These ladies may look like professional Latin dancers, but they're mothers, teachers, lawyers and students, and this is a class.

"It's a kick! You're shaking stuff, you're gyrating stuff, it's a lot of fun!" says 32-year-old Casey Ozaki. "You're having exercise but you don't even know the time is passing."

This 60-straight minutes of all out swinging, shimmying and sweating is a new trend called Zumba.

"Zumba is a Latin fitness dance program based on rhythms from all around the world. It's basically a party," says Zumba instructor Stephanie Valavanis. "You'll hear hooting, hollering, loud, captivating music... We mix in merengue, salsa, kumbia, hip-hop, reggaeton, even a little belly-dancing."

Valavanis says Zumba mixes cardio and toning, and if you peek in on a Zumba class at a YMCA, gym or local school, who's doing it may surprise you.

"My class ranges from 16 all the way to mid-60s, 70s even," she says. "This class is for everyone. Anyone can Zumba, even if you have two left feet, never danced before."

We decided to take Valavanis up on that guarantee. We slapped on some workout clothes and tried-- key word tried-- to keep up with the more experienced shimmiers and shakers.

"You can burn anywhere from 500 to 800 calories per class, just based on as much as you're shaking, that's how much you're going to burn," she says.

But while you're dropping calories, you don't have to be dropping dollars. At the Y, sessions can be as cheap as $8 a class for non-members or $4 for members.

PhD student Ozaki says Zumba's helped her lose 35 pounds in the past year, not to mention given her a sexier sense of self.

"Because there's Latin and Caribbean moves, it's kind of fun, kind of sexy-- you kind of play that up," Ozaki says.

And 56-year-old health worker Kathy Reilly says Zumba makes her feel like she's at the Copacabana instead of the Downtown Y.

"No, we're not all perfect, and that's what's so neat about it. Come as you are, do what you can do," Reilly says.

"Middle-aged women are shaking it like they've never shook it before," says Valavanis.

And that's great news for a number of reasons.

"Anything to get people to move is a step in the right direction," says Tiller Landick, an exercise physiologist at LCC.

Landick says as we age, we're faced with health threats like osteoporosis, obesity, cardiovascular disease-- all of which Zumba helps to combat.

"What's wonderful about dance is you move in every direction, every plane, side to side, up and down, use all parts of your body, and it's fun!" she says.

"I tell the ladies, I don't care what is shaking as long as something's shaking!" Valavanis adds.

Shaking, swaying and dancing the weight away.