Top 2020 Finds

The events of this year led us all down new paths. Below, I'm sharing some things that enriched my life in 2020. But first, please accept my gratitude for being on this mailing list and for lending me space in your inbox. I know that your time and attention is precious, and it means a lot that you are interested in my work.

Here are the people that opened my mind, the snacks that made me happy, and the music that moved my bones.

The Realization Process: I'm a part of Brooke Thomas's Liberated Being Community, and through her, I came to love The Realization Process (created by Judith Blackstone). If you like the idea of spending some time connecting with your pelvis as a way to settle and connect with what is, you may enjoy this work.

Freestyle Embroidery:
I stitched this while on the phone. What shall I turn it into? Rad shoulder pads?

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Wavey-Dance Things:
I joined PopNTod's Ill Skillz program and took some classes with the dreamy Illan Riviere. Besides being endlessly complex and intricate—these movement forms (waving and NeoFusion) feel incredibly sustainable. I can see myself doing them in another 40 years.

MogaDao: Sacred Somatics and Queer Ontologies. Zhenevere Sophia might be from another planet. It's the only way I can express her level of intellectual and creative genius and spiritual clarity. Check out the online Chi-Gong and post-Taoist philosophy classes.

Favorite Snacks:
I'm a "real food" person (please pass the heaping pile of green beans!), but these are my faves as far as snacks go:

Three IG pages that always inspire me:

Most Impactful Books:

Favorite Songs:

Even though Spotify compiled this for me: My Top Songs of 2020

These two songs move me: Shashl “Heart 2 Heart” and Daniela Andrade “Puddles.”

Online Teaching

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For several reasons, I hadn't felt ready to shift into online teaching. COVID-19 suddenly rendered my life of in-person, all-over-the-place, instruction impossible. Nearly an entire year of work was abruptly canceled, my father died suddenly and unexpectedly, and I felt it inappropriate, nauseating even, to promote myself amidst the collective pain in the world.

I didn't want to switch into a new teaching format without rethinking why I do what I do.

I've been asking myself, 'What if the energy I spend teaching, and the energy people release in class could somehow do more?' I wondered how to use my gifts to benefit those who don't have the ability, access, or resources to get to movement studios. All of my prior ideas felt good, but too slow. They felt years away.

This week, I found an answer.

I'm starting by giving back where I am most connected. Specifically, I'm raising funds for pole dance studios who have been walloped by COVID-19. A lot of movement spaces won't make it through this. Some have already closed, unable to recover from the losses associated with closing for months. I wouldn't be who I am as a person, mover, or a teacher, without movement spaces. I have quite literally grown up, forged my most important relationships, found belonging, purpose, and love, in dance classes.

The business that I'm supporting first have had me as a guest in their space multiple times are known to be inclusive of all different races, gender expressions, and body types, and are open to diverse approaches to pole dance.

Soon, I'll be collaborating with more incredible instructors to raise funds for Black and Indigenous humanitarian organizations. I recognize that many people are suddenly fundraising for these causes, and jumping on the helpfulness bandwagon can appear "opportunistic," as my buddy Dalijah Franklin pointed out. Bit by bit, 2020 has seared the need for change, starting at the individual level, into my awareness. And in the past few weeks, changing how I serve has moved from “important” to “urgent”.

I also recognize the dangers of feeling like a "one and done" effort is enough in the fight against racism and other injustices. It's not. A single fundraiser is far from adequate.

That's why I'm creating a non-profit online (for now) movement school where class tuition goes directly to organizations that support planetary (human and non-human) health. Attending a class means that when you invest in your education and well-being, you financially support benevolent organizations, and you learn about the cause you are supporting.

I have a lot of groundwork to lay, but I don't want to wait until I have something visually presentable to start helping out. So, classes start tomorrow. My first class will be sensual pole flow: a barefoot exploration of continuity, rhythm, and touch. 100% of proceeds go to benefit my Boulder pole home, Vertical Fusion, graciously run by Melanie Piek. Gradually, I plan to give a platform to many different forms of movement, so look out for some atypical offerings : )

A few loving people have reached out and how they can support me these past months. These questions have touched me, but I didn't have an answer. My livelihood, health, and personhood weren't on the line, whereas plenty of other peoples' still are. Though I’ve studied dance and movement for thirty years to be where I am, I also arrived here with handfuls of advantages.

So, here's what I need first. I need spaces of movement to survive. Concurrently, I need spaces of movement to realize their power. Movement classes shape lives. They help people form their bodily identity and sense of worth. This is not a power to take lightly, though, as I hope to reveal through my work, it can be honored through humor and play.

I need studios to use their power to uplift and support all types of people, especially ones that fall outside of their typical demographic. I also need studios to make what they stand for known--so that people understand what they are supporting by attending class.

I'll keep you updated on this project as it develops. Right now I am both frightened and excited. Every time I talk about this i start crying because it feels so right. I am stepping well outside of my comfort zone with this, but I am here to learn.

I believe there are ways to expand the economy of movement instruction so that it also benefits lands and people that need protection, liberation, and space to thrive. All significant changes involve movement of some kind, and the power of people moving together, for an extrapersonal cause, cannot be overlooked.

Thank you Meredith Greisman, Ki'ilani Spencer, Kenneth Kao, Màrion Crampe, Emily Sanderson, and Nadia Sharif for telling me you believe in me, and this idea.

Anti-Racism Resources and more...

Anti-Racism Resources and more...

In my work, I teach people strategies to keep moving, even when unpleasant thoughts and feelings arise that make them want to stop.

In a movement class, as in life, when the discomfort of the present is too much, we shut-down, quit, crumble, or leave— sometimes never trying again. Maybe you have experienced this.

For some, being seen pushes them beyond what they believed they were capable of. We see this on stage, and even in class. For others, the potential of being seen is the very thing that causes them not to try at all. I've let timidity hold me back from being seen or having an opinion more times than I like to admit.

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Catch This!

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Catch This!

“I don’t do balls,” I used to say.

Like many other dancers I knew growing up, I formed an identity around being a dancer with no interest in activities involving balls, pucks, paddles, etc. (unless I was dancing with it).

In high school, I almost failed P.E. class because I flat-out refused to participate in any sports activity. As a result, in later years, whenever someone would throw me a ball I’d duck away rather than catch it, or if I did attempt a catch, it would be in a stiff and panicky state. It was embarrassing.

Ki’ilani (seen in the video) changed my relationship with catching. She loves balls more than anyone I’ve ever met. Every trip to a large store includes a visit to the sports aisle to feel balls. She even keeps a ball in her pocket for comfort tossing. One of our quarantine activities has been ‘dance catch.’

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal, PhD

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal, PhD

When I first saw this book, I’d passed on it because of the hot pink cover. I’d assumed it was a self-help/find-the-motivation-to-move book. Boy, was I wrong. The Joy of Movement combines emotionally stirring anecdotes with research on just why movement is so integral to the health and happiness of everyone. I found myself repeatedly moved to tears and pausing to reflect on my deep love of getting myself and others in motion.

Click HERE to purchase.

Canceled

Canceled

I, like you, am doing a lot of life replanning.

Almost every event I had on the schedule from March-May has been canceled-no more workshops in NY, Boulder, Roma, Parma, Turkey, or Berlin. Costa Rica, Guatemala, LA, and Hawaii events are on the line. I’m unsure of what will happen to them.

COVID-19 puts all of us in unique and precarious situations. It beckons us to rethink how we do nearly everything, including the use of email and social media.

I’m genuinely torn. It feels in poor taste to share anything unrelated to the pandemic affecting us all. At the same time, I won’t be able to work with many people in-person that had plans to train with me, and we still need to move (perhaps at home). So, with great respect for the situation, I plan to release ample free content over the next few months. I want my recent writings and work available to anyone who can benefit from it, as I produce it, rather than letting it gather digital dust.

Also, if there is something I can help you with, like offering advice on how to transition into training at home, let me know. Just comment or email me. Or, if there is something that you would like me to release content on, tell me, I’m listening.

This Cue Changed Everything

This Cue Changed Everything

Imagine someone doing some basic steps and spins, but they aren't particularly enthused or invigorated by the act. The mover appears 'in their head' as they shift between making technical adjustments and anticipating what's next. They may be having fun, but it's hard to tell based on their expression.
Now, imagine those same movements performed by the same person, in a state of celebration.

Have 6 minutes for three breathy Floor Flow moves?

Have 6 minutes for three breathy Floor Flow moves?

In this six-minute video, I lead three basic, breathy, Floor Flow® moves—no mat required.

(Full disclosure, I shot this video several years ago. But, luckily, laying on the floor and getting in some gentle movement doesn’t seem to go out of style. #classic )

If you like this type of material and want to see how to build off these concepts to create flowing floorwork, take a look at the Ease of Movement pack. It’s comprised of ten Floor Flow® and Flowbility® videos, specially curated to help you find more fluidity in your movement. Save 15% with code INTRO.