Growing up, I was always connected to my culture, often attending the youth program at our local Indigenous community center, the Odawa Native Friendship Centre. The programs there were incredible, and it was through these experiences that I found an early passion for dance and fitness. A friend of mine, Shady Hafez, was the youth worker at the time, and I remember participating in one of his Pow Wow Pump classes. That was my first introduction to a pow wow-inspired workout. Although I had been dancing pow wow since I was a little girl, this was a completely different experience—one that brought together my love for dance and movement in a fun and energetic way. While I don’t recall him teaching a lot of classes, those 4-5 sessions left a lasting impression on me.
As a youth, I also got into Zumba, a high-energy dance class that mixes Latin-inspired moves with aerobic exercises. I was a regular at Zumba parties and classes, loving the atmosphere, the music, and the way it made me feel. One day, I thought to myself, *“How cool would it be to teach Zumba to the Indigenous community?”* That idea sparked something in me, and I began researching how to become an instructor. I almost signed up for the certification, but then something stopped me—the idea of a pow wow workout started creeping in.
One night, I sat down with my good friend Gabby Fayant and shared my dream of becoming a pow wow workout instructor. At the time, I was attending pow wows almost every weekend, and when I wasn’t at one, I was practicing at home in my basement, perfecting my footwork and creating new routines. I realized that while Zumba was fun, pow wow dancing was my movement, and I wanted to share it in a fitness context.
A few weeks after that conversation, I went to the A7G Friday Night Gathering with Gabby and a few others. That evening, we had special guests from the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre, who came by to explore ways we could collaborate and to ask what kind of programming we wanted to see. That’s when Gabby, always looking out for me, said, “AMANDA! What about your pow wow workouts?” Honestly, I hadn’t even considered it at that moment, but I’m so grateful to have a friend like Gabby in my life. She reminded me of that saying: “Surround yourself with friends who mention your name in rooms full of opportunity.”
Thanks to that push from Gabby, I taught my very first pow wow workout in 2019 at the National Arts Centre (NAC), and to my surprise, 20-25 people showed up! The energy was electric, and the response was incredible. That class opened up so many doors for me. I started teaching weekly at the NAC, and soon, I was being invited to teach in British Columbia, Alberta, and even France. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, I wasn’t able to make the trip to France, but the dream is still alive. One day, I hope to take Pow Wow FitNish global, sharing this fusion of culture, fitness, and tradition with people around the world.
This journey has taught me so much about the importance of blending passion with purpose. I’m beyond excited to continue growing this fitness movement and bringing Indigenous culture into new spaces. Pow Wow FitNish is just in its beginning stages and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!