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| A typical scene mid-dance |
Allow me to explain. Via a WeChat group (because how else would anything be coordinated in China, ever) a handful of Zumba enthusiasts alerted an audience of 200 or so Nanjing-based WeChat users to when and where a gathering of Zumba dancing would take place: usually Wednesday and Sunday afternoons at the Nanjing University track (which is a convenient 5 minute walk from the Hopkins Nanjing Center). Once there, a diverse crowd assembles: retired Chinese ladies clad in tracksuits, glam young women with shiny ponytails, a few athletic young men, the odd bumbling father and an assortment of spectators usually toting babies and toddlers swaddled in thick puffer jackets, regardless of the weather. The large boom box style speaker would be rolled up, Latin beats blasting. The young Zumba devotees with tens of dances memorized would begin trotting through the fast-paced shimmies, lunges, hip swings and claps that form a typical Zumba song. Between songs, dancers would have just enough time to exchange pleasantries, complain about the cold or the heat, or laughingly despair at their tiredness from keeping up with the speedy dance routines.
Zumba was a great experience for many reasons: it was an aerobic workout (you’ll never forget your first time – way more jumping and leaping than you’d ever experience in an ordinary two-hour period), a source of fun and enjoyment and a great opportunity to engage in the wider community. My HNC friends and I used to go out for dinner regularly with our Zumba friends following the sessions. Our dinners at nearby Nanjing restaurants provided opportunities for fun conversations in Chinese, new dishes to try and friendships formed. When we went to our final Zumba session, we were granted the honor of dancing on the upper platform which was where the Zumba leaders stood. We took a lot of photos, hugged a lot of dear friends, cried a little and went out for a fantastic final meal.
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| A group photo from our last session |
I tell the story of Zumba not to encourage you to join it (though any new HNC students are eagerly urged to do so, and please say hi from me to the Zumba regulars!) but to remind students of the exciting possibilities that await them in the outer Nanjing community. Such activities for my fellow classmates during my time included singing in church choirs, playing in women’s rugby teams and volunteering in the community. At the start of the semester Co-Director Davies urged us to get to know Nanjing over the course of the year, and of course, a vitally important part of a city is its people. I was delighted to have the chance to form friendships with some wonderful Nanjing dwellers through my Zumba dancing, and I hope my experience can be a reminder of the very unexpected but marvelous things that can be (literally) just around the corner during your time at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center.
Written by Anna Woods, Certificate/SAIS MA '18
