One of our favorite and funniest classmates!
If you’ve been following any of Facebook posts, Youtube videos and class updates, you’ve no doubt noticed the face of a student that keeps popping up over and over again. One of my only male students- a man with some of the funniest facial expressions, cutest dance moves and happiest energy-- “0416” aka Xiao Hung!
Several years ago when I first started to teach Zumba classes at a large fitness chain, I was totally intimidated to be in front of a huge group of around 60 students per class. This group was super energetic and already had a lot of experience taking classes, all leading me to worry that I wouldn’t be able to match their expectations. I struggled to introduce myself in Chinese each week in front of the class , but as soon as the class started, the smiles and cheers from the students encouraged me to relax and enjoy teaching in a way I had never thought possible.
At the front of this group was one male student-- 0416. Although we couldn’t communicate much, during class I’d often call him onto the stage with me and after some time had passed, I started to encourage him to go to the Zumba B1 Instructor Training. Similar to how I never thought I’d be teaching Zumba, he never imagined that he would now be teaching 5 classes a week and touch so many people’s lives through dance (he’s already a very talented artist and according to all of us that know him, a comedian as well ;) ). Today he shares some of his experiences with you:
"My name is 0416, but you can also call me Xiao Hung. I'm an illustrator and a Zumba instructor. To put it in the simplest of terms, I really just enjoy dancing with people.
To me, life is really magical because some things are just not predictable. When I first began to attend Zumba classes, I always stood in the very back row. Way back there, I felt safer hiding and not letting people see what I thought were my awkward dance moves! However, some time after I started to join Katie’s Zumba class, I found myself moving further and further forward to the front of the classroom. Without knowing how it happened, I started really enjoying the music because of the relaxing, happy, and free vibe of the class.
To be honest, taking Zumba B1 Instructor Training was also an influence of Katie. The feeling that drove me to become an instructor is hard to explain, but perhaps could be summed up as a desire to share my own happiness with others.
I had been taking Katie’s class for a long time already when one day she told me that she was opening up a new dance fitness class called Fit + Flaunt Burlesque Fitness. My first reaction was like, well, that’s not a class for guys. When Katie suggested, “Xiao Hung, you can come give it a try,” I wasn’t so sure about this idea. After a lot of thinking and confidence building, I went to my first Fit & Flaunt Fitness class because I always believe that in order to improve more, I need to keep trying and learning.
In the end, I gave myself a couple of months to try out Fit & Flaunt, which is a combination of cardio exercise and muscle training with a bit of sexy, cutesy dance. I discovered that I’m really happy in the class. I feel more relaxed and more confident looking my reflection straight in the eye. I slowly figured out that things I think of as impossible are actually achievable. Maybe there are some movements that would be considered quite feminine, but I can use a more masculine style to present them. In my opinion, there are many things that shouldn’t be tied down by stereotypes or labels. If you live outside of the box, you can live bigger.
Now looking back, I’m amazed that I’ve been taking this class since its very beginning. The benefits I’ve gained have not only been to my body, but to my spirit as well. I truly welcome everyone to join us. Let’s Fit + Flaunt together! It’s no secret that all the classmates are really lovely and growing more confident and beautiful with each class!"
Over the past years, and particularly with the opening of my new classes and the development of Fit +Flaunt, I have had no greater support in my classes than 0416. He has even incorporated Fit + Flaunt into his teaching too! Seeing how he has developed into an incredible, confident teacher, a more experienced dancer , as well as my friend, has meant the world to me. Also, knowing that we have had similar experiences in doing things we never could have dreamed, reaffirms my belief that all of us are far closer to accomplishing new goals and meeting new challenges than we could ever think. All we have to do is just take that first step. We never know who we might be inspiring along the way!
Keep moving!
xx,
Katie
一位我們最愛也最好笑的同學
如果妳有關注我們任何的 Facebook 貼文、Youtube 的影片、或是課程通知，相信妳一定常常看到他的身影。他總是帶這非常爆笑的表情、可愛的舞步和開心的表演，他是我其中一位男性學生 ----- 0416。
幾年前，當我剛開始教 Zumba 的時候，我接了一個大型連鎖健身中心的 Zumba 課，當時的我一想到要站在 60 個學生面前教課，真的讓我緊張害怕到不行！在得知這班的學生不但非常有活力也有很豐富的上課經驗之後，反而讓我讓我更加害怕不能滿足他們的期待。 每周我很掙扎地用著我僅有的中文介紹自己，但是發現只要一開始上課，學生們的笑容與歡呼聲給了我前所未見的鼓勵，讓我放鬆地享受教學。
在這堂課的最前排站著一位男性學生，就是0416。雖然我們不太能溝通，但是在課堂中我總是鼓勵他上台和我一起跳舞，這段期間我也鼓勵他和班上其他的同學去接受 Zumba B1 的培訓。就和我當初一樣，從沒想到我會成為 Zumba 老師，0416 也從沒有想過他能一周教五堂 Zumba 課，透過舞蹈觸及、影響到這麼多的生命。他原本就已經是一位非常有天分的藝術家了，所有認識他的人也都知道，他同時是位非常搞笑的諧星，今天呢，就由他來與妳分享他的經驗：
我是0416，也可以叫我小宏。 是一個插畫工作者，也是 Zumba 小老師（其實是陪大家開心跳舞的啦！） 人生真的很奇妙，因為有些事，實在是很難預料； 原本在課堂上我還是躲在最後面的學生！（因為後面感覺很安全，不會被人看到拙拙的自己） 但因為上了 Katie 的 Zumba 課後（我不知道耶！就是有種讓人很放鬆、很開心、很自在的感覺！）不知道何時自己就慢慢的往前站了一點，然後開始懂了享受音樂。 其實去 Zumba 的 B1 培訓也是因為 Katie 老師的影響 那種影響是淺移默化的，說不上來的感覺！（讓我想想，應該就是很單純的分享快樂） 記得上老師的課程好段時間，某天老師說要開一個新課程叫「舞麗自信」； 當下我內心的嘴巴張很大（想說：這男生不可以吧！）（反正很多內心戲就是了） 老師說「小宏，你可以來上上看」（其實去上之前，我心理建設很久） 不過我還是鼓足勇氣去嘗試。（因為我覺得要不斷的嘗試跟吸收才會更進步！） 於是我給自己幾個月的時間去嘗試「舞麗自信」這個新課程， 這堂課有「有氧」、有「肌力」、有「舞蹈」（有點可愛有點性感） 我發現我是開心的，整個人更放鬆，也更敢面對鏡子裡的自己 慢慢發覺很多的不可能都變得可能了！ （有些動作很柔大家感覺好像是女生的動作，其實男生也可以用自己的方式跳出來） （我想很多事，不要被「字面上」或是「刻板印象」綁住，這樣只會讓自己更受限） 不知不覺已經從開課跟到現在，收穫不只是心靈上的； 真心歡迎大家來跟Katie和我們一起「舞麗自信」^^ （偷偷說 班上同學都很可愛 而且大家真的越來越有自信跟美麗呦～）
在過去這幾年，特別是在開新課程和研發 舞麗自信 的過程中，0416 一直都是我在課堂中最大的支柱！他甚至也把舞麗自信的元素融入到他自己的課程中，看著他慢慢地發展成為一位如此不可思議又充滿自信的老師，以及一位更有經驗的舞者和朋友，他對我有非常重大的意義。我們有著相同的經驗，做著我們從沒想過的事情，這一切更堅定了我的信念：達成新目標與挑戰都比我們想像的還要簡單，我們只需要從第一步開始！而且，我們永遠都不曉得在這樣過程中我們會激勵到誰。
繼續前進！
愛你的 Katie
( Anna Liang 譯 )