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Love of Dance Drives Bridgewater Zumba Instructor

Professional dancer Angela Cusumano teaches Zumba classes to the general public and corporate employees.

She’s been dancing since the age of five and—despite landing in the hospital after two car accidents in the last eight years and struggling with the instability of earning a living as a professional dancer—dance & fitness instructor Angela Cusumano, 29, has no plans to do anything other than what she loves to do.

In fact, it is Cusumano's love of dance that she brings to the Zumba classes she teaches every Tuesday and Thursday at Premiere Dance of Bridgewater. In the fall, she will begin teaching hip hop classes at the dance studio as well.

In addition to teaching in the Dance Power program, established by the late Gregory Hines, that is offered to third graders in the New Brunswick School System, Cusumano also teaches Zumba classes to employees in Bridgewater once a week.

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 “The kind of dance I specialize in is hip hop, but I have been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and musical theatre,” she said.

Cusumano said she especially loves teaching Zumba, a Latin-style dance-exercise, because it incorporates so many dance movements, such as the Meringue, Salsa and Cumbia.

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Cusumano, who received her training through the national Zumba Fitness training program, said she has been taught to lead the class without verbal cues, only hand signals.

“The idea is to just jump in and move to the music," she said. "Some people might be a little intimidated at first because they may feel that they don’t know the steps, but most people catch on quickly and love it."

“What makes it so fun is that you’re just going for it.” she added.

Cusumano also said that sometimes she cranks up the disco lights in the studio and dims the overhead lights slightly to create a more authentic dance party environment.

According to Cusumano, adults can burn between 500 and 1,000 calories in a one-hour Zumba class.

Cusumano's Zumba classes are open to the general public and are suitable for all ages. She charges a drop-in rate of $10 per class or a class card of $100 for 11 classes.

While Cusumano has danced professionally at Six Flags Great Adventure, on tour with musical artists around the world, in fashion shows, music videos and at other special events, she loves sharing what she knows through teaching.

“What I love about dance and choreography is it allows me to be fully creative," she said. "And whether I’m designing a dance for a five-year-old or a 25-year-old, it’s really exciting to see my creation come to life."

"When I hear a song, I can see the choreography in my head,” she said.

While Cusumano suffered a couple of setbacks when she was involved in two car accidents, she simply put her dance training and her determination to work.

“I learned to stretch in certain ways and know when I need to apply ice," she said. "I think it’s especially important when you have sustained an injury to get moving again, as long as you are not hurting yourself."

With a lifelong love of dance and movement, Cusumano said that despite the fact that there are many inconsistencies in income when trying to make a living as a dancer or instructor—such as the weather and the seasons that cause enrollment to fluctuate—the life of dance feels right to her.

“I love dancing," she said. "I love the way I feel when I’m dancing. I feel at home when I’m on stage or when I’m in a classroom teaching or learning new steps.”

“There are always new steps to learn and new ways of approaching a dance," she added. "When I’m dancing, I feel free. I feel like I’m free to express myself. There’s nothing in the world I’d rather be doing. ”

For more information about Cusumano’s work and classes, visit her website at angelacusumano.com.

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