By Gia Miller
Artwork by Annie Kennedy
Hey Dad,
Earth’s been fun, but why does this museum have a whole wing for Americans?
My favorite exhibit! They thought they were the best at everything. Then came exercise. And dancing.
1970s
Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived. Suddenly, bodybuilding…and tiny shorts. It was a lot.
1980s
Spandex. Leg warmers. A perfectly sculpted Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons tossed Arnold. The enthusiasm was unmatched. The rhythm was not.
1990s
Billy Blanks brought Tae Bo. See ya, pastel-clad fitness icons. There was punching and dancing—Americans mastered neither.
2000s
Goodbye boxing. New goals: pole dancing and bringing sexy back. Results included drywall damage, broken TVs and heroic hand calluses. Dancing did not improve.
2010s
Zumba. Same problem, now with faster music, bigger moves and aggressive hip movement. Entire classes moved with confidence…just not in the same direction.
2020s
They rode bikes that didn’t move, ran without going anywhere, rowed on dry land, and called it Peloton. No dancing—huge success.
So what happened next?
We gave them pickleball and leaned in.
This article was published in the May/June 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Gia Miller is an award-winning journalist and the editor-in-chief/co-publisher of Connect to Northern Westchester. She has a magazine journalism degree (yes, that's a real thing) from the University of Georgia and has written for countless national publications, ranging from SELF to The Washington Post. Gia desperately wishes schools still taught grammar. Also, she wants everyone to know they can delete the word "that" from about 90% of their sentences, and there's no such thing as "first annual." When she's not running her media empire, Gia enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, laughing at her crazy dog and listening to a good podcast. She thanks multiple alarms, fermented grapes and her amazing husband for helping her get through each day. Her love languages are food and humor.
Anne Kennedy
Annie Kennedy is a designer and illustrator based in Brooklyn but born and raised in Lewisboro. Having completed her BFA in communications design at Pratt Institute, she seeks to continue using her work as a means of storytelling. Outside the studio, she spends her time cooking for friends, mask-making and gardening.
