How Zumba Fitness Found Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan And Changed Her Life

BY LISA R. MELE Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend the twentieth Anniversary Event of the movie “The Sixth Sense” with my daughter, Leah Mele-Bazaz, in Philadelphia. During that event I had the privilege to meet the director/producer/writer, M. Night Shyamalan, and his lovely wife, Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan. I also learned that evening that Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan (also known in the fitness industry as Dr. B.) is a mother of three beautiful daughters, a licensed Zumba®, 305Fitness®, and Bombay Jam® Instructor and co-owner of Vibe Vault Fit in Exton, Pennsylvania. I was so impressed with this multi-talented woman that I had to share Dr. B.’s story with our PhillyFIT Magazine readers and fitness enthusiasts.

Dr. B. received her B.A. from NYU and her Ph.D. in clinical developmental psychology from Bryn Mawr College. Her work as a therapist made her want to work more with people to help transform their lives. Dr. B. adds: “It had been a longtime dream of mine to open an orphanage one day in my life. I had also been engaged as a volunteer for several nonprofits thoughout most of my youth. These various pulls led me, eventually to the M. Night Shyamalan Foundation where I felt I could have a deeper and broader impact though that avenue.” Outside her very busy professional and family life, Dr. B. wanted to make time for herself and wanted to try a variety of dance classes. Dr. B. loved the style of Salsa, but most of the members that came to Salsa class brought partners and she felt a bit awkward not having one. One day, someone mentioned that she should try a Zumba® fitness class because they claimed it was like Salsa without the partner. Dr. B. recalls, “I attended Sandra Goes’ Zumba® class at my local Y and I had no idea it was even an exercise class. When I left that day, I called my husband and said, “I am home! If I can just take Zumba® classes for the rest of my life, I will be happy.” For someone naturally introverted and shy,“becoming a Zumba® Instructor was the last thing I could imagine for myself,” Dr. B. explains. Over time, Sandra would let her do a dance or two with her during class and this eventually began to give Dr. B. more confidence in getting in front of an audience, helping her to overcome her shyness. Sandra then invited Dr. B. to attend the annual Zumba® convention where Dr. B. was then approached by the creator of Zumba® and the CEO of Zumba® Fitness to audition for a new Bollywood song for their commercial DVD set. “This was a nightmare of a challenge for me in the terms of overcoming all of my anxieties, but I felt I had nothing to lose and so much to possibly gain by trying something beyond my comfort zone,” she explains. “A month later I was out on a shoot for Zumba® and then I was asked to teach a Bollywood workshop at the next instructor convention.” Dr. B. agreed and immediately knew she needed to get licensed to teach classes and gain more experience before heading to the convention to do a workshop. Dr. B. went from teaching classes in the basement at her local Y to eventually teaching at the ACAC in West Chester and at the former Love 2 Be Fit Studio, now Vibe Vault Fit, in Exton. Since becoming a Zumba® instructor, Dr. B. is also certified in two other dance formats, 305 Fitness® and Bombay Jam®, for which she is the East Coast Brand Ambassador. Dr. B. remarks, “Being a Zumba® instructor wasn’t something I sought out. I would say it found me. I felt most myself and free in class and that is what I want to give my students. Zumba® is

like a mood booster, a natural anti-depressant. I can come to class reluctant and dragging after a difficult day. No matter how I felt when I came in, I would feel lifted and happy and present at the end.” Dr. B. also adds this, “It fulfills me to have someone come to me after class and say it made them feel better, or inspired or happy. It is that impact that inspires me to teach.” Handling a busy career and family, and being married to a high-profile celebrity, is not easy to manage alone. Dr. B. has a great team of partners and staff that work with her daily. Dr. B. remarks, “The trick I have found to surrounding myself with effective people is not just about the skill sets they bring, but who they are as people. I always look for people who are not ego-driven but are secure enough to be flexible and giving in terms of working with others.” She adds, “Sharing responsibility and delegating require letting go to an extent. This used to be hard for me; allowing someone else to do things their way. It requires both humility and security to let go and give someone else the reins, and then applaud them for their work.” Dr. B. also keeps a good calendar and schedules regular days and times for the M. Night Shyamalan Foundation work, Vibe Vault Fit, kids’ pickups, and cooking meals for her family. Most important for Dr. B. is knowing when not to work and to make time to focus only on her family.

Helping run Vibe Vault Fit’s studio is Dr. B.’s partner, Kristine Carroll, who also owned Love 2 Be Fit for three years and is one of PhillyFIT Magazine’s featured Workout-a-thon Instructors. Carroll and Dr. B. recently partnered and rebranded together last year as co-owners of VVF. They work together to create the new vision and make all decisions together regarding programs, staff, and really all aspects of VVF. Dr. B. also runs a lot of the holistic wellness pieces of VVF, the monthly themes and intentions, and some of the wellness workshops. In closing, Dr. B. remarks, “For a long time now, people have talked about strength, which especially women have, in being able to multitask, but I have begun to think of it as a stealer of joy. I am not talking about serially multitasking when you focus on one thing at a time. For a while I tried to do multiple things at a time, for example, listening to music while trying to choreograph while cooking. I realized by doing all that I wasn’t really present in anything that I was doing. So I then decided to just focus on one thing I was doing at a time and I found being really present allowed me to really feel myself in my life the way multitasking does not allow. Presence can bring deeper joy in what you are doing. So my goal and what I would recommend is to do one thing at a time and try to really be in the present in what you are doing. To feel your way through life making it more likely you enjoy the journey through it.”

Since 2011, Lisa R. Mele has been a featured PhillyFIT Magazine Workout-a-thon Instructor and in 2012 became the Stage Manager for the event. Lisa is a certified Group Exercise Instructor with over 15 years of experience teaching Aquatics, Barre, Cardio Dance, Mat Pilates, SilverSneakers and Total Body Conditioning.

Lisa has been married to Christopher Mele for 33 years and has 3 grown children, Lara, Leah and Christian. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys writing fitness articles for PhillyFIT Magazine, swimming and taking dance lessons at Marcia Hyland Dance Center.