I’ve always considered myself extremely lucky in the teacher department.
To each of the teachers in my life I owe parts of my current Self.
They have contributed to my growth, happiness, knowledge, skill set, inspiration, love of learning, love of movement, love of music, love of language, and love of life.
Their teachings as well as living examples have instilled in me a growing sense of confidence, curiosity, courage, love, hope, and – even more importantly – freedom to be, and freedom to move.
Two of these remarkable teachers (namely Monika Volkmar of Canada and Stacey Nemour of USA) I have not been lucky enough to even meet (yet!) in 3D, but their influence on my life has been (and still is!) so palpable and positive that I would like to thank them both publicly in this post.
Dear Monika and Stacey, thank you both so much for the amazing work you do – you have helped free my mind, my heart, and my hips 🙂
Being a Beta tester for Monika’s 2015 Dance Stronger project (check out the corresponding, awesome, and free(!) DS Book! as well as Monika’s intensely interesting new Movement Blog) has allowed me – in an unexpectedly gentle way – to restore long-lost-to-me ranges of motion.
After working with the program for a mere 3 weeks, I found myself moving (and even not moving!) pain-free again for the first time in 8 years(!).
A few years later, discovering Staceys Nemour’s work (ie her online flexibility course for dancers) helped me go even deeper in my queeste for freedom of movement – and thus freer expression in dance, life and martial arts.
As you could see in February‘s post, working with Staceys course got me safely(!) into front splits for the first time at 38.
At the moment I am lucky enough to get to work with Staceys newest ‘Dance! Flexibility Makeover Power Pack’ online course bundle.
Even though my expectations were high after working with her previous course, the results have blown my mind.
Intelligently sequenced and gentle (yet quite deep/intense) stretching and strengthening exercises, combined with Staceys positive encouragement and detailed breathing advice resolved a number of lingering tightnesses and imbalances.
This in turn has allowed me recover faster, especially handy after intense dance/pointe training sessions and martial arts events.
I am deeply enjoying Taekwondo classes now that I have more freedom of movement, and I love that I am seeing cleaner lines in ballet, as well as an almost effortless (in as far as that is possible!) improvement in pointe work.
So far I have only been able to try 2 of the 4 bundle courses (extensions for days and pre-pro to pro), but the results have been astounding.
I will be writing a separate blog post (or a series if it gets too long!) on my further experiences as I work my way through all 4 courses.
In the mean time, check out Staceys work (which I highly recommend!) and get thine self over to flexibilitymakeover.com
PS: Code ‘khalidadance’ gives you 10% discount on all flexibility class/prop purchases!
Enjoy!