Iran arrests Zumba instructors for teaching ‘Western dances’ to boys and girls

Zumba, the Latin American fitness routine, is illegal in Iran. A group of instructors were arrested for teaching it.

Iranian police have arrested six people accused of teaching Zumba dancing and trying to “change lifestyles,” the BBC reported Wednesday.

The four men and two women, all Zumba instructors, were charged over their dancing and not adhering to the hijab dress code that all women are forced to wear in the Islamic Republic.

According to the allegations, they “attracted boys and girls, taught them Western dances,” and posted videos to social media.

In June, Iran’s sporting federation said the exercise included “rhythmic motions and dance and are unlawful in any shape and title”.

“The members of a network teaching and filming Western dances have been identified and arrested,” Hamid Damghani, a commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was quoted as saying by local media outlets. “They were arrested by the Guards’ intelligence forces while teaching and creating video clips… as they sought to change lifestyles and promote a lack of hijab.”

Damghani said dancing as a sport “is a serious issue.”

A similar case in 2014, which entailed the arrest of six Iranians for dancing along to Pharrell William’s song “Happy,” ended with their being sentenced to 91 lashes and a prison term.

By: World Israel News Staff

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