We’re not saying that Mike Laliberte dances his way across Lewiston, fighting fires and spreading the word about fun and fitness. But if we were saying that, it wouldn’t be an outright lie.

A Lewiston firefighter, Laliberte is also deeply entrenched in the hip-shaking, butt-griding world of Zumba, the dancer-cise craze that’s sweeping the land. How does a fellow go from serving the public to shaking his booty? As it turns out, you can do both.

To ask Laliberte a few questions, we first had to catch up with him. It wasn’t easy. We’re all out of breath over here, so we’re just going to let him do the talking.

How does a fireman get into Zumba? Well, this fireman has a wife that does Zumba, is how I found out about it. We went to a National Dance Day event in Bath last year and had a great time! All the people were amazing. And then they were talking about a Flash Mob! What fireman does not like a flash mob? What’s a flash mob? It’s like a flashover, but not quite as dangerous, and this one took place in the Shaw’s produce department, so it was much cooler in temperature.

Is there ever an opportunity to use your Zumba moves while battling a blaze? Using Zumba moves on duty, yes. I always give credit to Zumba when I need to be nimble and quick – like Jack when he jumps over the candle stick. It is also very handy to have some good Zumba dance moves when trying not to get hit by vehicles while dealing with accidents on very busy streets.

Who can benefit from Zumba? Anyone can benefit from Zumba! It is a style of fitness and dance that is funner than any other exercise I have ever done. I feel better now because of Zumba than I ever have in the past doing any other exercising. It’s more than a workout – it’s a party! And before you know it, class is over and you’re looking forward to the next one! I personally know a woman who has lost well over 50 pounds from doing Zumba for a little over a year. She is now a Zumba instructor also and is an inspiration! In a one-hour class, you can easily burn between 500 and 1000 calories! They also offer Zumba Gold classes for older adults or beginners, and Aqua Zumba and Zumba Toning if you would like to try something different and a little more challenging!

Are there any cops in your class? I can’t recall ever seeing a cop in a class. However, I have run into some at Benoit’s Bakery. They have some excellent doughnuts. And after a Zumba class, I can enjoy a doughnut a little more guilt-free!

Where can the Zumba curious go for information? Ahhh yes, the Zumba curious. I use Facebook and you can “like” Girl Power Fitness, which will give you access to their class schedules. If you are anti-Facebook, perhaps you could visit the studio at 74 Westminster St. in Lewiston, same building as Andy Valley Gymnastics, and there are schedules available in hard copy. There are also lots of other very good Zumba studios and classes all over Lewiston-Auburn. There’s nothing wrong with checking out different places and different instructors. Everyone has their own style, and there is a perfect match for everyone out there!

Got anything fun coming up? Party in Pink on Oct. 21 at the Silver Spur! Its a Zumbathon that benefits breast cancer, because that’s what else we do in Zumba – lots of benefits to help people in need.

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