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.