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Powerful Portfolios: Celebrate Your Greatness & Catalyze Action

This month I am celebrating Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, and self-proclaimed “Self-Love Month.” In order to love who we are, we have to first learn about who that is, then accept what we find and make the most of it. I have found that creating a “Powerful Portfolio” of my personal strengths, preferences, and history of success has been a wonderful resource on my path of self-discovery and achievement. It really gives me a boost when I need it!

Powerful Portfolios to Celebrate Your Greatness video on my YouTube Channel

In addition to the video above and this blog, I explored this topic in Podcast “037: Powerful Portfolios & Loving Who You Are.” Each of these media depicts and reinforces the theme a little differently. Which ways do you like learning best: reading, watching videos, or listening to podcasts? I find that I can fit in different media types at different times of day- I can listen to podcasts while moving around, watch videos while taking breaks, and read articles when I’m at my computer.

Resume-writing started relatively early for me as a performing artist, and I always kept mine updated with my latest performances, during my MFA program this was also emphasized, as it is very important in academia to keep a dossier of your accomplishments to help in applying for positions, promotion, tenure, grants, etc. I have long enjoyed seeing joyful milestones accumulate in my CV.

But the idea of a “Powerful Portfolio” that I’m talking about today, goes much deeper than the sorts of outward accomplishments that others will be impressed with, and can include personal talents, strengths, values, passions, goals…anything we find inspiring and want to return to when we need a reminder of who we are. 

As James Flaherty describes in Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others**, in the coaching relationship, this process of learning about the client is called Assessment, and it is through this process that, “First, the level of the client’s competency is assessed. Second, the coach assesses the structure of interpretation of the client. Finally, the coach takes time to study the array of relationships, projects, and practices that make up the life of the client.” p.43 […] “That is, the coach must have a general sense of the way the client is in and makes sense of the world.” p.44 If this is true of a coaching relationship, it is all the more valuable for our relationship to ourselves, but it can prove challenging to have perspective on our own qualities. 

In his book, Launch Your Life, Morgan Rich explains how we can come to know and appreciate our unique qualities and preferences: “Who you are is a combination of how your brain works and what is in your heart and your body. When you Know Yourself, you understand that you are okay just the way you are. You will always continue to expand who you are and what you know, and you get to decide what is best for you and what you care about.” (p. 139) 

Rich recommends assembling a tool as you learn about your strengths and preferences: “While you build your Know Yourself, it will be helpful to capture the things you learn about yourself in the Powerful Portfolio part of your Play Huge Notebook. This can be a collection of pictures, words, poems, quotes, music, or whatever else will keep you connected to your Know Yourself and on the path of the Real You.” (p.160)

I love how many forms this can take, as it could be a notebook, file, collage, Pinterest board, audio file, jar… Mine is a binder, with articles, notes, goals, statements of purpose, resume and CV, thank-you notes from students and feedback from clients and colleagues, letters of recommendation, current projects, long-term goals, transcripts, certificates, mission and vision statements, inspiring quotes and music, and more as well as an annual digital (Google Doc & Evernote) running list of accomplishments, as shared in my 2020 End-of-Year Reflection blog.  

Rich suggests a few places to start when it comes to learning about your abilities and interests and collecting them in your Powerful Portfolio, including:

  • Learning Styles assessments – Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic (p.144-6) 
  • Multiple Intelligences theory – Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Logical/Mathematical, Linguistic, Musical, Bodily/Kinesthetic, Natural, Spatial… (p.147-9) 
  • Brain Dominance Tendency – Left and Right (p.149-50), 
  • Values (p.154, Values Clarification Exercise p.170), and I will link another resource on understanding values below
  • Passions (p.155, 171)
  • Talents (p.155, 171)
  • Rejuvenation or what makes you feel alive (p.156, 171)

I appreciate that Rich acknowledges that there are many many ways to understand ourselves, and helps us prioritize where to start so that we can take action without getting overwhelmed by the options, providing the caveat: “Remember the metrics I have chosen–learning styles, the multiple intelligences, and brain dominance–are ones I have found to be useful and meaningful over my years of working with people. If you have other measures that you find to be congruent with your way of being, then use those […] There are many sophisticated systems that will give you similar, but different, assessments of how you understand the world. I have found that these can be useful at a later stage of the Upward Spiral.” (p.163-4)

The Minimalists’ “How to Understand Your Values” article classifies values into Foundational, Structural, Surface, and Imaginary categories, a distinction I find helpful in understanding their importance to us and role in our lives, as well as for facilitating discussion with loved ones.  The MInimalists also provide a free Values Worksheet download to support you in understanding your personal values. I will probably write again about the distinction between our true values (those deeply-held pillars of our identity) and our apparent values that others can observe from the outside and how these may be aligned or drastically different… 

This is a journey of personal discovery, and ultimately no one else can tell you what is going to be most important and valuable to you: “You will have to figure out which of these ideas work best for you and which don’t work at all. The whole concept of Know Yourself is that you figure out a way you understand the world so you can powerfully create the life you want.” (p.158)

By way of a brainstorm, other places you may find inspiration to add to your Powerful Portfolio might be:

  • Some of those sophisticated tests that Rich mentions include the Meyers-Briggs (MBTI), Strengthsfinder, Enneagram, The Four Tendencies, etc.
  • I highly encourage you to add a “Love File” to your Powerful Portfolio, which is a tool I originally learned from colleague Kate Prael while working for Whitman College Admissions. The idea is to collect thank-yous, positive feedback, and nice notes into a file to look at when you need a pick-me-up, renewed energy, and reinforcement that you’re doing a good job and to keep going
  • I also enjoy an unofficial Accomplishments List to remind me of my hard work, persistence, and past results, to celebrate achieving intended objectives, mark milestones. It’s nice to have a place to go beyond what is listed in “professional” forums and go ahead and include EVERYTHING I’m proud of and would like to remember when I could use a boost
  • It may also be a helpful place to store lists of Needs & Conditions of Satisfaction (for life, relationship, career…)
  • Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Goals and Projects may find a place within the Powerful Portfolio as we look to the future and reflect on our past
  • Results Tracking towards objectives & habits get down into the nitty-gritty of daily steps towards those big dreams and goals

I keep my Powerful Portfolio handy to remind me of my strengths, attractive qualities, purpose in life, valuable experiences, notes of appreciation, things that bring me joy, sources of inspiration, the ways I have been strong and learned important lessons in the past, and the dreams and visions I hold for the future. At dark or discouraged times, it can make a big difference!

Do you keep something like a “Powerful Portfolio” to celebrate your strengths and accomplishments, or do you plan to start? Send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page and tell me about it! ablythecoach.com

Blythe Stephens
she/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
move through life with balance, grace, & power

** This blog is not sponsored. Amazon Affiliate links potentially give me a percentage of the purchase price.

Art & Architecture of Arabesque

“These are very charming poses, which doubtless owe their inspiration to antique painting and sculpture. The name arabesque applied to the flowing ornament of Moorish invention is exactly suited to express those graceful lines which are their counterpart in the art of dancing.” – Cyril W. Beaumont and Stanislas Idzikowski in The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** p.31

Pique arabesque from “Blue Green” at UH Manoa

I’m excited to share one of my favorite ballet shapes with you in this blog and accompanying videos, including definitions of arabesque from major schools of ballet, instructions for executing first arabesque, explanation of how the various arabesques differ, as well as suggestions to help strengthen posture, technique, flexibility, and balance to create exquisite classical lines.

Whether you just want to appreciate balletic shapes while watching dance in  performance, you want to try your first arabesque, or you’re looking to improve your execution of this gorgeous shape, I’ve got something for you in this blog and recommended resources for further learning!

My video on Arabesque theory and practice, also called “Architecture of Arabesque”
What is a balletic arabesque?

As Beaumont and Idzikowski intimate above, “Arab-esque” refers to appealing lines, both in terms of architectural flourishes and in said lines coursing through the body of a ballet dancer. 

Technically speaking, they describe the dynamic shape in this way: “An arabesque is made by supporting the body on one leg, which can be straight or demi plié, while the other is extended in a straight line at right angles to it. The arms are disposed in harmony with the lines made by the legs.” (The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** p.31) 

Thus the leg we stand on can be either bent or straight, but the leg stretched behind us is absolutely straight, while the arms and orientations can greatly vary, as Agrippina Vaganova emphasizes in Basic Principles of Classical Ballet**: “The arabesque is one of the basic poses in contemporary classical ballet. If in attitude the leg is bent, or half-bent, in arabesque it must always be fully extended. The forms of the arabesque are varied to infinity.” (p. 56)

The extended rear leg can differ greatly in terms of its height, as Eliza Gaynor Minden describes in The Ballet Companion**: “The working leg–always long and stretched–may range in height from arabesque à terre, in which the working toes touch the floor, to a ‘6 o’clock’ arabesque penchée in which the upper body leans forward to allow the working foot to point straight up to the ceiling.” (p.98)

Supported 2nd arabesque penchee in the studio at NCSA

Beaumont and Idzikowski agree with Vaganova about the unlimited diversity of such a pose, and further explain its use in choreography: “It is obvious that such positions are capable of infinite variation for the slightest displacement of either foot or either arm at once produces a new pose. […] Choreographically considered, arabesques are usually introduced to conclude a phrase of steps, both in the slow movements titled Adage and in the sparkling vivacious movements grouped under Allegro.”  (The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** p.31-2)

Arabesque with arms en haut at home in Kailua-Kona, HI
Technique and alignment of arabesque

So we know that we’re standing on one leg, with the other behind us, but how do we maintain grace and balance in such a shape? Of course the whole ballet class builds support for such shapes, but further we need to keep in mind as Beaumont and Idzikowski remind us, that “The essence of a good arabesque is the correct disposition of the weight of the body, which should be neither too far forwards nor too far backwards.” (The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** p.31)

Gaynor Minden describes how the body must respond as the leg is raised above the ground, while maintaining engagement and control: “The pelvis tips to allow the leg to rise above 45 degrees, and the shoulders must move forward as well, but the back is strong and arched at all times. The working hip resists opening until the height of the working leg requires it. The upper back from the bust up is always upright and slightly arched. Be careful not to let the ribs protrude or the shoulders to hunch forward.” (The Ballet Companion** p.98)

How schools of ballet define arabesques differently

Gaynor Minden describes the varying approaches to theory of naming the various arabesque forms according to school, as well as providing diagrams of the different shapes and their numbers: “The major training systems differentiate between arabesques in different ways. The French school considers orientation: which leg is raised relative to the audience. R.A.D. and Bournonville consider the positions of the arms; Cecchetti does, too, and adds variations facing a corner with a bent supporting leg (4th and 5th arabesques). The Soviet system incorporates both orientation and port de bras.” (The Ballet Companion** p.98)

Here I’m performing first arabesque on a rock in SE Oregon
How to do First Arabesque

Vaganova includes a very specific and helpful description of how the first in the series of arabesques is performed: “The body rests on one leg. The other, extended and straight, is lifted from the ground to an angle of no less than ninety degrees. The feet are in position effacé. The arm opposite to the lifted leg is extended forward, the other one is taken out to the side. The hands are held palms down as if leaning on the air. The body is inclined forward. The head is in profile to the audience, as is the entire figure. The shoulders are level, as in all arabesques. The deciding factor in the arabesque is the back. Only by holding it well can one produce a beautiful line.” (Basic Principles of Classical Ballet** p. 56, bold emphasis mine)

Beaumont and Idzikowski provide further instruction on the use of the upper body and arms: “Note that the shoulders are held square to the line of direction and that the extremity of the hand placed in the fourth position front must always be in a line with the center of the space between the eyes. The arm extended in the fourth position back is disposed in the same line, according to the theory of Port de Bras.” (The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** p.31)

In the book Ballet Pedagogy**, Rory Foster provides a diagram that I often share with my students, which clearly shows “Placement in arabesque, showing the correct counterbalance of the working leg, torso, and arms in relation to the center of gravity and over the base of support. Notice how the arabesque is visually, and aesthetically, balanced.” (p.61)

An early arabesque performance photo, as Clara in “The Nutcracker”
Test your equilibrium

Once you’ve got the basic shape set up, Beaumont and Idzikowski suggest a way to determine if you are holding the body correctly: “A simple method of determining whether the body is correctly placed, is to pass the raised foot forwards and step on it. If the weight is correctly disposed, the body will remain in equilibrium, whereas, if the back is too arched or the chest thrown too far forwards, the body will fall backwards or forwards respectively.” (The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** p.31)

Of course we must learn to gracefully transition in and out of arabesque as well!

Developing flexibility, strength, and balance for arabesque

By now we see that although arabesque is a “basic” ballet position, there is a lot that going into effectively using the shape in our dancing. We require an understanding of the technical and anatomical theory, core and back strength, flexibility in the back and hips, stability and balance, and lots of practice using arabesque in dancing. The following are targeted training for each of these areas, and of course I will continue to offer more in the future.

To learn more about basic ballet body positions theory & spatial ideas:

“Planes of Space & the Body” Video
“Ballet Orientations of the Body” Video

To practice ballet body positions and creating lines while dancing: 

“Ebullient Battement & Passe” Video
“Ballet Centre Tendu” Video
“Articulate Adage” Video

For developing core and back strength and balance:

“Planking Pleasures” Video 
“Oh Wow! Cat Cow” Video
“Winning at Warrior III” Video, which is NEW this week!
“New Year, New Yoga Flow” Video

For developing leg strength and stability:

“Happy Knees Stability Yoga” Video
“Luscious Lunges” Video 
“Scrumptious Squats” Video 

For developing Upper-body strength and control:

“Ballet First Port de Bras” Video
“Ballet Second Port de Bras” Video
“Push It Up!” Video 
“Tasty Tricep Dips” Video

For developing hip and lower back flexibility:

“Intro to Hip Stretches” Video
…And soon to come, “Splendid Splits,” which will focus on lunges and variations on splits techniques appropriate for different starting flexibility levels 🙂

Send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page and tell me about your favorite ballet shapes, as well as technical and artistic questions!

Blythe Stephens
she/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
move through life with balance, grace, & power

** This blog is not sponsored. Amazon Affiliate links potentially give me a percentage of the purchase price.

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

Change in the Air: Out of Ruts, Into Action

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are happening, from the inauguration of a new president in the US, vaccinations coming out for the deadly pandemic that has swept the planet, a new calendar year, all of us having had to radically change our lives in some way, recently, if not in every way.

The change process is an area I’m glad to have become an expert in, over the course of the inevitable changes in my life as well as specific training I have  sought. Leaving home at 15 for ballet conservatory and a career in the performing arts, higher education and coaching, numerous moves (rooms, houses, states and countries), and many other life experiences have taught me how to navigate, even enjoy, change. 

Snowy train tracks in Cologne, Germany
Ready or not, here it comes

It can be uncomfortable, sometimes even harrowing, but an unavoidable part of life nonetheless. We are all faced with changes, involuntary and chosen. I would argue that unless we can learn to ride the waves of change, we can’t revel in the ups and downs of life.

Often change comes to greet us whether we like it or not, even tragically in the moment, and we have to summon all of our resources to get through. 

Sometimes we crave and need change, because we are stuck in a block of inaction or in a rut of ineffective action.

In either case, I am here to help you find clarity, powerful action, transformation and joy! Today I’m sharing about the process of change from the books Making Connections** by Peggy Hackney and The Creative Habit** by Twyla Tharp, and I also use tools from The Artist’s Way** and Accomplishment Coaching, among other sources. And, I offer coaching sessions with yours truly in order to launch these processes into action.

Achieving Goals is a Process of Change

I am struck by how in expounding on Bartenieff Movement Fundamentals, Hackney connects the process of changing our fundamental movement patterns with the process of change in life, especially in that we need to “Remember that achieving our goals is a process of change,” and there are a number of “Steps in the Change Process:” 

  1. Notice what you are already doing.
  2. Accept what you are doing and how it serves you.
  3. Know what it is that you want to do, your intent.
  4. Clarify your intent even further (use imagery, work from movement principles, let your whole body be involved in the movement, tune-in to your own emotional feelings as you move, work with the space around you)
  5. Give yourself a lot of time and many different situations in which to practice your new pattern.
  6. Know that change is a process. “It will be ongoing. Change may surprise you! Many times the first reaction to a new way of moving or an absence of tension is a kind of shock and a feeling of residual tensions in other body parts (sometimes even pain in the area which had been holding tension). This is often a part of the process. You might want to check with your Fundamentals Practitioner if you are concerned.” (Making Connections** p.24-6)

If you’re interested in the nitty-gritty of clarifying your intent, I go into those details in Podcast 036: Change Your Movement Patterns, Improve Your Technique.

Blocks, Ruts, & Grooves

Twyla Tharp explains the distinction between finding one’s groove and being stuck blocked or in a rut:

“A rut is when you’re spinning your wheels and staying in place; the only progress you make is in digging yourself a deeper rut. A groove is different. The wheels turn and you move forward effortlessly… A rut is not writer’s block (or any other creative block). When you’re in a rut, at least you know your motor is running. Writer’s block means your engine has shut down and the tank is empty. Being blocked is most often a failure of nerves, with only one solution: Do something–anything.” (The Creative Habit** p.185)

Tharp further distinguishes, “Dealing with ruts is a three-step process of seeing, believing, and repairing […] First you have to see the rut […] Second, admit you’re in a rut. This is harder than it sounds. It requires an admission that you’ve made a mistake […] The third step is getting out of the rut. This is the hard part. Knowing and admitting a problem are not the same as solving it. But executing a solution is also the fun part, because the solution saves you and gets you moving again.” (The Creative Habit** p.188-9)

Coaching to Catalyze Positive Change

So in order to create the positive changes we want for our lives, we need to see the reality of what has happened and will happen if we continue on the same course, and change our context and actions to create the change we wish for. This sort of transformation is possible through radical support. 

Coaching is a potent tool when you know you seek change and have some sense of what you want to create, but you would like support in the how of being who you need to be to do what it takes to make it happen. We can coach ourselves to a degree, an accountability buddy and awareness of our other personal resources goes a long way too, and working with a personal coach can also be a game-changer. Schedule a complimentary coaching session using my Calendly Calendar here to identify your powerful Essence, design a Project Plan, or recover from a Breakdown in one of your goals or projects. This can be a one-time session to help you understand coaching and make progress, or you may decide that ongoing coaching could be for you or someone you know. No pressurized sales here, I just want to be here to hear about what you dream of accomplishing and help it become real!

Related Resources
I implement intentional change in my life with the help of my bullet journal, and in this video I set up this year’s spreads and then walk through January

In a related A Blythe Coach Podcast from 2020, 019: Tourner – turning, rotation, & creative U-turns – Classical Ballet Technique in theory & practice, I also quote Julia Cameron, who in The Artist’s Way** explains, “In dealing with our creative U-turns, we must first of all extend ourselves some sympathy. Creativity is scary, and in all careers there are U-turns. Sometimes these U-turns are best viewed as recycling times. We come up to a creative jump, run out from it like a skittish horse, then circle the field a few times before trying the fence again…A successful creative career is always built on successful creative failures.”

Podcasts 009: Resilience, 031: Healthy Habit-Building, 032: Theme, Vision, and Project Planning for 2021, 034: Goal-Setting for Dancers (& Humans) and this week’s, 036: Change Your Movement Patterns, Improve Your Technique, also discuss related themes, as does the Healthy Habit-Building YouTube Video.

For a bit of fun, I also created a “Change in the Air Music” playlist on Spotify, with tracks where the music changes over the course of the song, and others around themes of change, lyrically or rhythmically. More to come on time in an upcoming blog about time as an Element of Dance!

What changes have you made and experienced so far this year? Send me a message or click over to the @ABlytheCoach on Facebook to share the transformation you’re creating.

Blythe Stephens
She/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
move through life with balance, grace, & power

** This blog is not sponsored. Amazon Affiliate links potentially give me a percentage of the purchase price.

Truths About Turnout

Turnout, external rotation from the hips, duck-walking ballet dancers…what does it all mean? Why is this “turnout” so important in classical ballet?

A controversial topic indeed, here I discuss the myths, the function, technique tips from leading pedagogues, and how to build strength and flexibility to optimize this capacity in the body and expand our dance technique and functional movement.

This is the video version of today’s blog, with theory for the first 11 minutes, and experiential exercises following

History

According to dance historians, turnout has been a distinguishing quality of ballet dancing since it’s courtly origins. As I am, in the words of one of my mentors, Betsy Fisher, not a “guru of dance,” I like to rely on a variety of primary and expert sources in my exploration and sharing of ballet. 

In The Ballet Companion**, Eliza Gaynor Minden describes the history of external rotation thus: “Ballet dancers have been turned out since the time of ballet de cour, well before the days of ear-high developpes. Turnout enables the dancer to move easily from side to side, to jump, and to pose without ever turning away from the audience. Dancers have always believed that it looks better that way. Back in the days of court dancing, women wore huge, concealing skirts, but men showed their well-formed legs in elegant silk hose. Turnout displayed those handsome calf muscles to better advantage.” (p.80)

In Ballet Pedagogy**, Rory Foster underscores the essential nature of external rotation to classical ballet and the importance that ballet dancers develop their turnout to the degree they are able:  “The movement vocabulary of classical ballet is designed to be performed utilizing the outward rotation of the legs, or turnout. While certain steps can be accomplished with little turnout, more complex steps cannot. Technically and aesthetically, classical steps will not have the correct and desired look unless they are done with an adequate degree of rotation” (p.73-4)

Dispelling turnout myths

I have seen far too many children and those new to ballet cranking their feet around, twisting their ankles and knees into a grotesquely turned-out and frankly dangerous shape incapable of generating any balletic movement, in an effort to mimic the perceived forms of ballet while grossly ignorant of the function of these forms, so it’s clear that misunderstanding of turnout is widespread.

More Ballet theory, focused on directions of rotation, en dedans and en dehors

Following her discussion of turning and rotation theory (which I also describe in my “Ravishing Rond de Jambe” and “Tourner” videos), Agrippina Vaganova explains that, “The conception of en dehors also defines the turned-out position of the leg accepted in classical ballet. People who know nothing about classical ballet tell all sorts of false and nonsensical things about turnout. Therefore I shall explain the origin of turn-out in detail, borrowing some terms from anatomy.” (Basic Principles of Classical Ballet** p.24) I shall do so below as well, citing Vaganova, Cecchetti Technique, and others as well as my own experience.

Range of Motion

To me, turnout is mainly a means to greater movement possibility, and therefore greater articulation and artistic possibilities. Indeed, Gaynor Minden describes how, “Turnout is what enables a dancer to raise the leg elegantly to the side without displacing the hips or torso. Try to do this without turning out and you’ll find that when your leg reaches waist height, your hips become uneven and your alignment is lost. Turnout facilitates everything you do in ballet, and batterie would be quite impossible without it: absent good turnout the heels get in the way of the beats.” (The Ballet Companion** p.80) 

Vaganova also describes how turnout out the leg allows much greater extension of the working leg skyward to the side: “In the normal position, the movements of the legs are limited by the build of the joint between the pelvis and the hip. As the leg is extended, the hip-neck meets the brim of the acetabulum and further movement is impossible. But if the leg is turned out en dehors, the big trochanter recedes, and the brim of the acetabulum meets the side flat-surface of the hip-neck. This allows the leg to be extended to an angle of 90 degrees and even 135 degrees.” (Basic Principles of Classical Ballet** p.24)

But really, try it! In the “Truths About Turnout” Video (starting at 11:27 after the theoretical introduction and literature review also included in this blog), I demonstrate the difference in my range of motion in parallel and using my turnout and even when I’m not warmed up, it’s pretty dramatic! 

The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** agrees that in terms of training the legs of dancing, rotation is critical: “In the management of your legs, your chief concern must be to acquire a facility of turning them well outwards. Therefore your hips must be free so that your thighs move with ease and your knees turn well outwards. By this means the openings of your legs are rendered easy and graceful.” (p.23) 

I think the benefits of turnout are made even more clear in the footnotes: “The turning outwards of the legs from the hips provides the dancer with a wide space-line, develops his stability, and enables him to attempt to do a number of difficult movements otherwise impossible.” (The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet** footnote 2 p.23)

Vaganova also describes the spatial effects and vital nature of this facility: “The turn-out enlarges the field of action of the leg to the proportions of the obtuse cone which the leg describes in the grand rond de jambe[…] This is the importance of training the legs of a classical dancer in strict en dehors. It is not an aesthetic conception but a professional necessity. The dancer without turn-out is limited in her movements, while a classical dancer possessing a turn-out is in command of all conceivable richness of dance movement in the legs.” (Basic Principles of Classical Ballet** p.24)

Anatomy of rotation from the hip joint

To better understand how rotation affects the anatomy of the hip joint to create range of movement, I recommend taking a look at a good illustration, such as those in The Anatomy Coloring Book** (p.37+) or Anatomy of Hatha Yoga** (p.139, 146+), or better yet, a video. I found several by other creators on YouTube that might be useful, including a super-quick 20-second “Hip Joint Range of Movement” video, one-minute “Hip Joint 3D Anatomy Tutorial” video, and thorough 6-minute “Hip Muscle Movement” video.

Vaganova explains the significance of turnout: “The turn-out is an anatomical necessity for every theatrical dance, which embraces the entire volume of  movement conceivable for the legs, and which cannot be accomplished without turn-out […] The foot turns outward together with the knee; this is a consequence and, to a certain degree, an auxiliary movement. The aim of the turn-out is to turn out the upper part of the leg, the hip-bone. The result of the turn-out is freedom of movement in the hip joint. The leg can be more easily extended and crossed with the other leg.” (Basic Principles of Classical Ballet** p.24)

Rory Foster warns that some anatomical limitations are absolute and must be respected: “Turnout originates in the hip joint. The angle of the upper thigh (femoral neck) and the directional opening of the hip socket (acetabulum) play a major role in determining the allowable degree of turnout. Some students have a skeletal structure that allows little or no rotation, and no amount of stretching will significantly alter their ability for turnout.” (Ballet Pedagogy** p.73-4)

Technique and alignment

How shall we visualize and execute turnout to properly use our own range of motion? Gaynor-Minden says that we can make the most of what we have: “Proper turnout starts deep in the hip socket and continues all the way down the leg to the knee, ankle, and foot. Led by the inner-thigh muscles, the entire leg rotates. A few lucky dancers have a full 180-degree turnout, but it’s possible to dance well with less. Work fully with what you have–your imperfect turnout properly used looks better than perfect turnout on someone who can’t control it. You can and should stretch gently to help open your hips.” (The Ballet Companion** p.80)

Foster reminds us that “Alignment of turned-out legs, thigh/knee/lower leg/foot, must be maintained in order to avoid injury, particularly to the knee,” but he provides a caveat for young advanced and pre-professional students only: “A 180 degree rotation rarely, if ever, happens completely from the thigh and hip joint, especially in third and fifth positions. Rotation of the front thigh in fifth position is usually 60 degrees to 70 degrees. The remaining rotation happens through the lower leg and rotation in the ankle, completing the look of 180 degrees in both legs.
This remaining rotation of the feet through the lower legs and ankles should not be encouraged with young children; their feet should maintain a straight alignment with the thighs and knees. As the student develops strength and flexibility in the feet and ankles, the fifth position adjustment can gradually be made to complete the correct finish of the turnout. At that time, careful attention should be paid to the fully turned out fifth position, making sure that the front foot does not pronate and roll in and that the knee is not twisted or strained.”   (Ballet Pedagogy** p.74-5)

For beginning and intermediate students of all ages, it is critical to develop proper alignment first, and carefully develop rotation, along with all strength and flexibility, over time.

Developing flexibility and strength for turnout

Foster explains in Ballet Pedagogy** how dancers learn to use the resistance of the floor and gravity to develop equal strength and rotation in both legs:  “Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that ‘for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.’ Dancers know this, experientially, better than most. Inorder to move, force must be exerted and met by equal resistance. This is constantly in play in all upright stationary and locomotor movement–the pushing force against the floor. Likewise, working the turnout must be done using oppositional fore–both legs simultaneously rotate outward in opposition to each other. Concentrating on the turnout in the working leg without engaging turnout in the supporting leg (emphasizing the top of the inner thigh) will not increase, strengthen, or stabilize the overall turnout.” (p.73-4)

All ballet exercises, starting with those at the barre, are designed to strengthen the ability to use rotation, including those done in all 5 of the basic foot positions such as plie, tendu, and rond de jambe. Check out my Ballet Barre playlist on YouTube for more examples of ways to develop your technique.

We strengthen and stretch the whole body while developing coordination through the dancing exercises, as well as practicing specific stretches before and after dancing to increase and maintain our flexibility. Of course, each dancer’s body is built differently, so we need to respect skeletal and physical realities while developing the greatest range possible. 

Foster underscores the importance of this work to young dancers, and the caution necessary: “Assuming there is no skeletal impediment to one’s turnout, developing as much flexibility in the part of the anatomy of the young dancer is as important as developing strength in the legs, feet, and torso. Ligaments bind bone to bone at the joints. The insertion of the femur into the pelvis is a ball-and-socket joint that is held by these strong ligaments. Unlike muscles, ligaments are tough and do not stretch easily. Care must be taken to gradually stretch them incrementally, not forcibly. Unlike muscle tissue, ligaments that are overly stretched will not return to their original length; therefore, it is important to simultaneously build supporting strength in the muscles (principally the rotators) that stabilize and have a direct relationship to the hip joint. Building strength and flexibility together should be accomplished through a balanced approach.”  (Ballet Pedagogy** p.73-4)

Hip Stretches

So what sorts of hip stretches are useful for ballet dancers and other athletes? Ideally, consult with a physical therapist or other medical professional to identify any risks and then proceed cautiously with your regimen. Self-knowledge and mindfulness, as well as patience, are key to incrementally and safely increasing range.

Here are some possible places to start when it comes to stretching the hips:

Intro to Hip Stretches presents several options, including reclining and seated poses
Pigeon Pose Cool Down makes a nice before or after dance hip-opening yoga practice
“6-Minute Hip Stretch for after ballet” Video is a quick post-barre stretch

Warnings

While each of these experts acknowledges the importance of turnout to dancers, they all also offer precautionary warnings to help dancers extend their careers and increase their abilities in a sustainable way. Gaynor Minden stresses: “Turnout should be carefully coaxed, never forced. Working in incorrect, overly turned-out positions can cause injury. Your knees are aligned directly over your toes at all times; position your feet accordingly and do not allow your knees to roll inward, especially when you plie.” (The Ballet Companion** p.80) She also offers the following additional reminders:

  • Turn out both legs equally at all times.
  • Don’t let the pelvis ‘tuck under’ in an effort to increase turnout.
  • It’s a rotation within the hips, not a clenching of the buttocks.
  • Don’t force your feet into a perfect toe-to-heel-heel-to-toe fifth position if it means the slightest compromise of straight knees or a properly placed pelvis.
  • Never force your feet to turn out in a plie and then try to straighten your legs–it could injure your knees. (The Ballet Companion** p.80)

Send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page to tell me about your experiences with turnout and your goals for range of motion and strength!

Blythe Stephens
She/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: Dance Education & Coaching
move through life with balance, grace, & power

** This blog is not sponsored. Amazon Affiliate links potentially give me a percentage of the purchase price.

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

Goal-Setting for Dancers

Having worked with hundreds of high school, college, adult and graduate students in ballet and modern dance classes, I have learned to balance the stated objectives of the dance course with the expectations and personal goals of the individual students. 

We all come to dance (or whatever artistic practices we pursue) for diverse reasons, and our intentions and desired results therefore also vary. One thing that we all share is that if we don’t have clearly-defined objectives, we have no chance of achieving them.

So, the first thing to do is for us to articulate what we are seeking in our dancing practice, and strategize how to accomplish that. This is helpful in any dancing context, and applies to other life practices as well.

Why write down our goals?

Research demonstrates a connection between formulating and writing down goals, learning, and accomplishing them. “The process of writing is a continual loop among the the hand (or body), eye, and brain, and ‘it marks a uniquely powerful multi-representational mode for learning’ (Emig 1977, 88).” (Writing about Dance** p.3)

The books Write it Down, Make it Happen** and The 5 Second Rule** both discuss the efficacy of recording our objectives in helping us fulfill them. Robbins states: “According to research by Dominican University of California psychology professor Dr. Gail Matthews, by simply writing down your goals, you are 42% more likely to achieve them. Having them written in my planner means that I’ll see them throughout the day and be reminded to act. Having the ‘why’ statement reminds me of why these goals are important and gives me an added push.” (The 5 Second Rule** p.137)

Pie charts for a former student, evaluating Personal and Physical areas for growth

How can I identify meaningful goals?

Goals with regard to dancing can fall into a couple general categories, including what is important to dancing, or general goals with regard to the topic, and what is important to me as a dancer, or personal goals. Once we have a history of training and performance, we can evaluate our “Glows & Grows” (from one of my mentors, Cheryl Treiber-Kawaoka), or strengths and weaknesses, on an ongoing basis. To get into action when we get stuck, we can ask ourselves: “What happened, what’s missing, what’s next?”

Psychology of Dance** provides pie charts for dancers to complete in order to identify areas of strength and weakness, evaluating them on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being a weak area in need of improvement and 10 indicating an area of strength and existing accomplishment.

Such charts can be used to consider personal attributes (Focus, Imagery, Understanding, Mental Skills, Performance, Communication, Social Support, Adherence, Training, Confidence, Motivation, Intensity), physical indicators (Timing, Flexibility, Agility, Balance, Pain Tolerance, Recovery, Health, Sleep, Diet, Strength, Stamina, Coordination), or specific technical attributes identified by the dancer or teacher. Using this sort of visual model, dancers can clearly see in which areas they are accomplished and which areas are in need of improvement. (p.9-12)

Through this process, dancers identify strengths in weaknesses in the domains of physical (strength, flexibility, stamina), mental (motivation, confidence, concentration), technical (turns, jumps), and lifestyle (sleep, diet, school/work, social) and turn these into long-term, “ultimate dream” goals, performance season/this year goals, and performance goals for specific performance situations, identifying specific methods to attain each.

Some possible areas of dance technique training to look: 

  • Posture & poise
  • Balance & stability
  • Coordination
  • Strength & endurance
  • Personal well-being, sleep, nutrition, stress-management
  • Footwork
  • Port de Bras/Arms
  • Jumping: amplitude, speed, accuracy, energy
  • Turning/Pirouettes: alignment, spotting, accuracy
  • Adagio: control, strength, flexibility/extension
  • Quality, timing and expressiveness
  • Improvisation, choreography, and performance

So, how can I formulate my goals for dance in order to achieve them?

There are endless options for setting dancing and other types of goals, so here are a few proven methods for your consideration. Writing about Dance** provides a variety of prompts for reflective letter-writing and  journaling, such as these submitted by Elizabeth Cooper and Kitty Daniels:

Statement of Course Goals: “In one to two pages, please discuss your dance background and the reasons you are taking this course. Identify your strengths as well as your personal challenges in relation to dance. In particular, explain what you hope to accomplish in this class–your personal goals. Finally, please lay out a strategy for achieving your personal goals.” (Writing about Dance** p.34)

Identification of Alignment and Anatomical Issues: “As we begin the term, please give some thought to identifying alignment or anatomical issues that you wish to focus on. In a one-page paper, discuss these issues and develop a strategy using imagery to help correct the problems. I will ask you to revisit this assignment later in the quarter and to write a follow-up analysis. Teacher’s note: I suggest that students consult Valerie Grieg’s Inside Ballet Technique. I will also bring a skeleton to class to identify particular aspects of the spine, pelvis, hip joint, and scapula.” (Writing about Dance** p.36-7, also includes also follow-up reflection)

Self-Reflection Letters: 

First Letter: “You are a proficient, experienced dancer with a sophisticated knowledge of yourself and your working process. Given that, please do the following:

  1. Describe your technical journey last semester: What were you working on? In what areas did you experience growth? Were there any frustrations?
  2. Identify your priority for this semester–perhaps the technical goal that you think will facilitate your dancing on multiple levels.
  3. How do you plan to work on this priority goal? What learning strategies will you employ?
  4. How can I help you with this process?”

Second Letter: “Reflect on your initial goals and your work during this entire semester:

  1. Reflect on your accomplishments this semester in relation to your initial goals. What growth did you experience? Did you modify your goals as the semester progressed? What were your frustrations? How could you address those frustrations productively?
  2. What do you think you need to work on to continue your growth?
  3. Given your personal learning style and process, what is the best way for you to work toward these goals?
  4. Do you have summer study plans that will help you to progress in these areas?”

As a responsible teen or adult dancer, you can choose what sort of prompts or declaration process you prefer. As a minimalist at heart, I like to consider what is the least I can do and reap the largest benefits in terms of my ballet training and artistry, in the short- and medium-term?

Excellent performance is a goal for many, if not all dancers. Watching UNCSA’s new video version of “The Nutcracker” recently inspired me to go into my archives and dig up this photo of my participation in it – Here I am (top left) ready for “Waltz of the Flowers”

What makes a goal good and achievable?

You are most likely already familiar with the SMART goals framework, and I myself prefer the Futurability for Objectives Checklist from the book Coach Anyone About Anything**, which encourages goal-setters to answer the following questions regarding their desired objective(s):

 “fu-tur-a-bil-i-ty: the ability of an objective to be realized in the future. Futurability  has to do with the formulation and process in achieving an objective or outcome. 

  1. OWNED: Is this objective your own? Are you free from burden, guilt or sacrifice? Do you think you ‘should’ or ‘have to?’ Is it so significant that you’ll be hampered?
  2. RELEVANT: Will achieving this objective improve or forward your business or enhance profitability?Will it help fulfill one or more of your life goals? Is it worth doing? When imagining it completed, do you feel truly satisfied?
  3. MEASURABLE: Is this objective able to be measured? Can you tell when it has been accomplished? Have you set a date when it will be done? Without a date to be achieved, it is not a realizable objective.
  4. ACHIEVABLE: Do you have some sense you can achieve this objective although you may not see precisely how yet? Or is it a hopeful fantasy or pipe dream?
  5. INSPIRED: Are you challenged or inspired by this objective? Is it predictable, i.e. merely an extension of the past?
  6. COMMITTED: Are you fully committed to the outcome, regardless of circumstances that may arise, or is this only a ‘wish’ to be accomplished if things go your way?
  7. SPOKEN: Is your objective in writing and part of your environment to call you to action? Have you communicated this objective to others? Have you made it public? Do you have the support of key people in your environment?
  8. COACHED: Do you have a coach, someone whom you are really willing to have be your coach for this objective? Will you be coachable?” (Coach Anyone About Anything** p.30)

It’s great to set good goals, but we must also consider what sorts of supports we require to accomplish them, whether they be material resources, accountability buddies from our class or elsewhere, a teacher or coach, or other structures.

Remember that achieving goals is a process of change

Lastly, it is important to realize that achieving any goal is a process of change. We can’t remain comfortable where we are and make lasting changes, and so we want to consider the process we face to make our objectives a reality.

In the book Making Connections**, Peggy Hackney describes change-making in fundamental movement patterning and life, outlining “Steps in the Change Process:”

  1. Notice what you are already doing.
  2. Accept what you are doing and how it serves you.
  3. Know what it is that you want to do, your intent.
  4. Clarify your intent even further (use imagery, work from movement principles, let your whole body be involved in the movement, tune-in to your own emotional feelings as you move, work with the space around you)
  5. Give yourself a lot of time and many different situations in which to practice your new pattern.
  6. Know that change is a process. “It will be ongoing. Change may surprise you! Many times the first reaction to a new way of moving or an absence of tension is a kind of shock and a feeling of residual tensions in other body parts (sometimes even pain in the area which had been holding tension). This is often a part of the process. You might want to check with your Fundamentals Practitioner if you are concerned.” (Making Connections** p.24-6)

Change and improvement are processes that require patience and compassion, as Hackney reminds us: “Change may be depressing. Change may be uplifting. You will inevitably fall back into old patterns…and you will go ahead into the new. On the one hand, you will need a firm resolve; on the other hand, you will want to be gentle with yourself. It will be an alive, involving journey.” (Making Connections** p.26)

I’ll be following up this post with more information about how to achieve some of the specific dancing goals we set for ourselves, and in the meantime, send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page and tell me about your goals for your dancing and other areas of life!

Blythe Stephens
She/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
Dance Education & Coaching to move through life with balance, grace, & power

** This blog is not sponsored. Amazon Affiliate links potentially give me a percentage of the purchase price.

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

2021 Meditation Practice Challenge

Here I am, officially challenging you to join me in daily meditation to create lasting positive effects in our lives this year! Start with just 1-5 minutes per day, then increase by only one minute per day each month to experience transformation. My goal is to get from my current 12 minutes of meditation to about 20-25 minutes/day by the end of the year. 

Or, feel free to take on daily yoga or another challenge of your choosing, by deciding on a minimal daily practice starting point (again, I recommend 3-5 minutes to start with), then gradually increasing your practice duration.

What benefits will I see from meditation, and how much do I need to practice to receive them?

According to the Manhattan Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy’s  November 30, 2020 article by Dr. Paul Greene, “How Long Should You Meditate For? And How Often?,” “research found that in a sample of U.S. Marines preparing for deployment, meditation sessions as brief as 12 minutes produced cognitive improvements. A 2018 study found that 12 minutes a day of Kirtan Kriya meditation was sufficient to produce significant positive changes in predictors of dementia found in the blood. A third study found that 10 minutes of daily meditation improved GRE test performance in undergraduate students.”

I could certainly appreciate improved cognition, and suspect we all could these days! But, don’t be discouraged if at first you can only fit in a minute or two daily, as Dr. Greene adds that “Making meditation a regular part of your day is more important than how long you meditate. For that reason, the length of time you meditate should be sustainable for you. It won’t do you much good to meditate for 90 minutes one day when you happen to have the time, and then feel guilty the rest of the week when you can’t replicate that.” 

It was heartening to read that “Meditation appears to be similar to physical exercise in this way. There is no optimal length of time you should exercise, and there is no perfect number of minutes to meditate, either. With either physical exercise or meditation, it’s important that the amount of time you do it be sufficient to challenge you a bit, but not so much as to leave you feeling demoralized or exhausted.” 

Meditation is good for people, good for dancers, and a natural part of yoga, too!

My meditation altar at Christmastime, with candles, incense, significant objects, and crystals

How did I establish a daily habit?

As I described in my Healthy Habit Building blog, establishing daily practices in yoga and meditation has been a personal breakthrough in recent years. Beginning prior to 2007, I strove to meditate “regularly,” aiming for several times a week for 30 minutes, but this turned out to be too long of a duration at first, and not regular enough to make the habit stick. I made an inconsistent effort and tried different meditation approaches, from shamanic journeying with my dad, to self-hypnosis at NCSA, and various techniques presented during yoga classes.

Based on my Unitarian Universalist faith, I tried out the structured practice in Simply Pray: Modern Spiritual Practice to Deepen Your Life**, of Centering, Entering In, Naming, Knowing, Listening, Loving, and Returning. I resonate with it, but found it too complex to practice regularly at that time. In 2017, I read Benjamin P. Hardy’s article, “50 Ways Happier, Healthier, And More Successful People Live On Their Own Terms,” and tried out his more simple approach to the intervals and focus of meditation and prayer. Hardy explains,  “I’ve gotten the best results as:

  • My morning prayer and meditation are motivational
  • My afternoon prayer and meditation are evaluative and strategic
  • My evening prayer and meditation are evaluative and reflective.”

But that too proved too extensive for me to fully adopt as my regular practice. 

In getting my daily yoga practice started, what I noticed is that I am most successful at practicing consistently at least 5-15 minutes a day, focusing on specific areas of the body or themes that are relevant to me that particular day (quick wins, reinforcing the practice with how great it could make me feel in minimal time), and that once I was doing so regularly, it became easier to add in more. Yoga is ideally followed by meditation, and sometimes meditation practice is even included in a yoga session. 

So, after I had established my minimal daily yoga practice habit in 2018, the Calm App’s “Daily Calm” short daily guided meditations and lovely background sounds really helped me start practicing on a regular basis back. I did an introduction to meditation challenge with them and it motivated me to keep my practice going.

The Headspace App is also great, and there are also nice free guided meditations available on YouTube, such as this one from Dandapani: “The Meditation You Need Every Morning For A Better Day,” which I used a lot in 2019. In that meditation, Dandapani says, “Meditation is about doing the same thing over, and over, and over again.”

At that time I finally realized that in order for me to ever meditate for a longer duration and reap the benefits of that, I would first need to get comfortable with a minimal amount of 5-15 minutes per day like I had with my yoga. So, in 2020 I resolved to do just that and build a regular practice, with just 5+ minutes daily on my “mountain top” of Alps sounds that I set a timer for on the Tide App. 

Joining a Yoga Teacher Training strengthened my practice further, as I learned and was reminded of additional techniques such as chanting the Gayatri Mantra (108x). I was inspired to invest in my own mala (amethyst, rose quartz, and clear quartz crystal), and joined other teachers in training in the Deepak Chopra 21-Day Challenge “Energize Your Life: Secrets to a Youthful Spirit” (in German and English!). This was all so inspirational! In particular, Chopra shared that meditation is a common factor in folks who age well, and this struck me as significant, so I shared the finding in a “7 Habits of People Who Age Well” YouTube video, below.

Chopra also wrote a similar article, “Seven Secrets to Grow Younger and Live Longer,” where he shares research that “shows that people who meditate regularly develop less hypertension, heart disease, anxiety, and other stress-related illnesses that speed up aging. Furthermore, new studies are finding that meditation literally restores the brain.”

I will continue to experiment with different approaches and read and learn more, but meanwhile I will continue the daily practice now well-entrenched with my Tide App, which I track using Today, breath using my mala and internally chant a mantra I gleaned from the Bhagavad Gita, “think only … of me [the infinite].” 

In 2021, my goal is to ever-so-slowly expand the length of my daily practice, by one minute per day each month. Having meditated 10 minutes in October, 11 minutes daily in November, and 12 in December 2020, I’m confident that I can keep that streak going. But if I experience setbacks, I’ll just start again 🙂

What follows are strategies that have helped me to finally become a meditator to encourage you in taking on the challenge of building your own practice.

Teeny Tiny

I would recommend making the practice of meditation, as with any new habit, as small as possible at first. Using the example of meditation, you could commit to 1-3 minutes of meditation daily, so that it’s downright silly to skip it no matter how busy you are, and you just might get carried away and want to do more! 

Daily

Historically, I have failed to establish “regular” habits that only occur a couple or a few times on a weekly basis. It gets slippery to track and doesn’t feel truly habitual. So, daily small habits work better for me, and I really like Matt D’Avella’s “The Two Day Rule” of not skipping more than one day of a habit. This way it’s not perfectionistic 100-percent-ism or failure, rather you can take breaks when needed, but it still creates that consistency and results that will keep you going. 

Tied to Identity and Goals

It has proven critical in my development of a consistent meditation practice, as is stressed in Atomic Habits**, that habit I’m working on aligns with my bigger goals and sense of personal identity. In that way it becomes a part of who I am, not just something I have to do, and I can see how it progresses toward important objectives.  By meditating daily, I am a meditator and move forward on my path towards spiritual enlightenment through mindfulness practice (however slowly!). 

When I fail in attempting a new habit, these are good places to look: is it connected to my very identity? Do I understand it’s connection to my major goals? Is it in small enough increments where I can find no good excuse to skip it? What structures of support and accountability do I have in place to make it irresistible?

Accountability

I have found accountability methods to also be extremely important to my success and it  has been a process of trial and error to discover what kind of accountability works best for me. Over time, I have discovered that for me, it is important to give myself “credit,” preferably colorful, playful, celebratory credit, to track the new habit(s) visually and with analytics over time. It is so satisfying to color in squares or check off boxes, or even use stickers, it makes me want to leave no empty boxes in the row!

Now instead of separate sheets, I am moving my tracking to a bullet-journal style notebook and apps like the Today Habit Tracker App which lives in my “Morning” folder of apps on my phone’s home screen along with other habits from my morning routine. I also share in my blog, social media, and with accountability partners to help enforce accountability and of course a coach, class or other community of support can be a great help!

Join the Challenge

Been itching to try meditation or finally make your practice a regular thing? Or have another habit have you been contemplating adding to your daily routine? Consider what structures of support you really need to make it a consistent reality and see results in your life, send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page and I and the community there would be happy to support you in making it a reality in 2021!

Stand, Objectives, & Projects for 2021

In this blog, I’m sharing my theme for 2021 and the goals and projects I’ll tackle in the coming year! This will be my final blog of 2020, and I’ll pick up in January with goal-setting and achievement for dancers, yoga and dance techniques, and more. Please let me know what topics you’d most like to hear about next! 

A festive setup for work on my bullet journal for 2021

I think it is important to put my annual stand and project objectives in the context of my life’s purpose, my essence (or what I bring to the party of life), mission, and vision. Then as I create my projects and take action throughout the year, I can see how it is all, down to my tiniest habit, in service to my reason for being. Becoming aware of all of these facets of my identity has been a process of introspection, counseling, coaching and discovery.

Ever since I read Write it Down, Make it Happen**, by Henrietta Anne Klauser around 2006, I’ve been extra validated in my belief that recording and processing my thoughts on paper puts out an energy that helps them unfold in the universe. That was also a time where I was plotting many future visions which have since unfolded, including my Life Coach Training, Yoga Teacher Training, Dance Educational Leadership, MFA, and more. 

I talk about my history with goal-setting and the processes I’ve used in the past and what I’m trying out now in my YouTube video on the topic:

Here’s my YouTube video about my new year’s planning processes of the past and present

Blythe’s Purpose: Joy
Essence: Buoyant, Creative, Curious, Love, Leader
Mission: Uplift and catalyze others through creativity, dance & yoga education, & coaching.
Vision: Inspire and equip students and clients as citizens to live joyful, extraordinary lives.
Through Actions: live and video-recorded yoga, ballet, and dance classes; ontological life coaching; free content such as a blog, articles, & books; prolific creativity in areas like poetry, choreography, and educational content; gratitude and satisfaction in every moment, fun & festivity.

2020 Theme: Courage/Mut; 2021 Theme: Abundance/Reichtum
Specific projects, skills, habits, and accomplishments I’m seeking in 2021:

Business & Contribution: A Blythe Coach
Write and publish at least one Book, B1 Deutsch, Positively impact many students: teach 10 live classes per week, Gain Patrons, Email Newsletter Subscribers, Coaching Clients, Yoga and Ballet students, Renew German Work Visa, Study/Practice: Writing, Marketing (Content and Social Media), Yoga (Chakras, Pranayama, Mudras, Adaptive Yoga and yoga sequencing), & Social Justice

Financial Planning Calculate Minimum Viable Income, Earn that as an entrepreneur educator, Update my Business Plan, Savings, Pay Student Loans, Invest, [Buy a Motorcycle Medium-Term Plan]

Fun & Adventure
German Drivers’ License, Renew US Passport, Travel again when we can with many adventures both to visit friends and family and on romantic trips together, music, hobbies, pleasure reading, crafts, cooking and baking

Spiritual Growth
Meditation Challenge (+1 minute/day per month), Daily Devotional , Read the Qu’ran, observe seasons and holidays

Love
Attend to relationships including romantic, family, and friendships; write love notes, make phone calls, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries

Health & Well Being
Physical Therapy, Workouts, Pull-Up and Handstand goals, preventive care

HOW I WILL BE PRESENT to my goals and vision for the year and the smaller steps toward them: making plans and tracking progress in my Bullet Journal, creating Project Designs for larger objectives, breaking them into doable daily and weekly habits, noting progress in said habits and project action steps, weekly and monthly reviews, quarterly and semi-annual check-ins, treats and celebration of milestones large and small.

I will also be doing completion work on 2020/the past (great for Winter Solstice and end-of-year) in order to let go of the past and evaluate my current context and resources to help me accomplish my goals/be in my Essence. 

I stand for your greatness, and am here to support your projects in the following ways:

If you are reading in real time, there’s just one more chance to take my “Yummy Gentle Yoga for Dancers” and “Yummy Gentle Ballet Barre for Yogis” classes this year! This Tuesday morning, 22.12.2020 (Monday evening in HI/US)  I will host my last classes before,I take a break until 5.1.2021 🙂

Meanwhile, you’re invited to join my 2021 Meditation Challenge! Or, take on daily yoga or another challenge of your choosing, decide on a minimal daily practice starting point (I recommend 3-5 minutes to start with), then increasing by one minute each month. My goal is to get from my current 12 minutes of meditation to about 20-25 minutes/day by the end of the year. 

Tell me what your dreams, intentions, and projects are for 2021 by sending me a message here or on the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page.

Wishing You Healthy & Happy Holidays & a Magical New Year!

Blythe Stephens
She/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
Dance Education & Coaching to move through life with balance, grace, & power

** I have included links to recommend some of my very favorite books and as a reader, lifelong learner, and academic I hope you enjoy my recommendations. These are Amazon Affiliate links, and if you purchase them I stand to receive a percentage, cool! 

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

Healthy Habit-Building

MY HABITS HISTORY

Having been a personal growth/development/organization/productivity nerd for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been enthusiastic about new goals and healthy habits, but I’ve struggled to keep them going over time. 

Beyond the basics of  brushing and flossing my teeth, preventive medical care, drinking water, getting enough sleep, a fairly nutritious diet, and generally keeping active due to a love of dancing, walking, hiking, and bicycle riding, I have had a hard time maintaining my annual-or-so declarations of good intention. 

Plain Healthy Habit Tracker created in Excel circa 2011

I learned to track my habits while training with Accomplishment Coaching, and accountability helped, but it has taken the intervening years and a lot of experimentation for me to discover what it really takes for me to practice consistently. That’s been a breakthrough in the last few years, actually, starting with my daily yoga habit and then stacking that with journaling, gratitude, and meditation, very minimally at first! 

Companion YouTube Video to this Habits Blog

HABIT-BUILDING

Once those first few new habits were getting established and automatic, I added other daily habits, like a language learning habit that helps me integrate into life in Germany, my Physical Therapy exercises for my knee (which I’ve narrowed down to a minimum of two, twice per week), a minimal full-body workout (more on that below), reading, tracking Moon cycles, interpreting tarot cards, playing the Harmonica,  reading the entire Bible for the first time this year, and even Wim Hof Method cold showers. 

Each of these have been worthy pursuits and I’m happy to share more about what I’ve learned from any or all of them. What interests you the most?

Today I’m sharing my current habit support system, sources of inspiration, and thoughts on what helps me, personally, to build consistency with the healthy habits that support my goals. I am far from perfect, but have come a long way in all of these areas. 

BEGAN WITH YOGA PRACTICE

I really enjoy the Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel, having tried my first of her videos about four years ago. 3 years ago I did one of her New Year’s “daily” yoga challenges over the course of a few months and it made me feel great, so the next year I participated in the January daily challenge and continued to loosely follow her monthly plans to keep on track, in addition to the classes I attended in-person at my local studio. This yielded nearly-daily yoga practice all year, which became even more consistent when I most needed it the year of my second divorce, and still yet more this last year while I was working on my YTT200. 

What I noticed is that I am most successful at practicing consistently at least 5-15 minutes a day, focusing on specific areas of the body or themes that are relevant to me that particular day (quick wins, reinforcing the practice with how great it could make me feel in minimal time), and that once I was doing so regularly, it became easier to add in more.  

Me practicing stability in the Tree Yoga Pose

MEDITATION CAME NEXT

Yoga is ideally followed by meditation, and sometimes meditation practice is even included in a yoga session. I will certainly elaborate in another blog/podcast (or many!), as my meditation practice is continually evolving. 

The Calm App really helped me start practicing on a regular basis back in 2018, with it’s short daily guided meditations and lovely background sounds. The Headspace App is also great, and there are also nice free guided meditations available on YouTube, such as this one from Dandapani: “The Meditation You Need Every Morning For A Better Day.”

CROSS-TRAINING + OVERALL FITNESS

In 2020, I added a little cardio/full-body workout to the habits, inspired by reading The Minimalists’ book Essential**, of which Joshua Fields Millburn’s essay “18-Minute Minimalist Exercises” was a part. I appreciated his applying a minimalist and enjoyable philosophy to fitness, and the example of committing to only 18 minutes daily of exercises he enjoys, in the park, to get great results! I really got jazzed by their podcast “Ep 174 Minimalist Fitness.(with Ben Greenfield),” and Ben Greenfield’s “10-Minute Workout” is featured in this article, “Study Finds 10 Minutes of Exercise is All You Need.”  

I decided to try it out, and have recorded videos for each element of the “10-Minute Workout,” with a variety of fun modifications if you’d like to give them a try, and they can each be found in my “Micro-Workout” YouTube Playlist: 

ATOMIC HABITS

I’ve benefited greatly from reading the book Atomic Habits** last year (I liked the audio book here, since that’s how I read it, though of course there’s also printed and electronic versions available. The Clear Habit Journal** looks really beautiful, too, and would be a lovely alternative as a treat or gift version of the free templates from Atiliay.com that I talk about below).

I found the book valuable throughout, but a couple particularly applicable takeaways for me were to make the habits truly manageable and small (“Atomic”), and to make sure they are relevant to your very identity, or that which you are wanting to manifest.

LINKED TO IDENTITY

For example, by practicing yoga daily, I am a yogi (or at least “real” yoga practitioner), and that has led to me finally getting my yoga teacher certification and confidently instruct yoga classes. By meditating daily, I am a meditator and move forward on my path towards spiritual enlightenment through mindfulness practice (however slowly!). 

Playing the harmonica daily, a new habit this year, is fun and entertaining (and good for the brain and lungs!), but it also teaches me about music and is making me more of a musician. Daily journaling, morning pages, and weekly check-ins are part of my identity as artist and writer and they help keep me clear and focused on what is important, able to sort and funnel my creativity into exciting projects. 

My habits don’t function well in a vacuum, or that I would carry them out consistently if there were no clear connection to the big picture of who I want to be and what I want to do in the world.

START SMALL

I would recommend making your new habit as small as possible at first. Like, ridiculously low commitment tiny, so that you can find no excuse to wiggle out of doing it, and once you’re doing it, you actually crave more. 

By way of example, you could commit to three minutes of meditation daily, five minutes of yoga, one Duolingo lesson, write a one-line journal entry, read one page of a book…so that it’s downright silly to skip it no matter how busy you are,, and you just might get carried away and want to do more! 

But use restraint, better to want to do more and continue to practice day after day, building consistency and the strength of the habit, rather than over-promising out of the gate, doing too much for a short time, burning out and quitting because it wasn’t sustainable. 

ACCOUNTABILITY

That said, I have found accountability methods to also be extremely important to my success. When I fail, these are good places to look: is it connected to my very identity? Do I understand it’s connection to my major goals? Is it in small enough increments where I can find no good excuse to skip it? What structures of support and accountability do I have in place to make it irresistible?

For me, it is important to give myself “credit,” preferably colorful, playful, celebratory credit, to track the new habit(s) visually and with analytics over time. It is so satisfying to color in squares or check off boxes, or even use stickers, it makes me want to leave no empty boxes in the row!

My colorful monthly habit trackers January-July 2020

HABIT TRACKING SHEETS

In 2019 I started using the Atiliay.com Monthly Mindset + Goals Sheet and monthly Habit Tracker and found that they make very pretty templates and I found that an aesthetically pleasing format entices me to engage with it daily. Olivia Lin has a whole PDF library of free stylish-looking templates for annual and weekly planning, seasonal celebrations, gratitude, craft projects, and more.

When I did The Artist’s Way** last summer, I embraced my inner Artist Child more than ever, and discovered what sorts of tracking and accountability make keeping tabs APPEALING and motivating as well as what sorts of rewards encourage me to keep going. I used my beloved colored pencils, which I keep in a Beatrix Potter tin my Aunt Colleen gave me, to color in squares and also color-themed my monthly goals and reflection sheets.

HABIT APPS

Now instead of separate sheets, I am moving my tracking to a notebook as a quasi bullet journal, and as much as possible onto apps like the Today Habit Tracker App and the Gratitude App which live in my “Morning” folder of apps on my phone’s home screen along with other habits from my morning routine. I also keep some analog tracking for physical therapy, weekly reviews, monthly reviews, and so forth. The system is always evolving!

September 2020’s colorful habit tracker in my “Bullet Journal”

BULLET JOURNALING

The tracking sheets above can also be self-reproduced in a journal, and you can even implement a bullet journal system if that fuels your productivity. My system has elements of bullet journaling to it (though others are digital or take other forms), and I plan to increase my bullet journaling this year. If you want to check that out, I recommend Ryder Carroll’s Bulletjournal.com and videos on YouTube, such as “How to Bullet Journal,” or Kalyn Nicholson and her “How to Use a Bullet Journal.” 

MATT D’AVELLA

I really like Matt D’Avella’s “The Two Day Rule” rule of not skipping more than one day of a habit. This way it’s not perfectionistic 100-percent-ism or failure, rather you can take breaks when needed, but it still creates that consistency and results that will keep you going. 

SOUL + WIT

In the Soul + Wit Podcast “Episode 51 Habits: How to make them and break them for a healthier, happier life,” they talked about Challenges (such as Whole 30, or a month of daily yoga, etc.) and what they find effective for lasting habit change, with Courtney’s equation being one habit at a time (yes, definitely!), starting with small steps (absolutely! More on that in a minute), and acknowledging/celebrating effort along the way = lasting change. Definitely to all of that.

I think it’s also powerful, as is stressed in Atomic Habits, that the habits be connected to much bigger goals and our sense of personal identity. In that way they become a part of who we are, not just something we have to do, and we can see how we are progressing toward important objectives.  

BEGIN ANYTIME

And another tip is to start right now, today, as soon as possible and then continue practicing the habit as early as you can in the day, so you can continue through your day, week, and month with that sense of motivation and momentum to accomplish all that you are after. 

Because it’s important to just add one at a time, some of the habits I worked on this year began in the spring, or even in the summer or fall. There is no time like NOW to get started, you can get a jump on your new year’s resolutions today! 

2021 MEDITATION CHALLENGE

You’re invited to join my 2021 Meditation Challenge! Or, take on daily yoga or another challenge of your choosing, decide on a minimal daily practice starting point (I recommend 3-5 minutes to start with), then increasing by one minute each month. My goal is to get from my current 12 minutes of meditation to about 20-25 minutes/day by the end of the year. 

What habit have you been contemplating adding to your daily routine? What structures of support do you need to make it a consistent reality and see results in your life?

Send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page and let me know!

Blythe Stephens
She/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
Dance Education & Coaching to move through life with balance, grace, & power

** This blog is not sponsored. Amazon Affiliate links potentially give me a percentage of the purchase price if you buy the book.

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

End-of-2020 Reflections

First of all, however long you’ve been tuned in, reading, watching, dancing along, etc. I want to THANK YOU so much for being here this year as I started this blog here on my new website, as well as the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel and Podcast, and offered classes online for the first time! It’s been a challenging year on many levels, and feeling connected in different ways with my community helps. 

My fave Shaka Saimin Santa from McCully Shopping Center in Honolulu, HI

I hope you’re getting value out of my posts and all of the resources I make and share, and I welcome your input about what you’d like to see more of in the future! Speaking of sharing, I’ve got a podcast companion to this blog,  
#030: “Reflection on Theme and Goals End-of-2020,” and on the YouTube Channel I’ve added a holiday-appropriate, 20-minute:

Low & Stretchy Yoga 
Low & Stretchy Yoga YouTube Video with plank, twists, and banana pose
And a Wintry Poem to inspire your celebration…
Reading of “winter” by Greta Crosby
Reflecting on an extraordinary year in my life…

What an unbelievable year, though. I hope you are well and heartily celebrating having faced the trials we’ve seen in 2020 from health challenges in pandemic to political upheaval, financial, and personal hardships.  I urge you to be proud of your efforts, regardless of the particular outcomes you’ve been met with. 

With the holidays soon upon us and the new year peeking over the horizon, it’s a natural time to assess our needs and progress, stated goals and values, gained skills and accomplishments. I love getting organized to set up for success as we enter a fresh new year, perhaps this year more than ever! This way I can let go of the past, and move forward with momentum. 

I don’t mean for this to sound like a brag-fest, and I know I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had success with some of my endeavors this year. I assure you that in many moments it has felt like a struggle, and in some ways any productivity has been a way to deal with anxiety and stress. 

And, in other goals that I set out to achieve, I did fall short. Growth in some areas is slower than I’d like, and I have to face my own impatience about that, and strategize to do better. I hope to learn from all of it, and I believe that it’s important to celebrate wherever I can. This year, I was blessed with the following opportunities and experiences.

A Blythe Coach’s Accomplishments of 2020
  • Completed my YTT200 Yoga Teaching Credential with yogaloft here in Cologne, in German (it was SO valuable!)
  • Completed A2.1 Deutsch and have a pretty decent understanding of the language, especially contextually, and improved my speaking (meanwhile teaching ballet and yoga in both English and German)
  • Celebrated teaching for a full year at 2 studios in Cologne, extended my freelance work visa
  • Learned to teach on Zoom and improved my skills teaching with video, invested in better equipment to do so
  • Started the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel in March and since then, have posted weekly content on ballet, yoga, and life topics 
  • Started the A Blythe Coach Podcast at the end of April and this is my 30th weekly episode!
  • Recorded a promotional video in collaboration with a local videographer
  • Got a beautiful new website and logo by the talented Pixelchen&Karton
  • Started the A Blythe Coach weekly blog in September and published weekly
  • Created my first online course, “Finding a Grounded State of Being,” which you can access free here 
  • Started a weekly email newsletter in August, sharing updates and exclusive content there – want to join in for updates and inspiration? Just let me know or sign up here
  • Created @ABlytheCoach pages on Facebook and Instagram to share inspiration, support, tips, real-life moments, fun, and community 
  • Completed The Artist’s Way 12-Week Program, learned so much from that, including how to give myself regular Artist’s Dates and Treats to fuel my creativity and developing a consistent Morning Pages practice 
  • Completed a 21-Day Meditation Challenge with Deepak Chopra
  • Read the Bible cover-to-cover for the first time
  • Read over 35 books (so far!) toward my challenge goal of 24, including yoga philosophy, dance technique, spiritual topics, cozy mysteries, and novels… 
  • Practiced daily Yoga, Meditation, Journaling, Moon Phase tracking, Gratitude and Abundance Logs, Music (learned “Aloha ‘Oe” and “Auld Lang Syne,” having begun with “Silent Night” at the end of last year), and Tarot card intuitive interpretation
  • Participated in multiple weekly Micro-Workouts (about 10 minutes, 1-4x/week), Physical Therapy exercises (1-3x/week), and Wim Hof Method Cold Showers
  • Started learning to Crochet and practicing flexed-arm hang, aiming to eventually do Pull-Ups… was consistent at first then dropped off a bit, will revisit these goals next year
  • Voted in the US Presidential Election and also in a local Cologne election (for representatives of foreigners here)
  • Witnessed to and engaged in conversation and activism around Black Lives Matter, racism, and police brutality
  • And I did make it home to the Big Island, in January, thank goodness! Also lucky to enjoy some regional travel here when that was possible, including a wine weekend with friends.

I had started picking one-word themes a few years back and find that it helps me remember what I’m about and why I’m seeking whatever other goals I choose to pursue. So, my overarching theme for the year 2020 was “Courage” or, in German, “der Mut.” So many people have had such a hard time this year, and have had to be so much more courageous for their families that it is humbling. 

That said, I am only assessing my own efforts here, and having collected my accomplishments, as well as considering how I’ve faced the circumstances of each day, I do feel successful in this theme. I focused on being love to overcome fear, speaking (a new language!) and taking action where I could, as well as resting and caring for myself in order to keep going. I have been the brave badass I wanted to embody, having no idea what I would face!

I could not have done it alone, and am so grateful for the help and support I receive from my girlfriend, family, friends, students, clients, and colleagues!

Next time I’ll discuss the specific vision, skills, habits, and accomplishments I’m seeking in 2021, and following that I’m going to drill in on healthy habits that serve me and my projects and how to succeed at forming your own new habits to achieve your goals in dance, yoga, and life next year. 

Meanwhile, let me know what achievements you are celebrating from this year, and what you’re envisioning for yourself and the global community in the coming months. 

And if you want to listen in to one of the playlists I’ve made to boogie down to this season, check out “Christmas Carol Dance Class” on Spotify 🙂

Happy Holidays! 

Blythe Stephens
She/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: 
Dance Education & Coaching to move through life with balance, grace, & power

** I have included links to recommend some of my very favorite books and as a reader, lifelong learner, and academic I hope you enjoy my recommendations. These are Amazon Affiliate links, and if you purchase them I stand to receive a percentage, cool! 

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

The Gifts of Winter – Holiday Viewing, Listening, & Treats

“Winter is a table set with ice and starlight. Winter dark tends to warm light: fire and candle; winter cold to hugs and huddles; winter want to gifts and sharing; winter danger to visions, plans, and common endeavoring–and the zest of narrow escapes; winter tedium to merry-making.” 
– From the poem “Winter” by Greta Crosby

Winter at Tanzstudio Odenthal in Huerth, Germany

I know it’s not officially the season of winter yet, but I love a good winter festival of light, and the days are getting mighty short in Cologne right about now. It’s an ideal time for snuggles, hot cocoa, and lots of candles! 

I celebrate both Christmas and the Winter Solstice, but it’s certainly no surprise that many cultures have beautiful traditions at this time of year!

This year I am a bit sad not to make it home for the holidays. Further, our legendary Christmas markets won’t be happening in Cologne to help us through the winter. And, I know that the reason for said restricted travel and cancellation of beloved events has many people much sadder than me. 

It’s a hard time for a lot of folks, and I want you to know that I’m thinking of you. Let’s do what we can to stay safe this winter and bring merriment and joy into the dark season!

“The Nutcracker” Ballet and Music of Tchaikovsky

In the spirit, I wanted to share some favorite winter holiday things with you. Of course, I am enjoying music from “The Nutcracker,” will soon share the story with my young students, and hope to see a performance on video.

Holiday Tunes

I have a LOT of favorite holiday songs and playlists, but I’m getting up-to-date on festive new releases from this list, originally shared by my friend Hayley Sales, who appears on it!: “Best new holiday songs for 2020: Jenn Grant, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lil Nas X, more” 

I then created a Spotify Playlist from it, “Cuddle Up Downtown Christmas 2020” and would love to add some other new additions. What are your favorite new holiday tunes this year? Old classic favorite recommendations are also very welcome, I’ll add them to another list and listen now!

Feasting

In terms of edible treats, I especially savor drinking the aforementioned Hot Cocoa, as well as German mulled Gluehwein, and I’ll be baking Pumpkin Muffins, Ginger Snaps, and decorated Christmas Cookies as we move into December. 

TV Shows and Movies

I enjoy watching certain shows and movies at this time of year to get in the spirit, including “Gilmore Girls,” “Friends” holiday episodes, and  “Muppets Christmas Carol” (and I adore the soundtrack from that, too!), “Nightmare Before Christmas,” and “White Christmas.” 

Podcasts, Books, & Gift Guides

I have been enjoying the “Soul + Wit” Podcast since it started up this year, and particularly appropriate right now are their: “The Holiday Extravaganza” Holiday Book + Movie Recommendations episode, which has lots of goodies to read and watch, and the “Giving the Best Gifts” Gift Guide of homemade and purchased gifts, consumables, classes, and experiences. I recommend them if you’re looking for things you or loved ones might like!

Minimalism and the Spirit of the Season

My own gift-giving is inconsistent. Sometimes I get it together to select and give some gifts and write some cards, other times not so much. As something of a minimalist, on the receiving end I prefer very small symbolic gifts, sentimental cards, having donations given in my name (or giving donations to good causes in others’ names), and experiences to big, extravagant presents and the pressure to exchange gifts on a strict timeline. 

For me, it’s the time together, getting to talk and reconnect (at least by phone or electronically), and also the feasting, that makes the season merry for me. A few decorations, and witnessing the warmth and generosity of others really make it bright!

Beneficial Gift Ideas

Looking for special gifts to give or contributions to make this “Black Friday,” “Cyber Monday,” “Small Business Tuesday” and so on? I have a few ideas…

A couple of years ago I bought myself the month-long virtual advent calendar 31 Days of Gifts You So Deserve by Courtney Carver, and I liked it so much that last year I shared it with some loved ones. Carver is creator of the minimalist wardrobe Project 333, and a wonderful “Weekly Favorites” email newsletter that I enjoy, as well as co-creator, along with her daughter Bailey, of the “Soul + Wit” podcast I mentioned earlier. 31 Days of Gifts is especially great for folks who don’t want to acquire more “stuff” and those looking to focus on the magic found in the simple pleasures of the season. 

Rufio trying on her new reindeer costume

It’s wonderful to remember your local dance or yoga studio or creative small businesses and community organizations such as: 

Yoga and fitness…
Homegrown Yoga – Rachel Jensen teaches yoga online from Iowa
Infinity Corporate Fitness – based in Denver, CO
Jared Sam – teaches yoga from the Big Island of HI
The Kale Whale – Erin Whalen teaches yoga and vegan nutrition from MA
Sebastian’s Functional Fitness – Sebastian Grubb is in San Francisco, CA

Nonprofits in Dance & Yoga…
Yoga for First Responders – supporting those who support all of us
West Hawai’i Dance Academy – my beautiful home studio in Kailua-Kona, HI! They offer dance for all ages as well as Gyrotonic and other modalities
The Movement Center – “Creating good people through excellent training in the performing arts,” with classes for all ages in Honolulu, HI
Ballez – queer ballet company in NYC, also offering online classes

Artists…
@nali_makes resin casting and jewelry
@tinyneststudio nature-inspired and educational artwork
CPoArt sticker art
…I know so many talented artists and educators, I’m sorry I’ve certainly omitted many more that I would like to share! If you’d like to be featured in any future gift guides of this type or to collaborate in any way, let me know 🙂

And Causes…
I remember my grandparents’ joyful annual giving to their favorite charities such as World Wildlife Fund, Unicef, and of course Methodist organizations, and also my mother’s dedication to healthcare organizations like Planned Parenthood. Black Lives Matter and environmental organizations would be a great choice this year, or independent media sources such as feminist Bitch Media. It is also always timely to donate to a local food bank! 

I would be remiss if I didn’t share that some of my own offerings in dance, yoga, and coaching would also make good gifts for yourself and others:

It’s a challenging time for everyone, and that certainly includes artists and small businesses, so please think of us in your holiday giving this year! And please also know that your contributions, whether they be tangible gifts and monetary contributions, or time, love, and energy, are enough.

Warm wishes for a delightful holiday season!

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