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Yulissa Arescurenaga, 24, is the first person with Down syndrome in the United States to earn the certification necessary to become a Zumba instructor. It’s a journey that took her four years — but is still not quite finished.
Back in 2008, Arescurenaga attended her first Zumba class and decided, right then and there, that she would become an instructor herself. For the next four years, Arescurenaga spent six hours each day practicing routine after routine. She kept at it until she could memorize several of them and use them to pass the certification test to become an instructor.
It was finally in 2012 that Arescurenaga succeeded and finally earned her certificate. Now, another four years later, she leads multiple classes each week in her hometown of San Francisco, California.
Though Arescurenaga remains in the Bay Area, she has traveled across the country to speak about her journey and to lead Zumba classes.
Last year, when Arescurenaga was in Florida, she led a session at the Zumba Instructor Convention for all the instructors present. “She leads really well, super confident and very sweet,” someone commented after Arescurenaga’s instruction.
Earlier this year, in August, Arescurenaga travelled to Alaska’s National Down Syndrome Congress to do the same thing.
There hasn’t been a single student who’s left a negative review about Arescurenga.
“I got an amazing workout. She was killing it. She didn’t miss a beat,” one Alaska student commented. Other students – and their kids! – all agree.
And while Arescurenaga herself is proud of how far she’s come, no one is as proud as her mom. “She loves to put a smile on people’s faces,” Arescurenaga’s mom said. She hopes that her daughter will serve as an inspiration to other people with Down syndrome that their medical condition doesn’t define them.
You can watch a clip of Arescurenaga teaching here:
