Amanda has been teaching group fitness classes for 16 years. She started teaching dance classes when Zumba came along and that was over 10 years ago. She didn’t know it was going to be such a big impact on other people’s lives and on her life.

The class means a lot to Stephanie who values getting to meet so many people from so many different places, faiths and cultures. Over the years, people from over 17 different countries have been a part of the class. Stephanie says it is different from a gym where people seem to look at you and stereotype you because you aren’t a certain body type or size.

When Deema first moved to Memphis, she was kind of lonely. A friend told her about the dance class and that she should check it out. Though Deema didn’t think it was her thing, her friend insisted so she went and was hooked the first day.

The class likes to have fun. They do lunches and celebrate birthdays, holidays and the births of babies. They console, comfort and support each other during separations, divorces, when kids are graduating or going to the first day of school. They want to be there for each other for all of that.

Deema says she never feels left out, that she just fits. That everyone fits. She thinks the class is an example of how the world should be. It’s love. “I love you and you love me,” she says.

Kai hopes that the type of love she sees in the class, with such diverse cultures, ages, socioeconomic groups, can be carried outside. She hopes it can grow and extend so there is justice and unity like they have in their classroom.

These women have been dancing through life together for over eight years. Thank you for sharing your love with us all. Let’s all share their story and help their love grow.