Meet Katie Griffin, A Woman with Cerebral Palsy Who Teaches Sea…

Do you not like traditional methods, and would you prefer not to have to go to the gym? I have the perfect solution for you! As a disabled person, it can be hard to find the right sport or exercise routine that we thoroughly enjoy, especially since physical exercise can be challenging for people with disabilities. I got to speak to Katie Griffin about her love for Zumba and why she decided to become a Zumba instructor.

Kaite: I have spastic cerebral palsy. It causes tightness in both legs and my left arm. I’m not able to walk, so I use a wheelchair full time.

Katie: I choose the music first, then come up with the moves. I make up moves based on the music/beats/etc.

Katie: I took a couple of Zumba classes prior to teaching, and I enjoyed it so much that I took steps to become a certified instructor. I do feel physical and emotional change since becoming an instructor.

Kaite: When I started, my stamina for dancing/exercising for a whole hour was not good. I found myself out of breath and really fatigued. But as time went on, I was able to sustain the workout much better, and now I hardly get winded.

Katie As for an emotional change, before I started Zumba, it was the beginning of the pandemic, and I was really isolated from people. Since I started, I’ve connected with participants from all over, and it has created a nice community that I’m so glad to be a part of. Dancing and music have always been mood boosters for me, so getting to do that on a regular basis, I can tell, has made a positive impact. Also, I enjoy helping others along their fitness journey, and contributing to that has made me happy.

Katie: I would consider Zumba my favorite sport. I really enjoy it and therefore spend much of my time doing it & preparing new songs. The music is always upbeat, and Zumba is for everyone. I have never been one to get my exercise in by going to the gym and doing workouts or staying home and doing workouts. I always preferred staying active by participating in rock climbing, swimming, and paddling (activities that give you a good workout but are also fun to do.) Zumba fits into that perfectly because it is both fun to do and it has great health benefits like improving cardio health and muscle strength and endurance.

People with disabilities often feel insecure about exercise and dancing out; how do you help your students overcome that insecurity?

Katie: I have noticed that some participants are nervous to try Zumba, especially if they’ve never done Zumba post-injury. I encourage everyone to just try it! And to let go of notions of what they think it should look like. I emphasize that my class’s main goal is to have fun. There is no judgment in my classes.

If you’re interested in hearing more about Kaite’s Zumba journey, check out her episode of my podcast Zumba & Disability: A Conversation with Katie Griffin.

Until next time,

Liv