Emily is a weekly BollyX participant in New York and has one of the brightest smiles in class! Read more about what Body Empowerment means to her and how BollyX has been a part of that journey.

Body positivity is knowing you are worth more than the world defines you to be. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

In the past few years I learned that my health is important and I needed to increase my physical activity. It was tempting to focus on just the number on the scale and what on my body looked like, but I was motivated by being healthy and focusing on the changes that needed to happen on the inside. All the external benefits from getting in shape were just the bonus.

Knowing that I had to take better care of myself and be more discerning with my choices, I tried out BollyX to see if I could blend my love of Bollywood and dancing. Normally at home, I’m dancing around to lots of different music (especially when cleaning!) and BollyX lets me take those moves and show them off in class. Since we’re encouraged to bring our own flavor to each dance, I don’t focus on being perfect, I focus on being me. I especially like it when I can let me inner Puerto Rican come out during a Bollywood song!

I know who I was created to be, regardless of what beauty is defined as. As women there is a lot pressure to look and feel a certain way, and BollyX is a part of that journey to learning we are so much more than that.