When this Grandma was a new mother, I loved to dance with my babies. . . in the privacy of my home. It enabled me to be silly and funny and not worry that I was not a good dancer. It took me over thirty years later to join a Zumba class and realize that it does not matter how well one dances, no one else really cares, and if they do, I don’t care what anyone thinks of my dancing. I love how dancing makes me feel, alive and happy, and, especially with Zumba, 1000 calories a class is better expended dancing than in a gym!
Lester Holt, of NBC News, on the March 11, 2017, newscast, interviewed the owners and creators of Grovaroo, a new dance craze for new parents and babies. The segment will bring a smile to your face.
There were dozens of young parents dancing with their babies, bonding, and enjoying the present moment. Not only is a set of dancing parents or a dancing dads’ class providing bonding between parent and child, the child benefits from dancing by greater space and body awareness as well as hearing and vision. Apparently videos of the classes went viral on line and everyone wants in. Here is what co-founders, Meeshi and Amber Anjali, write about themselves:
“Meeshi Anjali, 20-year Dance Instructor: Meeshi has studied and taught multicultural dances in San Diego to dancers of all ages for the past 20 years including Afro-Cuban dance, Afro-Brazilian dance, Lindy Hop Swing and Urban Soul Line Dancing. He is the founder of the Firehouse Swing Dance, San Diego’s longest running weekly Swing Dance since 1998.”
“Amber Anjali, Certified Babywearing Educator: Amber has supported women in their transition into motherhood as a Birth Doula, Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, Postnatal Yoga Instructor and Nanny. She is also a Certified Babywearing Educator through the Center for Babywearing Studies.”
“In July of 2015, we sat down and imagined what it would look like if we married our two life’s “passions” together. The Result: GroovaRoo DanceT. As you can see, we recently became parents of a baby boy and have been enjoying our life as a new family. For us, GroovaRoo DanceT is a small part of our greater life’s mission: to build communities of families around the world where dance is an integral part of everyday life. “
See them and their young family at this link.
Their classes are in San Diego, but they have training sessions on the east and west coast this June advertised on their FaceBook page. If you know anyone with a baby in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a Goovaroo studio has already opened there.
The best part of this new craze, and this Grandma predicts that Groovaroo or a version of Grovaroo will be everywhere by the end of 2017 for babies, and toddlers too, is that it is teaching parents of our grandchildren to forget how good or bad they dance and just dance and enjoy every minute of bonding with our precious grandchildren, something I wish I had learned much earlier in life. Tell everyone who is looking for a new career to consider this career, or a studio to add it to their class schedule. Tell all parents of baby and toddler grandchildren to watch out for Grovaroo coming to their community.
And Meeshi and Amber Anjali, if you read this post, please consider grandparent and grandbaby classes too!
Joy,
Mema
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