Recently, I have started going to the gym. And, I have discovered one of the most fascinating workouts. ZUMBA! It is currently sweeping all the gyms in and out of the city. Zumba is a dance workout that combines of dances, such as salsa, chacha, hiphop, and many more, with martial arts, and aerobic basics. In addition, it was so easy to learn and to follow. Because Zumba is a mix of old and new dances, there were a number of aged women who seemed to be regulars during the time I first tried it out. I also noticed that the room was full of people, mostly women.
This was the thought that came to me during the Post-colonial discussion in class. Post colonialism aims to free ones culture from the colonial influences. Attaining freedom can be through revolt or restoration of the old ways. If we apply this theory of restoration to the Philippines, we would drop all of our technological advances and live the Pre-colonial era, where Filipinos were divided into tribes. But, I don’t believe that is going to happen any time soon, because other than our technological advances, already available today. Cultures have already intertwined to create a “hybrid” culture. A perfect example of this is Taglish (Tagalog and English), and Zumba. The postcolonial proponent Bhabha coined Hybridity.
I thought of Zumba during the post-colonial discussions, because it is a mix of culture, but it gives joy, and good health. Ballroom, one of the cultures that influenced Zumba, was thought dying, but little by little it can be renewed by this new very interesting workout. Looking back, I realized how our culture, our identity, could never be forgotten, as long as, we keep things interesting and appealing, but staying true to the essence.
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