STRESS

i know it has been awhile so let's refresh. i am sure we are all a little stiff  so lets

STRETCH...

did you know that most women hold their stress in their hips?

it is true.

to relieve a little stress try some deep stretches such as

YOGA's

cow face pose

eagle pose

pigeon 

fire log pose

easy pose

Drink plenty of water after you have broken up those tense areas. It is normal to feel a little nauseous after some deep stretching where you held a lot of tension.  After it is all said and done, you will feel more relaxed and some of your stress will melt away.

Happy Dancing!

It's time...

The time has come to blow the dust off your dance shoes and get back into the Fall schedule. When planning your activities, remember that ballet is a MUST. It is the foundation of all forms of dance. Always throw in a ballet class or two. There are so many new styles of dance out there. Investigate those roads, explore all the options. Balliwood, Krump, Zumba, etc. are just a few to check out.

Tip of the day: Dancers ARE athletes! Any form of dance takes commitment, hard work and dedication. So jump in with both feet and dance your heart out.

D.A.N.C.E.

Dance whenever you feel your inner groove.
Active dancing burns crazy calories.
Need to relieve some stress?....DANCE.
Carefully stretch before dancing so you don't injure yourself.
Enjoy every minute of it!

Teaching Pregnant

For those of you teachers out there wondering if you can build a family and teach and the same time, I am here to tell you it is possible.  You can continue to teach (under normal circumstances) throughout your pregnancy. Here are a few things to remember:
1.  You won't be able to jump high.
2. Stretching it a wonderful thing for you and baby...just don't over do it and pull a muscle.
3. Piles might take a little longer to come out of.
4. Teachers have chairs for a reason....use it.
5. Leg extensions won't be as high due to the obstacle in your torso.
6. Your balance will be off so don't do anything risky.
7. Pet students make WONDERFUL examples so you don't have to demonstrate everything.

Keep dancing. Just take it easy. Enjoy your changing body while you do what you love.

New Season of DANCE

Yet another season of  So You Think You Can Dance has begun. This show is for everyone, the dancer and the lover of dance alike.  You can get great choreography ideas and watch movement at it's finest. Tune in every Wednesday night to FOX.

well rounded

These days it is very important to be a well rounded dancer. You have to know how do DANCE almost every form of dance to make it in the "Dance World."  Every dancer needs to start with Ballet. It is the foundation of every other form of dance. It will give you a solid technique. Jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical and ballroom are also important. To be great it is stressed that you have a little gymnastics tucked under your belt as well.  You can always add in a little Flamenco, Clogging, Irish Dance, Highland Fling, Sword Dancing, Belly Dancing, Crump, and many others styles of dance. Dancing is a very disciplined sport and is not for the weak.

Dance because you LOVE it!

Blood on the Dance Floor

Yes, that is a Michael Jackson song but it is also appropriate for today's post.  The floor you are dancing on is VITAL to your health. It is so important that you are not working on HARD surfaces such as cement, tile, etc. Dancing on a hard floor will take its toll on your body.

When I started Clogging (yes, similar to tap), I had my first set of classes in someone's garage. At the time it did not bother me but over the years I developed knee pain and injury from it. Everytime you jump on a floor that is not suitable for dancing you risk compressing joints, discs and other serious injuries.

I recommend dancing on any type of "sprung" floor, hard wood floor (they are not as hard as you think), or marley (a thick black mat that covers the surface of a stage or studio floor). This will prolong the life of any dancer's body.

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