Zumba Welcomes First Instructor with Down Syndrome (Exclusive)

• Yulissa Areskulenaga is the first Zumba instructor with Down syndrome and teaches classes offered on the Zumba app
• Zumba is a high-energy fitness program that combines aerobic exercise with Latin-inspired dance.
• Her mother, Marlene Palomino, told PEOPLE that her 32-year-old daughter practices for hours a day.

Yulissa Areskulenaga is pushing boundaries as the first Zumba instructor with Down syndrome.

The 32-year-old San Francisco native tells PEOPLE. “I feel very happy.”

“Zumba is for everyone,” she said, adding, “If you want to see people smile, take a Zumba photo.”

But the transition from being a fan of dance-based exercise to becoming an instructor “took a very long time,” her mother Marlene Palomino tells PEOPLE, revealing that her daughter took her first class in 2008. Ta.

Since then, “she has never missed a class,” Palomino said. Four years later, she said, “Mom, I need your help. I want to become a Zumba instructor.”

“I said, ‘Really?'” Palomino tells PEOPLE, adding that at the time, no one in her family had any idea how to make a career out of Zumba, a Latin dance-based fitness program. Official app.

“‘Are you ready?'” she asked her daughter, “‘I don’t want to dance at the family party. I need to learn routines and procedures.'” And she said, “Yes, I can.” ‘Yo.’

A two-time Special Olympics gold medalist, Alekslenaga was a competitive swimmer. She showed her mother the routine she had learned.

“I realized, ‘Oh, she knows the steps.’ She has a rhythm.”

“So I made some calls to the Zumba office,” she said. “Is there any chance for a young girl in this condition to become a Zumba instructor?”

as cleveland clinicc explains that people with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, which “can affect brain and body development.” They may have weak muscle tone, vision problems, and be more susceptible to illness.

However, Areskurenaga had no major health problems, her mother tells PEOPLE. As long as I could pass the licensing exam, there was no obstacle to becoming an instructor.

She passed the exam in 2012 and began volunteering to teach classes at a local elementary school.

“They never saw anything wrong or different,” Palomino said of how her daughter interacted with the kids at school. “The Zumba teacher comes and we just have fun dancing.”

“Yulissa has become more confident with children,” she added. “It makes me so happy to see the children smile and say, “The Zumba teacher is here!”

As soon as my daughter started Zumba, I reached out to her. Post on social media Participating in various Zumba events.

“The more Julissa shared her passion, the more she felt part of the great Zumba community,” says Palomino. “She practices every day,” her mother said, and she plans to rehearse her routine for up to six hours.

“[Being on] App — I’m very happy,” Aresculenaga said. His 30 minute class is available on his official website. zumba app

“As a mother, this is perfect for her,” Palomino tells PEOPLE. “I’m so proud of Yulissa. She never stopped… I’m glad she’s an inspiration to others.”

“Zumba is more than just a movement. It’s a celebration of the uniqueness within each of us. Yulissa embodies the heart and soul of our community and proves that passion transcends walls.” says Zumba CMO Carolina Moraes.

“Her vibrant energy ignites every class she teaches and reminds us that while we may have our differences, at Zumba, the dance floor belongs to everyone. ”

And now, as the first Zumba instructor with Down syndrome, Aleklenaga tells PEOPLE she wants to inspire others.

“Dreams do come true,” Areskurenaga tells PEOPLE.