Uncomfortable about exercise class

[Misspiggy200]

Wondering what others think and quite prepared to be told I'm totally overreacting!
A few years ago I joined a gym and one of the classes was like a dance/zumba style thing. All good, until a section in the class where the teacher would put on different music from around the world and we all had to pretend to do that 'dance'. So we had an African track and we all had to jump around and pretend to be drumming, then an Indian one and we basically put our thumb and first finger together and made vaguely Indian classical dance moves. I think there was even an Egyptian style one with classic 80's movie style Egyptian dancing.

It all made me deeply uncomfortable to be honest. I used to different dance forms (mainly tap, jazz, modern) but I also have British friends in the UK who study Indian Classical dance. I know it's really meaningful and each move is very exacting.

Anyway, after a few tries I simply avoided that class, but I've moved gyms and there's another woman doing the same. Unfortunately this class is at a really good time for me, so I don't know whether to just suck it up, or if I'm totally overreacting in the first place.

Zumba originated in Colombia, inspired by Latin dance moves. How is that different to doing African or Asian dance moves? None of these dance moves originated in the UK so if you wanted to you could say trying to copy dance moves from any of these continents offensive. Except it’s not and you are overthinking it, or find a Morris dancing club and you might not feel so upset.

I think you are over reacting to be honest.

You are overreacting, dance moves come from all over the world. Zumba wouldn’t exist if there weren’t dance moves from other cultures.

I think I understand what you mean, you have got a group of people parodying other cultures.

It isn't that dancing in any other style is the issue - a Bollywood class, or a tango class, or a zumba class - are all fine, it is somehing to do with it being a shit stereotyping dance?

It is like the dance equivalent of doing a crap accent.

Yes thanks! I think you've explained it much better than I have, it's exactly that. It would be no different to me if somebody was doing a parody ballet dance either.
Also for context I put Zumba in small letters because, although the gym called it a Zumba class, the previous woman seemed to be no way associated with the Zumba brand and just made up all her own stuff.

Another virtue signalling thread this morning. Sigh.

I'd have less of a problem with 'cultural appropriation' and more of a problem with the massive cringe factor

Oooh yes, the cringe factor is massive

Only people who worry they are a bit offensive go on about virtue signalling.

To everyone else this is just a conversation about something.

I’ve been to a Zumba class and the instructor said it’s not about the exact technical moves, it’s about moving as much as possible and having fun like a child moving to music would feel. Definitely not good if you feel self conscious.

I can imagine. Do people really ham it up?

Yes, especially the 'Egyptian' dancing 😅

I used to do a Zumba class that definitely had an Asian dance bent to it.
Having just watched in the last couple days a Bollywood film from the 90s put on by two Asian friends who described it repeatedly as 'cheesy' and it was almost a parody of Bollywood films ( they are so formulaic I'm not sure they can be parodied) and also suggesting we all get up and copy the moves I don't think they'd be offended by a Zumba class borrowing a few classics. After all I'm sure I recognised some Jane Fonda 'Original Workout' steps in the movie!

Ok that's really interesting to hear, thanks! I once went along to a taster session at my friend's classical Indian dance school and were told in no circumstances was it EVER to be referred to as Bollywood or (heaven forbid) Belly dancing. They explained people would take years perfecting even the tiniest of hand movements etc. I think that always comes back to me, but obviously that school was at the extremely strict end of the spectrum!

Is it parody or celebrating?

My last Irish ancestor emigrated about 170 years ago.

If I learn to do Irish dancing, am I doing parody or celebrating in that endeavor. How would I know? Ditto if I'm at folk dance festival and we start doing the Hora (is that Greek or Israeli...) Parody or fun?

Teen DS is tries to do Russian dancing, the move where they squat & kick. He thinks this is an awesome physical technique. Parody or admiration ?

Learning something/being taught something is celebrating.

Putting on a bit of music and hamming it up is parodying.

So if you have fun without formal instruction what to do: that's mockery?

DS is definitely mocking the Russian dancing then, right?

Of course you should learn Irish dancing! but you've hit the nail on the head when you say 'learn'. Which for me boils down to 1)appreciating it is an art form in its own right and 2) learning from somebody who knows a bit more about it. Which could be in person, via YouTube, a book etc. Even if you do it for an hour for a hen do, or drunk at a bar, or you spend two years learning two steps and are still crap.
What you are not doing is clamping your arms to your sides, flailing your legs about and calling it Irish dancing. Which is the equivalent of what these teachers are doing and is the bit that makes me uncomfortable.

I think if you're not comfortable don't go......and do something you're more comfortable with.

Personally I think it sounds like good fun, but each to their own

You are overthrowing this. If you don't enjoy it you are not forced to attend. Some people make life so difficult for themselves.

Overthinking...

It’s an amateur exercise class, not a classical dance school. Hamming it up and exaggerated movements and throwing your body around is pretty much written on the tin. You’re dancing for fun at the gym, not trying to replicate meaningful cultural rituals, what you were told by a professional Indian dance school isn’t really relevant.

Overthinking it, so best find another class that fits yours requirements but be aware that any non-British form of dancing may fit into your idea of unacceptable.

Sounds pretty standard for a Zumba class. Although the choreography sounds a bit lazy but then again zumba is a pretty basic dance fitness class with some classes more basic than others depending on instructor.

I think I know the exact 2 dances that you exampled in your OP. We used to do those in a Zumba class I went to. We used to do dance steps to music from all around the world. I suppose it is a bit strange when you think about it but the music was so catchy & happy I just threw myself into it. Hopefully people from those countries where the dances originated would find it a compliment that we were incorporating those dande move in a Zumba class in this country