"The Zumba Effect"

"The Zumba Effect"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

12.27.2015

The women and few men convene in the large room while awaiting their favorite Zumba instructor, Latrice M.  Such a clamor of anticipation, jockeying for positions, esp. those of us who enjoy the close proximity to Latrice provided by being on the front line.  The remainder of class time includes the sheer accuracy of our ability to judge and adhere to our positions in line--without bumping into each other.  (I fondly remember the intricate choreographic patterns and intuitive spatial analysis of the 1940's Busby Berkeley dancers).

Like clockwork, Latrice enters and enthusiastically prepares us for the intention of the next sixty minutes of the Zumba class.  She adeptly leads us through the familiar and occasionally novel paces of our musicality and the rhythmical routines.

The class unfolds, the tempos pour forth, the choreography--yes, naysayers--the choreography entices, educates and entertains the audience of dancers!!!   The swell of endorphins and sheer joy can be palpated.  At the end of class, some of us slowly extricate ourselves from the conjoined energy in the class and file out.  Others delay our departure and continue the animated conversation, additional dancing and eager promises to return to class the next day!

 

I have danced for the past 45 years, from Ballet, Tap, African, Swing, Balboa and now to Zumba.  The sense of post-Zumba excitation and unadulterated joy should be packaged and marketed as a tool for happiness, camaraderie and positive communication.  So, when I hear non-Zumba persons attempt to marginalize the efficacy and importance of Zumba as--it's just dance, I marvel at and dismiss the disenchanted verbalizations of the uninformed.

Ladies and gentlemen, do yourselves a favor and take a class.  Lift your spirits!  Raise your heart rates!  Enhance your dance skills!   Experience Zumba for yourself!!!

You're welcome.

The Zumba Effect

The women and few men convene in the large room while awaiting their favorite Zumba instructor, Latrice M.  Such a clamor of anticipation, jockeying for positions, esp. those of us who enjoy the close proximity to Latrice provided by being on the front line.  The remainder of class time includes the sheer accuracy of our ability to judge and adhere to our positions in line--without bumping into each other.  (I fondly remember the intricate choreographic patterns and intuitive spatial analysis of the 1940's Busby Berkeley dancers).

Like clockwork, Latrice enters and enthusiastically prepares us for the intention of the next sixty minutes of the Zumba class.  She adeptly leads us through the familiar and occasionally novel paces of our musicality and the rhythmical routines.

The class unfolds, the tempos pour forth, the choreography--yes, naysayers--the choreography entices, educates and entertains the audience of dancers!!!   The swell of endorphins and sheer joy can be palpated.  At the end of class, some of  us slowly extricate ourselves from the conjoined energy in the class and file out.  Others delay our departure and continue the animated conversation, additional dancing and eager promises to return to class the next day!

 

I have danced for the past 45 years, from Ballet, Tap, African, Swing, Balboa and now to Zumba.  The sense of post-Zumba excitation and unadulterated joy should be packaged and marketed as a tool for happiness, camaraderie and positive communication.  So, when I hear non-Zumba persons attempt to marginalize the efficacy and importance of Zumba as--it's just dance, I marvel at and dismiss the disenchanted verbalizations of the uninformed.

Ladies and gentlemen, do yourselves a favor and take a class.  Lift your spirits!  Raise your heart rates!  Enhance your dance skills!   Experience Zumba for yourself!!!

You're welcome.

"Three Hoopers in Unison"

"Three Hoopers in Unison"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

9.17.2015

Insights from Holistic Hooping class...

Weighted Hoops
Delphine, Rebecca and I hooped with 2 to 2.5lb hoops.  The continuity of weight enabled us to merge energetically and synch our movements.


Gathering Energy
Today, we explored subtle shifts of manipulating energy.   I cued us to walk forward while resembling the energetic pattern of a man...a woman...a young girl...a toddler, then we reversed the order of our shapeshifting practice.  Upon inquiry, Delphine and Rebecca felt the shifts of energy, movement adjustment and speed modulation in response to my cues and musical dynamics of Yvonne Williams' Can't Take That Away from Me.
 

Co-Activation with Graded Control
Intuition led me to demonstrate various hip rotations: lateral, vertical, unilateral, lift-drops and figure 8's.  Again, Rebecca and Delphine applied the necessary subtleties of movement that successfully created those patterns.  Anything done outside of the hoop, can be done inside of the hoop. 

Mirror Image
Watching ourselves change in response to the learning and performance of the simple, subtle and sublime is transformative.   I softly hear the voice of Glinda, the Good Witch, from The Wiz, If You Believe...

Mobility & Musicality
Jazz rhythms pair well with hooping, most specifically, 1940's jazz standards.  Where or When, Love is Here to Stay and Falling in Love with Love--to name a few.  The use of hoop for fitness and in fusion with the rhythms of the 1940's bolsters the pairing of movement and musicality.
 
Intention, Trust and Expectation
One very important lesson is to set a positive intention, trust the process of hooping and expect success--in the moment!!!

Fun!!! Fun!!! Fun!!!
No more need be said...

"Weighted Ball with Weighted Hoop: Elements of Physics, Physiology, Neurology, Imagery and Intention"

"Weighted Ball with Weighted Hoop: Elements of Physics, Physiology, Neurology, Imagery and Intention"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

8.30.2015

In the circle of four women and one man, throwing and catching a 4.5lb medicine ball in a counter-clockwise, then clockwise pattern while hooping with 2.5 to 3lb hoops, this scribe's clinical observations were cited: Catching--no problem with minimal effort from each participant.  Throwing-- many incidents of dropping the hoop, because...Hmmn, why???

I observed the energetic pattern of a low-toned female.  I noticed the soft bracing posturally, cessation of respiration (holding her breath) questionable self-belief and trust issues (apparent doubt with lack of confidence) and drop in energetic amplitude, flow, dynamics (unbeknownst to the hooper and other hoopers).  There was a challenge of self-awareness/registration of sensory-energetic-physical output concomitantly. 

I read the situation and changed the energetic experience by informing/educating them in the moment.  Each participant became a caretaker to the other and assisted their catch by slowing down the energy of the ball release, thereby dropping the energetic-physiological response and connection to the hoop with its resultant drop to the floor.  Subsequently, I instructed them to discontinue caring for or about the other participant.  In other words, practice self-care...self-absorption to strengthen their intention--for now. 

In a nano-second, the hoopers' energy shifted with increased energetic amplitude, emotional assurance and motor accuracy i.e., Success with no dropping of the hoops!!! In fact, the male and I exchanged many throws and catches in a fifteen-minute session sans dropping of our hoops! Aaah, clarity...the connection between intention and emotion observed in action! 

I love Shamanic awareness and abilities--absolutely!!!

"ZUMBA FITNESS & INSTRUCTION: My Summer of Transformation"

"ZUMBA FITNESS & INSTRUCTION: My Summer of Transformation"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

8.29.2015

"In Occupational Therapy, occupations refer to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life. Occupations include things people need to want to and are expected to do."

I am an Occupational Therapist (OT) who has enjoyed the joy of learning, educating and providing therapeutic and consultative services to different populations in various settings for forty years.  This summer, I had the grand experience of adding the occupations of Zumba dancing and instruction to my portfolio of play and purpose.  In the Spanish language, the word Zumba means, "buzz like a bee and move fast." 
 A student of Zumba seems so much easier for me than an instructor of Zumba...Follower vs. Leader!  [Same dichotomy occurs for me in swing dancing and Balboa].  The whimsical and free-spirited approach to Zumba dancing is throttled by the responsibility and multi-tasking of Zumba instruction!  Creating choreography, remembering choreography and demonstrating choreography for sixty minutes have my brain on overdrive!  With that surge in dendritic activity and quickened movements is a flurry of endorphin release and resultant excitation that makes me incredibly happy! 

The elements of musicality, beats per minute (at least 150 beats per minute) and rhythm changes add to the conglomeration of the musical and movement experience.  A room filled with women and an occasional man collectively enjoin energetically and create a palate of undulations, gesticulations and rotations.  The shared experience of circular motions, amplified music and array of dance steps create an arena of camaraderie and compassion for each other!

Choosing this new path has brought me great joy, excitement, insight and cardio challenges!!!  Oh, and did I mention a 10lb. weight loss!?!  I look forward to the unfolding story of Zumba in my life.  Seasonal Affective Disorder, you have met your match!!!😃