Active Lifestyle with Yu

First time ever in Washington state!!! In person bellydance jam session with Zj Yuliyan Vasilev Seattle Athletic Club Downtown on Friday 7/26/2024 from 6-9 pm. Part of the Z-Event Seattle (WA) - July 27 & July 28.

Wi th ZJ Roland Schmid Toning Jam on Saturday 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Burien Community Center and Zumba Gold jam on Sunday 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM (SeaMar Museum of Chicano/a/Latino/a Culture)

Weekend full of other classes and workshops available for instructors and master classes that your students can attend in the afternoon.

Register now for 3 jam sessions on Zumba.com. All other workshops and master classes register with [email protected]

My best friends are the ones I share laughter, smiles, tears, hugs, dance and have fun with!!! You know who you are🥰🥰🥰
Happy best friend’s Day!

Such a pleasure to have Jo Thompson join us today. We are all hoping she will join us again.

I am looking forward to the next three Fridays. Party time with Zoe Bromley (April 26), Mary Ellen Reardon (May 3) and our dynamic duo Mary Ripplinger Friedrich and Carol Rhea Bonner (May 10) before I take my summer break.

My ZOOM room. Message me if you need the link.

Thank you for sharing your songs today Annelie Berntsson. It was a lot of fun. Next week we have Jo Thompson joining us.

Procession website: procession.org

Details are in. Lots of activities going on. Check out the Procession Studio in back of the Olympia Armory. More details on website. Volunteers are needed before, during and after the day of procession. April 27 th starts at 4:30 pm.

POSC: Homepage Mission To empower communities to engage in cultural relationships with the natural world as a means of sustaining efforts of environmental protection and restoration.

Enjoy the International Day of Happiness!!!

Woohoo. Get ready to have seated fun with Rhea and I as we do an early birthday celebration for Joan Weaver Collis. Friday 3/8 9-10 am Pacific time. Message any of us for the link. Diana’s usual zoom room.

Then join us and my international friends as we celebrate Dancing Golden International Women’s Month on Sunday 3/10 from 10-11:30 am Pacific time. Message me to make donations and for zoom link. I am raising funds for Family Education and Support Services

Thank you all for joining our pop up Zumba Gold class this morning. I love dancing wi the our friends in Europe. Corinne and Heike, so special to have you as my guests. Everyone was happy and smiling. Everyone was beautiful!!!! Enjoy the rest of your week.

Carmen Montero-Borja and Diana Yu are fundraising for Family Education & Support Services. Join our Dancing Golden international Zumba Gold class on Sunday March 10th. 10 AM Pacific time on Zoom. Message us for the link.

PayPal [email protected] “For FESS” in message. Please choose for friend and family. Message Diana for alternative ways of making donation.

“Family Education and Support Services (FESS) is a 501 C 3 non-profit organization in our 24th year of serving families. We are dedicated to our mission to ensure healthy child development through the provision of quality family strengthening services. At FESS we are striving to stop child abuse and promote healthy child development through a wide variety of researched strategies. These include the provision of parenting classes, support groups, home visitation services, case management, and the provision of concrete goods and supports. Last year we served over 20,000 individuals in accessing resources, building skills, confidence and resilience! Many were served through our three family resource centers located in Thurston, Lewis and Mason Counties but we also served families across the United States through our virtual parenting and support services. To learn more about FESS visit us on Facebook FamilyEducationAndSupport.org, our web site: www.familyess.org, email Executive Director Shelly Willis at [email protected], or call 360-754-7629.”

These are the new one size fits all shirts. If I order them would anyone want one. Only one per person. For pick up only, no mailing. Will probably be charging $12 each.

First come first serve. Let me know what color.

Goodbye 2023,
Hello 2024!!

Every year I am so grateful for having family and friends that love and care for me. I had a chance to visit the Philippines in February, meeting up with family and former schoolmates. I reconnected with my Uncle and Aunt and visited my Father’s home town of Legaspi and Sorsogon. It was an incredible trip.

It was also a very sad time when we lost our friend Ivy in March this year. Grieving with her family brought us even closer together.

A 36 hour whirlwind trip in June to Las Vegas, get together with former schoolmates from SPCM was delightful.

A “dream come true” in July was hosting Roland Schmid and Yuliyan Vasilev for Zumba events and trainings in Lacey and Seattle. Having Zumba Gold buddies Sherry and Sheila join us from Canada, Maureen from Vermont and Veronica from Cali was like icing on the cake.

Then we had a crazy fun time at the Zumba Convention in August with my travel besties Carmen Kazuko and Christy. Finally got to meet so many of our ZOOM buddies in real life. So much laughter and fun but alas I came home with the darned Covid!!!

Then for Christmas I took a trip to Puerto Rico for the first time with my daughter Angela. What a beautiful country and great memories.

My Zumba family (instructors and participants) is awesome and so supportive. I am always amazed at how close we all are. We are truly friends who have become family. You will see all the smiles and the love, the tears and the hugs as we share our moments together. Thank you for your friendship.

Just 100 of the photos that show what my year was like. The tune “Love My Life” by Robbie Williams is one of my favorite cool down songs. Song credits go to the original artist.

My 2023 year in review

Long Story:
Diana’s Zumba Journey

Take me back to January 7, 2012 when I first met Madalene Aponte and she did my B1 training. I only went because Butters (Carrie Butterton Klingberg) was going. We were Rhoa Rafeh’s groupies and at times had the opportunity to co-lead and sub for her so we took the plunge, never intending to teach regularly.

A group of us groupies wanted to continue dancing after Rhoa “retired” and we found a sweet Zumba home with Family Education Support Services and with the support of Shelly Willis, we provided free classes to the center’s clients and had a donation jar for all others who attended. The donations went to FESS. I was not teaching as much as helping to remember songs that we danced with Rhoa. Eventually, Carmen Montero-Borja Kazuko Rosen Carmen Olson Can Du all took the plunge and became instructors too.

A few months later I found out about Zumba Gold and decided to take the training. Wow! What a difference it made for me. Then I found out about ZIN Jam programs and a jam ju**ie was born.

I learned by doing. I learn fairly quickly and need to practice what I learned by just going ahead and teaching it, tweaking the choreo until it morphs into a routine that works for me. I am a great copier. Modification of choreos I learn from others is what I do best. I am not innately creative but I like to add my silliness and fun to what I present because it makes me happy to see people laugh and smile. I can be graceful but I am not a great technical dancer. I am ME!!!

Early in my Zumba journey I was hurt when people made comments about my mature age, my low impact style and my body size. The fact that I did not jump around and do high impact moves was done on purpose!!! I am a dedicated . In my maturity, I know better than to compare myself to other instructors. I can dance, have fun and enjoy and plan to continue teaching as long as I can. You can find my schedule of in person and virtual classes on Zumba.
https://www.zumba.com/p/Diana-Yu/387115

Twelve years have gone by in a flash. I still love . It is my happy hour, my therapy, my fountain of youth. I will continue to learn and improve as I have been doing for the last 12 years because we are never too old to learn.

To our golden years!!! Keep dancing. Keep moving. Báilalo! Gózalo!! Vívelo!!!

Goodbye 2023,
Hello 2024!!

Every year I am so grateful for having family and friends that love and care for me. I had a chance to visit the Philippines in 2023, meeting up with family and former schoolmates. I reconnected with my Uncle and Aunt and visited my Father’s home town of Legaspi and Sorsogon. It was an incredible trip.

It was also a very sad time when we lost our friend Ivy earlier this year. Grieving with her family brought us even closer together.

A “dream come true” was hosting Roland Schmid and Yuliyan Vasilev for Zumba events and trainings in Lacey and Seattle. Having Zumba Gold buddies Sherry and Sheila join us from Canada, Maureen from Vermont and Veronica from Cali was like icing on the cake.

Then we had a crazy fun time at the Zumba Convention with my travel besties Carmen Kazuko and Christy. Finally got to meet so many of our ZOOM buddies in real life. So much laughter and fun but alas I came home with the darned Covid!!!

Then for Christmas I took a trip to Puerto Rico for the first time with my daughter Angela. What a beautiful country and great memories.

My Zumba family (instructors and participants) is awesome and so supportive. I am always amazed at how close we all are. We are truly friends who have become family. You will see all the smiles and the love, the tears and the hugs as we share our moments together. Thank you for your friendship.

Just 100 of the photos that show what my year was like. The tune “Love My Life” by Robbie Williams is one of my favorite cool down songs. Song credits go to the original artist.

My 2023 year in review

Thank you Chris Miller for the wonderful photos.

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/VDXEwFw1QTd2WjTX/?

Signs of Christmas: decorations, presents, packed stores, and Carlos is throwing a party! Carlos returned this year to really launch the holiday season. And the party was incredible as always. We know people are already looking forward to next year! :)

The photographer gives permission for people to download, share, etc. any of the pictures.

The videos that were recorded and are located in the videos section of this page: We do not own the rights to any of the songs you hear and no copyright infringement was intended.

Thank you to my wonderful friends that are subbing my in person classes the next two weeks.

Monday 12/18 and 12/25 no class at Capital Mall. See you back for our New Year party 1/1/2024 at 9 am.

Tuesday Zumba gold Lacey Senior Center 9:30 am Amanda Jenkins will teach 12/19. Center is closed 12/26

All my other classes at the Lacey Senior center is on a break until new year. No classes Wednesday 11 am seated or Tues Thurs 5:30 pm class.

Wednesday 9 am and Thurs 10:30 am at Plum Street YMCA will be covered by Heather Malroy on 12/20 and 12/21 and Anne Haschka on 12/27 and 12/28.

Friday 10:30 am classes at Jubilee will have Heather Forrey on 12/22 and 12/29.

No virtual classes until 1/1/2024.

Yay Snoopy gifts for class arrived in time. So fun this morning with the !!

We had treats, Giveaways and a lot of fun dancing🥳🎉🎄Christmas Tunes

Thank you for your support the past 16 monts Capital Mall. We are taking our first break and will be back for our Glimmery New Years party on 1/1/2024!!!!

Late post from a fun Thursday Zumba Gold at Plum Street YMCA and at the Lacey Senior Center. Look at all those smiles🥰🤗

Do you know how lucky we are? Carlos Henriquez-El Bachatu travels all over the US and the world teaching special workshops. But he loves us in Olympia and comes to start out our holidays with a special master class.

Come join us for the Carlos Henriquez Holiday party on Friday 12/15. 6-7:30 PM. Briggs YMCA. Tickets are available on line
https://www.elbachatu.com/event-details/2023-olympia-holiday-zumba-mc

OR you can purchase tickets from Diana Yu (Capital mall, Plum street YMCA, lacey senior Center) Meckmeck Olson (Thrive fitness) Regina Tiemi Yoshihara McAllister (LA fitness/ Briggs YMCA)

You will also get to meet and dance with our newest Zumba education specialist MiRan Energy Zes, dance with the Zumba Gold team from Capital Mall and MeckMeck and the minions from Thrive. It’s gonna be a wild party.

Get your tickets now!!!!!