Nadia Lorick discloses her reason “to continue doing good in the world”
Tell us who you are and what you do.
My name is Nadia Lorick. I am a licensed Zumba Fitness® Instructor and I specialise in teaching community Zumba Fitness classes across Trinidad and Tobago. I currently host classes at Chaguanas, Valsayn, Valpark and Port-of-Spain but I started off in Chaguanas.
How did you get started in Fitness?
My fitness journey stemmed from my love for Latin dancing. I always admired the passion and feelings conveyed through the music. In 2012, I heard about a latin-dance inspired fitness programme called Zumba Fitness® and did the training without hesitation. Two amazing people in my life - Andy Josiah and Melissa Grant - encouraged me to start teaching my own class. I was so nervous about hosting my own class but I give thanks to God for sending the right people in my life to cheer me on and get me started.
Why did you choose to start your programme in Chaguanas?
I always felt that Chaguanas needed more community-type activities to bring health and wellness to families and friends. For quite some time I was fixated on this feeling but again, I was so terrified to manage my own weekly classes. One day, my friend spoke to me and said, “Nadia you can do this... just start.” I tried tirelessly to find a suitable location that provided comfort, security and a happy vibe to host the Zumba sessions and I ended up using a School Hall at Chaguanas for one year. The response was overwhelming. I was so happy to see the community (and especially the women) feel so energised and smiling after each class. Many would tell me of their frustrations of work and home life and I really wanted to help them believe and feel positively about themselves. The journey grew to the NCIC Hall where I am teaching currently. The administration really supports our community drive for wellness and health and assists us in keeping “Zumba Love” going each week. We, as a class, are so grateful to NCIC for all that they have done for us along the way.
What’s the vibe like in Chaguanas?
The vibe in my Chaguanas class is simply love. We share great experiences through music and dance each week. We visit all the musical beats and rhythms of the world - we do Latin, Bollywood, Afro-beats, Contemporary and our personal favourite - Back in Times - music from every genre. Zumba® Fitness encourages us as instructors to help the world as much as possible. As a class, we have contributed to fundraisers, flood relief efforts, supported other Zumba classes in their endeavours, helped individuals who needed financial assistance for surgeries or simply experienced job-loss. We have done Christmas Toy Drives, Clothing Drives and help bring awareness to causes such as Autism, Breast Cancer, Prader-Wili Syndrome, Down syndrome and we actively encourage others to do the same.
What is your philosophy on health?
Nothing on this Earth is more important that good health! Health is three-fold – mental, spiritual and physical. Over the years I have found that mental health is too often neglected and, as such, I take a lot of time to stress its importance in my classes. I strive to always incorporate positive moves and gestures that lift the state of mind of my clients. When people feel mentally happy, their physical and spiritual presence soars. They stop doubting themselves and all of a sudden everything that seemed impossible - becomes possible!
What is your style of Training?
My style of training is one which seeks to empower clients. I always want them to know that magic lives within them and they have the power to do anything they set their mind to. In my classes, I cater to all age groups so I always try to break down the steps as simply as possible. I do not like complicated moves. I prefer to be simple but challenge clients with repetitions of a particular move. My primary goal is to ensure that my participants feel successful and happy after they leave my classes.
What plans do you have for the future?
For the future, I have a few goals:
I wish to continue delivering fun, positive, upbeat content on the “Zumba with Nadia” Facebook page.
I want to do more community-based classes wherever it is needed in our country.
Help my clients to inspire others to keep fit and healthy. Each person has the power to inspire others so that it continues to create a ripple effect in our society.
What gives you the most fulfilment from this profession?
The greatest joy of my profession is teaching children. A fond memory was the day I had the amazing opportunity to teach Deaf children. It was very humbling to see the ease in which they picked up the moves and made no excuses. Without hesitation, they danced with me. I don’t think my fitness journey would ever get any better than this. I have been blessed by the people of Trinidad and Tobago a thousand times over. I am so grateful to every person who ever attended my Zumba® Fitness classes. I wish to take this opportunity to say thank you and I love you all very much.
What is your personal vision?
My personal vision has to do with the ‘Power of One’ - Each person is very special and has the power to change the world in some small way. The members of my class share this vision and make magic happen each week. I love my class with everything I am. My students always tell me how much I have changed their lives but the truth is that without them, I could not be who I am today - the best version of myself. They always push me to be better and do more. They will forever be my reason to continue doing good in the world.