With International Babywearing Dance Day and Week fast approaching, we thought we’d share with you some of the amazing stories from participating groups. Although participants are from around the world and each have their own cultures, traditions and beliefs, each of us has one thing in common, the desire to share the beauty of babywearing dance with the world. We hope you’ll be inspired to take part in your local event or to set one up with your group. Visit www.babywearingdanceday.com/events to see all IBDD groups and locations.
Draag&Dans – Holland
Six months ago, inspired by videos of happy families dancing with their babies, Draag&Dans decided to introduce babywearing dance to their dutch dancing community.
On 12th March 2016, using only social media to promote their new venture, the class in Alphen ann den Rijn, a small town in the west of Holland, saw 50 mums and dads make their way to their dance floor with their young children. It was a phenomenal success.
Since that fateful day, Draag&Dans have been going from strength to strength, being broadcast on dutch tv, published in national newspapers and offering their classes in 55 dance schools across the country!
Ronald & Mieke de Vos of Draag&Dans say “we’re so excited to be taking part in International Babywearing Dance Day on 21st September. Most dancing schools are starting their season so it’s the perfect time for us to promote our classes and dancing as a wonderful way for families to bond. We hope IBDD inspires dutch dancing schools to take up babywearing dance and of course, we hope to spread the word about Draag&Dans to more families. We wish everyone participating in this amazing day and week of celebration every success! Best of luck on IBDD!”
Nesemese – Czech Republic
Kristýna Krisulka Honkova, founder of Nesemese in Brno, is a mother of 3 (or four if you count Nesemese). This amazing resource launched two years ago, and offers a wide range of services for mums and babies, both indoors and outdoors. From babywearing workouts, dancing and babywalking nature walks to flashmobs, a small lending library and a babywearing and breastfeeding consultancy, there’s plenty of support available for local mums to access.
Nesemese is part of the larger Brno babywearing community, the second largest in the Czech Republic, and considered one of the largest babywearing communities in the “Heart of Europe”.
Kristýna says “We can’t wait to take part in the upcoming International Babywearing Dance Week and International Babywearing Dance Day. We want to raise public awareness of the possibilities of babywearing and of course promote our events for the upcoming Babywearing Week (5 – 10 October). But mostly, we can’t wait to dance, enjoy ourselves and have a good time!”
Bouncing Bambini – USA
Motherhood brought dancing and movement to the next level for Amanda Holliday. Though already a dance and movement instructor with her own company, Bouncing Bambini, founded in 2014, it was after the birth of her own bundle of love that she started a babywearing dance class called, “Baby & Mombo”.
Like most mothers on maternity leave, she found it difficult to find activities she could enjoy with her baby that also gave her the chance to be active and social with other moms.
Taking up the challenge, Amanda watched online babywearing dance videos and consulted with local mums, local babywearing consultants, fitness professionals, and SelenYilmaz from Joimove, all of whom helped to convince her that babywearing dance was more than theoretical, it was something that could definitely be done! She is certified on pre-post-natal fitness and becoming certified babywearing peer supporter and babywearing dance facilitator soon.
Amanda says “I love the fact that I’m helping mamas and papas bond with their little ones through dance. It’s great to see everyone dancing, smiling, and being active. I know that for me, my son is still the best dance partner; we love this time to snuggle and dance, so I know how dance can bring families together.
I’m really excited to take part in International Babywearing Dance Day as well as to help set a Guinness World Record with baby wearing dancers across the globe! I can’t wait to dance with families in the Washington, DC, Northern VA, and local Maryland area and for all of to be part of this amazing event!”
If this didn’t inspire, what will?!
There are some amazing groups from around the world taking part in the upcoming IBDD. We’d love to have you and your group join us, and to help us break the Guinness Book of World Records of the most people undertaking a babywearing routine in a 24hour period.
Join us today!