Physician, producer talk about stepping out of comfort zone and onto dance floor to support youth arts education

By In the Loop • March 21, 2022
Dr. Anjali Bhagra and Jacob Malwitz.

Anjali Bhagra, M.D., and Jacob Malwitz are two of 10 Rochester-area celebrities donning their dance shoes for a good cause. They're participating in Dancing for the Arts, an event to raise funds for youth arts education.

Anjali Bhagra, M.D., and Jacob Malwitz say their dance moves are no match for Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. But the chance to support youth arts education inspired them enough to step out of their comfort zone and onto the dance floor anyway.

Dr. Bhagra and Malwitz are participating in Dancing for the Arts, which will be hosted by the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust on April 2. Each has been paired with a professional dancer to prepare for the friendly competition.

The News Center team checked in with them to learn about how they two-stepped from their day jobs — as a consultant in General Internal Medicine and a producer with Media Support Services — and into the dance competition.

Who are you paired with?

DR. BHAGRA: I am paired up with Mr. Gary Dahl. He is one of the co-founders of Dahl Dance Studio and has been teaching dance for over 25 years.

MALWITZ: I'm paired with professional dancer Julie Sobolewski. Julie is a phenomenal and patient dance instructor.

What drew you to this event and its cause?

DR. BHAGRA: I am inspired by our youth and very grateful for all the opportunities that the Rochester community provides for their development. It is an incredible honor to be nominated for this opportunity and meaningfully contribute to the cause.

MALWITZ: I was flattered to be asked to participate as a celebrity dancer for Dancing for the Arts. Dancing for the Arts benefits the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust. The trust's purpose is to develop a culture and environment for long-term sustainability of the arts in Greater Rochester.

What have you done to prepare, and how is that going?

DR. BHAGRA: It has been a steep learning curve, and I am fortunate to have a great teacher. Preparing for the event has been humbling, as I have never taken part in ballroom dancing before. What I have learned in the process is that it is never too late to learn something new, and that dancing is great for the body and the mind.

MALWITZ: Each of the celebrity dancers receives 10 dance lessons with their assigned professional dancer. In between lessons, I practice my dance steps. When I first started practicing with Julie, I didn't think I'd ever learn our dance routine, but with half of my lessons completed, I'm feeling very confident. Additionally, we create social media posts to help raise awareness and money for the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust. 

On a scale of 1–10, how close are you to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire?

DR. BHAGRA: There is no number. I might register as a 1 — maybe — on the scale after training.

MALWITZ: I can confidentially say that compared to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, I'm a solid 1.

How have your family and friends reacted to you participating in the event?

DR. BHAGRA: My family and friends are the biggest motivation for my participation. It is great to see the incredible excitement among friends to be in person together and relive the community spirit of giving. My husband and sons have helped all along the way, from choosing the music to even getting my steps right.

MALWITZ: My family and friends have been very supportive of my participation in this event, both in the sense that they want to support me when I perform during the event and in the sense that they want to support the arts in our community. 

What would you say to encourage staff to support the event or get involved?

DR. BHAGRA: Mayo Clinic and Rochester provide a home away from home for so many who move here from outside of Rochester, Minnesota, and the United States. I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to our amazing community and hope that our Mayo colleagues will support generously. There are other ways to get more involved with our youth. Another forthcoming opportunity is the Rise for Youth program, which is a community-engaged collaborative youth development initiative between Mayo Clinic and the NAACP Rochester Branch.

MALWITZ: Mayo Clinic staff can support the event or the arts by voting for their favorite celebrity dancer by vising the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust's website, volunteering at their favorite arts-related organization or participating in an arts-related event.

Any parting thoughts you'd like to share?

DR. BHAGRA: In these unsettling times, art holds the power of bringing us together as a community to contribute to a good cause. As Coretta Scott King said, "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members."

MALWITZ: Agreeing to do something to benefit your community is a great reason to step outside of your comfort zone.

To see Dr. Bhagra and Malwitz perform live on April 2, purchase a ticket to Dancing with the Arts. If you can't attend, you can still support the cause by donating in honor of Dr. Bhagra or Malwitz. Or both.

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