Maybe You've Forgotten...

Whomever told you that the way you move was awkward or uncoordinated or ‘not graceful’ … Please reply with their name and address. I will go straight to their door and give them a throat punch.

For the last two years, I’ve been training online with my virtual community - which by the way is the best ever - if you’re not a part of it what are you doing? In nearly every session we free dance. That means I turn on music and I have you BOP around like a crazy person in your living room on a zoom call with 30-40 other women and let me tell you something - not once have I looked at a client in my class and thought well she really can’t move.

And I’m a trained dancer.

Sometimes that’s hard to see by my incredibly goofy nature but for all the time I’ve spent training technique and dissecting movement, I don’t waste a second judging people that are expressing themselves.

Have I laughed at people dancing - yes.

Have I laughed at myself dancing - at least once a day.

Would I critique you or invalidate you for dancing - 100% no.

You’re made to dance. You may have forgotten. That’s OK.

(*This song is Forgive You by Leon Bridges. It always makes me wanna move.)

I did not grow up with people dancing or singing in my house.

I just shot out of Rosie‘s womb, ready to kick ball change my way into life.

This whole ‘dance freedom’ topic stems from a conversation we had in my ✨Elephant Parade🐘❤️. I was sharing something and Samantha Joy said “you need to go deeper on that and share this with your community”. And so here we are.

When was the last time you put on music and just felt it?

I’m guessing you could use to release stored tension, increase bone density, elevate your mood, improve your brain health, laugh a little, sweat, get stronger physically, and most importantly get out of your own damn way. You’re going to find inspiration everywhere if your eyes and heart can remain open. Dancing drops the veil. It’s an equalizer bc we remember we’re all little weirdos.

We are all awkward. We are all off beat. We are all feeling it.

There are many ways to individually attain the above list of benefits but dancing is free and simple and worth it.

I’ve done my best attempting to put myself in a non-dancing person’s shoes. For instance, I hate running. If you see me running, call someone cause it’s not by choice.

It’s the pounding. Running feels jarring and for the most part the severed talofibular ligament in my right ankle doesn’t love it - along with my intensely compressed L5 and S1 however, I’ve done it. When I feel strong and injury free, running feels powerful. It’s like your biology’s phone charger. You can feel it energizing you.

Something similar happens when you’re dancing, but you have more creative freedom. And I don’t care what anyone says you are creative.

You may have forgotten.

This is where community matters. The people you surround yourself with are either elevating you or keeping you comfortable. They should be the ones encouraging you to express yourself.

Comfort is cute and it makes other people feel better about their inaction.

I see elevation and comfort as two sides of the same coin. If it’s heads you’re expanding, if it’s tails you’re coasting.

THERE IS A TIME TO COAST. Don’t get me wrong.

Maybe that’s your season. Coasting season. Good for you … Breathe it in … Enjoy!

If you’ve been coasting so long that you’ve forgotten what it’s like to expand, dancing will help.

I free dance 3 times a week with my exceptional virtual strength training community (MARCH FIT) and then another 2 times a week (at least) on my own.

Just me and Moose. Grooving and shaking.

Science has more to say about the benefits of dancing. It seems that the areas of the brain controlling memory and skills, such as planning and organizing, improve with excercise like dance. Dance is also attributed to developing concentration levels, good listening, language comprehension skills, and increased focus through movement. (May I interject that dancing with your partner is so powerful for healing wounds and igniting a dull flame. Matt was such a good dancer. I miss our impromptu dance parties.) Dance is one of the unique movement modalities that requires you to focus on both the constant changing movement and recalling moves and patterns.

That choreography will GETCHA.

And apparently KEEPYA… keep ya healthy, more confident, and cognitively sound.

Don’t forget … dancing is a lived experience and you get one ride.

You’re on it …

or maybe you’ve forgotten …

OKAYILOVEYOUBYEEE,

xx

Nic.

ps. CLASSES THIS WEEK:

* Tuesday QUICKIE YOGA (today) 12-12:30pm pst. $10. This is a well rounded, accessible yoga flow paired with music that includes mobility work and a 5 minute savasana. It’s meant to be a community offering at $10 a class and if you need financial assistance, just reach out. Hope to see you soon. Sign up here.

* Saturday FULL BODY STRENGTH 7:15-8am pst. $20. This is part of the MARCH FIT program but open to anyone. We begin with CARS, strength train lower and upper body, enjoy 2 dance breaks, and then end with a 5 minute guided meditation. Come for the dancing, stay for the booty pump. LOL. It’s all levels and the weekend energy is always a delight.  Sign up here.

* Saturday AVIATOR NATION YOGA FLOW 9-10am, 10:15-11:15am. In person, in Santa Monica. Come on out. Sign up here.

* Sunday AVIATOR NATION YOGA FLOW. 10:45-11:45am. In person, in Santa Monica. Come on out. Sign up here.

pps. EPISODE 11 OF SHOCK AND YALL IS OUT NOW. Today I’m speaking with my brilliant friend DR. MOSES BERNARD. He is the master of simplifying complex topics so that we can all better understand these flesh suits and the mechanics of being in a physical body. Pack a lunch because we are discussing low back pain, c-sections, scar tissue, your “core”, and visualizing the spine in a whole new way. So excited for you to hear this one. Please share, like, comment, download and review. Or pick one but get excited because it’s good!