hipi influencers
hipi’s design is informed by the idea that the modern woman is active; she does and goes wherever she wants comfortably and practically. In this spirit, we approached these fun fresh females following their passion, to be our influencers. Hope they inspire you as they have us!
Catia Gelo
Zumba trainer and event organiser, Munich, Germany
Having for the last eight years guided women in the eastern neighbourhoods of Munich to dance and stay fit to Latin-inspired rhythms and melodies, Catia brightens up every Zumba hour with her infectious energy, positive spirit and friendly confidence. Catia has also organised events featuring Balli du Gruppo, an Italian style of social dancing without the need for partners.As one of the participants in her Zumba sessions, hipi’s designer Su-Lin Chee asked her to try the hipi on and be its first Influencer. Read up what she thinks of it and what inspires her in her work here.
Ula Wyss
Dancer, speaker and Podcaster, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Having studied contemporary dance in Germany and is now committed to pursuing her passion of dance, public speaking and creativity. She performs, choreographs and teaches different dance styles. At the same time, she teaches public speaking through private coaching and workshops, online or in person. “I get creative, love coming up with new ideas and challenging the status quo,” says Ula. Read up what she thinks of it and what inspires her in her work here.
Catia
The hipi is a great and innovative idea! I use this hip belt at Zumba events, going out, also in my free time. Without using a hand bag on the go, gives me the feeling of freedom and security. I have everything within reach, I like the protection from phone radiation and the belt looks stylish. Absolute recommendation!
You have taught Zumba since 2012. How did it come about?
My husband first brought my attention to Zumba® when he told me, “This is exactly right for you since you love sport and dance.” He was right. It was love and first sight. Shortly after, I became a certified trainer.
You have two kids. Tell us a bit about how you balance between being a dance trainer/events organiser and family life.
Zumba® offers me a way to balance the body, spirit and soul. My own balance as a mother and woman leads automatically to harmonious relationships in the family. It’s important for us to find a healthy mix, in having time together, as well as time with friends and just for one’s self.
Tell us about the challenges of being a dance/fitness trainer?
The goal with my Zumba® classes is that as many participants as possible, whether beginners or long-timers, have fun, sweat it out and go back home feeling good. The choice of music and choreography plays a big part, which is not always easy .
Do you have days when you are not just up to it, even though you have classes to teach? What do you do then?
Yes, there are days where I’m not feeling the best, am a bit tired or under the weather. I push through the hour though, and actually feel better after.
Du kommst ursprünglich aus Italien. Was wäre der Unterschied zwischen lateinamerikanische Musik und italienische Musik
Your family came originally from Italy. What would be the difference between latin American music and Italian music?
The former includes mainly rhythms such as Cumba, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Reggaeton etc. Most of Italian songs, I would mainly describe as pop.
What is your goal in life?
To live in a little house on the beach!
Ula
The hipi is a pretty cool idea. I have often had to choose different pants to wear last minute because I realised they didn’t have any pockets. The hipi solves this problem!
Interestingly, I, as the designer of the hipi, started out in Kuala Lumpur and am now in Munich. You studied in Munich but are now in Kuala Lumpur! What brought you here?
I grew up in Malaysia so this is my home 🙂
Tell us a bit about how you feel about dance.
Dance is what I do. It’s what I love and is part of who I am. When you move, dance and speak, you start to understand yourself more deeply, and can use this to express who you are and what you stand for. In essence, you’ll start inspiring others, and that is why I love teaching people how to dance and speak.
I am aiming towards a world where the value of art is recognised as an integral part of society, just like any other ob. As I do so, my vision is to keep learning and expanding my horizon in creativity and as an artist. I wish to connect with artists from around the world, learning from them, collaborating from them and creating a supportive environment and community.
You also have a Podcast “For Artists, By Artists”. What made you set that up?
I created it as a platform for artists to share and be inspired by other artists, and to have a better understanding of what it means to be an artist. For example, I spoke about my decision to pursue dance in my second podcast. I also created a Facebook group of the same name, which is how you got to hear about me! 🙂