Selling Authenticity

Chapter 1, “Selling Authenticity,” examines how the Zumba Fitness company uses discourses of authenticity to present the music and dance they utilize in their routines as prime examples of authentic Latin music. The chapter argues that the trope of authenticity represents Latin America and other countries in the Global South as premodern in relation to the presumably more modern United States. By presenting popular Latin music as rooted in ancient, static traditions, Zumba Fitness brands itself as peddling real Latin American cultures even though, ultimately, their representations are rooted in racial stereotypes. The chapter offers a close analysis of Beto Pùrez’s descriptions of Latin dance in his writing. Then, the chapter incorporates the experiences of Zumba Fitness instructors at Zumba Fitness classes where they learn about Latin music. The chapter ends by considering how Zumba instructors sometimes embrace and sometimes challenge the discourses of authenticity promoted by Zumba Fitness.