Winter-Spring 2014 Youth Flamenco & Yoga Classes with Eve Costarelli

Winter-Spring 2014 Youth Flamenco & Yoga Classes with Eve Costarelli

Mondays:
Youth Yoga (Ages 8+)
4:30-5:30PM
Open Spirit, 39 Edwards St., Framingham, MA 
Wednesdays:
Youth Flamenco (Ages 5-16)
4:00-5:00PM (Ages 5-10) Level 1
5:00-6:00PM (Ages 11-16) Level 2
Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA 
Thursdays:
Youth Yoga (Ages 8-14)
3:00-4:00PM (please call to inquire 617-566-9642)
DownUnder Yoga, 1052 Beacon St., Brookline 
Youth Flamenco (ages 4-12)
4:30-5:15PM (Ages 4-7)
5:15-6:15PM (Ages 8-12)
*Brookline Location TBD; please call or email to inquire: 617-5216-1643; AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com

• Bring The Birth of Flamenco to your school or community event. Discover the fiery art of Flamenco, a creation of the Roma (or Gypsies) who fused dance from Spaniards, music from the Moors and song from Sephardic Jews. Through movement, music and words, Eve Costarelli traces the origins of this emotive form from India to Andalusia. In addition to Flamenco’s rich history, students will learn about compás (rhythm) tacaneo (footwork) and the communication between dancer and guitarist. They’ll join in the performance using palmas (clapping rhythms) and jaleo (calls) and volunteers will be called upon to learn a few moves!
  
  Please contact Jason Rabin at Young Audiences of Massachusetts for more information and scheduling questions. Workshops available. scheduling@yamass.org or call 617-629-9262 
• Eve is available for private/semi private/ family lessons, birthday parties for all ages, performances.

Contact Eve Costarelli 617-216-1643 or AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com; www.AlwaysBeDancing.com

Yoga and Flamenco: Feeling the yoga body in your flamenco

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.

A simple yoga sequence to help teenagers stand up taller

Teenagers are notorious slumpers. They then grow up to be slump shouldered adults. Help your teen lift up and feel the broad chest and broad back, the heaqvy tail bones so the back is neither overly concave or convex, the neck is long, the shoulders are open and relaxed...

Here is a short and simple yoga sequence to help teenagers out of "slump mode":

1. Lie on back, with feet on floor (This is called Constructive Rest). Starting on the right side, bend the right arm and slide the lower arm under the lower back, so that the  fingers of that hand can be seen on the opposite side of the body. Now simply breath in and out. Roll your spine up and down, pressing the bent arm into the floor a bit and then releasing. This is a gentle stretch for the front of the shoulder.Repeat on left side.

2. Now back to Constructive Rest. With the shoulders on the floor, allow both knees to drop off to the right side. Beathr. Then repeat on left side. Breath.

3. Next bring both knees into chest and hug them in. Breath.

4. Roll over to Child's Pose. This i s a great starter stretch for the back. breath.

5. Put hands on floor, by knees and curl toes under. Press up into Standing Child's Pose. This is basically a forward bend, but the knees are bent so that the abdomen and possibly ribs can lay on top of the thighs. THi8s gives a great stretch for the back. Feel you tail bones heavy and feel your front draping.

6. Standing. Place a beanbag on the top of the head, not for balance, but to allow the head to be up, the chest to be lifted, the shoulders are relaxed. The tailbones are heavy so that back is in neutral. Walk around. breath.


  

Pineal Gland & Melatonin

To my friends who are parents of teens:

During teen years, melatonin in pineal gland kicks in two hours later than any other stage of life. This is why teens sleep so much!

The pineal gland synthesizes and secretes melatonin, a structurally simple hormone that communicates information about environmental lighting to various parts of the body. Ultimately, melatonin has the ability to entrain biological rhythms and has important effects on reproductive function of many animals. The light-transducing ability of the pineal gland has led some to call the pineal the "third eye".

Breathing in, I smile to my heart. Breathing out, I release all tension in my heart

My intention for the next 30 days is to meditate for 20 minutes a day and see where that brings me. I have no expectations, just the desire to do so.

If you meditate for only twenty minutes a day you can achieve deep relaxation.Deep relaxation is a wonderful chance to allow our bodies to rest. When our body is at ease and relaxed, our mind will also be calm and at peace. The practice of deep relaxation is a very important tool to allow our bodies and minds to heal.

Deep relaxation has specific characteristics (as defined by Herbert Benson).

If You Meditate You Will:

•Decrease in heart rate
•Decrease in respiration rate
•Decrease in skeletal muscle tension
•Decrease in metabolic rate and oxygen consumption
•Decrease in analytic thinking
•Increase in skin resistance
•Increase in alpha wave activity in the brain

Meditating for 20 minutes a day, over time, can lead to a generalized feeling of relaxation in many areas of one's life.

Some of the benefits of deep relaxation are (Bourne, 1995):

*reduction of generalized anxiety
*preventing stress from building up
*increased energy and productivity
*improved concentration and memory
*reduction of insomnia and fatigue
*increased self-confidence and reduced self-blame
*increased availablity of feeling
*prevention and/or reduction of psychosomatic disorders such as hypertension, migraines, headaches, asthma, ulcers...