SGM Davis Makes Fitness Fun

Fort Bragg’s Morale Welfare and Recreation’s Group Fitness Classes hosted a 2-hour Zumbathon at on Pope Army Airfield Friday afternoon. During the event, Fort Bragg Zumba instructors took turns leading a large group of enthusiastic participants in the Latin-inspired dance-fitness program. One of the instructors leading the charge was Zoey Davis. 

Many Zumba students on Fort Bragg who have had the opportunity to attend Davis’s class know she brings a lot of energy and excitement when instructing. What many of her students do not know, is that Zoey Davis is a Command Sergeant Major with over 20 years of service in the Army. 

Davis, relatively new to Zumba, started participating in Zumba at in Fayetteville in 2011. Inspired by her instructor, she kept coming back. Within a few months, Davis had a desire to take her experience to the next level.

“Yes, I had fun as a student, but I wanted to have more fun,” said Davis. “Why should just the instructor have fun?” 

With encouragement from her instructor, Davis took the Zumba instructor course. Even after completing the instructor course, Davis still views  herself as a student and she continues to shadow instructors to get pointers on correct form. 

“I always have a student mindset and the mentality that I’m going to learn, “ said Davis.

Now working as a substitute Zumba instructor on Fort Bragg and leading classes in surrounding counties, fitness is an added bonus of why Davis is motivated by Zumba. 

 “One of the biggest reasons I got into Zumba was not just for fitness, but I use it as a ministry as well,”  said Davis. “It’s a good way to spread God’s word.”

Recently, Davis transitioned from a job with the Mobilization and Deployment Brigade to take over as a Sergeant Major in Fort Bragg’s Warrior Transition Battalion where injured, wounded, and diseased soldiers who require at least six months of rehabilitative care and complex medical management .

Davis will also undergo rehabilitative care in the next few months. 

“If I want to continue to do Zumba and other exercises, I need to have an operation on my knees to repair bilateral meniscus tears,” said Davis.   

Davis, not looking forward to sitting on the sidelines while waiting for her leg to heal, plans to stay active.

“I’m still going to work the upper-body sitting in a chair on the stage stage in my cast doing arm movements while other  instructors dance,” said Davis. “People who are wheelchair-bound will be able to see you can still do Zumba and stay fit. Zumba is for everyone.”