A Healthy Body for a Powerful Soul- Connecting through Bollywood Zumba in Rural Mexico

By Priyanka Jagtap

About 10 years ago, I lived in a small rural town in Mexico, a two hour drive from a major city, down winding mountains at the base of a canyon. For as far as the eye could see were endemic species of cacti. I rented a small dorm room from an elderly lady, no tv or internet. There was one main road. From 9-5 I worked in an organization similar to a field office of the US National Park Service. I can’t say it was difficult to adapt. For work I spent the day with locals who could name every plant, bird and flower. With the lack of connectivity and electronics, or some might say distractions, I listened to stories of the community, ran a 5k almost everyday, bought a bicycle and rode 2 hours every Saturday with the mountains as my view. Because Mexico and the US had free calling, I connected with family and friends back home through phone conversations, not text. I did HIIT exercises four times a week and ended everyday with yoga and stretching. 

No, I cannot say it was difficult to adapt, but I did feel homesick. I was there to learn and soak up Mexican culture, but I also wanted someone to share my culture with. I wanted to drink chai with others and dance to bhangra with someone. Through one of my coworkers, I learned about a nearby town  where his wife and a group of women organized and performed traditional dances. She proposed that I come to the town twice a week to teach a class on Indian dance and that’s where the idea of teaching Bollywood Zumba came up. I’ll never forget the first day of class. I showed up to a long line of women holding brooms in their hands as it was their community cleaning day. The younger women had on leggings, tight tops and flashy sneakers, while the older women had on flats, long skirts, and flowy blouses. The youngest were in high school, while the eldest were 70+. For the next two years, I would meet every Tuesday and Thursday with this group to dance to upbeat, high energy Indian songs. A few months after the first class, I grew to consider these women as my family. I danced to their music at birthday parties, town festivals and weddings.  

They confided in me things I had not considered. A few of them had fought with their husbands to attend the class because they thought it would interfere with household chores, but ended up with stronger relationships because they were less stressed and in better moods. For many, it was the only activity in the day they had for themselves. For the older women, the dancing healed the pain in their joints. It was so much more than an exercise class; it was a place for community, therapy, and joy. On this year’s International Women’s Day, I remember and celebrate these women who were brave enough to choose themselves, their physical and mental health, and I remind myself to think beyond the direct impacts, positive or negative, of our actions.

Priyanka Jagtap