Tag: Music

My Creative Morning Ritual

Post author By Blythe Stephens
Post date 4. April 2022
Categories In Creative Living
2 Comments on My Creative Morning Ritual

My daily ritual has grown to include practices that facilitate physical, mental, and spiritual well being and abundant creativity. When I complete these actions on a daily basis, I develop clarity and momentum, feel inspired and strong, experience less pain, and am able to coach, dance, teach, write, and engage with ideas and people in a well-grounded and present way.

Nutty for “The Nutcracker” Ballet: History, Story, Music, Dance & Holiday Magic

I can’t possibly provide an exhaustive account of such a dancing phenomenon as “The Nutcracker” ballet, but I’d like to share some of the history and my own fascination with the music, dancing, costumes, and magical story. Hopefully it sparks a bit of your own childlike wonder, dreams, and fantasies as well as your grown-up appreciation of music, storytelling, and the art of dance.

Joyful Movement & Creative Living with Life Coach Jolynne Anderson

In episode #71 of the A Blythe Coach Podcast, available as a YouTube video as well as an audio-only podcast below, you have the treat of meeting Jolynne Anderson, my original life coach and an inspiring person of possibility. She’ll give you just the boost you need, tools to get to your authentic self, and a process to reinvent every aspect of your life.

Gretel & Hansel Fairytale for Creative Dance – Music, Storytelling, Improv & Choreography

Post author By Blythe Stephens
Post date 25. October 2021
Categories In Creative Living, Dance
1 Comment on Gretel & Hansel Fairytale for Creative Dance – Music, Storytelling, Improv & Choreography

In October around Halloween time, I like to teach the story of “Hansel and Gretel,” or as I like to think of it, “Gretel and Hansel,” since alphabetically it follows, and Gretel is the real hero of the tale.

Including a range of expression and emotional content, beautiful music, natural and supernatural characters, it is rich with possibilities for dance improvisation, choreography, and education.

This story fits in well with witch dances and other spooky themes like ghosts, bats, cats, etc. and can be related to dreaming and courage in “Cinderella” (for which I also have a podcast, video, and blog), the Land of Sweets and Clara/Marie’s bravery in “The Nutcracker” (coming soon!) and tie in music appreciation from the opera and other sources.

Cinderella’s Courage & Kindness: teaching the classic fairytale ballet

Post author By Blythe Stephens
Post date 27. September 2021
Categories In Creative Living, Dance
2 Comments on Cinderella’s Courage & Kindness: teaching the classic fairytale ballet

One of the world’s most classic, iconic and ubiquitous tales, the “Cinderella” ballet can provide an entrée to universal themes and concepts useful in life and interdisciplinary topics within and beyond dance.

Seeking Sweet Sleep: Yogic Insomnia Solutions

Post author By Blythe Stephens
Post date 28. May 2021
Categories In Creative Living, Mindful Movement
5 Comments on Seeking Sweet Sleep: Yogic Insomnia Solutions

I’ve been listening to the Audiobook version of Eat, Pray, Love recently (I know, finally!) and Elizabeth Gilbert puts a fine point on the importance of sleep in our lives, divulging that during a particularly difficult part of her life following divorce she was treated for depression, including her last resort of taking medication: “I […]

Developing Rhythm & Musicality for Dance

Post author By Blythe Stephens
Post date 3. April 2021
Categories In Dance
3 Comments on Developing Rhythm & Musicality for Dance

In her introduction to the book Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a celebration of poetry with a beat*, Nikki Giovanni explains the genesis of rhythm in language, music, and ultimately hip hop: “When humans were beginning to develop our own language, separate from the growls and howls, separate from the buzz and the birdsongs, we […]

Embracing Ballet Balancé – Classical Waltzing Theory & Practice

Post author By Blythe Stephens
Post date 19. March 2021
Categories In Dance
2 Comments on Embracing Ballet Balancé – Classical Waltzing Theory & Practice

According to Agrippina Vaganova in Basic Principles of Classical Ballet**, Pas Balancé “Is one of the simple pas allegro, which is easily done even by children. In classical dancing it is often used in waltz tempo.” (p.99) I love to waltz alone or as a pair, in ballet, ballroom and other styles, and find it’s […]

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 […]

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! […]