You’ve decided to get back into dance class… but now what?
Don’t worry, I got you!
This episode is all about that in-between phase —after you’ve made the decision, but before your body’s actually in the studio.
What do you do with that weird energy? How do you keep momentum without psyching yourself out? How do you get your mind and body ready for an actual class experience?
I’m walking you through my 10 tips on what to focus on right now — from gentle physical prep to the exact mental reminders that can make your return smoother (and way less dramatic).
This is the stuff that helped me return to dance (more than a few times)!
Let’s get into it!
And make sure you’re following my podcast — because next time, I’m talking about how to set yourself up for success once you’re actually back in class.
Check out my Return to Dance docuseries!
Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! @backtogreat
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, what's up my dance fan welcome to my podcast hey dancer I am so excited to have you here
(00:09):
I am your host Miller Daurey and in the last episode we talked about this whole idea of feeling rusty
after missing just one dance class you know maybe two maybe a week and that is something every
dancer is always lamenting you know and we all love to say it I'm so rusty I missed a class
and I think I proved in that episode hopefully I did that that is really a myth it turns out
(00:35):
and takes a lot more than a single missed class or even a month you know to really feel off that's
what the science shows but what about when that break turns into something longer you know a few
months a few years or even if you're like me decades now whatever the reason you left dancer
took a break ultimately is not the point here I mean it could be that life just got in the way
(01:00):
you got preoccupied you had different priorities maybe you had an injury maybe you just weren't
inspired anymore by the studio you were taking classes at the point is you've been gone it's been
a long break and in today's episode I'm just going to walk you through you know steps you can
take before you actually get back into the studio the things you can do from home maybe even at
(01:24):
the gym mentally physically to make that first class back or first few weeks back feel a little easier
less daunting and a lot less overwhelming because let's be honest getting back into class after
a break or entering class for the first time it may be even ever if that's your situation comes with
you know a whole wave of feelings am I right I mean I don't care who you are or or where you are
(01:50):
in your dance journey we're talking nerves excitement doubts of consciousness imposter syndrome a little
do I even belong here anymore you know yeah I mean we all feel it all of it and let's not forget the
good old you know fear of being seen or being watched or being judged by others are honestly just
judging ourselves a little bit too harsh you know that inner critic it is loud sometimes but I want
(02:14):
this episode to to help you turn down the volume on all of that I want to help ease some of that you
know to help you feel more ready before you walk into that first warm up and actually I think this
episode is helpful whether you're coming back after a long break or even if you're right in the
thick of class at this moment and you have been training but again most specifically it's for those
(02:39):
of you who haven't stepped into the studio in a long while now in the future maybe even in the very
near future I'll be doing some episodes on what to do once you're in class to make that process
easier like finding the right studio or classes for you and stuff but this one this is all about
prepping before you've even found the studio you know the four class even starts it's that interim
(03:03):
this in between place of making the decision to get back into class and actually taking that first class
back so let's start with a little bit of a backstory here when I started dancing again after three
decades away people kept saying you're so brave and honestly I still get that a lot I recently had
(03:24):
an interview with someone who reached out in in my DMs they I had put up a post about you know physical
therapy and healing and this person reached out and said hey I have this protocol and we actually
wound up shouting in the first thing they said was you know your story is it's so inspiring it's so
brave that you return to dance after so long I could never do that the point is I hear this a lot
(03:46):
it's all very very sweet but honestly I don't feel or I didn't feel brave I felt cold at the time
like it was a mission to get back into dance you know there was just something in me that said start
so I did when I was living in Orange County California some years ago but I had no idea where to start
(04:06):
how to start except for spending an absurd amount of time trying to find a studio that was nearby
that was for sure my biggest challenge if you haven't seen by the way my return to dance
docu-series which chronicles all of this you got to check it out I'll leave the link below in the
show notes and if you're watching on YouTube I'll just put a card it's on the screen there's the card
(04:28):
anyway I remember doing one yeah one online yoga class like 30 minutes before my first dance class
back on over 25 years as if that was going to do anything and by the way that was after a full day
at the office so this episode is also for me back then because I get it I've started and restarted
(04:50):
my return to dance journey many times when I was in the OC as I mentioned and that was after 25
years right and then I stopped for a while to move to LA to take my return to dance more seriously but
that was a long stop of over six months then I'm in LA I moved here to get back into it and I do
(05:11):
hardcore for two months and then the pandemic hits so that was another stop for almost a year and a
half I think maybe a little over that and then I start again now we're in 2022 and I'm dancing hard
throughout the year until I'm sidelined with injury or chronic pain whatever it is and cut to now
and I haven't danced in almost two and a half years so if anyone understands what it takes to get
(05:36):
back into class after long periods away over and over again it is me it is yours truly and I'm
inching closer and closer to getting back into class once again and some of the things I'll be sharing
today are exactly what I'm currently doing too so let's break this down a little starting with
the most important part your mind even before you return to class your mindset matters and one
(06:02):
thing that helps visualization studies from the journal of sport sciences show that mental rehearsal
just visualizing your body doing something can improve muscle memory by up to 40 percent that is huge
but here's the key since you're not back in class yet don't worry about you know visualizing complex
combos instead visualize how you want to feel in class confident grounded focused energized capable
(06:30):
picture yourself walking into the studio you're happy you're saying hi to the front desk you're
warming up you're making new friends you're introducing yourself to new people you're learning the
choreography you're enjoying it rewiring your brain to expect a good experience is powerful personally
I like to do this as I'm drifting off to sleep now I don't know about you but I always forget
(06:53):
what I'm supposed to do things like I have a plan to visualize but then I forget to visualize
so what helps me a lot and what I suggest is setting the alarm clock on on your phone daily
nightly whatever reminder you need at whatever given time for whatever habit you want to implement
and do not forget to do this it is really important okay and also with regard to mindset I'm going to
(07:17):
suggest to think about your why like really sit with it your why today is most likely going to look
different than your why at some other point in in your dance journey or maybe it's not maybe it's
the same why I don't know you but all I can say there is a reason why the universe has tapped you
has nudged you to get back in there so meditate on that it'll make the whole return to class feel
(07:42):
much more purposeful easy and all around fun all right let's talk physical prep now remember we're
not back in class yet okay this isn't about diving into full blown training and everything this is
about priming your body to feel safe and capable and connected again all right so here are just some
very low-level things science-backed things easy and simple start with basic movement I'm talking
(08:10):
this is what I do currently for the last couple of months I wake up in the morning I pop up before
my feet hit the floor I'm kind of sitting on the edge of my bed and I let my feet dangle and I start
working my joints so I'm doing ankle rolls 10 reps on the right 10 reps on the left I do wrist
rolls same thing neck roll shoulder rolls I highly recommend doing that first thing in the morning
(08:34):
or maybe throughout the day when you're working at your laptop you know you're sitting at your desk
take 60 seconds do that alarm clock thing remind yourself to do it here is why doing this is actually
important these basic movements reawaken joints and muscles in ways that help rebuild neural pathways
without stressing the body moving on to the next cross-train I might recommend starting off with just
(08:59):
you know I don't know again maybe you have been going to the gym this whole time or I don't know but
for sure you should be cross-training and I may recommend or suggest to start with something gentle
like swimming cycling going for long walks doing the elliptical all those things are your friends
right now scientific reports found that 20 to 30 minutes of cardio keeps up your stamina without
(09:23):
putting pressure on dance specific muscles a lot of pros swear by by doing things like this you know
during long break so right before you get back into class you know just enough to get the heart rate
going to get the stamina to get the endurance going again you know I'm also going to recommend to
focus on your core there's no need to go wild here you know maybe hold a plank for a minute a day
(09:48):
you know find a gentle Pilates routine maybe online there's a lot of them just do some ab work at
home crunches research like a 2006 sports medicine study by Keifer says core strength improves
post break balance and reduces that wobbly feeling that we all dread you know when we get back into
(10:09):
class foam rolling is another one I highly recommend foam rolling pre-class improves mobility and cuts
stiffness by 15% five minutes can do so much now for me I get this like weird back thing when I'm in
class a lot it kind of feels like my back is almost about to tweak and almost about to pull and I
(10:32):
have found that this deep tissue foam roller that I have which I'm not gonna lie it hurts a lot when
I first do it after having not done it in a while and then once I start doing it for like maybe
a week or two it's not so bad but it's been a real game changer for me before and after class it's
(10:53):
like a free chiropractic session I'm not joking it's realigning and readjusting my spine just rolling
it out it's always popping when I do it and when I do it consistently my back issue just goes away
so you know if you're brand new to foam rolling or it's been a while just go gentle no need to go
(11:14):
straight to that deep tissue beast that I have unless you're trying to you know cry in the name of
mobility what's funny is when I go to my chiropractor who always works on the back if I do that foam roller
the deep tissue one before I go to see her she has nothing to crack like it's done the job that is how
(11:34):
good it is and by the way if it's not obvious or clear you know all the points that I'm making you know
are quick on purpose that said you know do your own research I will trust you to figure out the
ways in which you are going to do each of my suggestions that best suit you that are safest for you
speaking of that the next one stretching stretching stretching stretching but don't just hold a stretch
(12:01):
you're gonna want to mix dynamic and static stretching personally I think yoga is a great place
to start there are endless classes for free on YouTube and start again gentle there are you can
just type in gentle yoga on YouTube and you will find a whole bunch beginning classes just whatever
(12:22):
feels right to you wherever you're at in your journey also I always throw in this is my own thing
and I recommend it after I stretch I do some yoga I just do some leg swings at home I do some squats
you know when I'm feeling already warm this particular combination with that dynamic movement
(12:42):
like leg swings and whatnot after maybe you know a deep stretch like yoga from what I understand
can restore flexibility faster okay so this one is big and maybe my most I don't know just my most
crucial tip for that in between place that in between time of making the decision to step back into
(13:06):
class and actually being in class and that is to take class but not in person I'm talking online classes
if you want to dip your toes in before committing to a studio you must try some classes from home
I mean there are endless websites for these things I've mentioned YouTube already just go into
(13:28):
their search bar and you just whatever style you like hip hop contemporary jazz tap and you type
in beginning you type in tutorial you type in basics foundation whatever or try one of those paid
for websites platforms like CLI studios or stezy this is crucial and what I'm currently doing from home
(13:49):
because you really want to start flexing that muscle memory that choreo pickup retention it'll
really help you feel like you've got some reawakened experience here you know before you get back into
class that can be the most daunting part about getting back in class is learning choreography
along as combos so imagine your brain has already started to be wired to pickup movement again
(14:15):
it's really a life saver for returning to class you don't feel so fish out of water hopefully you
can practice with a mirror in front of you but if not you can and honestly should no matter what film
yourself learning and performing combos from home the things you will learn by watching yourself
(14:36):
priceless I may also suggest if it's an option for you to rent out a dance studio space and practice
there too I know for me in LA there are a couple of different places that are maybe 40 bucks an hour
and that's totally worth it do you know to bring your laptop you have a whole mirror in front of you
and maybe do it once a week you know practice a combination or maybe you practice the combination
(15:00):
from home and then you rent out a studio space to really you know take advantage of the space
and if you want to keep it even I don't know more casual another branch off this tree of the learning
choreo tree from home is to practice trending social media dances I mean a lot of dancers have ego
around that I don't in my opinion dance is dance and movement is movement and picking up steps it's
(15:26):
picking up steps and it can be hard no matter where what and seriously it doesn't have to be that
crazy deep it just gets you back into learning movement timing musicality and fun and to be honest
a lot of them are way harder than they look but it's just you on your own you know you're not
posting this there's no need I mean if you want to yeah please go ahead I'm just saying practice
(15:50):
learning choreo whenever and wherever and however you can again I really cannot stress this aspect
enough when your brain is accustomed to has been wired to picking up more and more counts of eight
there's just a confidence that is built in oh yeah I did six counts of eight yesterday
no problem I can do seven today what this combination only has five on YouTube today five counts of eight
(16:17):
ah I got this in the bag it's just about the repetition it's about the showing up and proving and
showing yourself that yeah you can pick up choreo and it's just at home and it's fun and it's a
good time so no excuses moving on now let me guess you're busy we're all busy I talked about this
in my episode about Einstein time I'm busy is the new I'm fine when someone asks how are you
(16:42):
but if you're listening to this there's probably something in you that wants to dance or at least
is thinking about it that's not an accident listen to that voice okay figure out where class fits
move things around treat it like treat it like something that matters because it does study show how
we often underestimate how much we can shift our schedule if something truly matters to us so
(17:08):
make the time when I first returned to dance I was working a full time salary job I'm talking eight
to four or eight to five p.m. Monday through Friday plus plus a restaurant gig four nights so weak
I literally only had two week nights and two weekend days as options to to take a class and
(17:31):
the studio that I found by the way was closed on Sundays oh and did I mention it was a two-hour
round trip drive to the to the studio after a full day at the office but I made it happen
and if you want it you can too and finally sometimes you just have to jump no more when I'm flexible
(17:53):
enough or when I've crossed trained enough or when I do X amount of classes online all of that
can help yes but it can also become a hiding place a crutch a reason to procrastinate or sabotage
and trust me I know this all too well because full transparency right now I don't want to really
attempt a jazz class from home because I have this thing in my head that I have to be a certain kind
(18:18):
of flexible I have to get my leg past a certain height you know when I'm kicking to even try a jazz
class and how silly is that it's just so stupid there is something about just jumping in I mean
you can't prep forever and when you do get back in class remember it's your class you get to take
it your way modify sit something out try fall laugh celebrate just show up that is the win every
(18:46):
dancer in the room was once in your shoes even the advanced ones they had a first class back moment
to I mean come on you're not behind you're just starting again right now in this moment this is your
path this is your journey I mean that's the beautiful thing about life it's our it's our own game
we're playing here okay all right that is it for today thank you for being here if you made it
(19:06):
all the way to the end I have a reminder set that alarm clock on your phone or ever to set these
new habits in place this episode was all about getting you back in the game before you even get
back into the studio and I hope it gave you a few ideas a little motivation maybe even a little bit
of peace if it did let me know shoot me a DM on Instagram at back to greatly the comment if you're
(19:28):
watching on YouTube or Spotify I'm always responding I'm always watching and engaging it means a lot to
me and hey you have today's episode resonated send it to a dance friend you know shoot me a DM and
let me know what you're working for you've got this I believe in you I really really do oh
and just a quick reminder I am not a doctor I am not a physical therapist I'm not a mental health
(19:50):
professional everything I share here is based on personal experience and research always consult
a professional if you're unsure as to what is best for you and in my next or soon to be next
episode I'll be talking about ways to make your return to class much more successful after what
we talked about today right that interim that prep work after that phase the next phase is coming
(20:17):
up soon so stay tuned and make sure you're following the podcast subscribe and like and comment
and all of that okay until next time
you
(gentle music)
Hey, what's up my dance fan welcome to my podcast hey dancer I am so excited to have you here
(00:09):
I am your host Miller Daurey and in the last episode we talked about this whole idea of feeling rusty
after missing just one dance class you know maybe two maybe a week and that is something every
dancer is always lamenting you know and we all love to say it I'm so rusty I missed a class
and I think I proved in that episode hopefully I did that that is really a myth it turns out
(00:35):
and takes a lot more than a single missed class or even a month you know to really feel off that's
what the science shows but what about when that break turns into something longer you know a few
months a few years or even if you're like me decades now whatever the reason you left dancer
took a break ultimately is not the point here I mean it could be that life just got in the way
(01:00):
you got preoccupied you had different priorities maybe you had an injury maybe you just weren't
inspired anymore by the studio you were taking classes at the point is you've been gone it's been
a long break and in today's episode I'm just going to walk you through you know steps you can
take before you actually get back into the studio the things you can do from home maybe even at
(01:24):
the gym mentally physically to make that first class back or first few weeks back feel a little easier
less daunting and a lot less overwhelming because let's be honest getting back into class after
a break or entering class for the first time it may be even ever if that's your situation comes with
you know a whole wave of feelings am I right I mean I don't care who you are or or where you are
(01:50):
in your dance journey we're talking nerves excitement doubts of consciousness imposter syndrome a little
do I even belong here anymore you know yeah I mean we all feel it all of it and let's not forget the
good old you know fear of being seen or being watched or being judged by others are honestly just
judging ourselves a little bit too harsh you know that inner critic it is loud sometimes but I want
(02:14):
this episode to to help you turn down the volume on all of that I want to help ease some of that you
know to help you feel more ready before you walk into that first warm up and actually I think this
episode is helpful whether you're coming back after a long break or even if you're right in the
thick of class at this moment and you have been training but again most specifically it's for those
(02:39):
of you who haven't stepped into the studio in a long while now in the future maybe even in the very
near future I'll be doing some episodes on what to do once you're in class to make that process
easier like finding the right studio or classes for you and stuff but this one this is all about
prepping before you've even found the studio you know the four class even starts it's that interim
(03:03):
this in between place of making the decision to get back into class and actually taking that first class
back so let's start with a little bit of a backstory here when I started dancing again after three
decades away people kept saying you're so brave and honestly I still get that a lot I recently had
(03:24):
an interview with someone who reached out in in my DMs they I had put up a post about you know physical
therapy and healing and this person reached out and said hey I have this protocol and we actually
wound up shouting in the first thing they said was you know your story is it's so inspiring it's so
brave that you return to dance after so long I could never do that the point is I hear this a lot
(03:46):
it's all very very sweet but honestly I don't feel or I didn't feel brave I felt cold at the time
like it was a mission to get back into dance you know there was just something in me that said start
so I did when I was living in Orange County California some years ago but I had no idea where to start
(04:06):
how to start except for spending an absurd amount of time trying to find a studio that was nearby
that was for sure my biggest challenge if you haven't seen by the way my return to dance
docu-series which chronicles all of this you got to check it out I'll leave the link below in the
show notes and if you're watching on YouTube I'll just put a card it's on the screen there's the card
(04:28):
anyway I remember doing one yeah one online yoga class like 30 minutes before my first dance class
back on over 25 years as if that was going to do anything and by the way that was after a full day
at the office so this episode is also for me back then because I get it I've started and restarted
(04:50):
my return to dance journey many times when I was in the OC as I mentioned and that was after 25
years right and then I stopped for a while to move to LA to take my return to dance more seriously but
that was a long stop of over six months then I'm in LA I moved here to get back into it and I do
(05:11):
hardcore for two months and then the pandemic hits so that was another stop for almost a year and a
half I think maybe a little over that and then I start again now we're in 2022 and I'm dancing hard
throughout the year until I'm sidelined with injury or chronic pain whatever it is and cut to now
and I haven't danced in almost two and a half years so if anyone understands what it takes to get
(05:36):
back into class after long periods away over and over again it is me it is yours truly and I'm
inching closer and closer to getting back into class once again and some of the things I'll be sharing
today are exactly what I'm currently doing too so let's break this down a little starting with
the most important part your mind even before you return to class your mindset matters and one
(06:02):
thing that helps visualization studies from the journal of sport sciences show that mental rehearsal
just visualizing your body doing something can improve muscle memory by up to 40 percent that is huge
but here's the key since you're not back in class yet don't worry about you know visualizing complex
combos instead visualize how you want to feel in class confident grounded focused energized capable
(06:30):
picture yourself walking into the studio you're happy you're saying hi to the front desk you're
warming up you're making new friends you're introducing yourself to new people you're learning the
choreography you're enjoying it rewiring your brain to expect a good experience is powerful personally
I like to do this as I'm drifting off to sleep now I don't know about you but I always forget
(06:53):
what I'm supposed to do things like I have a plan to visualize but then I forget to visualize
so what helps me a lot and what I suggest is setting the alarm clock on on your phone daily
nightly whatever reminder you need at whatever given time for whatever habit you want to implement
and do not forget to do this it is really important okay and also with regard to mindset I'm going to
(07:17):
suggest to think about your why like really sit with it your why today is most likely going to look
different than your why at some other point in in your dance journey or maybe it's not maybe it's
the same why I don't know you but all I can say there is a reason why the universe has tapped you
has nudged you to get back in there so meditate on that it'll make the whole return to class feel
(07:42):
much more purposeful easy and all around fun all right let's talk physical prep now remember we're
not back in class yet okay this isn't about diving into full blown training and everything this is
about priming your body to feel safe and capable and connected again all right so here are just some
very low-level things science-backed things easy and simple start with basic movement I'm talking
(08:10):
this is what I do currently for the last couple of months I wake up in the morning I pop up before
my feet hit the floor I'm kind of sitting on the edge of my bed and I let my feet dangle and I start
working my joints so I'm doing ankle rolls 10 reps on the right 10 reps on the left I do wrist
rolls same thing neck roll shoulder rolls I highly recommend doing that first thing in the morning
(08:34):
or maybe throughout the day when you're working at your laptop you know you're sitting at your desk
take 60 seconds do that alarm clock thing remind yourself to do it here is why doing this is actually
important these basic movements reawaken joints and muscles in ways that help rebuild neural pathways
without stressing the body moving on to the next cross-train I might recommend starting off with just
(08:59):
you know I don't know again maybe you have been going to the gym this whole time or I don't know but
for sure you should be cross-training and I may recommend or suggest to start with something gentle
like swimming cycling going for long walks doing the elliptical all those things are your friends
right now scientific reports found that 20 to 30 minutes of cardio keeps up your stamina without
(09:23):
putting pressure on dance specific muscles a lot of pros swear by by doing things like this you know
during long break so right before you get back into class you know just enough to get the heart rate
going to get the stamina to get the endurance going again you know I'm also going to recommend to
focus on your core there's no need to go wild here you know maybe hold a plank for a minute a day
(09:48):
you know find a gentle Pilates routine maybe online there's a lot of them just do some ab work at
home crunches research like a 2006 sports medicine study by Keifer says core strength improves
post break balance and reduces that wobbly feeling that we all dread you know when we get back into
(10:09):
class foam rolling is another one I highly recommend foam rolling pre-class improves mobility and cuts
stiffness by 15% five minutes can do so much now for me I get this like weird back thing when I'm in
class a lot it kind of feels like my back is almost about to tweak and almost about to pull and I
(10:32):
have found that this deep tissue foam roller that I have which I'm not gonna lie it hurts a lot when
I first do it after having not done it in a while and then once I start doing it for like maybe
a week or two it's not so bad but it's been a real game changer for me before and after class it's
(10:53):
like a free chiropractic session I'm not joking it's realigning and readjusting my spine just rolling
it out it's always popping when I do it and when I do it consistently my back issue just goes away
so you know if you're brand new to foam rolling or it's been a while just go gentle no need to go
(11:14):
straight to that deep tissue beast that I have unless you're trying to you know cry in the name of
mobility what's funny is when I go to my chiropractor who always works on the back if I do that foam roller
the deep tissue one before I go to see her she has nothing to crack like it's done the job that is how
(11:34):
good it is and by the way if it's not obvious or clear you know all the points that I'm making you know
are quick on purpose that said you know do your own research I will trust you to figure out the
ways in which you are going to do each of my suggestions that best suit you that are safest for you
speaking of that the next one stretching stretching stretching stretching but don't just hold a stretch
(12:01):
you're gonna want to mix dynamic and static stretching personally I think yoga is a great place
to start there are endless classes for free on YouTube and start again gentle there are you can
just type in gentle yoga on YouTube and you will find a whole bunch beginning classes just whatever
(12:22):
feels right to you wherever you're at in your journey also I always throw in this is my own thing
and I recommend it after I stretch I do some yoga I just do some leg swings at home I do some squats
you know when I'm feeling already warm this particular combination with that dynamic movement
(12:42):
like leg swings and whatnot after maybe you know a deep stretch like yoga from what I understand
can restore flexibility faster okay so this one is big and maybe my most I don't know just my most
crucial tip for that in between place that in between time of making the decision to step back into
(13:06):
class and actually being in class and that is to take class but not in person I'm talking online classes
if you want to dip your toes in before committing to a studio you must try some classes from home
I mean there are endless websites for these things I've mentioned YouTube already just go into
(13:28):
their search bar and you just whatever style you like hip hop contemporary jazz tap and you type
in beginning you type in tutorial you type in basics foundation whatever or try one of those paid
for websites platforms like CLI studios or stezy this is crucial and what I'm currently doing from home
(13:49):
because you really want to start flexing that muscle memory that choreo pickup retention it'll
really help you feel like you've got some reawakened experience here you know before you get back into
class that can be the most daunting part about getting back in class is learning choreography
along as combos so imagine your brain has already started to be wired to pickup movement again
(14:15):
it's really a life saver for returning to class you don't feel so fish out of water hopefully you
can practice with a mirror in front of you but if not you can and honestly should no matter what film
yourself learning and performing combos from home the things you will learn by watching yourself
(14:36):
priceless I may also suggest if it's an option for you to rent out a dance studio space and practice
there too I know for me in LA there are a couple of different places that are maybe 40 bucks an hour
and that's totally worth it do you know to bring your laptop you have a whole mirror in front of you
and maybe do it once a week you know practice a combination or maybe you practice the combination
(15:00):
from home and then you rent out a studio space to really you know take advantage of the space
and if you want to keep it even I don't know more casual another branch off this tree of the learning
choreo tree from home is to practice trending social media dances I mean a lot of dancers have ego
around that I don't in my opinion dance is dance and movement is movement and picking up steps it's
(15:26):
picking up steps and it can be hard no matter where what and seriously it doesn't have to be that
crazy deep it just gets you back into learning movement timing musicality and fun and to be honest
a lot of them are way harder than they look but it's just you on your own you know you're not
posting this there's no need I mean if you want to yeah please go ahead I'm just saying practice
(15:50):
learning choreo whenever and wherever and however you can again I really cannot stress this aspect
enough when your brain is accustomed to has been wired to picking up more and more counts of eight
there's just a confidence that is built in oh yeah I did six counts of eight yesterday
no problem I can do seven today what this combination only has five on YouTube today five counts of eight
(16:17):
ah I got this in the bag it's just about the repetition it's about the showing up and proving and
showing yourself that yeah you can pick up choreo and it's just at home and it's fun and it's a
good time so no excuses moving on now let me guess you're busy we're all busy I talked about this
in my episode about Einstein time I'm busy is the new I'm fine when someone asks how are you
(16:42):
but if you're listening to this there's probably something in you that wants to dance or at least
is thinking about it that's not an accident listen to that voice okay figure out where class fits
move things around treat it like treat it like something that matters because it does study show how
we often underestimate how much we can shift our schedule if something truly matters to us so
(17:08):
make the time when I first returned to dance I was working a full time salary job I'm talking eight
to four or eight to five p.m. Monday through Friday plus plus a restaurant gig four nights so weak
I literally only had two week nights and two weekend days as options to to take a class and
(17:31):
the studio that I found by the way was closed on Sundays oh and did I mention it was a two-hour
round trip drive to the to the studio after a full day at the office but I made it happen
and if you want it you can too and finally sometimes you just have to jump no more when I'm flexible
(17:53):
enough or when I've crossed trained enough or when I do X amount of classes online all of that
can help yes but it can also become a hiding place a crutch a reason to procrastinate or sabotage
and trust me I know this all too well because full transparency right now I don't want to really
attempt a jazz class from home because I have this thing in my head that I have to be a certain kind
(18:18):
of flexible I have to get my leg past a certain height you know when I'm kicking to even try a jazz
class and how silly is that it's just so stupid there is something about just jumping in I mean
you can't prep forever and when you do get back in class remember it's your class you get to take
it your way modify sit something out try fall laugh celebrate just show up that is the win every
(18:46):
dancer in the room was once in your shoes even the advanced ones they had a first class back moment
to I mean come on you're not behind you're just starting again right now in this moment this is your
path this is your journey I mean that's the beautiful thing about life it's our it's our own game
we're playing here okay all right that is it for today thank you for being here if you made it
(19:06):
all the way to the end I have a reminder set that alarm clock on your phone or ever to set these
new habits in place this episode was all about getting you back in the game before you even get
back into the studio and I hope it gave you a few ideas a little motivation maybe even a little bit
of peace if it did let me know shoot me a DM on Instagram at back to greatly the comment if you're
(19:28):
watching on YouTube or Spotify I'm always responding I'm always watching and engaging it means a lot to
me and hey you have today's episode resonated send it to a dance friend you know shoot me a DM and
let me know what you're working for you've got this I believe in you I really really do oh
and just a quick reminder I am not a doctor I am not a physical therapist I'm not a mental health
(19:50):
professional everything I share here is based on personal experience and research always consult
a professional if you're unsure as to what is best for you and in my next or soon to be next
episode I'll be talking about ways to make your return to class much more successful after what
we talked about today right that interim that prep work after that phase the next phase is coming
(20:17):
up soon so stay tuned and make sure you're following the podcast subscribe and like and comment
and all of that okay until next time
you
(gentle music)
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