Meet Becca Ulibarri | Instructor & Owner of “ZUMBA with Ms. Becca” // ZUMBA Kids, Kids Jr. & Lil’ Jammers

We had the good fortune of connecting with Becca Ulibarri and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Becca, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
One of my favorite quotes is: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou This is such a powerful thing to keep top-of-mind in both business and everyday dealings. Especially with ZUMBA with Ms. Becca, most of my interactions are directly with the kiddos and they do NOT mince-words on how they feel about things! They will let you know — to your face, no sugar-coating — if they enjoyed something or not… So, making sure each experience is jam-packed full of fun & silliness is important! However, often times the sessions are less about ZUMBA, games, or dancing and more about making each child feel loved and special. Though ZwMB is all about “fitness-focused fun”, it is a privilege to spend valuable face-time with children — it’s an honor to get to impact their days, minds and little souls. This time spent is important and should be treated so!

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I do not feel like a professional at all! In fact, there are probably TONS of people way better-suited to do what I do… But, for whatever reason I feel like I’m supposed to be doing this right now and it’s been blessed! The greatest challenge (other than initial cold-calling *shudder*) has been this season of COVID. Not being able to physically “be” with this kids and make them smile, giggle, give hugs and high-fives is pretty painful. The financial hit is one thing, but not being able to make an impact with the kids is really the worst part — virtual experiences just are not the same, and both me and the kids feel it. What sets ZwMB sessions and events apart is the energy and excitement that comes with each experience. There are lots of ways to exercise and/or be entertained, but these sessions are meant to bring joy into that fitness-focused FUN. Each kiddo (and adult!), I hope leave my sessions sweaty, happy & energized. The level of enjoyment of each participant is so important to me — whether it’s a a classroom size session, a small backyard birthday party, or an all-school assembly, my goal is to have each kiddo feel valued, leave with a smile on their face and a little lighter than before!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I literally have a note on this for when people ask! Titled, “Colorado Fun Places to Recommend”… So, here ya go — copied and pasted from the archives! Fun Ideas/Places: – Perfect Landing / a chill piano bar with an amazing view of mountains + Denver skyline, randomly at the Centennial Airport – great date night spot! Delish food + great happy hour – Union Station / fun place to chill and get drinks, ice cream, a few shops — super cute inside! – Garden of the Gods, CO Springs / easy “hike” for out-of-towners not used to altitude – Drifters, CO Springs / burger place like “In n’ Out” — a good stop before or after GOTG – BCG / speakeasy in Cherry Creek (Denver) — you text your name, party number and preferred arrival time and they tell you either “yes or no” if you can come… spendy drinks, but fun and fancy-pants! – Little Man Ice Cream / yummy ice cream and fun atmosphere! Fun area to chill when weather is nice! – Peaks Lounge / downtown Denver on top a hotel sky scraper — great place for drinkies at sunset! – Cruise Room / fun bar for a quick drink to kick-off “girls nite”! – Breakfast King / yummy old school diner place open 24hrs. There are lots of “floofy” brunch places in Denver (organic, kale, etc…), but we like this place best for price and big plates of yummy food! – 1Up / a fun old school arcade bar in downtown – LaRumba / great place to salsa dance (Thurs-Sat) – Tocabe Indian Eatery / suuuups yummy food for a quick-service place! – Celestial Seasonings Tour / always a solid time for out-of-towner’s, and the price is right! – Breweries galorie! Just pick one, they are all great fun!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Definitely the #1 shoutout must be to my hunky-husband, Andrew! Without his initial support and confidence, this little outfit never would have come to be. From the start, he was encouraging, reinforcing and full of assistance — the “numbers” side of things are not my strong-suit, and he’s help in this area was key to actually getting things going and cranking. Not to mention the many random projects/creations I ask him to build for the themed sessions (“pig-pens”, transportable tents, light-sabers, DIY rhythm-sticks, etc…) — he is always willing to help and jump on board to make things happen, no matter how silly or goofy they may seem. Thanks, Baaaaaaayhp!

Website: https://zumbawithmsbecca.square.site/

Instagram: instagram.com/msbeccazumba/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/beccaulibarri/

Facebook: facebook.com/msbeccazumba

Youtube: youtube.com/c/ZUMBAwithMsBecca