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.

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.

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.

Second Generation

I just went to orientation with my daughter for her first summer ballet "camp." I felt like a teenager again looking with anxiety at all the other future ballerinas and remember wondering if I was going to match up. Being on the mother/teacher end of it is even worse, in my opinion. Any others who have experienced this? Any advice?

On the good side of this, it is exciting to see all the bright-eyed, unjaded young ladies as they are already so determined in life. I remember being there, in that state of mind. So much to look forward to. So much ahead. What an exciting time! Somehow I feel it was appropriate to be doing this on my 40th birthday. Milestones all around! I'm still young. I still have lots to look forward to. That's what I tell my clients in Pilates and I believe it for them. Why should I think any differently for myself?

School of American Ballet, 1989

Happy to Share! 2012

Sad Goodbyes...

       
     This is a photo of me from about 23 years ago at the beautiful school where I studied ballet with amazing teachers and dancers. This is the Orcutt-Botsford School of Dance (otherwise known as the Enid Knapp Botsford School of  Dance) in East Rochester, NY. After Mr. Orcutt's death, the school was purchased by St. John Fisher College, which you can see on the right side of this photo. Sadly, the college chose to dismiss Enid Knapp Botsford's wishes of keeping this amazing spot in the world for world-class ballet training. Instead, the college is moments away from demolishing it to create space for a new school of business.  My heart breaks every time I think of this happening. How fortunate I was to be one of the last generations to learn the art of ballet here from esteemed teachers such as Luba Gulyaeva, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jurgen Schneider. At the time, I took the facility for granted, not realizing that most young aspiring dancers do not get to set foot in a place like this. After having a career as a professional ballet dancer as well as a ballet teacher, I now know how special, rare, and irreplaceable this place is. I am saddened that art is once again disregarded. Two others who have graduated from the school have written this lovely article: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120517/OPINION02/120516005/Remembering-Enid-Knapp-Botsford-School-Dance
Many memories go along with this school, and those can't be demolished so easily.

Barre Certification DVD

Flex N Flow Biceps

Flex N Flow Stretch

Post Booty Barre Plus class - Nice and sweaty!

Two very gracious friends, Erin and Joce, donated time, sweat, and lots of energy to help me create my certification DVD for the Booty Barre, an amazing workout that stems from the Lotte Berk method and incorporates Pilates, dance and yoga. I know my teaching wasn't perfect due to a bit of nerves on my part, but they were the best models ever! I got nervous after completing the arm section that I hadn't actually pressed "play" properly since there wasn't a recording light on the front of the camera. So I ran over quickly to check that before we completed the remainder of the hourlong class to check that it was all OK, which, of course, it was! I could only imagine what Erin and Joce would have done to me if I had put them through a whole class only to not have it record properly! Haha! Then, during the ball section, I dropped the ball as I reached to grab it from behind my knee, and had to run chasing after it like a 2 year-old. I hope the lovely people (and I say that with all honesty as I got to meet two of them at training) at the Booty Barre will be able to see that I've studied and studied and studied for the last three weeks to teach the two types of classes with the integrity that they are seeking. I'm very excited to hear what they think!

Barre Addict

So my first barre class (yesterday) was a moderate success.  This week all I did was eat, sleep, and breathe with my Booty Barre manual just so I didn't completely draw a blank in front of a roomful of people.  The studio at Evangelical Community Hospital's Fitness Center was packed... I mean packed.  It just so happened to be all women, but I heard that some men at the gym just might be curious enough to try it.  We moved to the beat as everyone sweat buckets.  Most people loved it, or so they told me, yet some people may have tried to shoot me with eye-daggers.  I hope to have lots of returning Barre devotees!  I think the women who especially want something more cardio than Pilates thought this was a great combination of the principles of Pilates while really getting their heart rate up.  Once I get my video in and have it reviewed, I will officially be certified as a Booty Barre instructor, so keep an eye out for it at Evan's Fitness Center!  (210 JPM Rd., Lewisburg, 570.524.2600) These classes will be free with membership, which is a great deal if you investigate similar classes across the country!