What to Wear to your next class - SHOES

I get this question fairly often - "I want to come to ____ class, what should I wear?" - so I thought I'd address it here.

WEAR WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD and doesn't interfere with your workout.  Spend more time thinking about your footwear than the rest of your attire.  So, what does that mean?

Your feet are super important and are your first connection point to the earth/ground/floor pretty much all the time.  The kind of class you're going to will dictate what you should have on your feet, and this really is the most important decision you're going to make in getting ready for class.  I'll start bare and go up from there:

Bare Feet: Going without shoes is perfect for Bellydance, Pilates, and Yoga, for different reasons.  In bellydance, your entire foot is needed to make the magic happen so having access to and awareness of your toes, ball of foot, and heel is essential.  In yoga & Pilates you spend most of your time on the mat, again with awareness of the whole foot, so having your feet bare keeps you from slipping and sliding.  Oh, and YOUR TOENAILS DON'T MATTER, so come to class even if it's been ages since your last pedicure - I promise, our teachers don't care (and may be ages from their last pedicure, too). If your feet run cold you may want to bring a pair of socks into the classroom for shavasana/bliss time.

A note about Grippy Socks: If you really don't want bare feet for whatever reason, grippy socks like the ones from Rock These Socks may work for you.

Tennis/smooth soled "gym" Shoes: Referring to *actual* tennis shoes, these are great for Zumba.  You do a lot of twisting and turning in this class, so having a shoe that will move with you is really important.  Running shoes or anything with a lot of tread/traction is NOT a good fit because the shoe is designed to stay put.  That's awesome when you're out running but if your shoe stays put and your ankle moves you're can end up with an injury.  Tennis shoes, Dance Fitness shoes - anything with a nice smooth sole will be your Zumba friend but they're best reserved for indoor use only.  Their lack of tread can make them wear down really quickly if you use them outside.

Cross-Trainer "gym" Shoes: Wear these to Kettlebell AMPD, Moxie Boxing, and Circuit because they offer you a lot of support.  Since we're not doing all the twisting that happens in Zumba the tread/grip isn't a problem, and these shoes tend to have a bit more shock absorption which is nice when we do burpies and jumping jacks.  These can be worn indoors and out, but bringing your workout shoes and changing when you arrive will keep them in good shape for longer.

Running Shoes: You guessed it - these are great for running!  They can also be used for walking and tend to last longer since they're designed for outdoor use (and beagles love them).

What do I wear?

I have a high-quality pair of "studio shoes" - they have a pivot point under the ball
of the foot, good ankle support, and a minimal amount of tread.  I am able to wear them for all of the classes I teach that require shoes (Zumba, Ketllebell AMPD, Moxie Boxing, Circuit).  When I teach Pilates and Bellydance my feet are bare (my favorite).

One general note about shoes and studio-based fitness classes.  It is highly recommended that you keep your fitness shoes as fitness shoes.  Bring them with you and change at the studio, reserve them for use in your classes.  This will help you make fewer trips to the shoe store and will keep you safer from injury.  How?  All the little things you can pick up in your shoes (especially those with tread) can change how they function under your feet and leave you at risk for slipping, sliding, and twisting when you're not expecting it.  As the weather changes this is an issue, too - wet shoes slip WAY more than you think!

I promise my next "What to Wear" post will be about the rest of your outfit, but shoes needed a post all their own.

Victorious

This is what it looks like to be victorious at Hip Circle Studio:

Daina, pictured above, first came to the studio for knitting.  Well, she brought her daughter to knitting. A few months later she came to the studio again for bellydance & yoga.  Well, she brought her other daughter to bellydance & yoga.  When she decided to come to the studio for herself Daina felt like she needed to ease into things after years of just getting through the day not really focusing on her health/fitness/wellness.  She began with our 30-minute classes, convinced that she'd stay there for the long term since a full-length 60-minute class was going to be too much.  30-minute Circuit & Exercise Ball were her go-tos. That was then...

Fast-forward to today...Daina is at the studio 5 days a week.  She does Moxie Boxing, Kettlebell AMPD, Curvy Yoga, and Pilates Mat.  All full-length classes.

But that's not why or how she's victorious.  

She tackled a new-to-the-studio class in June - Kettlebell AMPD - and started with a 5-kb kettle bell (the one under her foot in the picture).  This photo was taken almost 3 months to the day after her first class.  See that weight she's holding?  It's an 8-lb kettle bell.  That smile on her face?  Pure joy at having a clear representation of the strength she's building and the progress she's made in a single season, AND the overall progress she's made in terms of becoming an active, healthy woman.

I should have taken a selfie that day, because my smile was pretty darn similar.

Unspoken

I made a pledge on 7/21 (the day after my 43^rd birthday, coincidentally) to refrain from saying negative things about other people with some of my 8 Elements family. Being something of an overachiever, I extended that pledge to include myself. The initial pledge was to go through the end of 2014 though my intention is to allow this to become just a part of me. I thought, on the 21^st, that this would be a piece of cake.

Yeah, it’s not. I’m finding it much easier to stay positive about others than to stay positive about myself. Why? Why isn’t it an automatic thing to give myself as much credit as the people around me? I know I’m not alone – there are probably millions of blog posts and magazine articles and self-help books that talk about how hard we are, especially women, on ourselves. I’ve been able to feel annoyance, even anger, with others and rewrite my narrative on the fly. “That person who darted out into traffic directly in front of my moving vehicle?  They must have somewhere really urgent to go, or they simply haven’t had the same experiences I’ve had with the power of motor vehicles..." instead of, well, you can imagine what my thoughts and words might have been before taking this pledge. When it comes to me? Not so easy.

I actually had something of a crisis of mind on day 4…I realized that, without negative things to say about myself, my internal dialog was silent. I’d ended up mute inside my head! Not a good feeling, and realizing that feeling this silence meant that I’d been running a non-stop negative dialog in my head before didn’t feel good, either. After a rough weekend I came up with a plan…I’d get a little notebook and write down positive things about myself when I thought of them so I’d have something to refer to when things got all silent in my head. 

 I’ve carried that notebook around with me ever since. I don’t have much in there, but the fact that it’s not empty feels good and reassuring, and going through that exercise has helped me land in a more comfortably positive place in my head. I’m still much better at being kind to the outside world, but I’ve maintained my pledge for more than a month now and don’t see myself turning back. I’ve had 2 hiccups of negativity but they’ve been short and did not cause any external harm. I’ve been able to find a slightly more comfortable space in my head when it comes to myself and have seen the difference reflected in my dancing and in my general confidence levels. I’m looking forward to seeing how much things have changed by December, too.

Will you take this pledge – even part of it? Look at this as part of your health & wellness plan. Working out your internal dialog generator might be just as important as building up cardiovascular fitness, don’t you think?

Talking, with Intention

I had the pleasure of hosting a screening of Miss Representation last night, and my brain is still buzzing from the experience.  

We gathered together over 20 women/girls (and one man) for the movie, and over 15 stayed for the discussion.  It was my second time watching the film, but the first time with a large group.



It was a powerful evening.

Listening to girls (10 - 15 years old) talking about what they saw in the movie and in their own lives served to fire me up even more than I already was (and let me tell you, my first viewing fired me up quite a bit) and underscored the sense of responsibility I feel towards this next generation.

Listening to my peers talk about what they're willing to do, moving forward, to make a difference in how women are viewed in society was heartening.  We stayed focused on the positive changes we can each make...changes we WILL make, and everyone was able to commit to something.

The actions we came up with were varied, both in scope and size.  From building and strengthening the lines of communication between mother and daughter to encouraging girls to strive for holding high-profile political positions, everyone in that room is ready to DO SOMETHING, and that is something in and of itself.

For my part, I've committed to doing the following:

• Starting the Women's Business Empowerment Workgroup, to empower, support, and encourage women business owners towards greater success.
• Holding regular discussion groups for those interested in making change happen in terms of how women are portrayed in media and our communities.
• Scheduling another screening of this powerful film that is open to all genders to get the discussion happening in a broader way.
• Starting a scholarship fund to expand the accessibility of Hip Circle Studio, exposing more women and girls to our particular flavor of supportive health & wellness activities.
• Actively saying POSITIVE things about (and to) myself around body image and self-worth, and doing so where other people can hear me.

How about you?  What can you do - what WILL you do - to change the story of how women are portrayed in media and our society at large?

Meet Roberta - A Stories from the Studio post

Have I mentioned that we love our students here at the studio?  We have collected an awesome group of women and families who attend - and teach - classes and workshops here and want you to get to know them a bit!  The Stories from the Studio posts will feature a student or teacher - get to know our wonderful community before you get here!

Meet Roberta - Chicago resident, jazz singer, monologist, producer, bubbe to two, and a fixture at the studio.  She has been with us since BEFORE "us" was a thing, having started in classes with me at Performance Arts Limited back in 2008.  You'll find her in Bellydance BaseFusion, CardioBelly, Tai Chi, Moxie Boxing, AND Personal Training - often all of the above in the same week!

How have you changed/benefited since finding Hip Circle Studio?  

Roberta, center, in Bellydance BaseFusion 

I am stronger, more balanced, more empowered. 

What is something you’ve found at the studio that you haven’t found elsewhere/what makes the studio special to you? 

Malik. Malik as a supporter of me and aware of my limitations due to Multiple Sclerosis. 

What else should people know about the studio? 

I have made some lasting and important friendships thru the studio. 

Do you have a favorite instructor?  Who and Why? 

Malik & Roberta at the MS Walk

Malik, because she will tailor work-outs to be within your possibilities physically and she’s just a cool person.  

What else should people know about you? 

That I have MS, but it doesn’t have me.! And I am a very productive person and I am courageous!!  

I produce LOOSE CHICKS, A cast of 5 women monologists.The stories that we tell are typically things that people, especially women are afraid to approach and we give them a voice often with humor often with tears. We open doors for women, we empower thru our stories and most definitely entertain, we are bold, energetic and sexy and certainly not for the weak of heart.

Roberta Performing

Spinning into Focus

I am writing this from the SeaTac Airport, on my way home after an amazing week in Portland, OR.  When I left home last Friday morning I knew knew where I was headed but I had no idea how differently I'd feel on the other side.

Portland, to me, is the home of bellydance growth and exploration.  I was lucky enough to go last year (almost to the day) to tackle Rachel Brice's Initiation - the first phase of the 8 Elements program.  I spent a week with other dancers from all over the world (US, Mexico, Italy, & Brazil were represented this week) willing to immerse themselves in the intensive just like me - we had dance in common but, for the most part, nothing else that we knew of upon signing up or showing up.  The week (5 days) we spent together was full of yoga and bellydance, both practice and theory, and made an impact on us for sure.  I left with new friends, a new focus for my dance practice, and a sense of accomplishment for having finished the program.



This year, I got to go back for Phase 2 - Cultivation.
Instead of a room full of 30+strangers I was

walking into a room with about 20 other dancers, 6 of whom I knew from Initiation.  For phase 1, the homework/pre-work was minimal (read 1 book and summarize a piece of it).  The expectations were higher and more specific this time - 3 months of practice logs, a book report, and a list of specific moves/isolations/zill patterns we should be comfortable with before we got there.  We were also lucky enough to be at Datura Studio - home base for Rachel Brice.

What a difference a year makes!

I did my homework...I read my book, I documented my practice, and I'd worked on the moves/isolations as directed.  Even so, I didn't feel 100% ready.  I also had a good amount of fear coming along for the ride.  Would I be "good enough" to succeed?  Were all the other dancers stronger, more accomplished, just plain better than me so I'd end up left in the bellydance dust regardless of the work I'd done to prepare?  I was fairly well prepared to be on the older end of the age scale, and on the heavier end of the weight/body-type scale, so that didn't really produce much fear.  Now, the zill patterns were challenging - going back over what we'd done in initiation (and what I'd pretty much left alone until Cultivation homework started up) and feeling like I wasn't quite sure how I'd done them before (but knowing that I had) was a bit unnerving.  And the Spins - we were supposed to know how to do calibrated spins.  Spins of all kinds have always been hard for me, but they were even harder on this side of my hysterectomy (how was that only 3 months ago?), and when I got on the plane on Friday I did so knowing I'd need a lot of practice and work while I was there if I wanted to be able to move on to Phase 3.

I didn't factor in the magic.

This program that Rachel Brice has created and that she nurtures with her own two hands is amazing. We all filed in on the first day with our zills and books and dance belts and fears and worries and excitement and hunger for learning.  Rachel joined us with her support and knowledge and plans and games and stories and videos.  Put together, the group of us grew and changed over the course of 8 days (7 days of work with one day off for rest, practice, and study).  I walked into that room having years of dance experience, a background in creating dances for myself and others, and a high desire to succeed, but not a wealth of experience in doing dances that OTHERS made for me, or of dancing with zills, or with spinning.  I walked out of that room having gotten to the point in my dance ability that I could turn (16 counts, calibrated spins), turn and zill (8 counts),  dance multiple combinations on both the right and left while playing multiple zill patterns, follow and lead ATS style, identify (and write out) multiple middle-eastern rhythms, and dance how someone else (several someones, in fact) wanted to see me move.

The changes didn't just happen.  There was a lot of work - physical, mental, emotional - that I needed to do each day (including our day off) to make the progress happen.  I had to be reminded to let the growth happen, not to rush it.  I needed to remember to be kind to myself  in terms of the little voice in my head.  I needed to listen to my body and take breaks or push forward depending on the moment and the exercise.  I needed to open up to my peers, both offering help and getting it in turn.

It took all of the days available, and a lot of the tricks from The Little Book of Talent, and maybe a little bit of luck, but when I walked into the testing room I did it - I made my way through the task set for me without throwing up, falling down, or losing my timing on my zills.   I won't know the official test results for a week but that doesn't matter.  I "passed" by giving the experience my all and by being able to hold my head high during that harrowing practical test (the written wasn't a walk in the park, either), one-on-one with Rachel Brice, my Teacher (capitalization intentional).

I am leaving Portland and this phase of my 8 Elements training with a new focus. I have a hunger to create and, believe it or not, perform. I have new ideas for teaching that I'm looking forward to sharing with the ladies of the studio. Most important, though, is my new belief in myself as a dancer and a student.

Heard at the studio, March 23 - 28

What makes Hip Circle Studio special?  So very many things, but one of those is the chatter that happens before, during, and after classes.  By request, here's a synopsis of what we were talking about at the studio this week (in alphabetical order):

• Abortion Rights
• Adoption
• Alcohol Consumption
• "Bring the Happy!"
• Casseroles
• Children's Books
• Cisgender
• Death
• Decency
• "Endorphins, heal me!"
• Entrepreneurship
• Family Chores
• Good Samaritan Saturdays
• Harajuku Girls
• House of Cards
• Layovers
• Midwestern Personality
• Movies & Preschoolers
• Pseudo-estrogens
• Kindergarten tours
• Secret Gluten
• Spring Break
• Stickers
• Summer in March
• Tattoos
• Toddler Flirtations
• Toning VS Spot Reducing
• Walking

Heard at the Studio - March 17 - 21, 2014

What makes Hip Circle Studio special?  So very many things, but one of those is the chatter that happens before, during, and after classes.  By request, here's a synopsis of what we were talking about at the studio this week (in alphabetical order):

• Border Collie cats
• Chicago Bakeries
• Coming Out
• Concealed carry
• First Dates
• Gender VS Sexuality
• Indiana, Vegas, International Travel, and the Wisconsin Dells
• "Jewish Jewel"
• "Life is like jogging on a Bosu"
• Middle school dress code
• Nipples
• Planes & Trains
• Portland, OR
• Small world connections
• Urban living = wellness boost
• Vacation Workouts
• White Privilege, Heterosexual Privilege
• Wiki VS Britannica
• "Year of Change"

Who knows what we'll talk about next week!  Did I forget something?  Share it in the comments.  :-)

Responsibility Worth Having

I have the honor of teaching a small but dedicated group of girls the fine art of bellydance each week. Their class is set up in much the same way as my "adult" classes - with a good blend of technique, creativity, and conversation.  I didn't necessarily set out to teach them anything more than bellydance, but something else that's pretty neat is happening in class.

I've never sat them down and said, "ok, girls.  Today we're going to talk about self-esteem, body image, and the importance of health over appearance", or "You all know that the media completely distorts the female form and that you are so much more than your outer shell", or "Repeat after me: My health is more important than my weight or the size of my clothes".  Honest!  We do talk about life and dance and strength and wellness and all sorts of other stuff (I'd get into details but what happens at Teen Bellydance stays at Teen Bellydance) but I really don't lecture about anything other than choreography.

So when one of their moms came to me with a story about something her daughter said to her I didn't know what to expect.  Her daughter had caught mom not giving herself enough credit and measuring herself up against societal standards ("beach ready body", for example).  The teen stopped her mom, asked her "what would Malik say if she heard you talking like that?" and continued to pay mom a compliment focused on her HEALTH and the lifestyle changes she'd made over the past year.

I seriously almost cried.

Then I lost my breath.

Something I've been doing, not saying, has seeped into this girls awareness and made an impact - a great one - and I didn't notice.  Wow.  I have a huge responsibility to her and all the girls and all the women I encounter at the studio.  A HUGE responsibility, and so do you.

I 100% agree with what she said.  Health is the most important factor in the quest for wellness.  All bodies, regardless of their shape, are beach ready.  Making lasting lifestyle changes is the best way to improve your health.

We all need to be aware that our children (and other people's children) are watching and learning from what we DO as much as, if not more than, from what we say.   It's the doing that's key.  So, what was it that I did?

1. She sees me at the studio, teaching, at least twice a week (and knows I'm there every day).
2. She sees me, at a robust size 12/14, leading a very active lifestyle.
3. She has not heard me bad-talk myself about my weight or size.
4. She has seen me redirect other adults and teens when they start to bad-talk themselves.

I'm pretty sure that's it, but it's enough.  

Can you join me in taking on the responsibility for this next generation?  Can you commit to numbers  2 & 3, regardless of your size and shape?  Can you commit to number 4?

I promise, the results will be good for you and everyone around you.

Quiet...A New Craving

I have become a meditater, or whatever one calls someone who meditates.  Like you, I've read about how important meditation is as a practice, and I've recently been exploring the negative impact stress can have on the body.  I thrive on action, movement, activity...and, after participating as a student in our Meditation Sampler Series for Women, I now crave some quiet mixed in for good measure.

Arlene Faulk

Our first session featured Tai Chi with Arlene Faulk.  This was an easy access point for me because we were on our feet, in motion, for the entire practice.  The slow and controlled movements used are different than what I'm used to from most of my dance and fitness activities but there was something very powerful about moving in this way.  This was only my 2nd experience with Tai Chi, my first being last year at a Chinese Garden in Portland, OR.  I felt my mind quiet while we were working, and had the pleasure of a very calm evening and good solid sleep that night.

Rebecca Mueller

Our second session featured Mindfulness Meditation with Rebecca Mueller.  We have this flavor of meditation at the studio on a monthly basis with Rebecca, so I'd had some experience before we got started, but there was a difference in working for close to an hour as opposed to our short 30-minute lunchtime sessions.  I felt like I was more able to find that quiet space in my mind without quite as much interference as usual.  I also felt more relaxed and refreshed than I'd felt before.  The effects stayed with me at home and, again, I slept very well!

Marsha Smith

Next up was our session featuring Focusing Meditation with Marsha Smith.  Even though on the surface Focusing and Mindfullness share characteristics this was a very different session than the previous week's.  Where Mindfulness seemed to be about quieting your mind and body, Focusing seemed to be more about quieting your mind so as to listen to your body.  This was the most interactive session in that we would meditate then discuss, then meditate some more.  Even with the back and forth I left feeling calm and quiet.




But how do I know I'm hooked?  We took last Sunday off (there was some sort of sporting event scheduled) and my body felt it.  I was off, agitated, unable to settle in to work even though I had ample time and space, and just generally out of sorts.  I realized, at about 7 pm, that I was missing meditation.  After only 3 weeks of carving out 75 minutes each Sunday evening my body reminded me that it liked the change of pace and did better for me with it on the schedule.

I didn't feel confident enough with my meditation skills to do one of the methods I'd been exposed to in the previous weeks so I did what comes naturally to me - I danced.  I danced with meditation as the focus and used my music and movement to reset and refresh.  I found a glimmer of what I'd gotten from the focused sessions with a guide in my solo attempt at home in my living room, and something clicked - meditation comes in many forms - you just need to find what works for you in the moment.

Corinne Peterson

The final session of the series - Yoga Nidra with Corinne Peterson - is this Sunday.  Wikipedia says Yoga Nidra is a sleep-like form of meditation, so this is likely to be the quietest of the four flavors.  I'm very much looking forward to giving this meditation style a try (and I'll add a comment with my thoughts next week), as is my meditation-happy body.



How do you meditate, and how often?

Meet Donna - A Stories from the Studio post

Have I mentioned that we love our students here at the studio?  We have collected an awesome group of women and families who attend - and teach - classes and workshops here and want you to get to know them a bit!  The Stories from the Studio posts will feature a student or teacher - get to know our wonderful community before you get here!

Meet Donna - Evanston resident, graduate student, married mom of two small children, and a regular in our Pilates Mat classes.  She and her family have been coming to the studio in one way or another since our first year (2010) - first with her toddler, then wearing her second child, and now on her own.  With her busy schedule it's great that she makes it into the studio once or twice a week!

How have you changed/benefited since finding Hip Circle Studio?  

Not just the weight loss but my clothes fit better and my core feels tighter.  I find my posture has become much improved and I’m in less back and shoulder pain.  I’m less stressed, as well. 

What is something you’ve found at the studio that you haven’t found elsewhere/what makes the studio special to you? 

I really think that it’s all about the community – I find a female community that is nonjudgmental and supportive even though there aren’t too many words being exchanged.  I love the warmth that I feel every time I am in class and think the world of Malik, too!  It has that family feel of a small business and local support.  It’s a wonderful resource for a woman in any stage in her life whether she’s single or committed/married or pregnant or has children or doesn’t.  There are so many wonderful workshops – like the name “Hip Circle” says – it truly is a circle that encompasses all the different stages of a woman’s life. 

What else should people know about the studio? 

It’s more than just classes that they offer – they offer a great community and resources.  They’re also very involved in the City of Evanston, as well!  Wait for the summer when there is Pilates in the park! 

Do you have a favorite instructor?  Who and Why? 

My favorite instructor is Malik because of how much I admire her – she definitely has a lot on her plate and is able to juggle most of it but also takes the time for her family and herself.  She gives off this great sense of inner knowing. 

 

What else should people know about you? 

I’m a busy woman.  It’s hard for me to say no so I juggle working full-time, helping to run my husband’s acupuncture practice, mother my two young children including being the assistant coach to my son’s AYSO team and taking both of them to their music lessons.  I’m also a part-time graduate student who can’t help but also sit on the board of directors for two non-profits, Programming Co-Chair for The Parent Circle here in Evanston, and volunteer for the City of Evanston Minority/Women/Evanston Business committee, as well.  To help me stay focused, I have my weekly Pilates class with Malik to keep me healthy mentally and physically.

Pilates Mat - An Expectations Post

So what can you expect at Hip Circle Studio classes?  I'm going to do my best to give you a peek into the different classes we offer through a series of "Expectations" posts.  Of course, seeing is believing, so I hope this is just enough information to help you give a class a try.  Nothing is a replacement for the live experience.

I found Pilates, in a way that stuck, about 2 years ago.  I had attempted a class SEVERAL years ago that was not a good fit - it moved very fast, wasn't taught with modification options, and left me feeling inadequate and sore.  I am ever so grateful to Fayth for offering a deal for her studio, Sixpax, for showing me what Pilates could be!  I was hooked after just a few sessions with her, was seeing results in my core strength and appearance, and didn't hurt (beyond I-just-worked-out-muscle-soreness)!  I also noticed an unexpected change in my bellydance technique - the focus on core strengthening was one thing, but the extra awareness this brought  made me a better, stronger dancer.  I studied with Fayth and now am thrilled to have Pilates Mat as a class at the studio.

What Happens in a Pilates Mat class?

We are focused on your core muscles in this class, and get them stronger by doing exercises in a variety of positions - on your back, on your side, on all fours, on your stomach, standing - you name it, it might happen in a class.  The movements are slow and controlled, tied to your breath, so you have plenty of time to figure out how to make your body make them happen.  One of the nice things about our Pilates classes is that I'm either showing the move or watching you do the move - we're not moving together.  This means you get a good view of what your goal is in whichever posture before attempting the move, and feedback from me while you're doing the move.  It's almost like you and your 7 class-mates (I limit the number of students to 8 to be sure I'm able to give each of you ample attention) are each in a private session, getting tips and pointers specific to you and your body.


You work on a mat and don't wear shoes.  Socks are great for some of the poses but unless you wear a pair with grippy bottoms you'll take them off for others.  We have mats available for you to borrow or you're welcome to bring your own.  Squishy is better for Pilates, so if you have a super-thin yoga mat you might want one of ours underneath for cushioning.

There is background music playing, the lights are dimmed, and the mood is focused but light.  Each student moves at their own pace and level, working so that their body of today is challenged in a non-competitive environment.  Sometimes it's just you and your mat, but we do use props (foam rollers, bosu balls, resistance bands, Pilates rings) from time to time to get at the muscles in a different way or to support a modification that's needed.  Each class is a little different, changing based on who is in attendance and on my focus for the month.  

Prenatal mamas are welcome throughout their pregnancy - do let me know as soon as you arrive (or better yet, when you sign up) so I can offer modifications throughout the class.  Postpartum mamas are also welcome once cleared for exercise by your doc/midwife, and babies (pre-crawling) are welcome in our Friday morning class.  If you have an injury or area of concern it is important to let me know before we begin so I can help you make safe choices and modifications throughout the class.

What you WON'T find in our Pilates Mat classes:

• Beginner shaming
• Competition
• Pushing you to do a pose/exercise your body isn't ready for
• Unsafe poses/exercises

Pilates can be for everyone.  I hope you give it a try! What questions can I answer for you about our Pilates Mat classes?