Violet, Paula, Janis and Tina (c'est moi). Sherri wasn't there last night
My friends indulged me with a lovely Bollywood pose after class yesterday. We just finished our third Bollywood Dance class at Finley Center (through Santa Rosa Parks and Rec) and are starting to feel more comfortable with these unfamiliar moves. It is quite brain taxing to remember the choreography and convince my various body parts to move to their correct location (places everyone! Places!). When I drive home, I’m not nearly as sweaty and tired as post-Zumba, but I feel equally exhilarated and joyful. Having just one thing that demands your focus is such a wonderful mental break. When that one thing is as interesting, fun, creative and beautiful as Indian dance, all the better!
Our instructor Julie Marques is simply fabulous. She is knowledgable, sweet, and so fun to watch too. Julie owns Core in Motion studio in Sebastopol so you can take her dance classes there, as well as many other offerings. She also teaches Bollywood dance classes for kids and teens. I fervently hope she repeats her courses at Finley Center this Spring!
So I know the three wonderful dancers in the photo above from the 3 different locations where I teach: Airport Club, Santa Rosa Parks and Rec, and the Sonoma County Y. It’s been so fun to be doing this activity together. Even though I call myself a Zumba instructor, I don’t like to call you all students! I almost always refer to you as my Zumba friends (ok I don’t alway remember your names but you’re still my friends!). I consider an hour of Zumba something we are sharing and enjoying together. I know you appreciate my classes but you need to know just how much I appreciate that there are classes to teach and wonderful people in them. Being with you all has helped ease my toughest times and has made the good times even more wonderful. I’m so grateful that Zumba has brought us together.
I hope to snap a few more pictures at our final Bollywood class next week. Sherri, you will not escape my camera!
Here’s an intro to Bollywood from So You Think You Can Dance Season 4. One of my favorite routines ever!
Now here are the real pros. This is very classical style Bollywood song. Our group at Finley looks just like this of course! (see Oct 24 post for something more modern)