Friday, November 8, 2013

SQUASH!

Not the game... but the vegetable! Thanks to Fitness Magazine for today's yummy recipe... I see it in my future weekend plans.... enjoy :)
_______________________________________


Sausage-and-Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash 

  • 2medium acorn squash, about 3/4 to 1 pound each
  • 1cup  low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3cup  quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 1/2teaspoons  toasted sesame oil
  • 4ounces  fresh turkey or chicken sausage, casing removed
  • 1teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 1/2teaspoon  coarse salt
  • 1/2cup  chopped red onion
  • 1/2cup  chopped red bell pepper
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 1/2tablespoons  minced fresh ginger
  • 3ounces  Gouda, shredded (about 3/4 cup)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Cut squash in half horizontally and remove seeds; place cut side down in a baking pan filled with 1 inch hot water. Bake 45 minutes, or until a sharp knife easily pierces squash.
2. Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat 15 minutes. Turn off heat and cover pot.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, cumin and salt. Saute 4 minutes, breaking up meat with a spoon. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and ginger. Cook 2 minutes; stir in quinoa.
4. Transfer squash halves to a dry baking dish, cut side up. Pack each with an even amount of filling and bake 20 minutes. Press shredded cheese into each filled half and bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese has just melted.
Sausage-and-Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Funny fitness Thursday!

Well, it's pouring in NYC and it makes me feel totally gloomy, unmotivated, and lethargic..... just like yesterday's post might suggest! So, what better way to cheer up, then with a few funny, fitness jokes??!!

_________

Jack, decidedly overweight, and not at all bright, asks Doctor Mayo at Portchester Health Centre, for help in losing weight. The doctor advises Jack to run 10 miles a day for 30 days. 
This, she promises, will help Jack lose as much as twenty pounds in a month.
Jack, naturally very excited, follows Doctor Mayo's advice to the letter, and, after thirty days, he is delighted to find that he has, indeed, lost twenty pounds.
Delighted, Jack 'phones Doctor Mayo and thanks her profusely for the wonderful advice which had produced such a tremendous result.
At the end of the conversation, however, he asks one last question, 'How do I get home now, Doctor, since I am some 300 miles away?'

_________

And finally... some special Tennis humor for Tim.... 
Never date a tennis player; to them love means nothing ;) 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Weather and YOUR body...

This week it's been COLD! I am feeling the season change, along with the darker afternoons and my chilly walk to work... I feel like a bear who wants to hibernate.  Why?




Weather affects our bodies for many reasons, so many that we have scientists constantly investigating biometerology -- the study of how weather affects people, plants, and animals, and importantly, how weather can affect your health.

There are so many factors included in weather (temperature, wind, an increase or decrease in precipitation...) that it's hard to tell specifically why we feel different when the weather changes.  Our emotional health, joints, body pain, mood.... so much to consider.  One reason we DO know that our joints often ache is the change in barometric pressure -- that's known.  The change in pressure also affects your blood pressure which in turn affects EVERYTHING about your body.  This we know.

Dr. Pawan Grover tells us this falling barometric pressure....

"frequently precedes a storm alters the pressure inside joints. Those connections between bones, held together with tendons and ligaments, are surrounded and cushioned by sacs of fluid and trapped gasses."

So, with the change of weather upon us, be prepared for your body to change.  You may feel more aches and pains, more exhausted, off balance.... your body may demand more rest, more fluids...

Listen to it. Give it what it wants, and enjoy the start to winter that will be coming soon :)


 


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Marathon!


What were you doing on Sunday? 

I was cheering on the 50,000 runners who completed 26.2 miles around the five boroughs of New York City.  It is my most favorite day of the year and I am continually motivated and inspired by the passion, effort, and heart that thousands share in a few hours, whether as a participant or an observer.  It reminds me of why a "we're all in this together" kind of attitude actually works.  


Every year I think, next year I'm gonna do this.... and then life gets in the way and before I know it, suddenly half a year has gone by and it's too late to begin training.  Well, not this year.  I am DETERMINED to do this next year as an "I can do this" present to myself :) 

Who's with me?! 


Thursday, October 24, 2013

CROSS FIT!

(I am sweating!  
I can barely lift my arms!)

During the middle of my (dance teaching) work day, the members of my department took a break and had two guests from EFV, a Cross Fit studio on the upper east side down the block from school, join us to lead a session.  What a motivating guy!  Eric, the founder of EFV, led us first in a quick discussion about the pyramid of Cross Fit with nutrition as it's base, and using functional movements to aid in the ability to perform better.  I was impressed that in the warm-up (which was really quite tough already!) he analyzed our form and gave pointers on technique and explained fully how to do each repetition safely and efficiently.  Great for injury prevention.

He even mentioned something that I ALWAYS say.... he stressed that it's the TECHNIQUE and FORM of the thing that is most important.  If you attempt to do the action fully, then you'll be able to measure your progress.  For example.... not doing 20 "girl push-ups" and then advance to 10 "real push-ups."  Just do the push-ups the way they need to be done and measure that :)

I appreciate the ability to workout without the need for numerous apparatuses with time spent setting up and cleaning up, especially when you are working out alone and need to do it quick.  We spend time doing things that just needed our body parts:

  • Round 1
    • 21 push-ups
    • 21 squats
    • 21 burpees 
  • Round 2
    • 15 push-ups
    • 15 squats
    • 15 burpees
  • Round 3  
    • 9 push-ups 
    • 9 squats
    • 9 burpees 
And we timed ourselves so that, ideally, you could measure, quantitatively, how well you are performing.  We had planned to do 21 skips, 15 skips, and 9 skips at the end of each but we're pressed for time... so if you plan to try this -- add it in!  

But what a great thing to try..... SOMETHING NEW!!!!!!  It's inspiring to do something different and to push yourself in a new way.  Try it!  Anything! Something new!  

Thursday, October 17, 2013

A little more on running....

I was intrigued by my own running technique this morning and I decided to post a little more about running and form.... I experimented with heel striking and then forefoot landing and it actually felt different.  A forefoot landing made me feel lighter on my feet, but ultimately I preferred heel striking.  I felt more powerful and it energized me.


I love this article on common running form mistakes.  Brandon Laan posts some great information that we can use as a follow-up to yesterday.  I adored a few key take-aways:

  • Good form is a matter of not being lazy!!! This I tell to my students ALL THE TIME! Form is so important and you can actually work more efficiently to target specific muscles and get more out of your efforts (in running, and while lifting weights or doing other activities) --- "proper and efficient biomechanics during your entire gait cycle"  (POSTURE, ALIGNMENT, PELVIC STABILITY, HIP STRENGTH) 
  • Listen to your feet hit the pavement to measure your strikes -- increase turnover by counting how many strikes in 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to see strikes per minute -- and try for more!
  • Maintain a forward lean and keep elbows bent at 90 degrees (to avoid using unneeded energy in the arms!) 
  • Active-isolated stretching to avoid injury while running and increase range of motion (hamstrings, quads)
  • MY FAVORITE DRILL:
    • Perform the “Hands on Head” drill. Start by interlocking your hands on your head. Focus on keeping your core solid and straight while keeping the hips and shoulders level and relaxed. Start jogging. This drill will help you to eliminate any left to right movement through the hips and help eliminate a criss-crossing, side-to-side arm carriage. 
  • Keep body relaxed -- at mile markers (or another landmark you can set) raise your shoulders up to your ears and then drop back down into a relaxed position -- maintain that relaxation throughout 
HAPPY RUNNING!!!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Running!

Running techniques....... 

Most trainers, doctors, and fitness enthusiasts have always recommended running with a heel strike as opposed to a toe (forefoot) strike when landing.  This is what my studies as a Personal Trainer taught me while learning proper frontside and backside running mechanics: you want as much flexion (flexing at the ankle, bending in the knees and creasing at the hips) when the leg travels forward, and as much extension (ankle pointed, hip and knee extension) when the leg goes behind you.

But.... New research shows that for some injury prevention, a "forefoot" strike is beneficial.  When people run without wearing shoes, they usually land with the forefoot and this leads researches to believe that's best..... so they tested it out a little further.

  • Knees, ankles, and the Achilles' tendon are the sites of most running injuries and when force was analyzed with female athletes during running, they found greater force (especially with the knees -- 16% more force produced!) with heel landings 
  • However.... striking with the ball of the foot could lead to tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, or a stress fracture 
So..... if you're not in pain, best not to switch your techniques.  If you can, have a coach or trainer watch you run and observe your technique.  Then, if you are having pain, see how best to alter to shift the pressure and force on the joints.  


Thursday, October 10, 2013

The lesser of two evils...


To order in, or to eat out???  What's worse?  What's better?  
When you can't cook for yourself, don't have time to, or don't want to... what should you do?  


Take out wins! 

When eating out you are.... 
  • 10 times more likely to nibble on bread (who doesn't??!!)
  • Twice as likely to order an appetizer 
  • More like to order side dishes (nearly 40%, versus 25%)
  • More like to order dessert (25%, versus 4%)
I totally agree!  When I dine out, it's usually about creating an experience.  You share bottles of wine, several appetizers, stab a bite off of each plate at the table to try each meal, sample desserts.... go. to. TOWN!  That's what going out to dinner is to me -- an experience with family, friends, significant others... to share in a meal outside of the home.  

If I "order in", it's simply because there's nothing at home to cook, i'm exhausted, or it somehow seems simpler.  It's never about the experience for me, and it's usually just the entree - that's it. 

How about you?! What do you think?


Friday, September 27, 2013

Sleep vs. exercise?



Ahhh.... the age old question (at least in my house!) is should I sleep in an extra hour, or get up early to workout?  It's a question I face just about every morning and it's something many people (my sister included!) ask me constantly.  Dr. Zee from Northwestern University in Chicago gives us a little insight:

  • there is no real scientific evidence that one is more important than the other.... but we do know that sleep + exercise + nutrition = triangle of health  
  • exercise improves your sleep contributing to a more deep, restful slumber... which in turn keeps you healthier (a win-win situation, I think) 
Suggestions: 
  • (as I've recommended before) try INTERVAL TRAINING which includes shorter bursts of higher intensity exercise, allowing you to get more, in less time spent at the gym 
  • bike to work! 
  • workout during lunchtime, or even simply go for a walk during your break 
My favorite suggestion.... 
  • going to bed 20-30 minutes earlier on work nights + waking up 15 minutes later = 600 to 800 more minutes of sleep per month!!!!! (Now this, I can do!)

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Thanks, Sarah!

Today I turn to Sarah Klein, blogger for the Huffington Post, for a little inspiration.

She writes about her fitness "bucket list" and how she's working hard to accomplish all there is on it, and then to start it again and work even harder to improve upon her recorded times, amount of sets, and reps....

She recommends some great words of wisdom...

  • TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT!  Share your hard work and efforts with everyone around you, get them on board, and find support.  DON'T DO IT ALONE -- find friends to join you and share in your joint goals. Write it down, and post it as a constant reminder that you can do it! 
  • Dress for the occasion ;) This one I like and totally agree with.  My gym wear used to be my "ready to throw away" regular clothes (i.e.: stained, sweaty, ripped... you get the idea) and now, I actually invest money into my gym gear and I feel great about how I look and it motivates me to work harder.  Great tip, Sarah! 
  • And my personal favorite.... start it all over again.  Once you reach a goal, make a new one :)  

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Dealing with muscle cramps

Cramping often comes from muscle fatigue as well as a nutrition deficiency, says an article in Dance Teacher Magazine. Dancers might be dehydrated, and the fluid in our bodies helps with all body function -- include muscular functioning.

Dancers need to drink lots of fluids (like at least 64 ounces of water per day.... and a suggested 16 ounces two hours before class and and a half cup every 15-20 minutes throughout.)  Excess sweating also makes the body lose electrolytes (like potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium) which help maintain muscle function.  What to do??? 

Eat these electrolyte-rich foods: 
  • potassium: bananas, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, kiwi and yogurt
  • magnesium: whole grains, apricots, avocados and bananas
  • sodium: salted pretzels or nuts, V8 juice and saltines 
  • calcium: broccoli, yogurt and cheese 




















Keep muscle cramps away and happy dancing!!! 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Healthy skin

Who wants healthy looking skin?  

Everyone does... me included! 

What to eat?

  • Fish -- excellent source of protein which the body uses to build collagen and elastin, and omega-3 fatty acids which reduces inflammation 
  • "Good carbs" -- choose foods with a lower glycemic index 
  • Colorful fruits and veggies -- contains Vitamin A which helps skin cells to reproduce 
  • Nuts and seeds -- contains healthy omega-3 fats which has similar benefits to that of fish 
  • FLUIDS -- helps flush out waste.  Recommended: water and green tea which contains antioxidants 



Friday, September 6, 2013

Fast food vs. healthy food?

It's that time of year again... back to school, back to schedules. Enough said. The fall brings chaotic sports schedules, dance schedules, work schedules... along with homework, the holidays..... it all arrives so quickly, and sometimes our at home chef has not yet arrived ;)

Things that get scarified most:

  • our diets -- what and when we eat 
  • our sleep schedule 
How to eat healthy on-the-go?  Check out ten healthy options and see how you can make better fast food choices.  

My personal favorites: 
  • Starbucks protein box -- I have eaten this MANY times and it's fillings and all pure ingredients that you don't need to question: eggs, grapes, apple slices.... yum! 
  • Sour cream and chive potato -- delish! 
Look forward to trying: 
  • McDonald's southwest salad -- Who doesn't love tex-mex!? 
  • Power chicken hummus bowl -- a secret menu at Panera... who knew?! 
Here's to a great school year!!! 


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Ice vs. heat??


A great article in Dance Teacher Magazine explains the differences in when you should be icing or heating an injury and some helpful tips:

ICE: 

  • after an acute injury, immediately, to reduce swelling and decrease pain 
  • acute injuries: like sprains and dislocations; chronic injuries: like tendonitis; on bruising 
  • apply ice for about 10 minutes every hour to reduce inflammation -- the first 24 -72 hours are crucial! 
  • never apply ice directly to the skin and don't leave on for more than 20 minutes 

HEAT: 
  • increases blood flow to help with mobility (good to use heat and a warm-up before activity) 
  • good for pulled or stiff muscles, or joint issues like arthritis 
  • not for use right after an injury occurs! wait at least 48 hours before applying heat 
  • do not leave heat on for longer than 20 minutes 

HELPFUL TIPS! 
  • using crushed ice (or a bag of frozen peas!) will help distribute the cooling more evenly 
  • freeze water in Dixie cups to use for frozen massage -- warning: keep ice moving to prevent burning the skin 
  • do not sleep with heating pads on -- could burn the skin with prolonged use!
  • use a damp washcloth in the microwave for a heat pack to mold around a joint 

Most importantly..... 
monitor injuries and keep a close eye on your body to keep you dancing and healthy! 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Another summer comes to a close....

We finished the NYSSSA program last Friday and wow -- what an impressive group of students!  They were so open to learning new ways of looking at things and approaching their bodies and their dancing.  I will miss them terribly.

Days were spent in the weight room doing resistance work, using the physioballs, completing circuits, and days learning about bones, muscles, and how our body moves in space..... and collecting info about our own bodies with strength testing, or skeletal assessment as seen here.......

 

In the first photo you see Katrina placing stickers on body landmarks to identify Nadya's skeleton, 
and in the second photo Bella is analyzing Gillian using the landmarks.  

It was a truly inspiring summer and we had a great time all the way through to our final day!  Here they are striking a pose -- show us your muscles dancers!! 






Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Where does "turn-out" come from?

TURN OUT COMES FROM..... 
YOUR HIP! 

Let's investigate the range of motion inside our hips and see how this might be true..... Check out this great video and you can see the head of the femur moving inside the hip socket while demonstrating: 
  • flexion 
  • extension 
  • inward and outward rotation 
  • abduction 
  • adduction 
Makes perfect sense that rotation of the hip joint allows us to "turn-out" our legs: 







Now.... let's check out the knee, shall we??? 

Livestrong only mentions flexion and extension of the knee in the above link, because that is the only safe range of motion for knee mobility!  The knee does have limited amounts of rotation while in flexion (when it's bent), and of course each body is different so there may be a little more rotation at the knee joint for some people, but turn-out DOES NOT come from your knee.  You must utilize the rotation from the hip join only, or you risk serious injury. And further more, most over-rotating that I see is when closing a position of the legs (straight legs in full extension like in the above photo!) And it's not only the football players who have to worry about knee injuries during a game...... 

"Noncontact forces also are an important cause of knee injury. Quick stops and sharp cuts or turns create significant deceleration forces that can sprain or rupture the anterior cruciate ligament. Hyperextension can result in injury to the anterior cruciate ligament or posterior cruciate ligament. Sudden twisting or pivoting motions create shear forces that can injure the meniscus. A combination of forces can occur simultaneously, causing injury to multiple structures."

So..... twisting or pivoting motions can cause injury to the knee..... that must mean that if I close my foot into fifth position (in ballet class) and then torque my knee to turn-out below my knee, I am doing damage, right???? Yes, absolutely right.  Just like a twisting of the knee on the soccer field can impact the ligaments or the menisci of the knee, over rotating in the wrong places can have the same crippling effect.  

This summer at NYSSSA I've had SEVERAL students come to me with knee pain while saying..... "it only hurts when I over-rotate from my knee."  We have to put an end to this or we risk prematurely ending young dance careers. 

 

YIKES!!!!! This is just about what you're doing when turning-out from the knees...
I beg our dance teachers..... reinforce turn-out from the hips only!!! 


Monday, August 12, 2013

Sprouted nuts..... ???

What the heck is a sprouted nut? 

After a discussion on nutrition for dancers, I found myself explaining the difference between nuts that are found in many different protein bars.  We have: 

Roasted Nuts vs. Sprouted Nuts 
Who will win??  

Nuts are made available in several different ways to enable our digestive systems to easily process the nut and its healthy nutrients..... 

Sprouted nuts --

  • are soaked in water to help multiply the nutrients found in nuts (like Vitamins A, B, and C)  
  • helps make the nut more digestible by assisting in the growth of the digestive enzymes
  • removes anti-nutrients which can interfere with nutrient absorption
Roasted nuts --

  • heating the nut also makes it more easily to digest however....
  • roasted nuts often contain other additives (like salt, sugar, or preservatives as they tend to go rancid quicker) 
  • usually roasted in a saturated fat oil like palm kernel or coconut so be on the look out for roasted nuts with little saturated or no trans fats 
  • roasting nuts also increase the primary and secondary lipids during the process 
  • if you choose to roast, dry roast the nuts yourself in a pan on the stove for a few moments without using any oils 

Check this out: 
Mmmmm..... a yummy treat with some sprouted cashews other good things! 
And don't forget to read the ingredients when making food choices :) 
Be on the lookout for sprouted nuts! 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Remind me what the "ripstick" was again??!

I'm sure Meg spent the weekend doing a lot of this:


Here she is showing us her "ripstick" skills at the Museum in between classes.  She explains that her dominant foot is in back to control and guide the movement.  Her core is fully engaged and she is really feeling her hamstrings in action.  Check out her awesome balance as she figure-eights around the space and shifts her weight from side to side.... totally impressive :)

Give it a try and happy weekend!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Taking it to the streets!

Why workout inside, when the sun is shining and motivation awaits us outdoors?  You can get just as much of a workout by using the interesting structures around you in a park, at a playground, or even at The National Museum of Dance.... that's where we did our outdoor training this week.

Our workout:

  • jogging 2 laps around the parking loop out front 
  • 50 (soccer ball) toe taps on the stairs 
  • 20 triceps dips while resting our hands on the ledge of the front porch area 
  • 10 push-ups facing the ledge 
  • 10 single leg squats with a back foot resting on the ledge and hands behind our head
  • then we did the whole thing again! 
We even found use for a neat long area that connects one area of the museum to another, and made a loop by traveling with walking lunges and side shuffling: 


Be creative like we were and see the potential for fun activity anywhere!  

(Reminder: Just be sure to watch your form as you won't have a mirror to check out your alignment!!!)



Friday, August 2, 2013

It's BANANAS!


Yes, we went B-A-N-A-N-A-S in Dance Conditioning today
while eating this delicious fruit.... and learning its importance in our diets.  

Bananas: 
  • FULL of potassium, which helps maintain normal blood pressure and heart function, while being low in sodium 
    • reduces muscle cramps after physical activity! 
  • high in fiber to keep us heart healthy --- and specifically pectin, a soluble fiber, help regulate the digestive tract
  • replenishes electrolytes lost when sweating 
  • contains about 15% of your daily Vitamin C intake 
  • full of good carbs to give an energy boost after a workout 
  • full of nutrients like iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, carotene and choline
So grab a banana, then toss the peel outside because it's BIODEGRADABLE and good for the environment... thanks Dierdre, for this Earth friendly recommendation! 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Assessment!

Today we continued on with assessment which we started on Tuesday..... not like a scary test taking assessment in school, as one student thought.... but a check-in with out bodies.

Today: our strength and mobility.


 Lauren's working on her torso lateral flexion while Sarah holds her pelvis in place. 


Dutch holds Lucy's hips square so we can take a look at her torso rotation to the right and left sides.  And don't they look like they're having fun?? See, there is nothing scary about assessment ;) 

And after testing the mobility of our neck and torso (flexion, extension, hyperextension, lateral flexion and rotation), did a visual assessment of our partner, and a squat assessment, we moved on to checking out some strength. 


Deja holds her prone isometric abdominal plank for 30 seconds.  Then the students performed the right and lefts sides to see if there was any kind of imbalance.  30 seconds sure seems like a long time!  

And finally, after all the assessment today... 
we completed another round of our circuits including jumping jacks, high knee jogging, push-up 
walk-outs across the studio, core strengthening, upper body strengthening, squats, burpees.... 
we were ready to admire all our hard work as you can see Alexia and Lina doing in the below photo!


Show us those muscles ladies!!! 

And then if that wasn't enough..... today we investigated the actions of muscles to mobilize our elbow, shoulder and hip joints, as well as our torso.  One great question asked by Mia was in regard to where the latissimus dorsi muscles attach underneath the deltoid in the shoulder.  
Here is some additional info for you Mia: 

As we talked about in class today, the deltoid muscle caps the entire shoulder joint spanning from the scapula to the clavicle in the posterior and anterior parts of the shoulder region.  The latissimus dorsi muscles attach on the upper arm between the biceps and triceps muscles in the bicipital groove

Hope this helps!!! 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The skull!

In class yesterday we learned about the SKELETAL SYSTEM and the most relevant bones for dancers to be able to identify.  There was a question in class about some additional information regarding the skull.... here is some follow-up information with a labeled diagram of important landmarks:
The sutures (fused connections) of the skull can help us to remember some of the planes (which we also learned about in class yesterday!): 
  • Sagittal suture runs from the posterior (back) to the anterior (front) of the skull separating the two parental bones of the skull (helps us to remember the sagittal plane!)
  • Coronal suture separates the frontal bone from the parietal bones and runs from right to left across the top of the skull (frontal plane.... also know as the coronal plane!) 
  • Lambdoidal suture separates the parietal bones from the occipital bones at the base or posterior side of the skull 
There you have it.... the SKULL! 

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

How do you remember CHOREOGRAPHY???

On the Day 1 Questionnaires the students filled out yesterday, they were asked about their strengths and weaknesses.  I was shocked at how many students wrote things like:
  • Current goal: I would like to improve my ability to pick up choreography 
  • Challenge: Not enough attention to detail 
  • Challenge: My memory... I have to go back so many times to understand 
And then I came across this article about Dr. Ruth Day, a former dancer who is "interested in how the mind works."  The article mentions the obvious reason as to why a dancer would want to be able to pick up choreography quickly: 



"Being able to quickly grab choreography immensely increases your visibility in auditions and, once hired, your value to a company; many companies have dancers who serve as choreographic sponges, keeping track of movement as the choreographer invents or alters it."

She goes on to mention some important things to note: 
  • Modern dance is especially hard to remember because of its potentially infinite range of motion   
  • Modern dance lacks specific names for all steps (like ballet)
So what should students do to help remember this tricky choreography??? 
  • Use words, mental images, or kinesthetic feelings to help memorize the steps 
  • Share ideas with the other dancers and use similar words/ideas to create a shared language
Even audiences struggle, she goes on to discuss, when seeing an overwhelming amount of dance in one piece.  What to do? Dr. Day recommends:
  • "Chunk it" -- group an entire section together and identify it as one thing 
Many ways to help our NYSSSA students retain their choreography, especially with upcoming auditions next Monday... but there's one strong constant in all that is said here: 

YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR MIND AND BE THINKING 
DURING THE ENTIRE LEARNING PROCESS -- 
Be active when listening and creative when naming.  Happy Dancing!!!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Day 1 Comes to a Close...

As the sun sets on Saratoga Springs tonight.... I can imagine the students are fast asleep!  I am exhausted, so they must be somewhere far beyond that after hours and hours of classes today.  Not only were their bodies fed, but their minds too.

I love finding out interesting bits of information about the students on the first day.  In addition to dance, some of them play soccer, lacrosse, run cross country, hike with their dads, love indoor spinning, and I even learned about a new type of skateboarding, ripstick, that one of the students mentioned.  The board looks kind of like this...
...and I'm already brainstorming as to how I can incorporate these and their awesome core building and balance training into my classes ;) 

The students spent time investigating how to use their foam rollers.  Some brought from home and some of the homemade rollers!  Here they are working on their ITBands: 



And then we dove into our first circuit training workout of the summer.  The warm-up of jumping jacks and high knees jogging was most challenging at minute long increments.  This will be a great way to jump start our stamina for the repertory pieces they will be learning for performance.  

Stay tuned tomorrow for a full description of that Circuit Workout Series!!! 

........................
AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ANGELA, LAUREN'S MOM, ONE OF OUR REGULAR BLOG READERS AND AMAZINGLY SUPPORTIVE PARENTS!!! 
Thanks for all of your support!!! 

Sunday, July 21, 2013




Welcome back to... NYSSSA!  

My summer would not be complete without my annual teaching residency in Saratoga Springs, NY at the New York State Summer School of the Arts.  This year I will not only be teaching my Dance Conditioning course, but I will also be staging a piece of my own choreography on a group of the students.  Can't wait to get started tomorrow.

Plan for the first day of Conditioning:
I have been working on something very special for my students.... every year I am urging them to "foam roll" their muscles and this year, I have a full proof plan -- I made each one of them their own personal foam roller!  It started as an idea from colleague and fellow dance teacher, Kerry Gallagher, and with a few fun-noodles from the local Rite Aid...



and with the addition of some electrical conduit PVC piping... and a little elbow grease from my wonderful volunteer (dad)...


Just a little more work, we're almost there.....



And we've got it.  30 mini travel foam rollers for my students.  Let's see what they think tomorrow!

BUT, WHY FOAM ROLL you may ask????? 

Foam rolling or SMR (self-myofascial release) works my inhibiting overactive muscles.   SMR relaxes the muscle through application of pressure to the muscle site, bringing oxygen and increasing blood flow.  Do before and after activity as part of the warm-up and cool down.  

Can't wait to report on Day 1!  

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

ADD THESE TO YOUR DIET: 
The top ten healthiest foods on the planet!



  • Beans 
    • lowers risk of heart disease by 22% 
    • Quick tip: the darker the bean, the more antioxidants it contains (e.g. red vs. white) 
  • Avocados 
    • lowers cholesterol 
    • contains folate and fiber to help reduce the risk of heart disease 
  • Spinach 
    • contains immune boosting antioxidants important for eye health 
  • Salmon
    • contains omega-3 fatty acids which have been linked to prevent depression, heart disease and cancer 
  • Garlic
    • a disease fighter -- look out E. coli!
    • anti-inflamatory 
  • Walnuts 
    • contains the most omega-3 fatty acids of all nuts which can lower cholesterol 
    • improves mood! 
    • fights cancer 
    • can protect skin from sun damage 
  • Potatoes 
    • contains cell building folate  
    • Quick tip: let the potato cool before eating to help burn up to 25% more fat after your meal 
  • Dark chocolate
    • can reduce blood pressure 
    • contains antioxidants  
  • Broccoli 
    • loads of Vitamin K
    • Quick tip:  preserve more vitamins when microwaving (90%) than steaming (only 66%) 
  • Lemon 
    • lots of Vitamin C
    • cancer preventing
    • anti-inflamatory  

Friday, April 12, 2013




Another restless night for me (thanks to my hot apartment, the bar goers outside at all hours, and the NYC garbage truck outside my apartment at 5am) and I am feeling exhausted.  In between my classes I can barely keep awake and I'm counting the minutes until I walk out the door to head home to recharge before seeing a show tonight.  Count it be.....

Obstructive sleep disorder?? Check out this new device (looking almost like a mouth guard) which helps to keep your jaw from moving back into a position which would restrict your air flow, causing you to wake up while inhibiting REM sleep -- important for keeping you healthy.  Impaired sleeping can cause:

  • High blood pressure
  • Depression
  • Diabetes 
  • Stroke.... and the list goes on.   
If it's not a sleep disorder.... how can I help sleep better anyway?


Some nice tips from the Mayo Clinic: 
  • Create a bedtime ritual (preferably in dim lights) of listening to soft music, reading, taking a bath, etc. 
  • Get on a schedule.  This seems IMPOSSIBLE for holidays and weekends, but I do know how effective it can be to regulate your body's natural cycle. 
  • Nicotine, alcohol, caffeine are no good before bed!  
  • If you can't fall asleep after a while, go do something, then try again -- it's not worth the stress and agonizing feelings of waiting. 
  • Get comfy!  Cool, dark, and quiet are a great place to start, then consider your sheets, pillow, and mattress. 
Tomorrow morning (IT'S SATURDAY!) I'm already planning for a HUGE sleep in so I'll try to use some of these to get me ready for it! Cool, dark, quiet.... here I come! 


Thursday, April 4, 2013





I read something wonderful today....

A study in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology found that motivation fluctuates.  People are not just either A. motivated, or B. unmotivated, but each personal level of motivation will rise and fall -- most importantly to note, it's not a static thing.

Picture it: there could be a few weeks in which you are super eager, when you get up early, hit the gym, decide to learn a new language, you are filled with positive thoughts while being your own best cheerleader........ and then the other weeks in which you're.... not.  And that's ok. Don't let those other weeks slow down the motivation when it hits you.  The worst things we can do is get down on ourselves during these times.

Everything needs to have ups and downs: our weight, energy levels, motivation....
Now we realize, thanks to the researchers at Penn State, that this is NORMAL :)
Thanks, Penn State.

...A little image to accompany our thoughts for today...