It’s Monday evening, almost 7.30PM. That means it’s time for my Zouk lesson. I get changed, grab my dance shoes, and rush over to the studio. As per usual, I’m a minute or two (read: five) late. I blame my Portuguese genes. As I look around me, I smile with pride: everyone here is from a different nationality than mine.
Our Zouk community in Malta is unique in many ways. We have the privilege of being the very first Zouk dancers on the island, having been there from the start and helped the community grow. This means that in many ways, our community is pure – in addition to being a group of dancers, we are also a group of friends. There are no nasty surprises or bad intentions. We have grown together, united by respect, compassion and a common love for Zouk.
Now, you might tell me that there are a lot of communities like that everywhere. I like to think, however, that we have one particular strength that has been an essential contributor to making the community what it is today: our multiculturalism. We all come from different countries, have had various multi-cultural journeys and to some extent, are what some might call “citizens of the world”. When I look around an average Zouk class, I see Italy, Poland, Hungary, Vietnam, Finland, Spain, Ukraine, France, Sweden, Brazil, India and even Malta! And that, my dear Zoukeiros, is what I call a privilege.
It’s no coincidence that in all of our individual dancing styles, you find respect, compassion and understanding. Our multiculturalism and constant exposure to different mind sets, multiple approaches to technique, various explanations and dozens of languages flying around make us versatile. It gives us that extra mental space to be considerate of what our leader or follower might be trying to tell us. It makes us receptive to feedback and willing to understand the other side. To acknowledge that our way might not always be the best way. To show compassion and kindness when one of us doesn’t get it right. To be patient and acknowledge that we don’t all progress at the same pace.
On a global scale, we are currently living in a tense political climate, where migration has become a dirty word, people fear the unknown and choose to shut down borders instead of building bridges. Well let me tell you, if it weren’t for migration, the Zouk community in Malta (and world-wide) wouldn’t be what it is today. Our strength lies in our multiculturalism, our privilege lies in our diversity.
So cherish it. Be glad that people are saying things that you don’t understand. Be appreciative of the fact that people have different backgrounds than yours. Be grateful that the only common language is Zouk. It can only enrich your experience. Is it always easy? Nobody said it was.
Sometimes we get lost in translation, make puns without intending to, or blurt out things that might be considered inappropriate by some of our cultures. Sometimes we even get frustrated with what some cultures value, we get angry that what is normal and common sense for us, is challenging for others. But honestly? I would take that challenge any day. Looking around and seeing what was built from nothing and became the community it is today, I smile with pride. We are the United Colours of Zouk.
All photography credits to the amazing Shaun Spiteri.