Nuns' YouTube dance challenge 'to spread hope in times of pandemic' goes viral

Based at the San Miguel Monastery in Trujillo (Cáceres province), they decided to film themselves dancing to a song that has become something of a pandemic 'anthem', as its lyrics speak of hope for the future.

“The idea came from our sisters in Kenya, who've got natural rhythm in their blood,” says Mother Inmaculada, the Prioress.

“They loved the song because the lyrics are so beautiful – they express the nostalgia one feels when away from Jerusalem.

“We wanted to send out a message of home to the world today, where people live in anguish, feeling desolate because of being confined, their pain at so many losses and at the tragedy of the pandemic.”

The video – a screen-shot from which is shown above, by Cosmefotos on YouTube – features all 18 nuns from the Trujillo convent, and who range in age from 28 to 91.

Its expansion worldwide in mainstream media as well as through Twitter, Facebook and similar platforms has 'surpassed all their expectations', Mother Inmaculada says.

“Even though we're already on Facebook, we didn't expect to transcend borders like this,” she comments.

“We're really pleased, really happy – it seems people needed this. We want to spread hope, to remind everyone that the pandemic will, eventually, pass.”

She says all the nuns pray daily for the Covid-19 crisis to disappear.

And for those living in towns temporarily in lockdown due to high contagion rates, the sisters have words of advice – they are used to being cloistered, behind closed doors.

“Read and study,” says Mother Inmaculada.

“Just like we do. Stop obsessing with the news headlines about the pandemic, because if you don't, it'll take its toll on you psychologically.”

At the moment, they have not planned another choreography session for video, given that their way of life is supposed to be about shutting themselves away and devoting themselves to God, but say they have 'not ruled it out entirely'.

They would especially consider it if doing so attracted more young people to the vocation, but stress that 'spreading hope' was the main motive.

In Barcelona, too: Nuns bop to Jason Derulo for charity appeal

Dancing nuns appear to be a growing trend in Spain this autumn: Another Dominican Order, this time at the Santa Clara convent in Manresa (Barcelona province), gained national fame in late September after filming their fancy footwork to Jason Derulo's Savage Love on TikTok as an appeal for help for their charitable foundation.

Convent volunteer Gloria Kwofie uploaded the video of four nuns taking part in the #SavageLoveDanceChallenge, headed up by the high-profile Sister Lucía Caram, who already has 200,000 followers on Twitter, around 50,000 on Instagram and over 74,000 friends on Facebook.

The appeal for the Santa Clara Foundation – which looks after the mentally-handicapped and the elderly and incapacitated – is Sister Lucía's first foray into the world of TikTok, and was a good place to start if the aim was to raise awareness: Jason Derulo's Savage Love video on YouTube had notched up over 85 million hits within three months of its release.

Launched in 2003, the non-profit Santa Clara Foundation works with mentally-disabled adults in community care, and with vulnerable elderly persons, who have been declared legally incapacitated.

The Foundation aims to help improve their quality of life, enable them to live as normal a life as they can, and handles their legal affairs and protection to make sure they are properly looked after and not exploited in any way.

It also gives advice and help to families, and acts as legal guardians and carers to those who do not have any close relatives able to look after them, before they are placed in community care such as foster families, halfway-houses, nursing homes or other residential accommodation.

The nuns, additionally, take the Foundation's charges on fun outings and carry out enjoyable activities with them, either educational, for fresh air and exercise, or purely for pleasure.