Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, let's talk
fly dance fitness.
Yes, fly dance fitness.
This is the dance classes thatI've been attending recently.
If you watch my stories for alittle while there, you may have
seen some videos of me dancinghip hop to some like 2000s music
.
It's a blast.
(00:22):
I found these classes because mysister-in-law she originally
had been following this groupout of Sarasota, florida, for
the last seven or eight yearsthat they have created this
brand called Fly Dance Fitnessand it's essentially kind of,
you can think, zumba, sorepetitive choreography to music
(00:44):
, and so in this case it's morehip hop based and a little bit
of pop and like jazziness, butit's very hip hop centered.
So she has been following thiscommunity as it was growing.
But it wasn't in our area.
That's two plus hours away fromus.
It's not something that youjust get up and go do on a
(01:06):
couple nights a week, no.
But then a studio opened in ourarea and my sister-in-law was
paying attention to all of thestuff on social media about how
this location was coming near us, near us and she said, hey,
would you like to go to theseclasses with me?
And I was like you know what?
(01:31):
Yes, absolutely.
I would love to have more dancein my life.
I had just started going backto some heels dance classes at a
different studio in our localarea.
And here's the thing I just lovemoving my body, challenging it
in each and every way.
I have a love for all of thearts, all of the different
styles, but there is somethingabout hip hop that brings out a
(01:51):
special little part of me.
I fell in love with it when Iwas in my early teens, in school
and through dance, and I feellike I was often like made fun
of for how much I really enjoyedit because I was a white girl.
And so this opportunity to goto these kind of dance classes
and see it as more of dancefitness, it gave me permission
(02:14):
again.
It gave that little part of methat so loved just getting
almost like my little innergangster gets to come out and
she has so much fun.
So Flydance Fitness has givenme that community, that space to
let my little inner weirdo outto play.
It has given me the permissionto be imperfect, the permission
(02:37):
to laugh through the quotemistakes, but it's not really
mistakes, because choreographyis just made up, it's fake, it's
someone's idea of what theythink is right, and they give me
permission to explore differentmovements and so, as I'm there
to just move my body in the bestway that feels good to me, but
(02:58):
they're giving me guidance onhow to do that.
Seeing it as guidance versusstrict choreography has been
such a shift because in the pastevery bit of choreography had
to be done exactly like that andso there wasn't that extra
space for fun.
And so here I've given myselfthe permission through them,
(03:19):
they have helped give me thispermission to just have fun, and
sometimes that means put yourhands above your head and just
shake them around, and sometimesthat means doing the
choreography a little bitdifferent.
That means having your handshere in a different placement
and like it just means feelingthe music versus just doing the
choreography.
(03:40):
And there is such a differencewhen you let go that there's
almost this point about halfwaythrough class or halfway through
each dance, where I just I'mout of my body, I almost
associate, where it's like Idon't even know what I'm doing.
My brain is just in the motion,it's doing the secondhand
movement, it knows the movementso well at this point that it
(04:01):
just lets go, and then I justsee myself experiencing this
euphoria of movement.
There's just this moment whereI just get to let go and be so
present, have so much fun.
I just see it in my face and Iwitness it in my energy and I
see it in myself and it's such aunique experience.
(04:22):
There's something to havingthat rapport with the women and
men that are around you in theseclasses, that collective energy
as the different songs ebb andflow right.
There's just something to thelaughter that you get when
someone messes up or when youknow just these little things
(04:44):
happen throughout class thatcreate this collective positive
energy, this connection to eachother.
There's also this level ofchallenge to pushing yourself to
consistently move at a highlevel and a high pace, like that
for two to four and sometimesfive minutes.
These songs can get really long, and so there's this level of
(05:07):
communal hype where everybody'slike hyping each other up and
just like celebrating life iswhat it feels like.
That's what dance is iscelebrating the movement of life
.
And so through these classesyou get this opportunity and
they gamify it to where theycount every class.
And so when you hit 50 classes,you get celebrated.
(05:28):
Hit a hundred classes, you getcelebrated.
500, 300, whatever the markersare you, you get to continuously
celebrate the movement in yourlife.
A movement is something that'ssuch a core value to me.
There's just something tomoving with people and moving
(05:52):
through experiences, and one ofthe things that we get is to let
go.
And so to be able to let go inthese dance classes, I had to
set myself up for success, so Iutilize the things that I do
know about the mind and I knowabout anchoring, and I know
(06:12):
about the body and I know aboutassociations, and so I went
ahead and made sure that Icreated an entirely new wardrobe
for these classes, and I'mgoing to talk you through that
in the next few minutes aboutwhy I made certain choices as to
what I wear to class, and thereis an intention behind every
aspect.
(06:32):
So the first aspect is my hair.
So wearing my hair up in aponytail or up in a bun is
something I traditionally did indance classes, where I was very
like think ballerina veryproper, very rules driven,
wanting to seek perfectiondriven, wanting to seek
(06:57):
perfection.
And so there's something tofeeling the tension of my hair
being up on my head that causesme to be in a much more uptight
position.
So in these classes I tend todo whatever I can to wear my
hair down, because hair downequals relaxed and you get the
bonus of being able to do alittle hairography and like whip
your hair around, whip yourhead around a little bit more
(07:19):
and kind of like exercise thoseneck muscles.
You got to be really careful,make sure to warm it up, but
exercise those neck muscles byflipping your hair around a
little bit more and it just addsto that fun, that creativity,
that expression that we werejust talking about.
The next aspect of what I'vechanged in what I wear in my
(07:40):
wardrobe is loose cargo pants.
So sometimes they're sweats,sometimes they're these like
cargo pants.
I've gotten a bunch ofdifferent ones recently to just
try out the different fabrics,see which ones I like to dance
with a little bit more.
Some of these are like I've gota couple of these like metallic
, bright metallic, like silverand blue, um, and these like
(08:02):
purpley ones.
All from Amazon, that it's it'slike.
Unfortunately, the materialdoesn't breathe very well, so
it's like this stretchy balloon,like material, so it very much
can get you overheated in class,and so I have to figure out a
way to maybe like cut some slitsin them, like strategically
create a design of some sort.
(08:23):
I don't know yet what I'm goingto do, because I love them so
much and they're so much fun todance in.
I just need to make them morebreathable, because I definitely
created like a little hot airballoon in my pants the other
day because I was like pullingup on them and I just both my
ankles popped out like littlehot air balloons because they
have tension at the bottom.
It was the funniest thing.
(08:44):
So I just like open thewaistband a little bit to let
all the steam come out.
These classes, I tell you, youare just going full out and it
is so much fun.
So these loose cargo pantsallow me to keep a mindset of
loose rules where I get to playwith my pants a little bit more.
They're a little bit more flowy.
It kind of gives me that hiphop vibe.
(09:06):
So it really helps me to grooveit out.
It really helps me to like getinto that like playful mood
where I just kind of explore themusic and explore the movement
and how it makes me feel, versusfeeling like I need to work on
having perfect lines and beingin the right position at the
right time.
Like there is such a differentfeeling there.
(09:30):
The last aspect of what I'vejust added to my outfit, which
kind of ties it all together, isI got a custom pair of hot pink
high top sneakers and these Ilove.
I found like this really offbrand I like I never heard of
before.
It was called Lucky Step and soit says that right on the
(09:50):
tongue of it and I was like youknow what, if I'm going to have
any logo or anything showingthat's the cutest thing in my
opinion Lucky step, hell yeah.
So I went ahead and got these.
So far they're turning out tobe great.
I'll let you know, I guess in acouple of months, how they hold
up.
I'm just wearing them to thesedance classes.
I don't wear them anywhere elsearound the streets.
In fact, I wear normal streetshoes in and then change into
(10:15):
pink sneakers and I rhinestonedthem because why not?
Why not add that little bit ofdancer flair and that shine and
that sparkle to it?
There was this really cool likeinset inlay part on the heel
that went all the way around.
That was nice to be able to putlike two strips of really solid
(10:36):
clear.
But these are like not just theclear see-through rhinestones,
these are actually the reallyhigh quality Swarovski
rhinestones with the foilbacking which makes them look
like they shine, with all thedifferent colors, the deep
purples and all of thesedifferent.
They were the really prettyhigh level ones that we used in
competition.
So, needless to say, I paid apretty penny for them.
(11:00):
So I put two strips of thethicker ones in the back, on the
base.
I'm really excited becausethose are not going to get
bumped as much, so I thinkthey're going to stay and I was
able to put a good thick amountof the glue there.
Then I put another strip in thefront or along the toe line.
These are the ones I think aregoing to get kicked off over
time, because my toes are goingto eventually like bang into
things line.
These are the ones I think aregoing to get kicked off over
(11:20):
time, because my toes are goingto eventually like bang into
things.
They're also they sit out alittle bit further than the
rubber, so they're likely to popoff.
So we'll see how long thosehold, um, and whether or not
it's a long-term thing or not.
I might just end up gluing themback on over and over, but who
knows I also on the tongue therewas like this little inset part
(11:43):
with like a circular or ovalkind of shape, and so I filled
that in with a mixture of thetwo different sized rhinestones
to kind of fill it in.
But the idea with these shoes isnot the rhinestones, that was
just a fun little afternoonactivity that I had the other
day because I love rhinestones.
It's just, it's really truly apart of me.
(12:04):
I just don't express that partof me as frequently, but I
absolutely love them.
So I had to rhinestone them forme.
And then the next step is Ihave been bringing a black
Sharpie in and I am having allof the instructors first sign
the tops of the toes of theshoes so when I look down in
class I can see all their littlesignatures.
(12:25):
And then I'm going to haveeverybody who attends the class
with me sign their littlesignatures around the outsides
of the shoes so that I can carryeverybody's energy with me
while I dance and I can rememberthem and these can be my fly
girl energy shoes.
And so I'm really excited aboutthese outfits that I put
together, like wearing my hairdown, wearing these little like
(12:46):
loose fitting crop tops andthese loose fitted cargo pants
and these big high top sneakersLike.
It really gives me this likevibe that I get to be more
playful and I get to feeldifferent than I feel elsewhere.
So it's not anything like whatI wear elsewhere.
(13:08):
It's very like a thick, heavyshoe.
It makes me move a little bitdifferently than if I had like
lighter sneakers on and littlelike if I was just in my normal,
like light sneakers and likeblack leggings and like a fitted
sports bra or something like aflip fitted tank top.
(13:29):
That would just make me feellike every single other day.
And so what is going to bedifferent?
How am I going to actually getinto it?
Change my mindset, change myexperience.
How we experience our wardrobeimpacts how we show up.
How you see yourself in themirror impacts how you show up.
I actually really have enjoyedwearing crop tops recently.
(13:55):
Or like tucking my shirt up andinto the front of my sports bra
so that the front of my stomachshows, because I tend to release
my stomach and have more of arelaxed core.
And so when I dance, that's notsafe, because you're not
protecting your spine, you'renot protecting your back.
You have to make sure all ofyour movement is connected,
starting from the core.
So being able to see my frontcore because the core is
(14:17):
actually the entire center ofyour body from, like, your
shoulders to your hips, theentire area front, back and
surrounding it's all your core.
But I visually seeing the frontrectus abdominis, the six pack
region here it gives me a visualcue that I am not engaging my
entire core, because if that isrelaxed, that means there's
(14:40):
other areas that are eitherovercompensating or not working
at all.
And so it gives me the mentalcue to tighten, to tuck, to
actually engage, to startbreathing more with my diaphragm
from an intentional place thanbeing in that relaxed state,
especially in a dance class.
And so I have really enjoyedthese shifts in my attire, not
(15:05):
just to look cool in class, notjust to draw people's attention.
Yes, I do get bright, pink hotpants.
Yes, I do get these metallic,shiny, bright blue and purple
pants.
I do those things because thelights are dark and it looks
like a club and it's shiny andlike they.
Just it's fun.
It is so much more fun thanjust wearing black everything.
(15:28):
For years all I ever did waswear black all the time and I
was comfortable in it, butthat's because I was hiding, I
didn't want to be seen.
I wanted to cover up, I wasfeeling safe in not having any
expression, and now I want toexpress more of myself, so I'm
(15:49):
embracing these.
That's why the shoes are hotpink.
I would not normally choose hotpink things, but those shoes
are hot pink because itrepresents a different version
of myself that I get to become.
In those doors, in those walls,I get to become this version of,
like the inner gangster, right,I don't know what that even
means, but that's what I'membodying, and it's not even
(16:10):
anything in the negative sense.
It's all positive energy, it'sall good vibes, it's all fun,
but it is just different.
It's not the person that I amhere when I'm teaching.
It's not the person that I amhere when I'm teaching.
It's not the person that I'mhere when I'm with clients.
But it is at the same time.
It's so unique, but it is anexperience that has elevated my
(16:32):
frequency recently.
It is something that hasbrought me so much joy.
It is something that hasbrought me so much inner love,
inner knowing.
It is something that I amdeeply grateful for.
Thank you, carly, for invitingme, if you ever listened to this
.
Thank you so so much forinviting me to these dance
(16:54):
classes.
I had no idea how much this wasgoing to impact me, how much
this was going to shift andchange me in all the right ways.
And maybe fly dance fitness isnot for you, and that's okay,
because it's not going to be foreveryone, trust me, but it was
100% for me.
(17:14):
So find your thing, findsomewhere you can go that
movement is celebrated.
Maybe it's a CrossFit, maybeit's a running club, maybe it's
a bowling alley, maybe it's ayoga studio, maybe it's a
Pilates class, maybe it's ashuffle class, who knows?
(17:35):
Go, find something thatcelebrates a form of movement
that you enjoy and that willmake it easy to stick to, and
then you will be like the twowomen that I just danced with on
Sunday morning, who are 69 and70 years old, who have been
dancing together for over 18years Because they know it's
(17:58):
good for their brain and theirbody and they want to keep being
able to keep up with your greatgrandchildren.
And that's what inspires me.
It's not the young women whoare ripped and have the six
packs who are getting it andlike all, like looking cute with
their dance moves.
No, it's these women who arestill up and moving every single
(18:20):
week, multiple times a week,dancing in fly dance fitness
classes, listening to the sameexplicit music that I am letting
their inner gangster out sothat they can be the best
grandmothers possible, live along life, have brains that are
healthy, stave off dementia,alzheimer's All of these
(18:41):
different things happen fromdance, from movement.
So find what moves, you findwho moves, you find the right
room and embody your version ofFly Girl energy.
I promise you things will getbetter.