Bien Hecho: Latina Can’t Walk, But Teaches Zumba

There’s an amazing story out of San Antonio about a woman who cannot walk, but yet recently was licensed to be a Zumba instructor. Cortina Gutierrez, 32, suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) and has scoliosis. She’s 3 feet tall, can’t walk and has been making YouTube videos of her Zumba instruction. Here’s an excerpt from a story in the San Antonio Express-News:

She tried Zumba for the first time last year because she was looking for a way to improve her health, and she had always liked dancing. One class and she was hooked. “It’s fun. It doesn’t feel like exercise,” she says. “It just feels like you’re dancing at a party.”

She quickly learned how to modify the moves to her own abilities. After three months of doing Zumba several times a week, she began noticing improvements in her health: She could breathe easier. She was stronger. Her range of motion had increased.

Soon, she began coming up with her own choreography.

Awesome, check out the whole story here and her videos here. In our weekly segment, “Bien Hecho,” we note the good deeds and achievements of Latinos across the U.S. and Latin America. If you feel that someone you know is deserving of recognition, let us know at tips@newstaco.com. Thanks to Charles for the tip!