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Mermaid Magic & The Enchanted Forest Dance Workshops We had a wonderful vacation week. Earlier this week the theme was Mermaid Magic. We moved like crabs, fish, sharks, dolphins and magical mermaids. We love how first position looks just like mermaid tails. On Thursday we travelled to the Enchanted Forest to meet unicorns, fairies, and lots of animals like bunnies, bears and birds and of course beautiful trees. The dancers enjoyed learning choreography and making fairy houses. Enjoy the photos from these special workshops and we hope you join us this summer for more fun themes!
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I love the Boston Marathon. The DanceFIT Marathon Party was a blast! Thank you to all those who came by to watch with my family! When I watch it I feel all the emotions. I am in awe of the athleticism of the elite runners as they blur past. I am emotional when the wheelchairs & handcycle athletes race by. I am proud of the athletes who push their body out of their normal routine to train. I am inspired by the runners who were never runners before their training. I am sad with the strong memories of the 2013 Boston Marathon. 💛💙 I love how the marathon is not just about running, but also raising money for very important causes. A marathon runners mindset is something that we can use in our own fitness practice at DanceFIT... *Celebrate all successes big & small *What is your "why"? *You can do more than you think *Embrace obstacles (I don't think the rain affected them today!) *Take care of yourself *Embrace the process My family and I had so much fun! One of the highlights were the high fives to my sons from a well known baseball player, Brock Holt) We played Sweet Caroline on repeat until he came past DanceFIT... 💕 Gina
 We will be interviewing DanceFIT instructors so you can get to know them & their classes a little bit better. This week we are interviewing Erin! What do you teach at DanceFIT? I teach SHiNE™️ Dance Fitness. How would you describe your classes & teaching style? SHiNE DANCE FITNESS™ brings original routines to life using hit music and choreography for all abilities. Rooted in jazz, ballet, and hip-hop, this workout gives you a creative outlet to escape from daily stress. Each class includes the perfect balance of high cardio and toning to ensure you receive a full-body workout. SHiNE is a mood-lifting experience that leaves you feeling capable, confident, and connected to a supportive community. My goal is to create a friendly, judgment-free vibe so everyone feels welcome and at ease. If you are moving your body, you are doing it right! What do you do outside of the studio for fun? When I am not on the dance floor, you can find me baking, spending time with friends and family, watching college basketball (let’s go Duke!), volunteering at my daughters’ elementary school, and serving as a Daisy Troop leader. What music will we hear in your fitness classes? SHiNE is set to pop music. One of our brand promises is to be CURRENT, so we take the hit songs you are rocking out to in your cars and bring them to life with original choreography released each month. Car-SHiNEing is a real thing! Give us a quick bio Dance has always been a big part of my life. I started as a competitive gymnast where the dance elements in the beam and floor routines were my favorite. I switched to dance in middle school and studied many styles including jazz, hip hop, ballet, contemporary, and Irish step dance. After college, I realized I missed having a dance outlet. SHiNE™️ DANCE FITNESS caught my attention with its upbeat pop music, fun choreography, and positive and inclusive vibe. I became the first instructor to bring SHiNE to Massachusetts in 2019. Teaching SHiNE gives me purpose outside of motherhood, satisfies my need to “dance it out,” and brings me so much fulfillment as I share my love of dance with others. I have a degree in civil and environmental engineering and industry experience in the field of water resources, but my current role is the Director of Community Engagement for SHiNE’s online community and a mentor for SHiNE’s online instructor training. Thank you Erin! We love hearing more about you!  We are big believers in the power of seeing yourself as you workout, viewing yourself in the mirror (or corner of your computer screen) as you get stronger in your body and stronger in your mind. We love to see you all check your own form in the big mirrors just like a ballerina would training for a big performance. But with all that viewing of yourself, how do you speak to yourself when you look in the mirror? What thoughts run through your mind? It might be time to recognize if you are feeling powerful, sweaty, and strong, or if you are feeling body aware, self conscious, or even having some negative body talk to yourself. If you are feeling strong and confident, great! Know it might not be like that everyday, but today you are doing great. Smile. If you are feeling less strong and confident, that's ok too! Take a moment tonight to write down one thing you are proud of yourself for today. Some days, that might be something so small like "I made it through the day and got to bed early". Some days it might be that you made it to a sweaty class and moved with your community. Whatever it is, write it down and let it be free and open. Start to gain awareness of the negative body talk, and try to talk to yourself the way you would talk to a good friend looking in the mirror together. If you're having a hard day, read through your journal and feel proud. Smile. *Sweaty & proud selfie from Sweat & Smiles Small Group Training. 
What do you teach at DanceFIT? I am a substitute for all things Pilates and toning. In group or private. How would you describe your classes & teaching style? Flowy, creative, with emphasis in integrated breath and optimal posture. Do you have a favorite class to teach (if you teach more than one)? I am a huge fan of teaching Power Pilates and Barre. What do you do outside of the studio for fun? Love to hike with my partner and Greater Swiss dog, May. I am a movie buff and avid reader, fearless traveller, and LOVE taking dance classes with Erin! What music will we hear in your fitness classes? Alternative rock, a lot of pop (Taylor Swift and Harry Styles vibe), a bit of techno stuff, if the beat goes with the work in the class. Thank you Monica! We love hearing more about you!  We will be interviewing DanceFIT instructors so you can get to know them & their classes a little bit better. This week we are interviewing Andrea! What do you teach at DanceFIT? I teach Zumba®! It's a dance party that also is an amazing workout. The goal is to smile, dance and get lost in the music, and before you know it, you're sweaty, happy and proud! I took my first Zumba® class (with fellow DanceFIT instructor Kelsey, by the way!) about 4.5 years ago and was hooked upon first dance. There are many rhythms and music styles in a Zumba® class, but when we dance, we're all one, and it's so powerful. How would you describe your classes & teaching style? I like to laugh! My classes are about losing your inhibitions--this is for fun, fitness and community, no one is judging your technique! I love to see my students making the moves their own, giving me face and attitude, and breaking it down like we're in a club together. I am human and I laugh at myself all the time! I also sing, or rather, lip sync, a lot, because I am obsessed with song lyrics. One other funny thing about my style: I love getting in touch with our sassy sides, and I generally have a "Sassy Section" of songs just for giving me attitude. I also might have a reputation for keeping it hot during the "cool down." What do you do outside of the studio for fun? I love to read and am the proud moderator of DanceFIT's Book Club--come check it out sometime, all are welcome! I also endlessly listen to music and dance around my house and my 3 kids either just join me or don't even look up from what they're doing. I love to cook and take therapeutic walks with my friends and my husband Mike. What music will we hear in your fitness classes? You are going to hear music from around the world (and right here at home) in my class! Zumba® is built on this amazing foundation of Latin music: salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton and more. I also love to include JLo, Shakira, and it wouldn't truly represent me without Madonna and R&B too! I will say this...you never know how far I'll throw it back or what jam we just need to do that class. I LOVE surprising you all! (And yes, I take requests and some of my favorite moments ever are when we debut a requested track.) Give us a quick bio I grew up both on Long Island, NY, and here in Ashland, MA, with a family that loved music and a dad that played a ton of it for me. In my first life, I was an editor for a fashion and lifestyle magazine in Philadelphia (where Mike was finishing up school--we go way back) and then, after moving back to MA, I became the Editorial Director for the New England Aquarium here in Boston. Fast forward to becoming a mom 3 times over to my 2 sons and my daughter, and I decided to take my passion for dancing, music and fitness to craft my own Zumba® class within the amazing DanceFIT community that has helped me get strong and confident. It gives me such a fun outlet to let loose and display my creativity while I accomplish my day job of running my household and caring for my family. Thank you Andrea! We love hearing more about you!
Pajama week is always so fun and it is the perfect week to share an important message. At the end of our adult fitness classes we always take a moment to enjoy how our bodies feel after movement. We took a few mindful moments at the end of our kids dance classes to enjoy how strong, joyful & happy our bodies felt. In a few of our classes we tried a meditation activity and the dancers stayed so still while we placed a gem on their forehead. In our toddler Tippy Toes classes, dancers continue to work very hard on their balance. We are so proud of how well they walk on the balance beam! In Pre-Ballet classes, dancers worked on strengthening their feet and using their demi plie as they pretended they were monkeys "jumping on the bed." In tap they worked on running flaps like butterflies. In Pre-Ballet II classes dancers practiced a new song, "Heel & Toe" which works on flexion of the feet, partner dancing & group dancing. In tap they were introduced to the buffalo step. In 7-8 year Ballet & Jazz we introduced the creative side of dance: choreography. Each dancer had to design a dance that featured a grapevine, pivot turn, jazz square, scissors & a final pose. In ACRO the dancers are getting very independent in their skills and proud of their progress. Our focus has been strengthening our upper body for back bends (upside down wheel) and cartwheels. We are hoping to put these skills in our recital dances in the Spring This week we have been looking at one of our favorite books written by our favorite ballet dancer, Misty Copeland. It's called Black Ballerinas and is about some of Misty's favorite black ballet dancers who worked very hard and danced from the heart to overcome tough situations including prejudice and discrimination based on the color of their skin. I recommend this book for every young ballerina. When we did freeze dance we would open the book and copy one of the dancers beautiful poses. The young dancers loved this exercise. We also were inspired by the beautiful illustration of Michaela DePrince (currently dancing with the Boston Ballet) and her beautiful grande jeté as we did our leaps across the floor.
We will be interviewing DanceFIT instructors so you can get to know them & their classes a little bit better. This week we are interviewing Maegan. What do you teach at DanceFIT? I am mainly a children's dance class instructor, but I have also taught pop-up Adult Beginner Jazz, Adult Beginner Ballet, and even subbed in for Deep Stretch, BalletFIT, and Babywearing BalletFIT classes in the past! How would you describe your classes & teaching style? Upbeat, fun, and a challenge ;) I always find myself trying to make the classes I sub challenging to make sure they are just as hard as the original instructors class! When I am teaching the adult dance classes, I try to teach the skills, provide tips and tricks, and make the classes fun! Do you have a favorite class to teach (if you teach more than one)? Anything dance related - I am there!! What do you do outside of the studio for fun? Outside of the studio, I love playing with my pup, Teddy, or taking him on walks/hikes! I also can be found at DanceFIT working out virtually or in studio. I also have been trying to find other hobbies and have taken up needlepoint, puzzles, and am trying to read and cook more this year! What music will we hear in your fitness classes? It really depends!! I try to have fun, upbeat music in my jazz and fitness classes. If I am subbing a stretch or ballet class, the music is more acoustic/calm. I also love to try to put in favorite songs of those in my classes! Give us a quick bio My dance history goes back to when I was 3 years old. I trained in ballet, jazz, and modern throughout my childhood, and even taught kids dance classes at my home studio! My love for dance led me to pursue a BFA in Dance from Adelphi University, where I studied Ballet and Modern, as well as composition, movement analysis, and performance. During my Senior year in college, I was trying to figure out what my next steps would be and I took an Intro to Dance Therapy course. I was hooked. I ended up applying to graduate programs in the Northeast and was accepted to Lesley University's Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Dance/Movement Therapy program. I moved to Boston, not really knowing anyone and am so glad I did! While I was in grad school, I found myself missing my daily dancing, as well as teaching. Through a friend of a friend, I was connected with Gina and then started assisting kids dance classes at the Brookline studio. Since then, I graduated, started my own Mental Health Counseling private practice, and continue to teach kids dance classes - in Natick now! I love bringing the joy of movement to kids (and adults!), and am so grateful to be a part of the DanceFIT community!
We will be interviewing DanceFIT instructors so you can get to know them & their classes a little bit better. This week we are interviewing Kelsey! What do you teach at DanceFIT? I teach Zumba®, a non-stop cardio dance class focused on fun that brings in Latin American, pop, and other global songs/dance styles How would you describe your classes & teaching style? I strive for my classes to be fun, high energy, and inclusive/accessible. It's a time to let loose, dance with new/old friends and get in an effective workout for YOU in that moment, whether that means modifying throughout or leveling up. As I always say, just "have fun and keep moving!" What do you do outside of the studio for fun? I love to read (especially with the DanceFIT book club!), spend time with my friends and family (which includes my 2 girls), do puzzles/escape rooms, and exercise (running/walking/taking other DanceFIT classes) What music will we hear in your fitness classes? I love Zumba® because it's a trip around the world - you'll hear Latin American, pop, Indian, Caribbean, and more. Anything that's fun and encourages our class to embrace a vibe (which usually includes the swagger of Pitbull and the sultriness of Camilla Cabello!) Give us a quick bio I've been dancing since the age of 5, taking a mix of ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop. In high school I danced and starred in a number of our school's musicals, and choreographed the children's theater production of Alice in Wonderland. Two kids and a full time job in management consulting later, I discovered Zumba® and never looked back - regularly taking 3-4 classes/week and becoming licensed to teach in 2017. I've been teaching for over 5 years now and have experience at a variety of boutique and larger gyms. I'm so happy to be part of the DanceFIT family! Thank you Kelsey! We love hearing more about you!  |
DanceFIT BlogAt DanceFIT we focus on cultivating a positive & community focused environment. Our classes focus on positivity & motivation. We want to share our love for dance with everyone from our youngest little dancers to hard-working students, and adult dancers attending class for the joy of it! Archives
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