Joseph Pilates Quote of the Week:

Joseph Pilates Quote of the Week:

"The art of contrology proves that the only real guide to your true age lies not in years or how you THINK you feel but as you ACTUALLY are as infallibly indicated by the degree of natural and normal flexibility enjoyed by your spine throughout life." ~Return to Life Through Contrology

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Deeper Roots - Not So Pilates Related

     OK, so this doesn't really have much to do with Pilates, but it is certainly noteworthy. Emma and I went to the ballet tonight, the pas de deux evening, at the amphitheater in Chautauqua, NY. I had heard from a new acquaintance that Cynthia Gregory, a famous ballerina from American Ballet Theatre in the '70's and '80's was going to be visiting a friend in Chautauqua today. I carried my camera to the ballet studios where the kids took classes this afternoon in hopes of seeing her there, but she was nowhere to be found. After that I sort of forgot about the whole thing... A lost cause. Then, during intermission at the ballet performance tonight, I spot her. No doubt it's her. None. This is a woman who was one of THE ABT ballerinas of my formative years. What an icon. And here she was, in view. I prodded Emma to go get her autograph, then promptly kicked myself for not going and getting a grainy picture of her with Emma with my cell phone camera. I then texted Mark, he sent Charlie down to the amp with my real camera, and we moved our seats a few rows behind hers to catch her at the end of the show. I was so giddy and nervous my plan wouldn't work. All the little Workshop II girls streamed by her as everyone exited, not knowing who they were passing, and I was swimming against the flow, desperately trying to get to her without looking like I was stalking her. I was star struck, to say the least, and a couple hours later as I am writing this, I am still a bit jumpy. But she was so lovely, so beautiful, so sweet, and was happy to take a picture with us. I look like a deer in headlights because I just couldn't believe my eyes. There she was. And we were with her. It was a moment I won't forget.

The lovely Cynthia Gregory with Emma and me in Chautauqua, NY.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Roots

Yesterday I returned to my roots and took my annual ballet class, ballet being the thing that led me to Pilates. The special thing about it was that I took class standing at the barre next to my lovely 11 year-old daughter, Emma. This was the first time we've taken class together as students, not as teacher and student. It was fun cheering each other on silently as we executed the combinations in different groups. As Emma is trying so hard to create the muscle memory needed for ballet technique, my muscle memory kicked in, in overdrive, while the muscles didn't really have the capacity to follow through. Thankfully, I had enough of it left because of all my Pilates and Booty Barre work to get through most of class. I even surprised myself with some things, like the height of my arabesque which I am certain came from keeping my spinal muscles strong and healthy with Pilates. It is truly amazing how the body remembers movement when you have had enough repetition. It just hit home to me that even when we don't have as much time to practice Pilates as we would like, there are always benefits that we are receiving, and the body is slowly but surely filing the information for us, either in our brains or muscles. Let's not psych ourselves out by saying we are not in good enough shape to take a Pilates class, but come as you are, be smart, use modifications where necessary, and accept where you are today, making it a stepping stone for what's to come tomorrow!
                              



Emma, with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Emma just completed her first summer ballet workshop at the Chautauqua Ballet School. JP and Patty are the directors of the Chautauqua Ballet School and Company in the summers, North Carolina Dance Theatre during the year, as well as former stars of the New York City Ballet.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The Booty Barre!

I just got word this morning that I am now officially a certified Booty Barre instructor! I'm really excited to be adding this to my repertoire. Check out the website (www.thebootybarre.com) for more information on this full-body workout that is so intense, one of my clients has said it is tougher than P90X! And this particular (female) client flies Black Hawks! So there!

Booty Barre incorporates Pilates, yoga, and a bit of dance to make for a great hour where you don't waste a second. And this workout is not limited to females. Men are fully welcome to join in the fun. I will be teaching the Plus class as well as the Flex N Flow class at Evangelical Fitness Center at 210 JPM Rd, Lewisburg, PA starting the last week of August. (I'm teaching Pilates in Chautauqua, NY until then.) The Fitness Center's phone number is 570.524.2600 and the website is http://www.evanhospital.com/health-and-wellness/fitness.