Students will have the chance to learn Latin dance moves, burn some calories and support the Student Dietetic Association on Saturday at ACU’s first Zumbathon.

Students can pay $10 for early registration or $15 at the door to participate in the dance-off that will place at the Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center from 10 a.m. to noon. All money raised will fund members of the Student Dietetic Association to attend national and state nutrition and dietetic conferences.

Seven instructors will lead Zumba individually, each using their different dancing styles. Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance and fitness program that blends red-hot international musical styles, according to the website of the Zumba Fitness company, which was founded by the dance’s creator, Beto Perez. The workout involves more than just dancing — true Zumba meetings provide healthy snacks and inform attendances about proper diet after their exercise.

The idea for the Zumbathon came from Bethany Downing, senior nutrition major from Abilene, who is a certified Zumba coach and a member of the Student Dietetic Association. She has been teaching Zumba for almost two years and now is coaching at the ACU Student Recreation and Wellness Center. She thought hosting Zumbathon would be a good way to raise funds for the association.

“I love Zumba,” Downing said.”It is such a good exercise. It’s a celebration of music and movement.The mission of the Zumbathon is to promote wellness through movement and nutritional awareness.”

Downing said the opportunity attend conferences is important to nutrition majors. She hopes students will come out to support the Student Dietetic Association.

“It means a lot for us,” Downing said. “Going to those conferences opens the door for more future career opportunities.”

Downing expected over a hundred to attend. She said she knows some people are afraid of dancing in public, but the purpose of the Zumbathon is to let people have fun, burn the calories and get know other people who have the same interests.

Greta Porisch, sophomore elementary education major from San Antonio, attends Zumba class at the SRWC twice a week and really enjoyed it. She said she hopes to go to Sunday’s event.

“It is a good work out and a lot of fun,” Porisch said.”I may ask a friend to go to the Zumbathon with me.”

The Zumbathon is open to all Abilene community members. People interested can purchase tickets at the Campus Center. The first 25 registrant will get a free shirt and the next 50 will get a Zumba bracelet.