I clearly remember the day when Gemma told us in a WhatsApp chat that she was doing twerk & booty dance classes. She is a journalist friend and one of my feminist referents. The first image that came to my mind was women in thongs bouncing their booties non-stop in front of men who looked at them as an OBJECT.
My head exploded at the thought that she was taking twerking classes... But, since I fully trust her. I thought, "surely there is something here that I'm not seeing" So I decided to go and try a class. It took me 3 weeks to go to the first class. Every Monday, I found an excuse to not go, until one day, I had no more excuses. I went to buy knee pads to try this style.
I have danced all my life, different styles such as salsa, merengue, cumbia, mapalé, currulao, Andean music, etc. During colonization and slavery in Colombia, and the African diaspora, most of these rhythms were born. The African people arrived with their culture, music, and dances. Evolving in each territory in a different way.
While I was walking to the twerking class. I was thinking, "let's see what they teach me... it's always good to learn new movements... I've always criticized reggaeton, and here I am hihihi."
Throughout the class, I couldn't stop laughing. I was ashamed to see all my body bouncing off the mirror. I saw my teacher Kim Jordan doing some movements and moving muscles that I had not even considered that they could move independently. I felt super clumsy and uncoordinated because I didn't hit any bit, not to mention the double-time. I felt burned at the first twenty minutes of the class. We still had forward 40 more minutes. I thought I wouldn't make it. But I succeeded.
Kim's classes are very well designed. I became aware of how weak my body was. I loved the feeling I felt when we finish, especially in my pelvis, hips, and buttocks, so I decided to continue.
As I didn't like what I saw of myself in the mirror, I concentrated on learning the movements trying to imitate Kim. A few weeks later, when I felt more comfortable with the moves. I looked again at the mirror and discovered a woman who didn't I had never seen before in my life.
I looked radiant and happy. I loved to see my booty bouncing in different positions and constantly seduced me in front of the mirror. For the first time in my life, I felt happy to have my body, booty, hips, and legs. I had always thought that my booty, hips, and legs were too big.
I loved seeing my muscles move to make each movement, and as week after week, my body was getting stronger. I was able to hold each position for longer. For me, it was and continues to be a process of empowerment and re-appropriation of my booty and my curves.
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