Keeping connected

In front of a wall of mirrors, a group of women grin and shimmy in time to a pulsing Latin beat.

In front of them, Rahman Saleh twists and pivots; he claps and cheers as the dancers sashay across the carpet. “Ole! Ole! Let’s go!” He turns his wrists flamenco style and the group copy, meeting each other’s eyes in the reflection and laughing.

This is the Saturday morning Zumba class at Waiheke Workout that the dozen or so participants have braved dismal weather to attend. They come every week.

“The Saturday morning class is just the nicest hour at the gym,” says Waiheke Workout owner, Richard Stanfield. “It’s only a small group, but it’s very positive, everyone in the class obviously gains a lot from it, and the other people in the gym enjoy that positive energy too.”

The source of this positivity is Rahman Saleh himself. He teaches with joyful enthusiasm, which in itself is enough to motivate participants to push themselves to lift heavier, work harder. Also, looking at least 10 years younger than his 55 years, he appears the embodiment of good health and supreme fitness. 

“What Rahman has created is a community. Just this feeling of mutual support and mutual happiness, it’s so nice,” says Marta Fisch, a participant in Rahman’s Zumba classes.

As a psychologist and counsellor, Marta has both professional and personal insight into the benefits of group fitness.

“I am involved in the study of how our whole body functions in our mental health. It’s a relatively recent idea that the mind is separate to the body, as if there’s some kind of divider between the two.

"Often, I have gone into Rahman’s classes with a huge preoccupation about something and within two minutes it’s gone. These days a lot of neuroscientists are talking about the ancient disciplines of sitting and meditating. I think what we’re doing with things like Zumba is just as wise. And way more fun.”

Rahman agrees. “Exercise in any form makes me happy. It’s so important to make yourself available for exercise.”

Most of the class participants, who are aged from their mid-30s to over 70 would concur. “I started off by joining the Fit Over 60 class, but I found it too slow,” Ruth Blunt says. “I certainly don't feel the age that I am. I think if you stay active, nothing tends to cease up. The minute you stop, that’s when you start to have the problems.”

At the Waiheke Retirement Village, Rahman runs a weekly Zumba Gold class for a small group of ‘active, older adults.’

“There are five of us regulars who attend each week,” Vivian Anderson says.

“I’m 82 and I’m pretty sure I’m the oldest. I think the others are mostly in their 70s. The whole time he tells us we are awesome, which is just nonsense!” Vivian laughs. “But that’s why it’s so much fun. We like the praise, even if it’s totally over the top. Nobody else tells us we’re awesome,” she chuckles.

The class plays an important role in the lives of residents. “For those people who live alone, I think it’s probably their big laugh of the week and that’s meant to be wonderful for you.”

It was six years ago that Rahman first introduced Zumba to Waiheke.

“When I taught the first class down at Palm Beach, I wasn't sure whether people would be into it. I thought I’d start it and see what happened. If 10 people had come, I would have been happy, but I was overwhelmed: more than 100 people turned up for that first class! Maybe it is because I’m local, but the community always seems to be supporting me.”

It’s not just because he’s local that people flock to the classes. It’s Rahman’s incredibly generous spirit and his genuine desire to create real connections with people.

“I think the most important exercise is to connect with my students,” he says.

“You need to feel that connection in order to give back what you have. It doesn’t matter what it is, a smile, a movement, making people laugh, whatever.”