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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Uncomfortable about exercise class

28 replies

Misspiggy200 · 05/05/2024 09:17

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.

OP posts:
123anotherday · 05/05/2024 13:10

Where do you draw the line? Ive been to many dance based exercise classes…would you say the same for doing salsa or cha cha or hula moves?

therealcookiemonster · 05/05/2024 15:40

this would make me uncomfortable
in Hinduism, dance is a part of religous ritual. depending on how it's done, it can be very disrespectful/cultural appropriation

spookehtooth · 05/05/2024 16:27

The idea itself, I think, is fine. The execution sounds terrible. It would only work for me if it was led by someone who was knowledgeable about the kind of music to provide some guidance on suitable moves, or you just danced to it authentically i.e do whatever you like and don't pretend its something it isn't.

The way you've described it, I totally get how you feel and I wouldn't want to participate in it. Not because I feel like I'm mocking anyone, just because it sounds rubbish. If I am supposed to be trying to dance in a particular way, I want to it to be authentic, so that it looks good and I feel good as a result

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