KangaCardio™ - 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 created KangaCardio™ about 5 years ago, though it had a different name at the time.  My intention was to create a class that allowed moms with wee ones (6-weeks and older) to get out of the house, connect with other moms, AND get a workout all in one trip.  I used the information I had gained through my Zumba training and my Group Exercise certification, as well as my experience working with moms and babies as a postpartum doula, to craft the class.  The result was a fun, moderate-intensity level workout in which moms could wear their baby.  Success!

What happens in a KangaCardio™ class?

Moms arrive and get their baby on in the carrier of their choosing.  We've had moms in ring slings, front carriers, and back carriers - much of the choice depends on the age and weight of the baby.  Favorite carriers have been the Moby (linen, not the stretchy t-shirt material) and the Ergo, but I swear we've pretty much had every carrier represented over the years!

The music starts and we get moving quickly (the babies don't like standing still)!  We use several basic dance-fitness moves and, of course, bellydance moves to get and keep our heart-rate up throughout class.  Everything we do keeps baby moving with mom in a way that is similar to what one might do to soothe baby out of a fussy state.

The music is loud enough to hear but chatter happens over the music - we talk about baby-related things in equal measure with current events and general topics.  No topic is off limits in class and a lot of questions get answered from among the community of moms in the room.


When a baby needs to nurse or eat, mom slows down and moves off to the side.  The same happens if there's a diaper emergency mid-class.  These pauses are totally welcomed and understood since the whole room has either been there or will be there soon enough!

That reminds me...Fussy babies (and their frazzled moms) are welcome!  Every baby benefits from the movement of dance, but the fussiest of the bunch may benefit the most. Check out this list of tips from Dr. Sears - you'll find wearing baby at #1 and dance at #2.  Need I say more?  

We are sure to cool mom down and do a good stretch.  Some babies retire to the floor for stretching time while others stay on mom.

What you WON'T find in KangaCardio™:

• Jumping
• Sharp movements
• Inversions
• Mom-shaming (all parenting choices are respected at the studio)
• Age limits (if you can wear your baby you're welcome in KangaCardio™)

If you have a wearable baby, I hope to see you in a KangaCardio™class soon!

Importance of Motherhood

I wear a lot of hats.  Business Owner, Dance Teacher, Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer, Board President, Meetup Organizer, Women's Club member, Doula, Wife, Friend, Mom.  It's that last one that is most important and that seeps into everything I do.

I've wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember.  Once I learned that moms were where babies come from I was ready.  Really!  I'm not exactly sure where the strong pull came from, but it was a part of my consciousness all through my growing-up years.

When I found myself pregnant for the first time I threw myself into the roll, reading EVERY book I could get my hands on (I worked at a bookstore at the time - can you imagine?) to get ready for the baby.  I didn't focus so much on prepping for labor, but more-so for the task of parenting.  I was so excited about finally (finally, at the age of 21) getting to be a mom!

When Forest arrived I was hooked.  In love.  And 100% a Mom.  She was my everything, and my biggest concern was with keeping her safe and well.  We had bumps in the road along the way for sure, but I loved being a mom.  I worked full-time, juggled my way into a career, and navigated relationship ups and downs, all while being 100% a mom.

When we had Quinn four years later, I felt like I had a good grounding in the basics of motherhood, but he had new things for me to learn and practice.  I was able to improve on some things from the first time around (breastfeeding - 2nd time's a charm!) and had an interesting time juggling two kids having zero sibling experience.  I don't remember doing much more than working and moming when Quinn was small, but that was plenty.

Grey arrived as our third and final family addition three years later.  Being mom to three kids was QUITE a challenge, but we worked out the kinks fairly early on and I found my mom-legs again soon enough.  I added the most "other" things to my life after he was born.  When he was 1 I started doing doula support.  When he was 2 I started my own business in earnest.  When he was 3 I found bellydance.

Through all of these additions to my world, mom-ing stayed the most important "job".  I love my kids with all my heart and soul. I am thrilled to say that I like them, too!  Seeing them grow and flourish into solid individuals is awesome in the truest meaning of the word.

So what does it mean to me to be a mom?  I should have all sorts of flowery prose to explain that, right?  I don't.  I can only say that I AM a mom.  My kids come first in my mind.  My absolute most important task is doing what I can to help them grow up healthy, well, and safe.  I make decisions of all kinds with them in mind.

They probably don't realize how important they are to me, and how much I think about them every day.    That's ok.  I think that may be the way things are supposed to be.

Happy Mother's Day!