TWO celebrities from the Philippines will be the special guests of M2 Fitness’ second anniversary celebration at Saipan World Resort’s Royal Taga Ballroom on Saturday, August 27, 2022.
The Zumba Craze Party theme is “Take It to the Strongest Level” and will feature Zumba instructors Wowie De Guzman, a Filipino actor, and Joshua Zamora, also an actor and former member of the 90s dance troupe, The Maneuvers.
The VIP entry ticket costs $50 while the general admission ticket costs $35.
Proceeds from the event will be donated to the NMI Museum and the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, a charity.
From 2 to 200
M2 Fitness, which now has over 200 members, started on August 27, 2020, with just two members: Mary Grace Bautista and her friend Mita Pelicano, hence M2.
At the time, Bautista said she had a health problem and was advised to work out while Pelicano got herself a Zumba license because she was planning to open a Zumba studio in the Philippines.
“I wasn’t in the gym at all. I didn’t have any plans to be in the gym. I just did it because I needed to,” Bautista said.
When he started training at Gold’s Gym, Bautista felt lonely so he asked Pelicano to join him. They became gym buddies who also attended Zumba classes.
Bautista said Pelicano convinced her to get her Zumba license and thus M2 Fitness, a two-person Zumba group, was formed.
They started inviting family members and friends to join their Zumba sessions at Minatchom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe.
When they celebrated their first anniversary on August 27, 2021, M2 Fitness already had 135 members.
Bautista, who is the president of M2 Fitness, said they went through tough challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Due to restrictions, the number of sessions per week was very limited and they could only accommodate a few individuals.
Additionally, when it rained, it was “really difficult” to hold a Zumba class in a beach pavilion, Bautista said.
Fortunately, her good friend, Merly Tolentino from the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, said they could hold Zumba sessions at the TSL Sports Complex in Gualo Rai. There they began organizing special Zumba events, including the Biggest Loser Challenge, in which Tan Holdings employees participated.
M2 Fitness continues to hold regular Zumba sessions at the TSL Sports Complex.
On August 27 this year at Saipan World Resort, Bautista said their 200 M2 Fitness members are expected to participate in a Zumba session led by Wowie and Joshua in celebration of M2 Fitness’ second anniversary.
challenges
Bautista said M2 Fitness is not funded by any other organization. “All the money we spend comes out of our pockets,” she added.
However, she said they have to pay for the annual business license and monthly fitness license for each of the different types of Zumba classes they run.
She noted that M2 Fitness doesn’t just focus on dance. “We also share proper nutrition tips and proper exercise routines with our members,” she said. “It’s already a challenge for everyone to attend a Zumba class every day because our workout isn’t easy – we have to build endurance.”
She added, “Being involved in M2 Fitness is also involving yourself in the community, so it has become an obligation. Once you get into community involvement, you need to help people achieve their fitness and health goals. We are here not to be popular. We are here to help people.”
As they celebrate their second anniversary, Bautista said, “We remain a strong group because we support and respect each other and understand each other’s flaws and weaknesses. That’s the main thing.”
For more information, go to the M2 Fitness Facebook page.