Author Archives: Lenore Fedow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-x_kh85n-8

Bridget De Leon stands in front of her Zumba class, handing out CDs in paper envelopes to every woman that comes in. On top of being a mother of three, a grandmother of one, and a fitness instructor, she’s found the time to burn a CD for each of the women as an Easter present, featuring the “greatest hits” of the class. The women are grateful but not surprised. In the past, De Leon has given out socks and cellophane baggies of Valentine’s Day candy for her “Zumba Valentines”.

De Leon dedicates much of her time to her classes, picking out each song precisely, ensuring that each song is perfect. Hips and glutes get an intense workout in her weekly classes but she makes sure that her music choices aren’t pushing the envelope too far. “I always want to make sure my music is really fun but it’s appropriate. There are a lot of lyrics out there that I would be really embarrassed to play for my students. I really respect them and I want them to respect me. I don’t want them to think that this is a trashy class.”, says De Leon.

De Leon, a working mother of three, has been working for years to master the art of time management. “Being a working mother when I was raising my son (now 22) was a different story. I had to drag him around. I had to drag him through college, through my graduate degree. He was always sitting next to me in the classroom. But I think now with two younger daughters, I have to manage my time. It doesn’t always work out like that. I mean, I do my best. I make sure I take care of their homework and you know, what’s important. I guess what every other working mother does.”

However, after her husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2012, the multitasking mom had to pause the music and decide what was worth her time. Back then, De Leon worked for New York City Transit as a bus operator. When she resigned, her friends and family thought she was crazy, sacrificing her “real job” with medical benefits to be a Zumba instructor. “I think after my husband was diagnosed with that illness, everything changed in my life. I realized there were so many things that were very important and there were other things that weren’t important. And I had to make a lot of hard decisions.”

From her careful decisions and her sacrifice came something wonderful. De Leon brings a contagious energy and a genuine smile to every class and has it reflected right back to her on the faces of her students. She hands out CDs, socks, candy and belly dancing scarves that jingle as you move but her greatest gift is joy. De Leon says it best, “I come in here. I want to bring joy. And it comes from my heart.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2AQj0a-7Og

On March 19, two days after Saint Patrick’s Day, Saint Joseph’s Day is widely celebrated in the Italian-American community of Brooklyn.