Zerline Hughes Spruill

Licensed to teach Zumba Fitness, Aqua Zumba, Strong Nation.

Zerline Hughes Spruill studied and danced the styles of Afro-Cuban, modern, jazz, tap, ballet, liturgical dance and her latest feat: Zumba, merging all of what she's learned over decades of taking classes, and dancing professionally, into a fun fitness class for all levels. She was certified as a Zumba Fitness instructor in 2011, and Strong Nation and Aqua Zumba in 2021.

Her earliest memory of being a “real” dancer was when she was age 9. No other kid showed up to ballet and tap class on this Saturday. Who knows why. But what she does know is that instead of canceling class and calling her parents to pick her up, Zerline's teacher, Mrs. Maia Watson, made sure to make use of those two hours she had alone with Zerline. That was the first time she remembers actually sweating during a dance class. That was a tough day. Zerline's dance career high: when Carmen DeLavallade complimented her Horton-technique deep floor movement while studying dance at Howard University in Washington, DC.

Zerline has performed at the African Marketplace and Cultural Faire (Los Angeles), Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood Paladium, the home of the late actor Ed Asner, Wilshire Ebell Theatre (Los Angeles), National Cathedral (Washington, DC), New York Avenue Presbyterian Church & more! Zerline has taught dance and Zumba for various school and camp programs including the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences (Santa Monica) and was a professional modern dancer for 10 years with the Martin Dance Company in Los Angeles, CA.

She has taught Zumba throughout the U.S., Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, during local and national conference workout sessions for organizations including the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and has opened up for marathons, and various government parks and recreation programs serving youth to seniors, and more.