All Crunch locations worldwide will offer in-person classes for the event
Crunch Fitness and Zumba are hosting a Global Dance Day and celebrating the high-value, low-price (HVLP) fitness franchise’s 35th anniversary this month with 35-minute Zumba classes at all Crunch locations worldwide.
The event will be held on Sept. 21, considered National Dance Day in the U.S. Those who don’t reside near one of Crunch’s 460+ locations can still join in on the fun via Zumba’s app. The dance fitness brand had rolled out a new app experience earlier this year, making it easier to find and book Zumba classes or participate in on-demand sessions.
“There’s no better way to celebrate Crunch’s 35th anniversary than with a global dance party,” Crunch Fitness VP of group Fitness Marc Santa Maria said. “As the first gym chain to offer Zumba classes, we couldn’t have picked a better partner to launch a worldwide dance celebration. We’re looking forward to offering all of our members around the world a chance to celebrate this important milestone together.”
Beto Perez, the high-energy creator and co-founder of the dance fitness brand, credited the fitness franchise as the first gym chain to offer Zumba classes.
“Zumba’s journey to becoming a global phenomenon started with Crunch Fitness 23 years ago, and we couldn’t be prouder of our incredible partnership,” Perez said. “We’re thrilled to join forces once again to celebrate this milestone and dance our way into the future together.”
In preparation for the Crunch x Zumba Global Dance event, Crunch+ will offer weekly teasers every Wednesday leading up to Sept. 21.
Zumba has been unveiling several partnerships this year in a direct-to-consumer push, including a deal with Samsung Health and health platform Noom.
Dance has shown to be the most popular form of fitness classes in 2023, according to data from Set by Set, which ranked exercise classes based on their average monthly search volume.
The popular dance fitness brand aligns nicely with Crunch’s ‘Feel Good, Not Bad’ vision — which was reflected in the HVLP’s ad campaign earlier this year.
“In a world where there’s a lot of anxiety, stress, depression — just concerns about overall well-being — we’ve had this message going out about ‘Feel the Good’ at Crunch,” Crunch Fitness CEO Jim Rowley told Athletech News in a recent interview regarding the fitness franchise’s plans for 2025.
In addition to Zumba, Crunch offers its members other group fitness classes, such as Ride, access to HIIT zones, Olympic weightlifting platforms, personal training and recovery amenities — all of which resonate with Gen Z.
“Our members are young, strong and social,” Rowley said.
Most recently, Crunch piloted ‘Pickleballers’ in partnership with Break the Love. The high-intensity, eight-week class found a home over the summer at designated Crunch locations in New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles.
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