REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD!!

Every year around the October-November period I set new goals for the upcoming year. I don't do resolutions (although it's really the same thing) . Some of these goals are simple while others require alot of work. I usually tell my friends and family what my plans are but this year I decided to do things differently.

For every goal I accomplish I will Show...and not tell!!

This past week it just so happened that I acheived one goal. Enroll in ballet class. I always loved to dance. When I was younger I did the typical ballet, tap, and jazz classes and I loved every minute of it. Every Saturday I raced over to Central Avenue after watching my favorite Saturday morning cartoons and danced my heart out!!

I neglected dance for a while but I decided that this was the year to reconnect with my old flame. It's all about the baby steps so I enrolled in adult ballet class at the Kennedy Dance Studio in Jersey City, NJ. It's a small intimate class held once a week for 8 weeks and it's very affordable $115. (side bar..if I wanted to do a second class it would be $200 for two 8 week classes which isn't bad..)

Ballet is a great form of exercise and it is the perfect compliment to my weight training.

Here are six beneifts of this graceful style of dance I found courtesy of associated content.

1) Promotes Better Posture

Ballet exercises require the use of good posture and alignment. For this reason, many ballet classes teach postural alignment exercises which help to promote good posture and create awareness of good alignment as you carry out your daily activities.

2) Ballet benefit: Sculpts and tones your body

The movements taught in ballet classes are designed to tone and firm muscles without developing bulk so you develop long and lean muscles as opposed to thick, bulky ones.

3)Ballet benefit: Helps to relieve stress

When you perform ballet exercises and movements, it relaxes your mind and removes you from the cares of the world. Your focus shifts to concentrating on each movement and the placement of your legs and arms. Many people report they can actually feel their stress melt away when they focus on ballet.

4) Ballet benefit: Promotes creative expression

Ballet is not simply a form of exercise, although it does provide many of the health benefits of exercise. It's also a form of artistic expression. You interpret each dance movement in your own unique way and it becomes your own personal expression. This can be quite therapeutic for both mind and body.

5)Ballet benefit: Develops poise and body awareness

6) Ballet benefit: Promotes flexibility.

The movements of ballet are quite effective in promoting flexibility. Ballet uses muscles that are seldom used in other sports, giving you a total body flexibility workout.

I am so happy to take the class and I really have to thank Nina for introducing me to the musical Chicago. (this helped to ignite the flame). Tammy Peoples for taking me to Alvin Ailey dance show... it was nothing short of inspiration, and my nephew for his passion and raw/pure energy.

Love you guys!!