Happy Mother’s Day - let’s talk about all the hats we wear…

I teach dance fitness but did you know that I don’t really think of myself as a dancer?

I think most of us reserve that phase for professionals, those who dance in companies. Usually ballet or modern maybe?

I don’t know about all that but I do know a few things about teaching dance fitness:

This is life changing stuff. Women walk into class timid and shy and walk out smiling and laughing.

Dance class is where adult women make new friends. Real friends. Not work friends or other kids’ parents. Friends who are just as excited about your progress as you are.

Dance class is where we take off all our hats. For an hour, we are not Mom. We are not Employee. We are not Boss. We are not Wife. We get one hour to connect with ourselves.

Some of us have to find ourselves first. Who are we under all those layers? Do you even remember?

So no, even though I teach lots of dance fitness classes, I don’t consider myself a dancer. I consider myself a woman who loves to dance. And it has changed my life!

Though belly dance, I’ve met amazing mentors and taken workshops with world-reknown instructors.

My sensual dance fitness journey has been nothing short of a wild experience. Teaching these classes is incredibly satisfying.

I’ve taught women who have confided in me that they have no self-esteem, that they’ve been through traumatic experiences, that they don’t trust their ability to be feminine. I’ve taught women who weren’t allowed to dance growing up. I’ve taught women who needed a boost after a divorce or bad breakup. I’ve helped women find their groove after losing a lot of weight. I’ve helped women feel comfortable in their own skin.

Helping a woman across the bridge to who she wants to be is ridiculously rewarding. It’s the greatest feeling ever.

And from a scientific perspective, dance is great for our health. It helps with balance, making us less likely to fall as we age. It helps with bone density, making bone fractures less likely if we do fall. It reduces our risk of depression, dementia and other brain issues. We actually create new neural connections and more brain mass as we learn to move our body in new ways. Who wouldn’t want these health benefits?

So why belly dance and sensual dance?

For me, I like to dance by myself. I like to do what I want without having to remember a specific partner choreography. These formats are great because even if I make a “mistake”, no one knows but me. So it wasn’t a mistake. It was a surprise 🤣

I’ve taught dance fitness since before the Zumba craze of the early 2000s. That’s a nice way of saying I have 20 years experience. And what I’ve learned over those 20 years is that there is no way to replace the “me time” you get from dancing. It’s a joyous experience when you dance with a supportive and loving team.

I want the best for you. I want you to love your class, workshop or private party. I want you to be comfortable asking questions and have fun getting to know yourself - again.

The rest of our lives can be the best of our lives when we open our hearts and follow our soul.

You belong here. There is no judgement, we are women supporting women.

I hope you join me. I have some fantastic new events coming up all over Polk County. Please like my page, join my email list here and I’ll see you soon!