Perched on heels several centimeters high and clad in a light fabric outfit, professional dancer Anais Viola (@dfy_anais) gracefully moves across the dance floor, several months pregnant. While some pregnant women must make a superhuman effort to bend down, this heels instructor moves with disconcerting ease. Her baby bump is her most beautiful accessory, accompanying her with a touch of poetry in every choreography, even the most energetic.
Celebrating your baby bump in a different way
Anais Viola (@dfy_anais) performs acrobatic moves , gliding across the floor, rolling her hips like Shakira, and executing a split with effortless grace. And as if that weren't physical enough, she keeps time with the music in shoes worthy of Lady Gaga's wardrobe. This professional dancer, who speaks the language of body language perfectly, contorts herself with her baby bump proudly displayed.
Anais Viola has rhythm in her blood, but that's not all: she also has a baby several months old swinging inside. Wearing thigh-high boots that practically detach her neck, a dazzling rhinestone headband, and crocheted shorts at the waist, this choreographer makes her belly an emblem, an integral part of the show. Through this striking artistic performance, she playfully challenges preconceived notions about pregnancy.
Since time immemorial, pregnant women have been advised to be extra careful, not to move around too much, and to protect the baby as if it were made of porcelain. The moment they wiggle a little, they are accused of endangering the child's health, or even mistreating it. But the end of pregnancy isn't always a dark period of convalescence. Anaïs, in fact, is living proof. She can't resist the lure of the radio. When the sound fills the studio, it almost spontaneously takes hold of her and transforms her.
View this post on Instagram
Another image of pregnancy
Generally, pregnant women are advised to engage in gentle activities such as yoga, Pilates, or water aerobics. However, it's less common to see them lifting their legs over their heads, doing pirouettes, or recreating a Pussycat Dolls music video. Yet, every woman experiences pregnancy differently. Some move at a snail's pace and struggle to move their bodies, while others carry on with their activities as if nothing were amiss.
Anaïs, for her part, doesn't flaunt her skills at expectant mothers by saying , "Look what I can do." Her daily life is like a constant show, and pregnant or not, it remains her profession. Studies even support her claim. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists presents dance as a safe and beneficial form of exercise during pregnancy.
While some conservative internet users condemn this sport and compare this modern ballet to "a vulgar striptease," science supports it. It strengthens the pelvic floor and improves the baby's position in the womb. The only risk to the baby, aka their little pocketmate? Becoming a talented dancer themselves.
Popularizing "heels," a practice still looked down upon.
Classical dancers have their own dress code, and Anaïs is no exception. She doesn't wear ribboned ballet slippers, but rather high-heeled boots wrapped in laces. No leotard adorns her figure, but deliberately light clothing. Because in her discipline, as in others, the body is the centerpiece. This seasoned dancer is an ambassador of "heels," a dance style that demands height and requires a certain degree of balance.
Many women flock to her studio, eager to reclaim their figures and rediscover their image. Accused of being "too suggestive" or "too vulgar," this practice is still poorly understood by the general public. Yet, it's far from being a "beginner's club activity." Simply walking all day on ten-centimeter spikes is a sport in itself, so performing tricks in these oversized shoes is a feat of strength. And with a belly resembling a balloon, well, that's heroic.
While her body already accomplishes the extraordinary, dancer Anais Viola (@dfy_anais), with her infectious groove, reveals the infinite potential of a woman carrying life. Her baby, an invisible partner who nonetheless takes her place, is her driving force.
