“How did you end up teaching this stuff?”

“How did you end up teaching this stuff?”

I lifted my hair out of my face to see the student who asked me this question.

We were seated on folding chairs, pointing our toes and leaning back over the sides, arching our backs as our other arm traced our bodies.

Everyone was a partial-shadow in the red light of the floor lamps.

I smiled.

“It’s been a journey to get here”

Teaching Zumba is fairly easy. Memorize the choreography, listen to the songs in the car, make it up if you forget it. Only your front row students know if you messed it up.

Personal training allows for so much creativity. What will benefit your client the most? How can you educate them the best for their goals?

But sensual dance…you cannot fake the self-love needed to teach this stuff.

Every flaw, you own it. Every step must be with confidence. If you make a mistake, you don’t go back and change it, you finish that move but now with intention. There is no room for backing down.

These are my favorite classes to teach.

Regular, every day women walk into class. Sometimes they know each other, sometimes class starts as a room full of strangers.

I welcome everyone with a smile, eye contact, thank them for coming in.

Class starts slowly, my music is different. It’s sexy, it’s sultry. I remind everyone this is their time, their workout, they get out of it what they want out of it. Ask questions, try all the variations I show, take the time to try new things. This is a safe space for them to express themselves. Or maybe find themselves.

And I’m the guide.

This is why I love teaching sensual dance fitness. Every class is different. Every group is different. Every woman is different.

15 minutes into class everyone has loosened up and is trying all kinds of movements. Some go over really well, surprisingly well! Some end with laughter! Both are healing.

People who know me from growing up are shocked I teach this. Hell I’m shocked I teach this.

It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Belly dancing was as close as I got to this art form. When the opportunity came to get certified in sensual dance, a friend of mine encouraged me and we went together.

And it changed my life.

I can’t wait for it to change yours!