Always B Dancing

Johara and Snake Dance Theater present: Into the Fire

2012-01-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

Johara and Snake Dance Theater present:
Into the Fire

A Passionate Evening of Middle Eastern and Belly Dance Fusion,
along with Flamenco, Salsa, and Brazilian Capoeira Featuring new choreography by Johara & Snake Dance Theater Company
Special Guests: Za-Beth, Ahlan Selene Dance Company, Axcent Dance Company, Eve Agush, Salsa Y Control, Capoeira Brasil Boston Academy, Naraya, Lady Snake, the Middle Eastern Drum Ensemble, and more!

A Fundraiser for Maiti Nepal and its founder, CNN Hero 2010 Anuradha Koirala, in their fight against Human trafficking in Nepal and India. To learn more about Maiti Nepal, visit www.maitinepal.org or www.tabootrafficking.org/Taboo/Home.html

Sunday, March 11, 2012 7-9pm
YMCA Theater
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
$20 General Admission/$25 Priority Seating in Advance
Tickets at the door: $25 /$30 ($15 for children under 10)
Tickets: www.joharasnakedance.com
Information: 617-780-8890

2012 Dance Classes with Eve Agush

2012-01-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

2012Dance Classes with Eve Agush AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com

617-216-1643

www.AlwaysBDancing.blogspot.com

Mondays@ Sereda DanceWorks, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA.

Youth Tap Dance Level One 4:30-5:30PM (ages 10+)

Mondays@ Edwards Church, 39 Edwards Street, Framingham, MA

Veteran’s Yoga, 6:00-7:30PM(All veterans are invited to experience healing and rejuvenationthrough this free yoga class). Jointly sponsored by There And Back Again,Edwards and Plymouth Churches. Co-taught by Eve Agush, Sue Lynch and Lynn Stoller.

Wednesdays@ the Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA

Youth Flamenco Level One 4:00-5:00PM (ages 6+)

Youth Tap Dance Level Two 5:00-6:00PM (ages 10+): This is not a beginner levelclass; all students should have at least a year of tap dance and understand thebasics of tap dance.

Thursdays@ 258 Mt. Vernon Street, Newton, MA

Youth Flamenco Level Two (ages 8+) 5:00-6:00PM

Fridays@ Sereda DanceWorks, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA

Adult Flamenco 10:00-11:00AM (Home schooled teenagers are welcome to this class)

Eve is also a gifted individualinstructor for adults, teens and children. Contact Eve to schedule a privateflamenco, tap or yoga session. Eve also presents school programs and birthdayparties

Some Of My Favorite Yoga Books For Kids, Part 2

2011-12-26T06:30:00.000-08:00

I went up into my yoga book library and pulled a few more books to add to my previous post:

1. C if for Curious: An ABC of Feelings by Woodleigh Hubbard
2. Fly Like A Butterfly by Shakta Kaur Khalsa
3. Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley
4. I Love Yoga by Mary Kaye Chryssicas
5. Look Inside Your Body: A Poke And Learn Learning Book by Anna Nicholas
6. Sky Tree by Thomas Locker
7. The Amazing Pull-out Pop-Up Body in a Book by David Hawcock
8. The Empty Pot by Demi
9. Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein

I also love my:
1. Mr. Thrifty Budget Skeleton Model 33 1/2 inch high for classroom use
2. Muscular System Anatomical Chart Laminated
3. Yoga Classroom Border (from Yoga Accessories)

and I have a great piece of Cavallini Skeleton wrapping paper that is awesome!

Some of my favorite yoga books for young children:

2011-12-04T06:24:00.001-08:00

1. Little Yoga: A Toddler's First Book of Yoga by Rebecca Whitford

2. The ABCs of Yoga for Kids byTeresa Power

3. Teaching Yoga to ChildrenThrough Story (Storytime Yoga) by Sydney Solis

4. The Kids'Yoga Book of Feelings by Mary Humphrey,

5. PeacefulPiggy Yoga by Kerry Lee MacLean

6. Yoga ForChildren by Mary Stewart

7. YogaKids:Educating The Whole Child Through Yoga by Marsha Wenig

8. Create a Yoga Practice forKids by Yael Calhoun andMatthew R. Calhoun

9. Yoga Calmfor Children: Educating Heart, Mind, and Body by Lynea Gillen and James Gillen

10. Yoga Games for Children: Fun andFitness with Postures, Movements and Breath by Danielle Bersma, Marjoke Visscher and AlexKooistra

11. Benito's Dream Bottle byNaomi Shihab Nye

12. Beau the Bee by MindaDevorkin

13. Each Breath a Smile bySister Susa

14. BabyBuddhas: A Gude To Teaching Meditation to Childrenby Lisa Desmond

15. Peaceful Piggy Meditation byKerry Lee MacLean

16. MoodyCow Meditates by Kerry Lee MacLean

17. Buddhaat Bedtime: Talesof Love and Wisdom for You to Read with Your Child to Enchant, Enlighten andInspire by DharmachariNagaraja

November Yoga-Snack in MS. Forzaglia's class/Brown School, Natick, MA

2011-12-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

We started seated in a wide stance butterfly pose (feet not pulled in close to the body) and then relaxed over our legs. Focusing on our breath and with each exhale, allowing the breath to accumulate three fingers below the belly button (a great place to store breath energy)

Class today was centered on finding balance in the crazy holiday season. Things that were mentioned: The setting back of our clocks, which changed the amount of daylight hours, and how that can affect your mood and energy level.; Eating varied foods and eating at different times which can upset your intestinal balance; The desire for certain gifts/the wanting can be unsettling; Changes in the household when guests visit; vacation time and finally because of the colder weather less time out doors and maybe less physical activity.

All of these things can lead to unbalance and the beauty of yoga is that is a very simple way we can bring balance back into our lives. The poses, the breathing, the meditation will help us relax or energize.

Sitting up, we tucked our feet under our bottoms and sat between the two heels (big toes crossed) stretched our arms behind us and pressed our finger tips into the floor-which lifts and opens our chest and opens our hearts for a burst of energy.

Then a modified opposite nostril breathing exercise:
1. Close of the right nostril with the thumb of your right hand.
2. Breath in and out with just the left nostril; repeat but this time on the exhale imagine a murky, swampy green color leaving through your left nostril (good bye to greed and envy); repeat
3. Now let go of right nostril and close off your left nostril with the ring and pinky finger of right hand.
4. Breath in and out with just the right nostril; repeat but this time on the exhale imagine a watery red color leaving through your right nostril (good bye to anger and hate); repeat
5. Let go of both nostrils.
6. Breath in and out with both nostrils; repeat but this time on the exhale imagine a dark, smokey grey color leaving through both nostrils (good bye to the dull, foggy sleepy mind); repeat

"You should now feel light, happy and aware" "Try putting a smile on your face and just see how that makes you feel better"

Cow (inhale) moooooooo to Cat (exhale) Meoooowwwww (hands under shoulder and knees under hips)
Plank (shoulders right over wrists; strong bellies; drop tail)
Side Plank (and for challenge try tree pose leg)
Plank
Down to floor and hissing up and moving spine-Cora Pose
Repeat whole sequence and do side plank on other side
Downward Facing Dog
Walk hands back to Standing Forward Bend back to Downward Facing Dog
Standing Tree Pose-variations of arms
Star Pose to Warrior 1 (I am courageous!) to Warrior 2 (I am Brave!) to Dancing Warrior (I am amazing!) to Extended Side Angle pose (use a good in breath to start to come out of the pose and finish with an exhale). Repeat fro Star Pose and sequence on other side.

A-E-I-O-U Meditation:
Sitting cross legged; pointer finger out and using thumb to hold other fingers curled
I am happy; I am good. I am happy; I am good (Shake pointer fingers)
A-E-I-O (hands together at the belly button) ; A-E-I-O (hands together by the heart) ; A-E-I-O (hands together by the forehead); U (hands reaching up to sky).
Ha-ha-ha-ha (hands together by the forehead) ; He-he-he-he (hands together by the heart) ; Ho-ho-ho-ho (hands together at the belly button) ; Hooooooo (pronounced "who" hands reaching our by the knees).

Sequence:
2 times out loud
2 times whisper
2 times in head (continue hand movements)
2 times whisper
2 times out loud

Namaste! Ole!
Eve

WORLD MUSIC/CRASHarts ANNOUNCES FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2012

2011-12-01T12:23:00.001-08:00

WORLD MUSIC/CRASHarts ANNOUNCES

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2012

On sale now! For tickets and information call 617-876-4275 or visit www.WorldMusic.org

Compañía Rafaela Carrasco

Performing the Boston premiere of Vamos al Tiroteo
Friday, March 2, 8pm l Saturday, March 3, 8pm l $65, $50, $40

Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont St., Boston

From Seville, Rafaela Carrasco is a breathtaking dancer and one of the most important flamenco choreographers of her generation. With her company of five dancers and live musicians, she displays her rare ability to explore new concepts while maintaining the essence and integrity of flamenco in Vamos al Tiroteo. Set to a selection of popular Spanish songs originally recorded by Federico García Lorca and sung by La Argentinita in 1931, Vamos al Tiroteo brings new life and energy to the music that inspired a hugely influential generation of flamenco artists.

Compañía Olga Pericet

Performing the Boston premiere of Rosa, Metal y Ceniza

Sunday, March 4, 7pm l $65, $50, $40

Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont St., Boston

Boston debut

One of flamenco’s most exciting new talents, Olga Pericet is a young, diminutive yet powerful dancer. Her elegant new work, Rosa, Metal y Ceniza, won the Revelación prize at last year´s Festival de Jerez. It seamlessly blends dream references with traditional and contemporary flamenco dance and features Pericet joined by two male dancers and live musicians.

Also this season, don’t miss:

From Spain

PACO DE LUCÍA
Wednesday, April 11, 7:30pm l $75, $60, $40

The Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St, Boston

“The most advanced guitarist in any idiom.”—Guitar Review

One of the world’s greatest guitarists, Paco de Lucía is a living legend of flamenco music. Considered by many to be the most innovative and influential flamenco artist of the last 40 years, he has had a revolutionary impact on the art form, infusing it with new life and bringing it worldwide attention. Paco de Lucía will be performing with his world-renowned flamenco sextet and the spectacular dancer Farruco.

●●●

For tickets and information call 617-876-4275 or visit www.WorldMusic.org

Yoga-Snack in Ms. Forzaglia's class #2

2011-11-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

This was my second time bringing my Yoga-Snack program into Ms. Forzaglia's fourth grade class and I felt the kids' energy right from the beginning. They were all psyched to see me when I came into the class and we pretty much got started right away (well we start class but then have to take a break for the Pledge and for school announcements).

I have been reading up a lot on the Fight or Flight Response in conjunction with my Warriors At Ease program that I am involved in (Warriors At Ease is a yoga program that is geared to the military community that I am becoming certified in. I will be teaching a class at Edwards Church in Framingham MA) and it came naturally into the beginning of today's class as we discussed that yoga helps us reduce the stress in our lives.

We began sitting comfortably on the floor and for an exercise in changing our habits, I had each student notice which way they originally crossed their legs (making that their natural criss-cross position) and then had them switch the cross, just to feel the difference (Yoga is a great way for us to notice our habits and change them). We did three belly breaths and I explained that for good yogic breathing, when we fill our bellies with air on our inhale to think of a beach ball and if you press down in the center of it, the two sides would lift around your hands).

Next we play a right brain/ left brain game called The Nose Knows (slap legs two times, clap two times, grab nose with right hand and reach across with left hand to hold right ear; slap legs two times, clap two times, grab nose with left hand and reach across with right hand to hold left ear. Repeat trying to get faster and faster-a great brain balancing activity).

With some music, we did three modified A series: mountain pose, arms up for high mountain, breath in and drop your head back and gaze at your hands, breathing out, folding forward, breathing in 1/2 way lift, breathing out to plank: here we did knee to nose, before melting down to the floor, then breathing in, cobra pose, hissing up and down making our bodes move like a snake, then with a good out breath, pressing up into downward facing dog pose. Here we lifted our legs for three legged dog and let out a few woofs and barks.

Resting in child's pose and then getting onto hands and knees, we did table top balance pose (right hand off floor and left leg stretched back, then switching sides).

Star pose to triangle to side angle stretch to warrior 2 for a short flow sequence.

Lastly, I went for an all time favorite, Yogini Went to Sea which is a yoga song with movement that I use (created by my dear friend and mentor Shakta Khalsa of Radiant Child Yoga). This song is actually a way of getting children to mediate by focusing on the song only and breathing well during the movement and singing along.

Savasana to end class.

¡Ole Namaste!

Eve

Lola's Fandango Book Release Event

2011-10-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday found me at Barefoot Books Studio in Concord, MA for a 90-minute event to kick-off a new Barefoot Books title, Lola's Fandango, by Anna Witte. Illustrator Micha Archer was there to celebrate the launch of this distinguished new Barefoot Books title and she gave a reading at the studio's whimsical storyteller’s throne. She followed this with a craft-making activity of creative, fun wearable crafts (skirts, flowers, fans, and bow ties!). To top this wonderful afternoon off, I offered the adorable participants a flamenco demo and then enlisted them in a follow-me flamenco dance in the wonderful, cheery studio! With flamenco fans held high and shouts of ¡Olé! we paraded around the studio stomping our feet and swishing our skirts!

One mother wrote to me later, " We just left barefoot books and had such a fabulous afternoon. My daughter is still clapping and stamping in between spoonfuls of yogurt (we are at Starbucks and she is putting on quite a show!). You were fantastic with the kids. It was such fun to watch!"

Lola’s Fandango is a story about a little girl named Lola who discoversone day that her mother (Mami) used to be a very good flamenco dancer. Lolasecretly learns to dance a traditional flamenco dance, Fandango, from herfather (Papi). Papi first teaches Lola the rhythm of the dance and then how tostomp her feet. And finally, he teaches her how to move her arms and hands.Lola practices, gaining confidence and developing the spirit (Duende) andattitude needed to be a great flamenco dancer. I won’t tell you anymore but theillustrations are beautiful and colorful and fully capture the fire of flamenco!

I was very pleased with the authentic use of flamenco inthis book. Two points of note are the onomatopoeia of Lola’s dance shoes “toca tocatica” and the repeating rhythm of the Fandango: 1-2-3, 4-5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 (the count that is represents the base of all flamenco 12-countrhythms). A special treat is the CD that accompanies the book, narrated by theAmador family of the Pan-Latin musical and singing ensemble Soly Canto, includes flamenco music andreal foot stomping in the background.

Flamenco Algarabía

2011-10-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Fundación Conservatorio Flamenco Casa Patas
presents JOSÉ BARRIOS in

Flamenco Algarabía
With special guest legendaryjazz trumpeter

ARTURO SANDOVAL

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011/8PM

Tickets:

$25 General Admission,

$10 Suffolk Community,Students and Seniors (with valid ID)

www.moderntheatre.com or call800.440.7654

Flamenco Dance Workshop

2011-10-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

Flamenco Dance Workshop
for Adult beginners!

Thursday, Nov. 10th at the Waban Library Center

Dance instruction 7pm - 8:15pm with
Eva Lorca.
Refreshments and good company until 9pm. $25 per person.

Space is limited. Reserve your spot by emailing wabanlibrary@gmail.com

Youth Flamenco and Lola's Fandango

2011-10-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

Lola's Fandango New Book Celebration: Artist Visit & Kids Flamenco Dancing

Barefoot Books Studio

89 Thoreau Street
Concord, MA 01742 USA

Website: www.barefootbooks.com

A great 90-minute event to kick-off a new Barefoot Books title! Artist Micha Archer joins us to celebrate the launch of this distinguished new Barefoot Books title (awarded a starred review in Booklist) with a reading at our whimsical storyteller’s throne, followed by craft-making of creative, fun wearable crafts (skirts, flowers, fans, bow ties and more!). To top this wonderful afternoon off, flamenco dance instructor Eve Agush will offer participants a brief demo, then enlist the children in follow-me dancing in our wonderful Studio! Ages 2-10. $5 per child ($10 family max.); pre-registration required to attend. Participants can purchase this new title at special discount.

Flamenco Arms

2011-10-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

To create the sweep for flamenco arms, grow wings! Spread your back wide and lift your arms. Keep this image of wings...feel like you back body is wider than your front body.

The arms must have energy all the way to the fingers, use Dynamic Tension. Feel your arm is moving with the strength of the shoulder muscles

Feel your arm pits are deep caverns with vaulted ceilings.

In the passage of the arm, you must go through all the "stopping" points and create the shape necessary at that point (ie Never just bring your arm up with out passing through: low "v" to "t" position to high "v" etc...). In low "v" & 6 o'clock, make sure you do not compress the arm pits. As the arms raise, do not lift your shoulders. Elbows must remain high throughout as the shoulders must remain down.

Cultivate your flamenco body

2011-10-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

In yoga class this week, my guru Barbara Benagh used a metaphor for cultivating a plant in relation to growing a pose in yoga. This metaphor really resonated with me and I brought it with me to flamenco class this week.

At the beginning of class, we explore the body structure to be held during flamenco. I usually describe the process physically:
*Drop your tail bone (or feel a long lower back)
*In return you will feel a response in your belly, a lifting in your belly
*Bring your belly into your back back so you fill out your lower back
*Feel your side ribs lifting
*Have deep arm pits
*Lift your shoulder girdle up and then drop it over the top pf the rib cage
*Do not pull your shoulders back, instead open your upper back wide
*At the same time, open your chest up wide too
*You need a micro-bend in your knees and elbows
*Pull the back of your cranium into your neck for a long straight line from tail to crown of head
*Eyes are down cast (hooded) in a far off type of way (do not look at the floor)

This week, however, I led the class using visualization to allow my students to create new habits in forming the flamenco body:

"When you want to plant a flower, you first need to till the soil, nourish it, plant the seeds, water it, and then sit back and wait to see the blossom....now in relation to the flamenco body. If you imagine that the soil line is at the hips, so your legs and your feet are the roots below the surface. The roots grow down and ground the dance to the earth. From the waist up is the blossom, growing from the soil line (which is your hips). This is the blossom.With good, strong roots, you then use the upper body to create the shapes and lines true to flamenco, building out of the hips and allowing the legs and feet to move separately."

This is a much different image than if you imagine the feet are rooted to a soil line right below them. In this scenario, the legs are not rooted in the soil. But with the soil being at the hip line, you can instead imagine the legs to be strong roots growing deeply down into the soil and then allow the feet to hold you to the earth.

Children’s Dance Festival at the Dance Complex

2011-10-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Dance Complex is 20 in 2011

Twenty yearsago, a bunch of dancers took over the abandoned Odd Fellows Hall in Cambridge’sCentral Square. They now own the repaired and refurbished historic building with six beautifulstudios and call it The Dance Complex.

Aspart of their fall birthday celebrations, the Dance Complex is hosting a Children’s Dance Festival on Sunday 16 October from 1:00-3:00pm.

Forchildren with their guardians) ages 6-18, there will be 20-minutemini-classes. Taught by the faculty of the children’s classes there will beintroductions to: ballet; tap; Duncan dance; Flamenco; Break Dancing. Followingthe classes, there will be a short, informal performances from the classes atthe Dance Complex.

Afterthe class, teachers will answer questions and provide information about how theclasses are run at The Dance Complex.

Noreservations are needed. Just bring a pair on NON-street shoes for dancing. A donation of $5per non-enrolled family isrequested. Consider it a birthday gift for The Dance Complex. Please share this event with all your friends!

TheDance Complex is the Central Square stop on the Red Line.

536Mass Ave, Cambridge 02139 617.547.9363

Daytime Adult Flamenco

2011-09-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Last week started my new daytime adult flamenco program in Natick, MA. This year's class is on Friday 10:00-11:00AM at Sereda Dance Works, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA.

This has been an exciting and exhilarating start to the new season of flamenco. With a bang, the class size increased double and the camaraderie between the students old and new has been immediately encompassing. We have a really good time learning technique, listening to the rhythms, making noise and laughing-I love that the class erupts with laughter through the hour-today's humor resting on how we make sounds with our hands, apricots in the arms pits, "sand" "wich" "a" (or possibly "ta" "ta" "pa")...spilling out of the room, at the end of class, peals of laughter and smiles filled the space.

Ole! Namaste!

Scenes of Spain

2011-09-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Scenes of Spain

A travel through Spain in music and dance with lecture presentation and wine & cheese reception.

Presented by the Boston Arts Consort

Linda Papatopoli, Director

Friday, September 30th, 2011 8PM

The Blacksmith House

56 Brattle Street

Harvard Square

Cambridge, MA

Doors open at 7:15PM with a 15-minute video of Barcelona at 7:45PM.

Margarita Campos

Luis De Haro

Elizabeth Leehey

Eva Lorca

Linda Papatopoli

Donal O'Sullivan

Tom Rhode

Roberto Rios

Clara Sandler

Gary Tucker

Flamenco, tap and yoga classes for youth and adults with Eve Agush

2011-09-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

Flamenco, tap and yoga classes for youth and adults with
Eve Agush

Classes begin the week of September 12th, 2011

All new students enjoy their first class for $10.00-please invite your friends to join!

AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com; 617-216-1643
www.AlwaysBDancing.blogspot.com

·       Mondays @ Sereda DanceWorks, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA.
Youth Tap Dance Level 1 (ages 5-9) 3:30-4:30; Youth Tap Dance Level 2 (ages 10+) 4:30-5:30PM; Adult Tap Dance Level 1:6:00-7:00PM

·        Wednesdays @ The Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA
Youth Flamenco Level One (ages 6-10) 4:00-5:00PM
Youth Tap Dance Level 2 (ages 10+) 5:00-6:00PM: This is not a beginner level class; all students should have at least a year of tap dance and understand the basics of tap dance technique.

·        Thursday @ 258 Mt. Vernon Street, Newton, MA
Youth Flamenco Level 2 (ages 8-15) 5:00-6:00PM: This is not a beginner level class; all students should have at least a year of flamenco and understand the basics of flamenco technique and rhythms.

·        Friday @ Sereda DanceWorks, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA
Adult Flamenco L:evel 1 10:00-11:00AM *** NEW DAY AND TIME****

Eve is also a gifted individual instructor for adults, teens and children. Contact Eve to schedule a private flamenco, tap or yoga session. Eve also presents flamenco and yoga birthday parties.

Remember to always be dancing!

No olvides bailar siempre

www.alwaysbdancing.blogspot.com

“Scenes of Spain” on Friday, September 30th at 8PM

2011-08-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Patrons,

Hoping everyone is enjoying these beautiful last days of summer. We would like to extend a warm invitation to our upcoming event, “Scenes of Spain” on Friday, September 30th at 8PM.

In “Scenes of Spain” we will travel the regions of Spain in music and dance with notes from Spanish lecturer Margarita Campos and enjoy Spanish wine and cheese chosen by Spanish food connoisseur Luis de Haro. Also included in the program will be pianist and artistic director, Linda Papatopoli; clarinetist, Liz Leehey; flamenco artist, Eve Agush; flamenco guitarist, Roberto Foreman; classical guitarist, Tom Rhodes; Baritone; Gary Tucker and more.

More information soon with how to purchase tickets and with the venue address.

SAVE THE DATE!

Scenes of Spain, September 30th, 8PM

Sincerely,

Linda Papatopoli & The Boston Arts Consort

Yoga Books, DVD's etc for Children with Special Needs

2011-08-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

On a previous post, I received a comment form a mother who is interested in books, DVDs etc for her child who was recently diagnosed with PDD-NOS. I thought I would compile a list for her and anyone else who is interested.

1. Yoga Therapy for Every Special Child: Meeting Needs in a Natural Setting by Nancy Williams and Leslie White

2. Yoga for the Special Child; A Therapeutic Approach for Infants and Children with Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Learning Disabilities by Sonia Sumar

3. Yoga for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents and Caregivers by Dion E. Betts and Stacey W. Betts

4. Integrated Yoga: Yoga with a Sensory Integrative Approach by Nicole C. Cuomo

5. I Can Be:A Child's Whimsical Introduction to Yoga by Christine M. Sumner and Kirk Salopek

6. Brain Gym: Simple Activities for Whole Brain Learning by Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison

7. Yoga for Children with Special Needs by Aras Baskauskas and Britt Collins M.S., OTR (DVD)

8. Yoga-Yingo Classic Set (GAME)

9. Abilitations Super-Pro Anti-Burst Therapy Ball 65cm (PROP)

10. Learn With Yoga: ABC Yoga Cards for Kids by Christine Ristuccia

11. Sensational Meditation for Children: Child Friendly Meditation Techniques based on the Five Senses by Sarah Wood Vallely

12. Starbright Meditations for Children by Maureen Garth

13. Fly Like A Butterfly: Yoga for Children by Shakta Khalsa

Breves No. 2 “La ultima noche en la casa del flamenco” (the last night at the house of flamenco)

2011-08-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

Seeking Balance Though Yoga: The Breath

2011-08-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone feels tension and stress. We see it in adults and we see it in children. As a matter of fact, more and more studies have shown the increase in stress-breathing in elementary aged children. The way that you breathe can exasperate a stressful situation and you need to become more aware of your breathing patterns for better management. Stress-breathers fill their chests with air and use their mouths to breath and they have a large amount of tightness especially in their upper backs. People who exhibit stress breathing are not using their diaphragms properly and through awareness they can shift out of over-breathing. However, deep breathing is not the answer to stress relief; Quiet, diaphragmatic breathing is the key to both relaxation and good respiration. The goal is to have an even ratio of inhale to exhale. Yoga can help! Through awareness, meditation, movement and creativity, yoga can have a profound effect on your body and mind:

*reduced stress

*sound sleep

*reduced cortisol levels

*improvement of many medical conditions

*allergy and asthma symptom relief

*lower blood pressure

*smoking cessation help

lower heart rate

*spiritual growth

*sense of well being

*reduced anxiety and muscle tension

*increased strength and flexibility

*slowed aging process

Rescue breath:

A very important tool that I have been taught is called “Rescue Breathing”. If you need immediate rescue from your constricted breath try breathing in a 2:2:1 ratio….inhale: inhale: exhale (each inhale is equal in length and the exhale is only ½ of one inhale). In stress breath, you are mostly deprived of a good inhale, so doing this rescue breathing will help to even out your two cycles. Getting your breath out of your chest and into your diaphragm will help immensely. For good yoga breathing, it is not that the belly pushes, instead the diaphragm lifts and allows the belly to fill (think of a beach ball and if you press down in the center of it, the two sides would lift around your hand). The exercise is from the book Conscious Breathing: Breathwork for Health, Stress Release, and Personal Mastery by Gay Hendricks.

Uno Breve: A Short Session Celebrating the Music of Spain

2011-07-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

UNO BREVE: A Short Session Celebrating the Music of Spain Presented by the Boston Arts Consort, Linda Papatopoli, Director

The Kaji Aso Studio, 40 St. Stephen Street, Boston

Friday, August 5th, 6PM: DANZA Spain’s classical music and flamenco and the influence of the Americas will be highlighted with flamenco artists Eva Lorca & Roberto Rios, clarinetist Liz Leehey & pianist Linda Papatopoli.

This event is free and open to the public.

Ballet Dancers Get Their Krump On: Teaching flamenco in a youth summer dance program!

2011-07-19T05:11:00.000-07:00

I love summers! They offer me the opportunity to go into suburban dance schools and ply my flamenco dance trade. Most of these students are being introduced to flamenco for the very first time and have spent anywhere from 3-5-10 years studying ballet. There in lies the challenge. Do I just come in and teach them a piece of choreography, which I know they can memorize, but will have no flamenco integrity, or do I lay it all down on the line and teach them: the flamenco body, braceo (the arms), floreo (the hands), tacaneo (the feet), rhythm (compás), the heart (duende)....well of course that is the path I choose and so begins a new summer delving into concept of teaching the soul of flamenco in about 6 hours to kids ages 8-18!

Just coming hot off teaching gigs at Southshore Ballet Theatre directed by Mathavan McKeon in Hanover, MA, and Sereda DanceWorks directed by Carol Schneider-Sereda in Natick, MA, I started my 9th summer at Northeast School of Ballet directed by Denise Cecere (formerly directed by her mother Sandra McNaught) in Melrose, MA. This summer we are housed on the beautiful memorial Hall in Melrose center and I have a gorgeous, vaulted ceiling room full of light and great student energy!

I feel the progression of myself as a teacher. Every time I approach a teaching job, I feel the tweeking and refining of myself as a teacher. I am so proud to be able to reach so many youth (my dear friend Pam Raff imbued in me the use of the word "youth" rather than children or kids when speaking about working with the young and it has stuck with me 20 years later). 20 years of teaching youth and every day I feel like it is a new beginning. It makes me feel young and creative and flexible. I love it!

I am starting each class with the students lying on the floor, just feeling their breath. One hand on the chest, one hand on the belly. I talk about chest breathing and then gently guide them into focusing their breath into their bellies, calming them, opening the up to their intelligence and energizing them. I then lead them through a simple circular breathing exercise where I have them imagine their inhale entering through the sole of their left foot, up the left side of the body, to the left side of the head and then on the exhale, down the right side of the head, the right side of the body and out the sole of the right foot. The I lead the the opposite way starting with the right foot, back and forth a few time and end coming out the left sole. Curling up on their right sides for a moment, allowing freedom of breath in the right nostril (The left nostril connects to right side of the brain, which induces relaxation while the right nostril is connected to the left side of the brain; the more energizing side), I have them sit up for a right brain/left brain game called The Nose Knows (slap legs two times, clap two times, grab nose with right hand reach across with left and hold right ear; slap legs two times, clap two times, grab the nose with the left hand and reach across with the right hold the left ear. Repeat trying to get faster and faster-a great brain balancing game). At the end of the game I explain about the two sides of the brain, how the left side is the mathematical, analytical side and the right side is rhythmic and creative and how as a dancer, one needs a balance of the two to learn choreography, learn technique and also understand the depth of the movement within the rhythmic landscape.

The advanced class is learning Bulerías and the intermediate class is learning Garrotín. I am looking forward to next week!

¡Olé!

Balance Through and Through

2011-07-19T04:08:00.000-07:00

Today's yoga class will be about balance. I realized after my 3 day Core Yoga In-Schools teaching workshop that the concept of balance is so far reaching. I was imbued with so many new ideas for classes after working in that great supportive environment and feel a bubbling over of creativity to get my yoga to the kids.

We will start lying down (I wish we had mats for this class). I created a great restorative back bend in the workshop where we just by rolled up our mats and used them as bolsters, placed right below the shoulder blades. The students did not struggle with the depth of the back bend as it was minimal and I had them drape over it like a piece of cloth. Unbeknownst to them, the subtle act of the relaxation and the gentle heart opening generated energy and acceptance in them to hear my words (about Bramacharya-self-control) and to do a fun flow to music. It was just thrilling to see the students transformation from tired to happy and energized.

But no mats here, so instead we will just lie on the floor and start with a 2-3 minute total stillness, total silence. Next I will lead them in an alternate side of the body breath flow and then a time for them to just notice their breath and to allow it to focus more in the belly than the chest. We will sit up and do a game called The Nose Knows (slap legs two times, clap two times, grab nose with right hand reach across with left and hold right ear; slap legs two times, clap two times, grab the nose with the left hand and reach across with the right hold the left ear. Repeat trying to get faster and faster-a great brain balancing game). At the end of the game I explain about the two sides of the brain, how the left side is the mathematical, analytical side and the right side is rhythmic and creative and how as a dancer, you need a balance of the two to learn choreography, learn technique and also understand the depth of the movement within the rhythmic landscape of the music.

2011-2012 Dance Classes with Eve Agush

2011-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

2011-2012 Dance Classes with Eve Agush

AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com; 617-216-1643

www.AlwaysBDancing.blogspot.com

Classes begin the week of September 12-16, 2011

· Mondays @ Sereda DanceWorks, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA.

Youth Tap Dance Level 1 3:30-4:30 (ages 7-10); Youth Tap Dance Level 2 4:30-5:30PM (ages 11+); Adult Beginner Tap Dance 6:00-7:00PM

· Wednesdays @ The Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA

4:00-5:00PM Youth Flamenco Level One for ages 6-10

5:00-6:00PM Youth Tap Dance Level 2 (ages 10+): This is not a beginner level class; all students should have at least a year of tap dance and understand the basics of tap dance.

· Thursday @ Sereda DanceWorks, 89H Washington Ave., Natick, MA

11:00-12:00PM Adult Flamenco L:evel 1

· Thursday @ 258 Mt. Vernon Street, Newton, MA

5:00-6:00PM Youth Flamenco Level 2 for ages 8-15

Eve is also a gifted individual instructor for adults, teens and children. Contact Eve to schedule a private flamenco, tap or yoga session. Eve also presents flamenco and yoga birthday parties.

Yoga and Flamenco: Feeling the yoga body in your flamenco

2011-07-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

This is a summer full of yoga and flamenco teaching for me (and of course some tap dancing too). There is nothing I like more than working with groups of young people and the summer opens so many doors for me. This summer I am working at Southshore Ballet Theater in Hanover, MA, The Northeast School of Ballet in Melrose, MA and Sereda Danceworks in Natick, MA. Each opportunity allows a new group of youth (ages 8-18) to explore the characterful dance of flamenco, the soulful rhythms of tap and the inner peace of yoga.

I have been especially happy teaching in Hanover as I am hired to teach both flamenco and yoga and I so strongly believe there is a connection between the two that this affords me the opportunity to infuse my flamenco classes with yogic teachings and visa versa.

Yesterday we explored the flamenco body with the attention on the internal circular motions from lower back, to pelvic floor and then through the abdomen and fro the romboids pulling down, the arm pit rib muscles pulling up and the high beams on the collar bones shining up.

In yoga class, we talked about the concept of force. Using the ground as a jumping off point by pushing into it so we can rise up with the help of the floor pushing us. Think abut that when you raise and lower your arms. With breath, breathing in we lift up but yet we push deeper into the ground, with a breath out, we root down, yet we also feel a rising out of the ground. When we lift our arms and that pulls us up, we should root deeper into the ground. As we lower our arms, rooting us down, we should also feel a pulling up of our energy.

Yoga with Anthony

2011-06-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

Today when I went to Barbara Benagh's yoga class at Down Under Yoga, Anthony was tagging along. A good friend of mine asked him if he was taking class too and he looked at me and said, "Yes!" He insisted on waiting for Barbara to see if it was OK for him to join in and when she gave him the OK, he settled onto a mat between Carolyn and I and there started his yoga journey.

It was a wonderful , blissful experience taking yoga with Antony and although the class was a deep, internally based class, he stuck it out and I could tell he felt so much.

No he may not go every time, but maybe he will...it is addicting and I know he enjoyed Barbara's teaching.

After class, he said to me that yoga was kind of like starting a church. If you felt you wanted to teach people about the type of yoga that you liked, that you could open your own studio and then people could come to you and you could tech them how to feel yoga the way you wanted them to feel it.

It was a very enlightening and spiritual thing for him to say. He gets it!

Summer Youth Dance Classes with Eve Agush

2011-06-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

1. Southshore Ballet Theatre: Flamenco and Yoga
2. Carol Schneider Sereda's Children's Dance Theater: Tap (I will also be teaching children's tap and yoga here in the fall).
3. Northeast School of Ballet: Flamenco

Sunday Musings

2011-06-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

1. The best thing about kid's yoga is that it helps children create a space inside themselves where they can go to by with themselves.
2. Children's learn better through rich details often not given in adult classes.
3. Sometimes I think my mouth is a better flamenco dancer than I am because of my infinite ability to describe movement and sensation, but last night in my dream, my body did everything my mouth can do and more.
4. A good way to teach children to stay in their spots while dancing (and to not move closer to/farther from the mirror) is to tell them, "Watch yourself and make sure you are not getting larger/or smaller".
5. Besitos are a little flamenco sugar!
6. There are so many deep seated connections between the flamenco body and the yoga body.

Free Fun Fridays 2011 Schedule

2011-06-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Free Fun Fridays 2011 Schedule

The Highland Street Foundation will be offering its Free Fun Fridays program again this year. Starting July 1st four different cultural attractions across Massachusetts will provide free admission each Friday throughout the summer. In all 36 diffrent attractions will be open for free this summer! Visit www.highlandstreet.org for more information.

Friday July 1^st

Museum of Fine Arts

465 Huntington Ave – Boston

Buttonwood Park Zoo

425 Hawthorn Street – New Bedford

Edward Gorey House

8 Strawberry Lane – Yarmouth Port

Heritage Museums & Gardens

67 Grove Street-Sandwich

Friday July 8^th

Plimoth Plantation

137 Warren Ave – Plymouth

Worcester Art Museum

55 Salisbury Street – Worcester

Cape Cod Museum of Art

60 Hope Lane – Dennis

New England Historic Genealogical Society

101 Newbury Street – Boston

Friday July 15^th

Museum of Science

1 Science Park – Boston

Higgins Armory Museum

100 Barber Avenue # 11- Worcester

Discovery Museums

177 Main Street – Acton

Garden in the Woods

180 Hemenway Road – Framingham

Friday July 22^rd

Franklin Park Zoo

1 Franklin Park Rd – Dorchester

The Sports Museum

TD Garden – 100 Legends Way – Boston

Norman Rockwell Museum

9 Route 183-Stockbridge

Peabody Essex Museum

161 Essex St – Salem

Friday July 29^th

Boston Children’s Museum

308 Congress St – Boston

American Textile Museum

491 Dutton Street – Lowell

New Bedford Whaling Museum

18 Johnny Cake Hill – New Bedford

Shakespeare on the Common

Boston Common- Boston

Friday August 5^th

Institute of Contemporary Art

100 Northern Ave – Boston

Cape Cod Children’s Museum

577 Great Neck Road South – Mashpee

Springfield Museums

21 Edwards Street-Springfield

Concord Museum

53 Cambridge Turnpike – Concord

Friday August 12^th

JFK Presidential Library & Museum

Columbia Point – Boston

Arnold Arboretum

125 Arborway-Jamaica Plain

Tanglewood (BSO)

297 West Street-Lenox

Stone Zoo

149 Pond Street – Stoneham

Friday August 19^th

Boston Harbor Island Alliance

Free ferry transportation to the Harbor Islands

408 Atlantic Ave – Boston

Children’s Museum in Easton

9 Sullivan Avenue-Easton

USS Constitution Museum

22 Charlestown Navy Yard – Charlestown

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

1000 West Columbus Ave – Springfield

Friday August 26^th

Old Sturbridge Village

1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd – Sturbridge

New Repertory Theatre

321 Arsenal Street-Watertown

Berkshire Museum

39 South Street – Pittsfield

EcoTarium

222 Harrington Way – Worcester

Dos Breves: Two Short Sessions Celebrating the Music of Spain

2011-06-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

DOS BREVES

Two Short Sessions Celebrating the Music of Spain

Presented by the Boston Arts Consort, Linda Papatopoli, Director

The Kaji Aso Studio, 40 St. Stephen Street, Boston

Breves No. 1, Friday, July 1, 6PM: FOR GUITAR AND PIANO Solo music and duets especially arranged by the performers exploring the relationship between Spanish guitar and piano composition. Tom Rohde, guitar & Linda Papatopoli, piano.

Breves No 2, Friday, August 5^th, 6PM: DANZA Spain’s classical music and flamenco and the influence of the Americas will be highlighted with flamenco artists Eva Lorca & Roberto Rios, clarinetist Liz Leehey & pianist Linda Papatopoli.

OMAYRA AMAYA Flamenco Dance Workshop AUGUST 22-28 2011 BOSTON MA

2011-06-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Registration is now open! Discounted early registration rates are available now until Aug 1.

To register, go to http://www.flamencoboston.com/workshops

CLASS SCHEDULE
The full schedule is here for technique (all levels) and choreography (intermediate/advanced) workshops.

Monday to Friday
Aug 22-26
technique 6 - 7:30 pm
choreography 7:30 - 9 pm

Saturday and Sunday
Aug 27-28
technique 11:00am - 12:30pm
choreography 12:30 - 2pm

LOCATION
Boston Percussive Dance: 185 Green Street, Cambridge MA 02139

CONTACT
lauren@flamencoboston.com

PRICE: Early Registration Discount until Aug 1
$200 one workshop
$350 both workshops

REGULAR PRICE (after Aug 1)
$35 single class
$220 one workshop
$420 both workshops

Space is limited.
To register via PayPal:
www.flamencoboston.com/workshops

WALK-IN & CANCELLATION POLICY
Class size is limited. Walk-ins for single classes may not be available if the class is filled. A cancellation fee of $30 will be retained if cancellation is received two weeks before start date. No refunds will be available after that time.

I found a nice write up about Omayra at Arte Y Vida Chicago. Check it out!

'Carla and Leo's World of Dance'

2011-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Young adults discover culture, music and history: 'Carla and Leo's World of Dance'

By April MacIntyre Jun 16, 2011, 0:58 GMT

Parents will want to check out "Carla and Leo’s World of Dance," a story that takes young readers ages 8 to 12 on a journey to the magical dance school of the beautiful Miss Paulina, who leads 10-year-olds Carla and Leo on a worldwide tour of ballroom dance.

“I really enjoyed this delightful book’s social message of learning and practicing dancing as the means to bring boys and girls together in a shared venue. At a time when boys and men are becoming ever more socially isolated by living their lives in a high tech world, Agatha Relota’s dance journey promises to be a salvation. Parents of boys should encourage their sons to learn how to relate better with girls, starting with, ‘Shall we dance?’ “-Dr. Philip Zimbardo

Future Dancing with the Stars contenders will learn of ten styles: the waltz, foxtrot, swing, merengue, mambo, cha cha, rumba, salsa, tango, and samba.

For each style, Miss Paulina provides its cultural and geographical origin as well as rhythmic step patterns. All this is presented with a delightful narrative written by author, fashion model, dancer, and mother of two, Agatha Relota.

The book pops with more than 50 colorful illustrations from Paris fashion illustrator Thierry Perez, and Jessica Alba penned the charming introduction.

This book will please both children and their parents with a fresh take on ballroom dancing that inspires and educates.

Readers of all ages are sure to finish the book with a new rhythm in their steps, ready to dance their way around the world.

Carla and Leo come alive vividly through the beautiful illustrations of Thierry Perez. The fancy world of ballroom dancing is demystified and intrigues the reader to pursue lessons in classical dances.

The explanations of all ten dances with their rhythm and timing will make young readers understand and appreciate the art form and want to have fun learning it too.

Agatha Relota is an author, fashion model, dancer, and mother of two. In 2006, Agatha’s nieces asked that she teach them to dance. She found there were few if any books on ballroom dance written to inspire children.

This void of literature was the seed for her book, Carla and Leo’s World of Dance.

She wrote the book with the belief that dance can teach children valuable skills to take beyond the dance floor, such as manners, self-confidence, and discipline, as well as a heightened awareness of the world’s cultures. After working for years on the book, her resolve to bring the world of dance to children became even more inspired recently when she became a mother of two.

Represented by Storm Models in London, Agatha built a modeling career for herself that includes such highlights as editorials for the likes of Vogue, W Magazine, and L’Officiel. She’s also worked with such world class photographers as Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Klein, Juergen Teller, David LaChapelle, and Scavullo. Prestigious brands she’s worked with include Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes, Nina Ricci, Ap by Bruphils, Georges Rech, Hanro of Switzerland, Jitrois, Laura Biagotti, Long’s Jewelers, Louis Feraud, Nespresso, Nordstrom, Pools, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bill Blass, Claude Montana, Issey Miyake, Jeremy Scott, and Elspeth Giibson. Agatha has also appeared in TV commercials as well as in music videos with Robbie Williams and Sir Paul McCartney.

Agatha’s career as a dancer began when she took up ballet at the age of four. She then joined the New Jersey Ballet School at 10, where she regularly performed the Nutcracker at the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse. Agatha took up ballroom dancing at the age of 17 and was soon competing in the various styles; her love of dance has never waned.

2011-05-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hatha Yoga is a continuing invitation to experience the joy of conscious movement that informs body and soul. It is also immensely practical and the need to respect anatomical rules of alignment becomes increasingly obvious as your practice deepens. Incorporating the body’s “rules” into your yoga practice can be challenging. Too much focus on form can seem rigid, too little sacrifices clarity. Either can lead to injury. The answer lies in the middle, in finding the rhythm between form and flow.

In this weekend with master teacher Barbara Benagh you will be guided to better understanding of practical principles of physical alignment, invited to explore the energetic flow within asana, improve your understanding of the effect of the poses you practice and learn how to use that knowledge to enhance a continuum of flowing movement, breath, and inspiration.

This workshop is not a clinic for therapeutic issues though it will include strategies for avoiding shoulder, lower back, and other injuries. Whether an experienced student or teacher you will learn skills to manage the inevitable ebb and flow of practice to always find inspiration to engage with your Self and the world.

This workshop is for students with at least one year's experience in yoga.

July 30 - 31, 2011
Saturday and Sunday —
11 am – 3 pm each day

LOCATION:
Cambridge Masonic Hall
1950 Massachusetts Ave
Porter Sq., Cambridge, MA

TUITION: $175 for the weekend. $100 per day

register online:
www.yogastudio.org

Workshop Info:
(617) 566- 1489

DanceNut a great website for Boston area dance professionals!

2011-05-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

Greetings, Boston area dance professionals and business owners!

I am pleased to announce the launch of the all-new Dance Nut web site. Our goal is to help build a stronger Boston area dance community by helping dancers more easily find the local teachers, studios, classes and events that are right for them.

In other words, we want to help dance students find YOU.

http://www.dancenut.com

Please come take a look. Register now and post your profile, classes and events for FREE!

Please contact me with any questions or suggestions about how the site can better serve you as we grow.

Kind regards,

Andrew Percey

Founder, Dance Nut LLC

andrew@dancenut.com

Seeking Balance Though Yoga: The Breath

2011-05-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Yoga can help! Through awareness, meditation, movement and creativity, yoga can have a profound effect on your body and mind:

*reduced stress

*sound sleep

*reduced cortisol levels

*improvement of many medical conditions

*allergy and asthma symptom relief

*lower blood pressure

*smoking cessation helplower heart rate

*spiritual growth

*sense of well being

*reduced anxiety and muscle tension

*increased strength and flexibility

*slowed aging process

Rescue breath:

A very important tool that I have been taught is called “Rescue Breathing”. If you need immediate rescue from your constricted breath try breathing in a 2:2:1 ratio….inhale: inhale: exhale (each inhale is equal in length and the exhale is only ½ of one inhale). In stress breath, you are mostly deprived of a good inhale, so doing this rescue breathing will help to even out your two cycles. Getting your breath out of your chest and into your diaphragm will help immensely. For good yoga breathing, it is not that the belly pushes, instead the diaphragm lifts and allows the belly to fill (think of a beach ball and if you press down in the center of it, the two sides would lift around your hand). The exercise is from the book Conscious Breathing: Breathwork for Health, Stress Release, and Personal Mastery by Gay Hendricks.

The Balanced Body: Tap Into Sensation

2011-05-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

For the past two months, I have been teaching yoga at a the Longfellow Sports Club in Natick, MA. My class is at 9AM Monday mornings and is listed as a Hot Room Vinyasa style class. I am working hard to create the right blend in this class, to make it the perfect gym-style yoga. Teaching in a gym, especially one with a room right next to the weight room, is different than teaching in a yoga studio, where yoga is the main focus. Now don't get me wrong! The gym clientele is definitely savvy to yoga, but they are often running in sweating from the treadmill or running out to go to zumba next. I want my class to be perceived as a part of a lifestyle routine, not just as part of a workout. I want people to know how to align their bodies for safety and support, to build themselves from the ground up. As my teacher pointed out the other day that "You cannot learn how to do a handstand if you cannot even stand on your own two feet."

How to keep the essence of what I believe is yoga in this class? How to create the perfect balance of yoga and "workout", so the clientele sees it as fitting into their workout regime but at the same time being able to deliver yoga-effort and release-not just effort, effort, effort, ooomph! The word Vinyasa means "breath-synchronized movement". In a Vinyasa yoga class each pose is connected to the next through breath creating a smooth way for the poses to run together, becoming like a dance. But the dance is not solely the external asanas (poses), it is also the internal effort of the practitioner to allow for effort and surrender. Moving from one pose into the next and feeling like you have attained your goal as you "arrive" in your pose, is not a dance. That is a statue. Poses must have life in them, breath, and growth. No pose ends at the external shape of the pose just because you have arrived there, the real has just begun.

I decided to call my class "Tap Into Sensation", because I hear this phrase loud and clear in my own practice. We use yoga to tap into the sensations in our own bodies, our lives, making us aware of how we feel, why we do what we do, how to release our creative imagination to allow for change and growth....shave and a hair cut, two bits! By becoming more aware on our mat, we will become more aware off it; allowing us to balance our lives. By using an even breath effort, our asnasa practice will be more even, therefore allowing us to have a more even mind.

I study earnestly with my mentor, Barbara Benagh and will be joining her Deeper into the Art of Teaching program this coming October. It is an intense 15-month teacher training program and I am so excited and eager to participate. For the past 10 months, I have been taking her class at Down Under Yoga in Newton, Highlands, and I take notes and write comments to myself throughout the class. This does detract from the initial experience of the session, but as I dissect it throughout the week, I find I can attain a much deeper understating of the practice in my own body, allowing me to adapt sections to my own needs and for the classes that I teach. I follow Barbara's model, where I create one class (with a specific anatomical focus or root idea) at the beginning of the week and then I keep teaching that class throughout the week, adapting and refining it. I read something that Shiva Rhea had written about Vinyasa yoga and it sat very well with me. She wrote that it is not only a flow of the poses but there has to be a flow between the beginning, middle and end of the class.

So I am building my yoga program to flow from beginning to end, to allow my students time to focus on themselves, to allow them to stretch their bodies and to allow them to discover their own personal dance between effort and surrender.

Newton Family Singers 4pm on Sunday, May 15th

2011-05-09T03:29:00.000-07:00

A concert of folk music for the whole family to enjoy….

the Newton Family Singers will perform

Sun, Moon and Stars - A program of folk songs inspired by

day, night and the skies above,

at 4pm on Sunday, May 15th

Newton Highlands Congregational Church,

54 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands.

The Newton Family Singers is Newton's only intergenerational music ensemble,

celebrating family, community and American folk music.

For more information, visit www.newtonfamilysingers.org or call Monique Byrne at 617-821-5961.

Reserve tickets ($5 each) at newfamilysingers@gmail.com.

Relax, Renew, Decompress the Neck

2011-04-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

Monday 4/11/11: Natick Longfellow Fitness: Yoga by Eve Agush: Tap Into Sensation!

Section One:
1. Start by lying on a block (parallel to mat, flat surface up to the bottom of neck)
2. Arm Under Back Stretch: Lying in constructive rest (knees bent, feet flat on floor) slide first right arm, behind lower back; gentle stretch for the shoulder; left
3. Arm Across Chest Stretch
4. Standing: go up and down a few times with breath. Breath in a full breath as arms rise up, breath out a full breath as you bend into Uttanasana (make your breath even and steady, not necessarily deep)
5. Standing CHild's Pose
6. Easy neck release
7. Heart Like Wheel
8. Revolved Wide Legged Standing Forwrd Bend
9. Slow A with low lunge-to-drop back
10. Kneeling Dog
11. Sphinx
12. Up Dog
13. Forearm Plank

Section Two:
1. Crescent Lunge series to Airplane Pose to Virabhadrasana II to Dancing Warrior. Flow through.
2. Adho Mukha Svanasana to Plank to bring knee to nose, to outer arm, to across to inside of other arm, to nose, to Crescent Lunge-3 knee drops-Flow through.
3. Adho Mukha Svanasana to Virabhadrasana I to Gurudasana unwrap to Virabhadrasana II to Side Angle Pose to Ardha Chandrasana

Section Three:
Abs-Garudasana Crunch

Section Four:
1. Headstand Prep
2. Headstand
3.Viparita Karani

Open House at The Dance Complex

2011-04-27T03:13:00.000-07:00

On Sunday May 8th from 1-5pm there will be an Open House held at The Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave. Cambridge, MA. Free 20 minute classes!

I will be teaching an ALL AGES (Kids to Adults) Flamenco class at 3:00-3:20! Come on down and join in the fun!

2011-04-25T04:31:00.000-07:00

Patrice Monahan &

Shufflin' Time

Come Celebrate Jazz Week!
Great Vibe - Great Music
Swing, Blues, Funk, Latin, Tap
Original Compositions & Jazz Standards

The Lily Pad

Parlor Night

Friday, April 29th

8pm-9pm only

1353 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

http://www.lily-pad.net

Patrice Monahan - Voice - Tap - Piano

Eyran Katsenelenbogen - Piano

Tal Shalom-Kobi - Bass

Miki Matsuki - Drums

Kelly Roberge - Saxophone

Nick Grondin - Guitar

Valery Marcantonio - Tap

Cover: $10

Improv and Flamenco: Smoldering Coals and Fiery Flicks

2011-04-20T04:53:00.000-07:00

Flamenco is a dance with the most rules.... understand the rules completely so that you can be free within the structure and improvise....so like tap dancing and jazz.

The difficulty lies within listening and really hearing, controlling what you are doing, letting go but being able to get back and having the technical ability to say what you want to say. That is why I am finding so much freedom for myself in the connection of tap and flamenco.

With one of my young private students this year, we decided to take a different approach to her solo. Instead of my creating exact steps that she needed to learn, we started the year by just feeling the music. I let her have complete freedom and I watched her as she danced. I began by adding in specifics as to when she needed to build up her movements, soften her movements, come to a stop, etc. We chose a regular song with a 4/4 beat (rumba hybrid) which has a definite path to follow as both the music and voice lead the song.

I had her really listen to the song so she could during her moments of complete abandonment still find her way back to the structure of the song and create the correct starts and stops. Together we have created a dance of abandonment, of structure, of smoldering coals and fiery flicks.

Improvisation with boundaries. Fire in a pit.

Practice Savasana in everything you do...

2011-04-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a workshop with the highly esteemed Omayra Amaya! It was a glorious 4 day experience. I have not taken a flamenco class, let alone a workshop, in over 2 years and I was a bit nervous at my ability to hang with the intermediate/advanced class. It was great to see two of my adorable teen students involved with the level one workshop. I can see all the hard work they are putting into their dancing and I can see how much they took with them from my classes. It is always joyous to see my students flourish! I could feel myself beaming with pride.

So day one of the workshop, my mind and body were not as one. Luckily, I managed to retain the choreography that had been taught because to my surprise on day two, I felt myself hitting my stride. The mind-body connection fired up and I hit the zone. I felt I couldn't learn fast enough and just so enjoyed letting it all go and being in the moment. Another student came up to me, and she was so distressed at what she felt was her lack of ability to dance at this level. I realized at that moment that her expectations of what she had already learned and what she thought the workshop was going to be about were not the issue at hand. I told her to let it all go-let all the past work just be-and to accept herself where she was. I told her to practice Savasana! Relax and to let herself be in the moment, to allow her body and her mind to unite. She smiled at that and understood me and we enjoyed dancing together for the rest of the workshop.

By the fourth day of the workshop, I was dancing! Damn it felt good! It was real! It was of the moment! Thank you, Om...

Dance Day, Friday April 29, 2011

2011-04-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

On the 29th of April, as every year since 1982, the official Dance Day will be celebrated all over the world by millions of dancers. It is an initiative of the International Dance Council CID, UNESCO. We have prepared the following guidelines as a checklist for persons involved in the wider field of dance: teachers, choreographers, group leaders, journalists, researchers, associations, suppliers, organizations etc.
Object
The main purpose of Dance Day events is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance. Emphasis should be given to addressing a “new” public, people who do not follow dance events during the course of the year.
Events
Dance Day events may be special performances, open-door classes, public rehearsals, lectures, exhibitions, articles in newspapers and magazines, dance evenings, radio and TV programs, visits, street shows, parades, shop window decorations etc.
Organizers
Events are primarily organized by dance companies, amateur groups, schools, associations and other institutions active in dance. Wherever possible, it is better for events to be organized jointly with a non-dance institution such as a government agency, a public school, a municipality, a business enterprise, a trade union.
Content
Organizers have full freedom to define the content of the event.
Make sure that you include general information on the art of dance, its history, its importance to society, its universal character. This can be done in a short speech, a note in the program, a text distributed to those present. By adding this dimension you make the event different from dance activities taking place any other day.
Read a message from a prominent personality, a poem, a passage from a text by a famous author.
Coordination
In order to achieve maximum success, it is important that preparations start early enough.
It is imperative to inform the press and generally the media about your event.
Notify an organization holding a central position at regional or national level, which should publish a list of events planned for Dance Day.
Entrance to events should preferably be free, or by invitation. Invite persons who do not normally attend dance events.
Location
At best, events should take place in “new” places, such as streets, parks, squares, shops, factories, villages, discotheques, schools, stadiums etc.
By setting the event in original surroundings you stress the fact that this is an event dedicated to the universal family of dancers.
Dr. Alkis Raftis
President of the CID

Portside Percussive Dance Festival

2011-03-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

Portside Percussive Dance Festival

June 27-July 2, 2011

Join us for our first Tap Conservatory
Classics to Classical

featuring

legendary tap masters Brenda Bufalino, Dean Diggins

with Josh Hilberman and musical director Paul Arslanian.

Other classes during the week will feature West African

dance and drum with Youssouf Koumbassa and more.

Intensive Classes • Performances • Talks • Events

The festival returns with a new name~The Portside Percussive
Dance Festival~and a new home at The Dance Hall in
historic downtown Kittery Portside, just over the Piscataqua
river from it's former home in Portsmouth, NH.
The PPDF was founded by tap dancer Drika Overton in
1995 and grew into an intimate, innovative festival with
worldwide recognition. Over the years the Festival
featured renowned dancers, musicians and singers including
Jimmy Slyde; Fayard Nicholas; Bill Irwin; Keith Terry;
Jo McNamara; Jay Clayton; and returning favorite Brenda Bufalino.

Information about registration, schedule, housing and more coming soon.
Space is limited.

Our mailing address is:

The Dance Hall, Kittery, Maine

7 Walker St.

P.O. Box 691

Kittery, Maine 03904

Finding balance on the dance floor - The Boston Globe

2011-03-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Finding balance on the dance floor - The Boston Globe

Dance In The Schools

2011-03-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished up teaching three different classes for Dance In The Schools in Cambridge MA (coordinated by Erica Sigal). I wish every month was dance month. I love getting into the schools and teaching dance and yoga to kids during the day! It is such a great way to work with this population and help cultivate new interests for them. This year I had the opportunity to have three sessions with two classes at the Maria Baldwin School (1st and 2nd grade) and a one day special of teaching math through dance at the Cambridgeport School (7th grade)-teaching how to graph linear equations, to be exact. The math class really peaked my interest and I will be creating a more in depth math-dance program so I can work with all k-12 grades.

I just received a great compliment form the 1st grade teacher at the Baldwin School. The kids and teachers at the Baldwin School were very inviting and created a great space for me to come in and be with them. The whole school has a nice vibe and the kids were very involved with their classrooms.

"I want to share a magic moment with you:
We have had a short meditation period after lunch that was not always silent despite best intentions. I was in the room but had my head in a book when I realized something, it was silent. I looked up to see the kids all shaking their fingers and moving their hands up and down in a pattern as they silently mouthed the words they had learned a couple of days earlier in Eve's yog/meditation portion of the class. This was student initiated and gained immediate acceptance and use. The students obviously embraced and seem to thirst for these activities and I can only imagine what a wonderful impact it would have on the class if Eve were to be with us more."

CALLING ALL SCHOOL TEACHERS....CONTACT ME:
AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com
617-216-1643
I can bring yoga/meditation and flamenco to your school, your grade, your classroom! I can tailor all programs to be one day to one year!

A shout out to Shakta Kaur Khalsa for filling me up with great ways to involve children in yoga! I highly recommend studying with her. She is a generous spirit, so willing to share and so willing to learn. Namste Shakta!

Lois’ Tap Lane All Star Tap and Jazz Salute! Friday May 13, 8:00PM

2011-03-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Tap Dance Lectures with Margaret Morrison at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2011-03-07T11:16:00.000-08:00

Tap Dance Lectures at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

with Margaret Morrison

Sponsored by Dance@MIT, SLIPPAGE, & MIT Department of Women's and
Gender Studies

free and open to the public

Monday, March 14, 2011
at MIT
Building 4 Room 149
77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
for more info: 617-253-6957

2:00-3:30
Artist Talk "Body of Rhythm: 30 years in rhythm tap"
Margaret Morrison shares video and tap dance stories from her career.

3:30-5:00
"She Stayed With the Sisters: Tap Dance Narratives and Invisibilized
Women"
Margaret Morrison presents new research on Alice Whitman, the "Queen
of Tap", Juanita Pitts, "Tops in Tap", and other African American
women tap dancers of the 1920s to 1950s.

Yoga...Teaching the teachers

2011-03-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

I had a great yoga class at Longfellow today. It started out slow but then three people walked in together, two of them who are fellow teachers. That is always fun because we can play a bit and share insights. I appreciate the camaraderie at Longfellow and I always appreciate FUN! We flowed, we flew and we fluttered!

After teaching, I hit the Stepmill for 10 minutes to warm my legs up. Then upstais to the weightlifting room. I tried to embody the training my husband has been raving about these past few weeks, low weight high rep to start...

Squat: Bar +10lbs 50 reps; +50lbs 10 reps; +70lbs 7 reps
Lunges: across floor and back with 15lb. hand weights
Super Set of Leg Extensions and Leg Curls: 25lbs. 21 reps/20lbs. 30 reps; 85lbs. 10 reps/ 60lbs. 10 reps; 100lbs. 7 reps/70lbs. 8 reps.

Superset of Bench and Lat Pull Downs: Bar 30 reps/30lbs. 50 reps; +45lbs. 6 reps/ 90lbs. 9reps; 40lbs. 6 reps/105lbs. 5 reps.

I ran out of steam, so I ended with a 3 sets of Shoulder Flyes: 3 lbs. 50 reps; 7.5lbs. 10 reps; 10lbs. 8 reps.

http://www.bakedideas.com/storepage.htm#

Flamenco Project 1960-1985: Una Ventana a la Vision Extranjera

2011-03-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

Subtitled "a window on the foreign vision," this remarkable book documents and celebrates the experience of the many international pilgrims who travelled to Andalucia in quest of "real," raw Flamenco in its native setting. The meat of the book is an absorbing collection of black and white photographs, almost all previously unpublished, by Christopher Carnes, William Davidson, Ruth Frazier, Dick Frisell, Ira Gavrin, David George, Paco Grande, Jane Grossenbacher, Mark Johnson, Steve Kahn, Robert Klein, George Krause, Charles Mullen, Daniel Seymour, Maria Silver, and Phil Slight. The photos are complemented by texts from Steve Kahn, Zatania Estela, Jose Manuel Gamboa, Brook Zern, William Washabaugh, David George, Jose Maria Velazquez-Gaztelu, Remy Weber, Tao Ruspoli, and Nina Menendez. The photographs themselves feature many of the now legendary Flamenco artists of that time and place: Anzonini del Puerto, Paco del Gastor, Manolito de Maria, Joselero, Chocolate, Platero de Alcala, La Fernanda de Utrera, Rosalia de Triana, Ines de Lebrija, Perrate de Utrera, Fernandillo de Moron, Pepa de Utrera, Felipe de Triana, Aurora Vargas, David Serva, Francisco Molina, La Perrata, Juan Talega, Paco Valdepe–as, Curro and Antonio Mairena, Juan and Paco del Gastor, Pedro Bacan, Miguel Funi, El Farruco, Cristina Hoyos.... Large trade-book format: 190 pages on nice, thick, glossy paper; texts side by side in Spanish and English.

The book is available at Flamenco Connection

** I am friends with Ira Gavrin's daughter (Amara Cohen) and have had the opportunity to meet this fabulous photographer. It was wonderful to hear his tails of flamenco! The pictures are fabulous!
Flamenco Project. Una ventana a la vision extranjera 1960 1985

Yoga Stretch and The Weight Room

2011-02-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday morning I got to sub a yoga stretch class at Longfellow Fitness. I had a great group of women who really enjoyed themselves and we all had a great stretch together. I talked a lot about abs and how these women being older had trouble doing crunches etc. to get to their abs, so I suggested that they "bring their anus to their belly button" throughout the work out and in that they would be using their deep abdominal muscles without crunching. They loved the idea!

Thank you for a great time, ladies!

After yoga, I hit the weight room again. Rob, honey, this is for you...

1. SQUAT: bar +20lbs. 15 reps; +40lbs 12 reps; +60 10 reps

2. LUNGES: holding 15's 40 across the room

3. EXTENSIONS (back to back with curls) 55lbs 12 reps; 70lbs. 10 reps; 85 8 reps

4. CURLS: 40lbs 12 reps; 50lbs. 10 reps; 60lbs. 8 reps

5. BENCH : +20lbs. 15 reps; +40 lbs. 8 reps; +45lbs. 6 reps

6. INCLINE BENCH: +10lbs. 15 reps; +20lbs. 10 reps; +30lbs. 7 reps

7. BUTTERFLY: 50lbs. 12 reps; 60lbs. 8 reps; 70lbs. 6 reps

8. LAT PULL DOWNS: 70lbs. 12 reps; 82.5lbs. 8 reps; 90lbs. 6 reps

9. UNDER-GRIP LAT PULL DOWNS: 75 lbs. 10 reps; 80lbs. 8 reps; 82.5lbs. 6 reps.

10. ROWS 60lbs. 12 reps; 75lbs. 8 reps; 90 lbs. 6 reps

11. SHOULDER PRESS (with bar) 30lbs. 15 reps; 40lbs. 12 reps; 50lbs. 10reps

That took about an hour and fifteen minutes. No real pain this week, though, but I feel good! Sticking strong to my new life-style diet. No fat and lots of salad! And sprouted wheat breads.

Little Bodies, Big Souls

2011-02-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

You are invited to submit a chapter for inclusion in the book, "Little Bodies, Big Souls." This book is looking for a full range of stories that include the theme of how your yoga and/or meditation practice has had an effect with a relationship with a child or how your participation in children's yoga has had a tangible effect. We are interested in how you've been able to take your yoga practice off the mat and apply the yogic principles to everyday life and relationships. We are looking for funny, serious, life lessons, and/or heart-warming stories. The story can be either adult or child focused. Think of this book along the line of Chicken Soup is Good for Soul® type of story. Please click on LittleBodiesBigSouls.com for submission guidelines and information or email us at info@LittleBodiesBigSouls.com

If you have a studio/store and would be willing to place a flier you can download it here. http://www.littlebodiesbigsouls.com/bigsouls/Downloads.aspx

All chosen authors will have their biographical information printed and it is a great way to promote your studio/business or interests as well.

Little Bodies Big Souls – stories from yoga and children that will heal your life.

The Heat Is On!

2011-02-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

Today, at my 9AM yoga class at Longfellow Fitness in Natick, MA, I brought the flow on. The room was heated to a delicious 85 degrees and I had a great group of yoginis joining me. I was greatly inspired last week by my "Align Your Flow" class with Natasha Rizopolous and using this inspiration as I led my flow class that had attention to alignment and focused on the breath and each and every person's edge. It was satisfying to explain the nuances in the feet positions, alignment of the shoulders, the lift in the upper back by dropping the rhomboids to the hips and lifting at the seratus...

In honor of Valentine's Day, I started today's class with a cross heart kriya from the Kundalini practice of yoga. This meditation allows you to work both sides of the brain and also to rid yourself of old baggage and open new pathways for success in your life.

I am seeking the yoga teacher I will become. She is in here and she is emerging.

Another great thing about teaching yoga at Longfellow is I have use of their weight room. I have not lifted for years (about 15) but the feeling is coming right back to me. I used to bench 135 pounds at The Gold's in Boston. I love the feeling you get from lifting; I had forgotten how much I love it. With my tunes blasting in my ears (Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, EPMD, yes I had a Rap and hip-hop sound track today), I couldn't help but get a pump going on!

For the love of my life, Rob, I post my workout, because he is going to have to listen to my moans and groans when everything hurts tomorrow. I have to admit, I am still stumbling for the right weights to lift.The form is there, but I am unsure where I want to take this...

1. SQUAT: bar (too light) too many reps; +20lbs. 15 reps; +40lbs 10 reps
2. LUNGES: holding 12.5's about 20 on both sides
3. EXTENSIONS (back to back with curls) 40lbs 12 reps; 55lbs 10 reps; 70lbs. 8 reps
4. CURLS: 20lbs (too light) 15 or more reps; 30lbs. 15 reps; 40lbs. ?
5. BENCH (backed with incline bench): +10lbs. 15 reps; +20 lbs. 12 reps; +30lbs. 8 reps
6. INCLINE BENCH: +10lbs. 10 reps; +15lbs. 10 reps; +20lbs. 7 reps
7. BUTTERFLY: 45lbs. 12 reps; 60lbs. 7 reps; 65lbs. 7 reps
8. LAT PULL DOWNS: 60lbs. 12 reps; 75lbs. 8 reps; 90lbs. 6 reps
9. UNDER-GRIP LAT PULL DOWNS:45 lbs. 15 reps; 60lbs. 10 reps; 75lbs. 7 reps.
I did not get to do Rows, ran out of time. I had to head to Runkle School in Brookline to deliver 3-20 minute Yoga-Snacks! I love teaching yoga. I love yoga. Life is great!

Flamenco at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield CT

2011-02-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

Family Art Adventures: Capturing Movement in Portrait Form! Learn how to combine dance and drawing at a unique workshop

Yesterday, my close friend, associate and artist Elizabeth Taylor and I traveled to the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield CT to bring flamenco and drawing to their on-going series of Family Art Adventures. We had a wonderful group of about 35 adults and children who leaned about the spine and movement through yoga, dance and drawing. We explored different ways to make sounds in flamenco (i.e. stamping, clapping, snapping, saying "ole"); I demonstrated the Sevillanas (while playing my castanets); we talked about the form while both standing and while engaged in movement; we explored shapes of a fan (a line to a triangle to a half circle); we danced rumbas all together (the kids had costumes and props to use supplied by the museum) and we drew!

What a wonderful and refreshing day. The art room was full of joy, light and inspiration. A big shout out to Audrey and Clara for dancing and expressing themselves so beautifully ¡OLE!

The Aldrich is a fabulous gem of a museum. There were numerous current shows that I throroughly enjoyed: James Esber: Your Name HEre; Hope Gangloff: Love Letters; KAWS: Caompanion Passing Through; Robert Taplin: Selections From The Punch Series 2005-2010 and Timothy White: Portraits. Also, one permanent installation is a pinhole camera that you can enter inside. It is very cool! I reccomend paying a visit. The town of Ridgefield is very quaint. We ate at Fifty Coins Restaurant- a great place for the whole family!

Thank you to Tori Reimann, Head of Youth & Family Programs, for the fabulous opportunity! And thank you to my dear husband Rob and our son, Anthony, for driving us and being such great, supportive people!