Like 99.9% of people, I made a New Years resolution this year to get in shape. Not only to get in shape, but to get more flexible. I have a goal to get both of my splits by the end of February. Growing up, I considered myself pretty athletic. I did gymnastics then competition cheerleading through high school and then urban dance in college. Throughout my life however, I was never able to master both left and right splits.
I envision myself dancing to choreography I make up in my head. Why is it that I’m so much better at picturing myself dancing than ACTUALLY dancing?? I feel like a complete tool when I try and recreate the moves I envision in real life. Even more so when I take a dance class… especially hip hop. That’s the style I feel more comfortable in but only when I free style. Try and teach me some moves and I forget all my skills.
A long term goal for me is to be able to choreography a dance I actually look good performing so I can incorporate my activism lifestyle with it. To accomplish this however, I need to take all sorts of dance classes, gym classes, and put in the long hours and hard work myself. As for gym classes, I take a Balance and Flex class on Tuesdays, a Strength Training class on Wednesdays and a Pilates class on Thursdays. Mondays are for actual dance classes (either hip hop or modern). And of course, I can’t forget yoga! No set days for yoga but it’s so good for the body and mind as well, so I try and fit it in when possible.
I feel so out of my comfort zone on Mondays but it’s a small price to pay in order to achieve my long term dance goal. Tonight I’ll take one step closer on turning this goal into a reality. Even if it means putting myself out there and feeling so out of place.
