Part 2 - 7 tips for your yoga, and workshop still coming along

Happy Tuesday, Shoeboxers.

We're finishing up part two of our guest post with Jennifer Henry, and below we have tips 5-7. 

We're also still gearing up for her 3 hr master class on July 9th, (More details here:  bit.ly/k9B8uT) 

5. In each movement make sure to breathe in and out through the nostrils, matching each breath to each movement...

...elongating the breath, even if the heart beats fast and asks you to respirate more quickly. This makes one calm and able to proceed without ceasing in the presence of stressful experiences, both physically (i.e., running, swimming, cycling or hiking long distances w/ a heavy pack) and mentally reducees or eliminates anxiety that comes up when faced with hard work.


6. To protect the soft tissues in the wrists, whenever weight is in the hands, press down with the knuckle of the index finger that meets the palm...

...and curl the tips of the fingers into the mat. The hands and forearms have many muscles in them, but tend to be dominated by the major muscle groups of the outside layer. Many of us need an extra boost of strength in that region as the large group of muscles are not strong enough to bare the weight of the body. Pressing down through the index finger engages the secondary group of muscles in the forearm, adds extra strength we didn't know was available and takes the stress out of the wrist joint. It also enables the shoulders to fit properly into their joints, as it creates a type of rotation in the entire arm.

7. Wash hands and face before practice...

...and don't wear lotions so your mat doesn't become slippery! It is also a good ritual to remind yourself you are preparing to cleanse your system. The ancient Sutras of Patanjali explain 8 limbs for yoga practice, like that of a tree. The first and second limbs (yamas and niyamas) describe 10 personal and social codes one should follow, cleanliness (saucha) being one of them. The third limb is the practice of posture (asana), which most of us begin first.

Namaste,

Team Shoebox

7 tips to get the most out of your yoga practice (and new yoga class to the schedule!!!)

 Hi Shoeboxers -

Today we have a guest post from Jennifer Henry, our regular Ashtanga yoga teacher.

But before we get to that, NEWS ALERT!!!! Jennifer has just added another yoga class to the schedule from 6-7 PM on Mondays, 

Enrollment for her Ashtanga Master Class is still going strong, (you can still get in on the action here: bit.ly/k9B8uT ) and she's decided to prepare 7 tips to help you prepare for class and the extended workshop.  We've decided to turn this into a two part series, for you to get the most out of the material, get a chance to absorb it then take on the next set of instructions.


1. Come to practice with an empty stomach.

Try not to eat anything solid for approx 4 hrs before practice. A little yogurt or some nuts can be taken before, if necessary. Many of the poses are meant to affect the digestive system and it is good not to toxify the body with matter in the intestines and bladder. It also aids in adding comfort to a practice that works to create a suction-like feeling in the lower abdomen.


2. Keep the lower abdominal region engaged throughout every inhalation and exhalation. 

Think, "Inhale, navel towards the spine, exhale, navel towards spine.". Ultimately this should help one find that tautness in the entire body cavity and begin to awaken the perinium and other diaphrams within the torso. This is the essence of "core strength". Breathing should be done expanding the ribs and lungs of the upper torso, not the belly, unless otherwise instructed for restorative systems.

3. When in downward dog or a forward bend rotate the tops of the thighs toward each other.

This helps us find and isolate the lowest abdominal muscles that seem to be the most difficult to locate and engage. Over time, the inguinal region will become strong, taught and charged with energy and the perenium will engage as well, becomming coordinated and intentional. This will also "lift" the weight out of the hips and give a lightness and bouyancy leading the way to a sensation of "freedom" within the poses.



4. In any position, but especially forward bends, pull the shoulders back away from the ears, giving yourself a long neck.

This furthers the process of creating a suction-like feeling within the cavities of the torso, essential for balance, strength and longevity. The relationship between the shoulder and abdominal region will begin to come to life and increase a sense of lightness within one's posture in general.


Pretty cool stuff, eh?  We'll be posting part 2 next week.  Stay tuned.

Namaste,

The 'Box

For the next 2 days... 2 classes for $15

Hi local Shoeboxers!

We are creating a 2 day special, as an incentive to take classes this month. With summer in full swing, we want to make sure you're still coming to the studio :-)

Super simple - 2 classes for $15. They expire July 10th. You can buy as many 2-fers as you want, but only buy as many as you think you can use through July.

Its pretty straight forward and self explanatory. 

Here's the link 
(You can purchase until Friday at Midnight)

3 Reasons Dancers Should Consider Yoga as a Cross Training Tool

By Lisa Kotecki

As dancers, we are constantly at high risk of injury. (Ouch, ugh). 

Cross training and conditioning absolutely imperative to reduce our risk of injury, and mantain strong and happy bodies.  As a dancer that walks into our studio, we want to ensure you get all the skills and training necessary to be at the top of your game. So we added a Ashtanga Yoga with Jennifer, staring  May 31st, every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00 -8:30 AM.  (Here's the direct information about the class)

Yoga provides an excellent cross training tool to keep your body happy, muscles strong and invigorated, and mind calm to execute movements. Here are a couple of things to think about when considering yoga as a cross training vehicle for training:

1. Most dancers learn to breath in the top of their chest - Yoga will teach you to breathe in a way that induces a relaxation response. Yogic breathing is not natural, this is only something that can be learned with practice.  Result: More stamina in your dance practice.

2. Yoga helps with mind chatter.  What does this mean?  You know those funky moves that trip you up?  Yoga can help you achieve them.  Former Ailey dancer turned yoga instructor Jessica Hadari says, "I quit dance and got my yoga certification, and after a couple years off went back to dance. I noticed a big shift in my mind chatter.  I used to talk myself out of scary dance moves, like certain jumps and turns.  That part was gone, and I found I could center myself enough to execute movements with greater ease." Translation: Yoga will ease your mind so you can master difficult movements with greater ease.

3. Dancers don't typically hold stretches long enough for sustained injury prevention over time.  We warm up our bodies, and can jump directly into difficult poses or stretches. Over time this could mean wear and tear on the body, and greater risk to injury.  It takes 2-3 minutes of sustained holding for muscle groups to open.   Bottom line: Yoga can help with long term sustainable flexibility and decrease chance of injuries. 

Happy Dancing!

PS - if you haven't joined our Shoebox Studio SF fan page - its not too late.  If you help us get to 400 users by Monday, we have a present for you (see video below)

New Workshop, and Why you Shouldn't Fake it Till You Make It

Hi Shoeboxers! 

I want to introduce myself.  My name is Lisa Kotecki, and I've been doing a lot of the behind the scenes work at Shoebox.  We may have met on the Facebook page, or at the front desk, or even via email - but if not, allow this to be our first time meeting!  

Today I'm writing you to tell you about something I'm doing that we're not supposed to do as dancers, and to let you know about  a really hot workshop coming up with Byron later this month. (More details here).

How fun would it be if we just did what others told us to do?

So what is this bad thing I'm doing?  Admitting I'm weak, and not letting it stop me from dancing.  As dancers we're taught to fake till we make it, and to be fabulous, and out.  

Dancers can get a really bad rap for being divas from this attitude.  I don't have that.  I know when I've walked into a class and felt intimidated because I felt like I was the weakest link in the class, I haven't come back. I'm guilty of thinking, "I can't go to class, I don't want to be the worst person, and feel uncomfortable - as if somehow magically I'm going to get better by "watching' on the sidelines. Its so silly - why would I take class if I already knew what to do?!?

Do you have that experience?

I remember taking a class from a really great teacher from another dance studio.  He had a reputation for being rough, but I wanted to learn what he had to teach, so I made the commitment.  I went in and, and boy did he picked on me -A LOT.   One class he was going around the room doing corrections, and it got to me, and he said "gurl, you've got so much going on, I can't even do anything with that."  I laughed, but it really impacted me.   Needless to say, it wasn't much longer of taking his class.

Fast forward a couple years later - I was talking to Byron last week about taking his Jumps and Turns class.  I told him "Hey Byron, I'm not a jazz dancer, but I really want to take your jumps and turns class. If I take it, I know I'll flail." (because of lack of experience).  What he said completely suprised me - He said "gurl, if you're gonna fail, you better own your flail."  I was so shocked and inspired by that response - own your flail.  He could have gone in the other direction and told me how lucky I'd be to take his class, and what an honor it would be to study with him, because his students who are committed end up going to New York and LA (true story).  He could have told me how he's studied and choreographed for some of the biggest names in the business (also true) and how I've gotta tough it out.  But no, he just told me to own it, right where I was, and if I stuck it out long enough, I'd get the results I wanted.  

Where was he a couple years ago?   So you can bet, that I'll be there, on May 28th from 3:00-5:00 owning my flail in his Jumps and Turns Clinic.  I'm so grateful for Byron's approach.

This class isn't just for professionals (though by all means if you are one, Byron can really up your game), and it definitely isn't for everyone.  Its for dancers committed to their path - not for dancers interested in "looking good" or about "getting it right" but for dancers interested in doing it full on. There's only 8 spots, (7 now that I've taken one), and once they are gone, they're gone. So if you think this is you, you can click here to get your jumps and turns on.  Once you get to the page, you click "register" and go through the prompts.  

PS - If we haven't met, come say "hi" to me next time you're in the studio. I look forward to seeing you! 

How to dance like nobody's watching

While working in the front at Shoebox,  there are a couple of questions/comments that come most frequently when we are having conversations with students:

• Do I have the skills to take this class?
• I'm going to feel like such an idiot because I don't know what I’m doing.
• People are going to look at me like I'm an idiot because I'm going to be awkward. 

 

Here's the deal.  People are too self absorbed to care about what you're up to. So many people are so into their process, they don't have time to worry about what you look like! And, the better the dancer they are, the more likely they are looking at themselves in the mirror, focused, making sure they are hitting their marks, learning the moves, and integrating the instruction, that they might not even know you're in the room.  So just take a deep breath and learn from that: look in the mirror at yourself, focus on the instruction and integrating it, and don't forget to have a good time!

Ten thousand hours to mastery

For anyone who has ever read Malcom Gladwell's Outliers you know where this is coming from. For those of you who have never read it, here's some highlights (we highly recommend the book).  While this isn't meant to be a book review, it really is meant to highlight some very important lessons that Gladwell explores about success. According to his observations, it takes about 10,000 hours to be a "genius" or “master” in your given field.  This is about 10 years of full time dedication. 

Here are a couple salient examples he notes:

• Its no accident the Beatles were the first boy band, and were more successful than other boy bands.  They put in more hours in their career before they got famous than most people do after they get famous.  (to be specific, they had 1,200 performances before 1964.  This is more than most people have in the entire span of their career).

• Bill Gates had 10 thousand hours of practice BEFORE starting Microsoft.  His genius was not random.  He didn't wake up at 18 and decide to create a vision for the personal computer and build Microsoft. He already knew computers, because he started programming in the eight grade.
• By the time Mozart had written a critically acclaimed concerto at the age of 21, he had been composing regularly for 10 years

The biggest takeaway is that it takes time to make a mark in the world, and it takes practice and dedication.  Talent is not inborn, its cultivated.  Gladwell is proposing that, "practice isn't the thing you do once your good.  Its the thing you do to make you good."  Success is not from a super genius gene, or necessarily from being from the right family. Its from time, dedication and hard work and focus.

Anyone has what it takes

 
Martha Graham started dancing at 22, and went on to change the shape of an entire dance genre.  You don't have to be brilliant, have the right body, or be the right age.  You just have to be dedicated and want it bad enough, and show up. In all honesty, most of us don't even want to go pro, or to change the world.  We're interested in learning a new skill set, we're interested in having extra exercise, we're interested in expanding performance skills.   You don't have to lock yourself away for 10 years for 40 hours to do your time just to have fun in a dance class.  You do have to get your butt into class and do the work though.  Don't discount yourself because you didn't do it perfect the first time around.  You'll never get to perfect, because there is no such thing. 

Suggestions for getting yourself to class

Class is a place to explore, to learn and to grow.  Not a place to perform.  Its the exact place to be messy, make mistakes, and learn and grow from them.  So if you're thinking about how you look or what people will think, its the wrong place to think that.  Here are the things to consider instead: 

 
Be honest about what your goals are: If your initial goal is just to get to class, that's a good start.  And if you get to class and you finish the class, then you've reached your goal.  And don't forget to celebrate small wins.  If the goal is to get to class, its self defeating to beat yourself up if you didn't understand a certain move - that wasn't your original goal (and its always pointless to beat yourself up for not understanding something).  Your goal was to just finish.  And you should celebrate that moment and congratulate for sticking it in, because 80% of the work is just showing up.

Put in the time to reach them: If your goal is to learn a particular new move, or to know a choreography, make sure that your time commitments are realistic for your goal.  If you've only got 30 minutes a week to work towards your goal, then its going to take you alot longer than if you've got 30 minutes a day, to put things into perspective.  If you're not happy with your progress, you may want to adjust the time you're putting in to make it happen.

Don't worry about who else is in the room: You came to class to learn something for yourself, not to see how good (or bad) anyone else is.  Just look in the mirror, focus on yourself, and have a good time!

Find a buddy to practice with: If you really want to see yourself accelerate then find someone else who has a similar background (even better if you can find someone a bit more skilled than you to up your game) and make a commitment to meet each other in class.  You're more likely to show up if you have someone to be accountable to.  And you're also more likely to practice if you have a buddy to get together with.

To your dancin'

~Da  Box

PS - If you haven't had a chance to register for the Jumps and Turns Clinic, its happening tomorrow, and a great space to get your practice on. There's a link here to still get in on the early bird pricing, which ends today. 

I've got turns on my jumps, I've got jumps on my turns

We got two words: Byron Seddens. (And for us, those are some pretty exciting words.)   Byron has performed, studied, taught and choreographed throughout the United States, Japan, and the Caribbean.  And now he'll be teaching in the heart of SOMA at Shoebox Studios on Tuesday nights from 7:15-8:45 PM.  But there's something else we're writing about here that we'd like to tell you about.  We'd like  you to come join us for a special event we've put together with Byron.  Please read on to learn more. :-) 


After some arm twisting, we've convinced him to do a Turns and Jumps clinic.  This is such an amazing opportunity to learn from Byron in an intimate setting, and we're not sure when he will be able to make time again in his busy schedule to do it.  If you've been thinking about a way to up your game in your dancing, this is a great opportunity to learn from a world renowned master.

Here are some of the deets:

Turns and Jumps with Byron Seddens
Date: Saturday, March 5, 2011
Time: 1:30-3:30
Where: Shoebox Studio, 864 Folsom St.

This class will focus on the mechanics of jumps and turns. In here we will focus on things such as alignment/placement, timing and those pesky “little” things that may be keeping you from that extra revolution or from executing that dazzling jump the way you wish! Byron has been analyzing and focusing on these areas with his students for years and aiding them in the techniques and “tricks” that help them achieve their goals!

Even more deets: 

• You don't have to be a professional ballet or jazz dancer. 
• You do need to know your left foot from your right foot.
• If you're a bellydancer or an ethnic dancer, it's an awesome cross training class.
• If you are of the ballet/jazz variety, it's gonna up your game. 

Curious to learn more? Click here. 

We also found this cool video that's an awesome inspiration for the workshop.  While we can't guarantee this is what your jumps and turns will look like at the end of the workshop, we still think its a cool video with some insane jumps and turns, and a great source of inspiration. 

See ya in the studio!


To jumping and turning~


Team Shoebox

New classes, and a new additions to the Shoebox Family!

We are so excited to announce three new classes at Shoebox!

Contemporary Partnering & Repertory (level 2/3) with Brian Gibbs (Saturdays,11:30-1:00)  
Starts March 5th

About the class:   Brian Gibbs will be teaching a brand new rep class designed to challenge the dancers to investigate weight sharing along with numerous contact improv techniques that will allow for smooth transitions into choreographed dance sequences in a fun open environment.

Jazz 2 with Byron Seddens (Tuesdays 7:15 - 8:45) 
Starts March15th

This class will focus on the art that is jazz dance.  Technique, versatility, performance quality and the nuances that make jazz jazz are what we'll be working. 

The class will start off with a thorough warm-up, an across the floor that will challenge the dancer and aid in the material at hand and then go into the combination where we will work it all!

Dancers should bring a great attitude and a readiness to sweat!

From lyrical to theatre dance, from Fosse to funk there will always be something to challenge the jazz dancer in you.

Partnering Salsa with Ashanti Altovese (Fridays, 7:30-8:30) 
Starts March 18th

Are you interested in learning how to Salsa dance socially at clubs, parties, and special events? Well instructor Ashanti Altovese can teach you how to do so with style and ease. Over 4 weeks, you will learn basic footwork, lead and follow technique, turn patterns, and simple styling in Salsa for fun. No partner is necessary and all dance levels are welcome.

To register for class click here. 

MEET THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE SHOEBOX FAMILY - BRIAN GIBBS AND BYRON SEDDENS!

A bit more on Brian:

BRIAN GIBBS was born in Charlotte North Carolina. He studied visual arts for 11 years and was also a skateboarder. While attending North West School of the Arts as a visual artist he was invited to take dance class by one of the dance teachers. He went onto the Charlotte City Ballet School for classical training under Claudia Folts. Later he was accepted into the North Carolina School of the Arts college program where he continued his training in Contemporary, Ballet and Composition.

Upon graduation Gibbs moved to San Francisco to freelance and choreograph. His works have been performed onstage by world-class performers, projected during fashion shows and featured in a three-page spread in the summer issue of Movmnt Magazine, with the editorial by recently retired San Francisco Ballet principle Muriel Maffre. Within a years time his association The Artist Group (TAGsf) has accumulated over 30 dance films, shot by videographer Matthew Taylor.

Brian’s choreography is situated between classical technique and contemporary. Modern dancers appreciate it because the movement involves technique, while ballet dancers appreciate it because there is more freedom in the movement. Because his style cannot be grouped into anyone category, Gibbs calls it “Thirdstream” or “Progressive”.

More Brian Hotness found here:




A bit more about Byron:

Byron Seddens - Has worked with some of the best in the business! He has been a featured performer in long running productions for the legendary Jack Cole dancer and jazz dance
innovator Ron Lewis, Broadway and film great Tony Stevens, the award winning Michael Darrin, and for the very busy producer Greg Thompson just to name a few. He has performed for Kraft/
Oscar Meyer, Sorbie Hair Products, Clothestime, Expedia and many others.

More on Byron's Magic:

See you in class!


To your dancin'

Team Shoebox

2 New Hot events for the New Year

With the New Year in high gear, how have your fitness goals been going?

If you’re looking for a way to keep up the momentum, we have 2 great events we want to share with you!

1. Fridays 7:30-8:45: Ladies Salsa Series with Ashanti Altovese

Women can learn the sensual and energetic dance of Salsa during an 8 week workshop series that focuses on basic footwork, body movement, timing, musicality, and styling. There is no partner necessary and after the class, students are invited to attend a Salsa party from 9:00p.m. until 11:00p.m. to practice their new moves (Salsa party happening every other Friday starting January 14th). With each class, students build on their knowledge by executing Salsa fundamentals within choreographed moves that are common in social dancing. Build confidence, get fit, and learn to Salsa with Ashanti Altovese over the course of 8 weeks and become Salsalicious! (we’ve also got a video below of her performing at our Winter Showcase).


To sign up for Ashanti's class, click here

About Ashanti: Ashanti Altovese Griffin, a professional Salsa dancer with 20 years experience in dance performance, competition, and instruction, is dedicated to female empowerment through dance. As the director of the Dancesport Divas® performance team and dance fitness program, host of the television pilot "Salsa Superstars", CEO of Danscents! The Official Fragrance of Dancesport, and a dance fitness expert and lifestyle guide for Examiner.com and Ballroom Fantasy.com, Ashanti promotes self-confidence in women. With a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and work experience as a product developer for the Eastman Kodak Company and Kraft Foods, Ashanti utilizes her technical background coupled with her artistic abilities to provide women with products and services that help them discover their inner dancer.

2. Valentine's Showgrrrl Workshop: Sensuality in Motion

A special workshop with Kristina Nekyia happening February 13th, 3-5 PM.

A showgrrrl is a powerful, sexy, self-directed woman of the stage. She is part of you. Find that confident, fully embodied, sensual, raw energy and let it imbue your movements with a new fire. Drawing on the movements of belly dance and burlesque, this workshop addresses how to be sexy onstage in a way that is strong, classy, and completely real. Learn the common pitfalls and cliches to avoid, and strut your stuff in a fun, burlesque style routine. Be your own saucy Valentine!

To sign up for Kristina's workshop, click here

About Kristina:

Kristina Nekyia is a belly dancer, circus contortion dancer, burlesque queen, pin up nymph, actress, fire eater, director, and writer based in Hollywood, California. She was the 2010 First Runner-Up for the title of Queen of Burlesque at the Burlesque Hall of Fame competition in Las Vegas, and she founded and directed The Nekyia, a company of showgrrrls specializing in circus, belly dance, and burlesque.

Class Cancellations for this week (1-3-11 through 1-8-11)

There will be NO Beginning Graham w/ Erica tonight, 1/3. Erica will be back next week.

There will be NO Jazz 1 or 2 w/Charles Edward. Jazz will be on hold until further notice.

We are sorry for any inconvenience, please come check out one of our other awesome classes!