my expertise with what I’m passionate about – it’s an amazing feeling to share that with others. I’m inspired by the physical, mental and social benefits of Zumba that start on and go beyond the dance floor as they create positive changes and contribute to our individual and collective quality of life.

Teaching style

I’m dedicated to creating an inclusive, safe, and fun environment that encourages a sense of belonging and joy of movement for all Zumba® class participants. Everyone is welcome and all movement is welcome. I focus on clear dance technique, cueing and easy to follow steps with some challenging moves mixed in to help participants quickly build confidence with dance routines while keeping the class experience dynamic and interesting.

There are a variety of rhythms in my playlists, which allows me to offer different levels of challenge with the steps. Dancers have options to move at the intensity and impact they prefer and make the class their own. I hope everyone that joins feels like the Zumba dance floor is a place where they can be themselves, have fun and be playful, and share in the freedom that music and movement bring.

Classes

• Zumba

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, University of Waterloo
• Licensed Zumba Instructor
  • Zumba Basic Level 1 Instructor Training: Zumba formula, core rhythms and dance technique
  • Zumba Gold Specialty Training: low-impact, low intensity, low complexity Zumba and Zumba in a chair
  • Zumba Rhythms 2: advanced dance techniques and rhythms
  • Zumba Pro Skills: leadership and presentations skills and participant engagement
• Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN) member