Half an hour into my first zumba class, I looked like this:

My face was red, my hair was sweat-soaked, and if I hadn't taken my glasses off, they would have been fogged up.

But, I was also really happy, happier than I've ever been in an aerobics class. That's because zumba doesn't feel at all like working out. Everything about it - the moves, the throbbing salsa and merengue music, the neon green-clad instructor - felt more like being in the club than in a church gym.

That's not to say it was easy. I think I'm in pretty good shape (5 hours of weekly roller derby will do that), but zumba was challenging, mostly because it requires so much movement to keep up. The instructor, University of Memphis student David Quarles, seemed to have an endless reserve of energy, constantly running and bouncing and shaking.

David told me that each hour-long zumba class burns between 800 and 1200 calories. The moves that are used work to tone muscles (and have the side benefit of also working in any sort of dance party situation you may find yourself in).

Once I let got of my fear of looking silly, the moves were a lot of fun. I've never had a workout that involved unleashing my inner Shakira. Until zumba, I didn't know I had an inner Shakira.

The Wednesday night zumba Class at St. John's attracts all kinds. There were giggling teenage girls, young professionals, older women and two middle aged men that, while I admire their bravery, looked completely lost on the hip shakes. And in zumba, there are a lot of hip shakes.

The St. John's class is open to the public and costs $5 per session. It runs from 6:30 - 7:30 every Wednesday night in the church's gym. If you've got specific questions before you shake it, contact instructor David Quarles.