Avoiding the September Struggle

It always takes me a while to get used to the lazy days of summer but once I've made the transition, it's amazing how little one can bring themselves to accomplish over the course of a few free days.  My mom always used to remark how the more free time we have, the lazier we become.  It really does take some serious self-motivation to find a balance between relaxing and staying active over the summer months.

As a youngster, getting back into dance classes in September was sometimes quite a struggle.  In fact, the older I got, the more obvious this struggle became.  When I was dancing out of high school, I finally realized the importance of finding a balance between rest and activity when on holidays so that the return to the regular intensity of activity was not only easy, but also could also be done in a safer way without as much risk of injury.  Today, as an adult and a teacher, I think it is just as important for me to take that initiative over the summer as it is for my students.  With that being said, I am all for finding enjoyable ways to be active and healthy and to take advantage of the summer weather.  Here are some of my favorite ways to avoid the September struggle:

Walking and hiking are a great way to stay in shape.  Get together with a friend, take your dog with you, or make a playlist of your favorite songs and take off on your own.  If you are able to go on a hiking trail, the level of incline or any stairs will obviously take your workout to the next level.  If you only have access to a flat area, go out for at least an hour to get most out of it.  When it is so nice out, try to find times in your day when you have to run errands and make yourself walk to do them.  You'll return home feeling energized and deserving of a nice cold drink.

Cycling is always a great workout and is easy enough to vary in intensity.  One of the reasons that many people will choose biking over running for their cardio is because it eliminates a lot of impact on the joints that can cause hip, knee and ankle pain.  Experiment with hills, speed and the gears that you use.  Again, opt to ride your bike if you have errands to run or to get your self to the beach or a friend's place.

Swimming is frequently used as a complimentary training tool for dancers since, like cycling, it does not put any impact on the joints and does not tend to build bulky muscles.  Doing a few laps will get your heart rate up and being in the water is so great for cooling off on a hot day.

I could go on and on with ways to stay fit over the summer.  Tennis, volleyball, soccer, in-line skating, the list is endless.  What is important is that you make the effort to participate in one of these activities 4 to 5 times a week.  When you're on your down time and are watching movies or TV, don't forget how easy it is to gently strengthen your muscles by doing simple hamstring bridges, back lifts, abdominal crunches, rises and releves.  Don't forget about flexibility!  If you are not warm, hold any stretches for no more than 20 seconds.  If you have been active and your muscles are nice and warm, hold your stretch for more than 30 seconds.

The weekend weather promises to be beautiful and I intend to make the most of the walking paths in my neighborhood.  Hopefully, you'll find ways to get moving and have fun.  Remember, the more active you are, the more deserving you will feel of all the indulgences that comes along with vacation time.  Enjoy!

All Feet Can Dance

So here we are, the middle of July and finally coming to the end of my first season with Absolute Dance Inc and also as a newcomer to the city of Calgary.  The past year was wonderful.  I left Ontario in June of 2010, to come work for Absolute and dragged my husband along with me.  Circumstances demanded Erika and Meaghan to put a lot of trust in me and I also had to go on the great reviews from colleagues since I was unable to come out to Calgary to check things out myself.  Turns out I couldn't have been happier with the result.  Absolute Dance offers a unique studio setting where fun, friendship and laughter are the backdrop to the daily grind of studio life.

Having a few dance gigs under my belt (and some not so great), my husband can attest to the fact that no matter how terrible the situation, I find it impossible not to get attached to my students, young and old.  Even after teaching summer camps that are a week long, you recognize a student's abilities and weaknesses and take them on as your own.  When your students struggle, you take that on and when they succeed it brings a feeling that is hard to beat.  I have found myself in a career that, despite the ups and downs, brings so much happiness and fulfillment to my life.  Like every other work experience, I have grown attached to the people and students I have met here in Calgary only this time it's different since I know there is a future here for me.  The thought of working with the people I have met over the course of several years is exciting and inspiring to me.

In March, Absolute joined forces with Living Social and offered an incredible online promotion for our Adult Dance and Fitness classes.  We had a huge response and had to work fast to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate all the extra people.  As a teacher, I was a bit nervous at the thought of teaching different people each week and having to juggle a wide range of abilities in the same class.  It was a challenge but, as usual, after the first couple of weeks, we all seemed to ease into the routine.  I must say that over the course of the last four months there have been many people that I would have loved to have had in my class on a regular basis.  What really impressed me was how many people had the courage to come into a class they knew nothing about and participate fully with no judgement of themselves and a completely open mind.  Starting up in dance as an adult is not an easy thing to do and I applaud anyone who makes the effort to take themselves out of their comfort zone.  I also met a lot of people who were "seizing the day".  They had always wanted to try dance but never could as a kid and now was their chance to have a go at it.  The promotion brought large numbers to our classes which increased the energetic atmosphere at the studio and brought a sense of community.  There really is nothing better than standing in a crowd of 20 people, working through a fluid port de bras, or peeking in on a Hip Hop class with blasting music and sweating bodies moving in unison.

So as the promotion comes to a close I know I am not the only one that hopes to see many of those people come through our doors again.  I know that many will simply carry on to the next deal but at least I hope that their experience with us sparked some interest and appreciation for dance and that our visitors, like me, realized that all feet can dance.