A Guinness World Record was awarded to Mandaluyong City in July for having 12, 975 Zumba participants gathering on the streets of Mandaluyong to dance nonstop for 30 minutes to a loud music. Participants who joined the celebration doubled the record of the 6,671 participants in India in 2012, and bested the Cebu record of 8,232 in 2014.
Alan Pixsley, Guinness World Records’ adjudicator, confirmed that the city achieved the record.
“The largest Zumba class, the current record to beat was 8,232. I can tell you today that the city of Mandaluyong got 12, 975, which means they are the new Guinness World record title holder,” said Pixsley.
According to Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos, the new record would help the promotion of the local government for its campaign for a healthy lifestyle.
Fitness events were organized by the local government for the past four years which included regular exercise programs taking place every weekend.
According to the Mandaluyong’s public information office, the city also had Zumba sessions in March of 2015 as part of the Women’s Month celebrations. The said activity was able to gather an estimated 26, 000 women although it is not a Guinness World Record official attempt.
Zumba is a Latin-inspired activity and a dance fitness activity created in the 1990s by a Columbian dancer. The fitness activity involves aerobic exercises and dance choreography.
Zumba Instructor Network’s eighty-four licensed instructors led the routines.
