ORLANDO, Fla. - Zumba Fitness instructors worldwide are not only using a Latin-heavy song lineup in their classes, they're also creating new fans for artists such as Pitbull, Daddy Yankee and Don Omar.

Omar's "Zumba" has remained high on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for nearly a year, peaking at No. 2. In Greece, Daddy Yankee's "Limbo," currently in the Top 10 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, is featured in a promotional video that has Greek Zumba instructors dancing to a Puerto Rican reggaeton beat in a beach setting.

"Daddy Yankee texted me five days ago and said, 'I wanted you to know that 'Limbo' is as much your hit as it is my hit,'" said Zumba Fitness co-founder and CEO Alberto Perlman. "It was perfect for Zumba. When he showed it to us, he said, 'I said Zumba nine times in the song and it's because you guys have inspired me.'"

Zumba, a dance-based fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in 2001, was born and is still based in South Florida. It has expanded worldwide, creating new fans of dance styles such as Perez's native cumbia and new fans of Latin music.

Some 14 million people in 185 countries are now dancing and singing to the songs, smiling and sweating in Zumba classes and clamoring to buy the music.

"Being from Michigan, I wasn't exposed to any of that music, and now it's easy to find and we hear it so often," said Jill Cooper of Ann Arbor, a longtime fitness professional. She was one of 8,000 Zumba instructors from around the world who attended the annual Zumba Instructor Convention in Orlando, Fla.

Walking through the convention space, you hear an international smorgasbord of music. Polynesian music blares from one room while the sexy samba of "Mas que Nada" pulsates next door, all punctuated by a "Yeah!"

And Pitbull, always Pitbull.

"My mom loves Pitbull, and she loves Pitbull because of Zumba class," Perlman said. "She would never, ever have heard Pitbull on the radio because she doesn't listen to those stations, but because of Zumba class, she's listening to him and I'm like, 'Mom, stop singing Pitbull songs.'"

Perez said the music is treated differently in Zumba than in traditional aerobics classes.

"In the aerobics world, it's very cheap music. It's 'boom-shh-boom-shh-boom-shh,'" Perez said, imitating the beat of workout music. "The music is in the background. We need to put the music in front because it's a party. How do you enjoy the party if the music's no good?"