Zumbathon

On Saturday, March 9, from 1:30-3:30pm, at Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, a two-hour Zumbathon will introduce a new nonprofit organization, the Juan Carlos Organization, which provides Zumba-inspired dance therapy exercise classes for people with disabilities and limited resources. Founded by San Diegan Lisbeth Garces, a certified Zumba instructor and lifelong dancer, the Juan Carlos Organization is named in honor of her son, who had Muscular Dystrophy and passed away at the age of 15. Garces notes that she saw firsthand that people with disabilities often love the opportunity to be as active as possible, especially in activities that are joyful and life affirming. Today, Garces currently teaches seven Zumba-inspired classes a week for people who are physically challenged or have special needs. They include participants with Parkinson’s, MS, Down’s Syndrome, MD, and autism, and also those in wheelchairs. One-hundred percent of the $20 ticket donation for the Zumbathon will directly support the classes that the Juan Carlos Organization offers. (619.971.3904, www.juancarlosorganization.org)    MIA STEFANKO