Fun & Fearless Leader Want to s e e W h at aqua Zum m at s o n for aqua ba is all Z about? J u m b a at 9 seabree oin a .m . e v e Ze sport r y s thursda pool. em Zumba@ y at ail barb thevilla a r a m at g e s .n e t s o n at for mor e inform at i o n . Barbara Matson's Aqua Zumba class is the fastest 50 minutes in The Villages. "There is something about the water that just makes you feel good," Matson said. Matson ordered Zumba tapes in 2007 to do at home after having back surgery. It wasn't until she moved to the Village of Pennecamp in 2009 with her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, that she decided to pursue her certifications in both Zumba and Aqua Zumba. "I thought it would be fun and something I could do with my mom, because she loved the water," she said. She knew that she could keep an eye on her mom while she taught and that her mother would love the class. For all these reasons, Matson received her certifications and began teaching at local recreation areas in The Villages. Matson's mother looked forward to attending her class and dancing in the water with fellow members. "She loved putting on her bathing suit and her gown and going to the pool," she said. Soon members began to realize just how special both Matson and the class really were. In fact, many of them have attended her class for eight years. Matson uses a combination of both Zumba routines and her own choreography to create the class workouts. Whenever she creates a new routine, she tests it out in the pool to see how the dance feels in water to ensure it's something members will be able to do. She includes music genres ranging from Latin to hip-hop to classic rock. The ladies look forward to Matson's creativity and the enthusiasm that she brings to each song and dance. MAGAZINE 5