Inside Ellie's Head

Cha Cha Routine...

So we had a few additions to the Cha Cha routine class last night and I think I may have scared them a bit with too much info. What can I say, they were doing so well, picking moves up so quickly. I just added and added to the routine until it seemed more complicated than comfortable. 

The good news is that we have another two weeks in the series to smooth out the moves and really learn them. The other good news is that everyone who participated in the class last night must have enjoyed it because they signed up (and prepaid) for the whole series. This makes me feel much better because now I know that they will be back for the remaining two lessons during which we can review and solidify (before adding more to the routine)! 

Belly Dance Fever

Belly dancing is not for the dancer from the Middle East any more. Every person with an interest in the dance form can learn it and become great at it. For a while now, every time I visit a Middle Eastern restaurant that features belly dancing as entertainment, I don't see the Persian or Arab woman performing. Instead I see a women of all shapes, colors, and ethnicities belly dancing fluidly and beautifully. 

Take Sadie for instance. In this video she skillfully and gracefully executes an intricate belly dance routine in a way that leaves us feeling convinced that she must have grown up with the dance. But don't assume just yet...

Buddha with Thousand Hands

If you've ever tried to dance, you have felt the importance of music and sound. Being able to "hear" the music seems to be an important part of being able to dance, especially with a partner. Imagine trying to dance as part of a large group of performers and not being able to hear anything at all. 

Some of you may have seen this video already. If you haven't seen it, take the time to watch it now; if you have seen the video before, watch it again! 

These performers are all deaf and rely on visual cues to keep them in sync with one another throughout this intricate and beautiful performance. How magnificent!

Benefits of Dance

As if you don't already know the benefits, here's a list for:

Physical & Mental Benefits

*  Stronger muscles

*  Greater flexibility

*  Healthier heart and lungs

*  Reduced risk of Osteoporosis 

*  Stronger bones

*  Reduced risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia

*  Improved memory

*  Improved mental function

*  Better coordination

*  Better reflexes

*  More balance and stability

*  Enhanced spacial awareness

*  Increased physical confidence

*  Increased energy and stamina 

*  Help with weight loss and weight control

Personal & Social

*  Improved overall and psychological well being

*  Improved self-confidence

*  Increased trust

*  Better social skills

*  Reduced social isolation and exclusion

Next time you feel depressed or sad, try dancing. The increased levels of endorphins in your bloodstream will make you feel not only less sad and depressed but even happy in no time at all! 

Stand Up Straight! I mean it.

Our bodies are great at sharing with the world all the feelings and thoughts that we try to keep private. They will communicate our insecurities, our fears, and our many changing moods with great accuracy.

Learning how to have good posture can mean the difference between letting your body reveal your secret emotions and having it say exactly what you want the world to know about you. Great posture screams confidence and success. People are drawn to confident and successful individuals.

If you have a great business idea, for instance, and you’re on your way into a meeting with possible investors, walking into the meeting with an air of confidence and success can really send the message that your company will succeed. It doesn’t matter how nervous or worried you feel before or even during the meeting.

Many dancers and performers feel nervous before and during a show. But regardless of how they feel, they stand up straight, and walk onto that stage as though they own it, giving everyone in the audience the perception that there is not a nervous bone in their bodies.

The Power of "Relax"

When I watch couples dancing to really fast music, those who stand out as excellent dancers are the ones who make the dance seem effortless. As I watch them, I forget how fast the music actually is. The dancers move with great speed and accuracy yet it is not their speed that catches my attention; it is the graceful and effortless manner in which they glide across the dance floor.

More often then not, however, dancers become flustered when faced with the challenges of fast music. They tense up, their shoulders rise up to their ears, and their smiles become forced and frown-like. In an effort to gain greater stability, they move their hips back and stick their bums out, a reaction that throws them even further off balance and makes them heavy on their feet. I find it painful to watch a dancer who is tensed and stressed by the music. I know that the dancer is not having much fun and I find it almost unpleasant to watch.

I often find myself talking to them in my head. I’ll say things like: “Just relax. It’s not that fast at all. Hold your slows. Don’t forget to breathe now. Relax. Relax. Relax.”

A Kind of Fantasy

There is a special kind of humor associated with a couple learning to dance together. The type of humor that parents can appreciate - especially those with toddlers who are taking their first wobbly steps. In due time, however, these initial uncertain steps become more grounded, the ridiculously amusing wobble becomes less pronounced, and the frequent plops on to the cushioned bottom become less frequent. The child learns to walk...

And so a couple learns to dance.

There is a special kind of satisfaction associated with a couple that, after much practice and some personalized attention from a teacher, effortlessly dances together. The type of satisfaction, perhaps, that comes with solving the entire New York Times crossword puzzle in record time. The kind of satisfaction that leaves her feeling breathless, him in control, and both smiling while wiping the sweat off their brows.

There is a special kind of pleasure associated with holding someone special in a way that makes him or her feel safe, supported, satisfied-- loved! On the dance floor, we have tools and terms for this. Have a solid frame. Be connected to your partner. Activate your arms and back. Move with your center. Connect!

The short of it is that there is a kind of fantasy associated with dancing together. Holding one another. Wooing someone. Being swept off one’s feet. Taking each other’s breath away.

Dancing has taken my breath away!

And I see my couples, my wobbly students, find more confidence in their steps. Today, I witnessed another transformation. A wedding couple dancing. Beautifully. Less and less stiff everyday. More and more fluid. He was so confident that she smiled the entire time. She followed so gracefully that he held her closer, longer, which made her smile some more. Every step flowed into the next and they both became one with every dip.

I feel proud.