DONATE TO THE SALVATION ARMY WITH US!

I am/we are part of the Red Kettle Online program starting this holiday season!  This year, the Salvation Army celebrates 120 years of reaching out to people all over the world.  Founded in San Francisco in 1891, they are the 'first responders' whenever there is need worldwide.  They embrace people of all cultures, countries, religious and political belief and circumstance.

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Join us in donating to this incredible charity!

We have much to be grateful for... 

Walls down, floors & painting done!

Now, we wait!  The floors need to 'cure' for a couple more days and then we're back into the space.  The floors are a gorgeous honey color and have a funky, uneven color like before but better!  Decided not to stain them, once again, and it works.  The whole space with natural light is so beautiful!  It is worth all of the lost weekends to get it done...haven't had a day off in...8 weeks between traveling to teach workshops, and work and then the remodel at the studio - I need a couple of days off in the countryside!  The feel of the studio is what I envisioned and more; it is getting to be ready...!

Transformation

The wall behind me in this shot has now come down.  The studio is changing!!  So far, clients are really happy about the changes - I have received wonderful feedback and suggestions.  The space has been, literally, thrown open and I welcome the transformation.  Woke up Sunday morning after about 4 hours sleep (singing karaoke until 3:00 am - thanks for a great time Emily & Chad!!), and couldn't wait to get to the Studio and tear down the walls!!!  I loved my studio space, though it was tiny!  Most Saturdays my BalleCore class was starting to remark that the space needed to be bigger and if they were going to welcome it, well then why not do it?!

As with all things in life, the transformation had to begin with visualization.  I began to see the studio with the walls down to the point that the walls were getting in the way of how I thought the studio should look and, most importantly, feel!  There were so many things that were right about the Studio space:  The intimacy and quiet and the natural light in the equipment space and the larger interior space also had an intimate feel and the lack of windows and soft lighting was soothing and cool in summer and cozy in winter. 

The office, however, was a small reception area and the rest of it had just become a cluttered storage area and I could never seem to get ahead of the boxes!  Most of which had been put there when I moved to Pasadena in 2008 and took all the paper work from my home office to the Studio...and there it sat!  I would rummage through them when I needed something, but at some point I had to finally accept that if I only needed something in them 'from time to time' for 3 years then they really had TO GO and most of what was in them!!  I am now dealing with it all and feel an excitement about getting rid of outdated, unneeded stuff and delighted to find the few gems that have been lost in there for years - like my old Pilates and BalleCore certification module notes and manuals, photos and some articles and books that are impossible to get online!  It is astounding just how little there is to salvage, though. 

I started to look at the stack of boxes in my office like it was filled with energy that was trapped.  Opening each box is like a blast of that energy is being released back into the world!!  The whole studio started to feel like that too...and so the walls had to come down, just like those boxes had to be opened once and for all.  The results so far?  Energy, light, space and freedom MOVE!  Still, the quiet, private feel remains; I'm so happy to say.

More Before and then some After pictures are coming soon!

BalleCore BARRE PILATES - What is it?

How is BalleCore BARRE PILATES® different from other popular ‘barre’ programs? 

•    BalleCore BARRE PILATES® is the original and only barre program that is purely Pilates-based and uses the patented BalleCore Barre created by Molly Weeks.
•    BalleCore BARRE PILATES® sessions are not scripted, corporate classes.  Using the BARRE PILATES exercise guidelines, instructors use their own training, creativity and ingenuity to design their classes for their students and clients
•    A certified BalleCore BARRE PILATES® instructor is first a fully certified Pilates Mat instructor (in accordance with standards set by the Pilates Method Alliance), who has been trained in all protocols to safely and effectively interpret Pilates exercises with the BalleCore Barre.
•    Certified BalleCore BARRE PILATES® instructors have had to test out with BalleCore, LLC in order to call themselves BARRE PILATES instructors.
•    Look for the BalleCore, LLC seal on all BalleCore BARRE PILATES® Certificates to verify their qualifications.  See Teacher Training information at Playhouse Pilates and nationwide links.

© 2011 Charlyn d’Anconia.  All Rights Reserved

Walk-N-Roll Pilates Workshop

Saturday's Walk-N-Roll Pilates Workshop was truly amazing - if I do say so myself!  To see someone's posture transform in a matter of minutes and actually help them sustain it.  I saw my client Barb on Monday and was astounded that she was still more upright than usual - a woman in her sixties who came to me with severe postural issues, back pain, knee and ankle pain - and she can maintain it without discomfort! It is so worthwhile to teach this work and to know that she now has another layer of understanding and core body knowledge as to how walking is healing.    ¶ This is one of the most challenging things to accomplish in my practice: Teaching - and being the best example I can be of - the fact that self-care, healing and sustaining the body are where any 'exercise regimen' should lead us.  If we are tearing up our knees, wearing down our joints, tightening and stiffening up our muscles and backs, the body is less and less able to sustain itself the way it is ingeniously able to do.   ¶ The breathing-walking connection was what she found most effective in continuing to build her posture with little effort, doing something she does all day anyway, walk!   ¶ Thanks again to Walk-N-Roll Pilates Workshop co-creator, Lisa Bloomquist, for making it so fun and always teaching something in a fresh way!!   
© 2011 Charlyn d’Anconia.  All Rights Reserved

YAMUNA FACE MASSAGE

Yesterday I hosted a small Yamuna Face Saver Workshop and following it I had a Duo scheduled. It turned out that a woman in the workshop, Sharon, knew, Terrie, one of the women in the Duo.  Terrie was bowled over at seeing Sharon's post workshop fresh, rested and 'wrinkle free' face!  Apparently the two had been out late the night before and let's just say she fully expected Sharon to look like she had!  Well indeed, the dark circles and puffy eyes that came in the door with her did not go out with her!  Sharon was excited not only about how she looked, but how she felt - enlivened and ready for the day.  Not just another wrinkle treatment indeed!  More on this and acupressure facial points in the next post...!

BalleCore BARRE PILATES

Amazing that it has been since May that I last posted something here!  Busy.  The business of setting up an out of State BARRE PILATES teacher training was filled with missteps and totally unnecessary bureaucratic twists and turns reminding me of how much corporate structures can muck up a simple, elegant idea!  At last I got to the training and had a great group of instructors who really seemed to embrace the unique BalleCore Barre and BARRE PILATES program and we could finally enjoy the process of the workshop! 

Though it seems like it should be straight forward, it is actually a fragile process where we all come together hoping we'll get what we came for!!  And in my case, that I will be able to give what I came to deliver in an accessible way!  I fully enjoy this work and the transformative potential it offers people, particularly women, for their posture, balance and sense of connection to their core.  Let's face it, once we have THAT so many things, literally, click into place...

The BalleCore Barre

This weather is fantastic!  Spring cold and rain are different from winter's offerings.  The rain brings all the promise of a great Spring garden and the cold is just the last gasp before Summer heat settles in! 

As usual, I am fully enthralled right now with BalleCore and BARRE Pilates.  I am exploring some fun, intricate and effective moves with the BalleCore barre and just looking forward to more and more depth with these programs and this odd devise!

The simplicity of the BalleCore barre is so deceiving.  I have been working with it in every way, I thought, I could think of for 9 years now and recently I have turned another corner of understanding that there is much more to learn!  Completely inspired by Madeline Black and Elizabeth Larkham at Pilates on Tour, AZ (where I presented BalleCore Master Classes in April), I have not only significantly healed my own wrist by another huge leap, but have found new ways to use the BalleCore barre to heal my own and my clients' wrist, elbow, shoulder issues with it!

At first glance, the BalleCore barre is simple, elegant and useful.  It intrigued me from the start and teaching teachers to use it is so much fun because I can see the lights going on in their eyes when they think of or, talk about all the different clients that will benefit from using it; they can see how it can get results. 

I spoke with a potential client today who said that she and a couple of friends wanted to come and try a Pilates class in the evening and I explained that we currently only offer a BalleCore Workout class in the evening.  She said she was interested but that on of her friends was looking for a Pilates class and she wasn't sure she could get her to come to a BalleCore class.  I explained that if her friend liked Pilates she would probably love BalleCore, but she would have to come and try a class to know.  I promised her that even if she still prefers just straight Pilates, she will get a great workout!  There is no time to waste in life and I try not to disappoint!

The BalleCore Workout class really moves so most people enjoy the feeling of total body conditioning that they get, but life doesn't come in one-size-fits-all packages!  I love teaching it and my classes are usually full, so I let this guide me forward and the people who come regularly are on this journey with me.  My weekly client Julia who drives from Brentwood (!) shakes her head and says, "How can you make it just different enough every week to keep me coming back?! I love it!"

Post Polio Syndrome

Just had a session and then dinner with a client with post polio syndrome and always find myself inspired by his truly optimistic outlook on life; he is one of the most positive people I have ever known.  He told me, as he has over the 10 years we have worked together, how much it means to him that I have a level of expertise to really help him remain strong and energized from the Pilates and Yamuna Body Rolling that we do.  In fact, the hands-on Yamuna Body Rolling has been instrumental in helping him get the resistance training he needs for his legs since he cannot put full weight on them and he is at risk for osteoporosis.  He is an amazing and dynamic friend and mentor to me too!  What a life I'm living!

BalleCore BARRE PILATES

Feeling fantastic after my BARRE PILATES noon class today!  The class is small, but dedicated and the coolness of the air conditioning, the great music and incorporating the foam roller and Orbit made the moves challenging but fun and uber effective on my posture!  I love this stuff!

Surprise Response

I've been wanting to create a more comprehensive newsletter at the first of each month for ages, but simple DID NOT have time to write and now I just sat down and made the time to get two small articles in this week.  I am so surprised and glad at the immediate positive responses from my subscribers!  They have been forwarding it to their friends and family and calling, emailing and talking to me in person about the two articles and each one has asked for more!!  The first is about Spring vs. Traditional Weight Training and the second is about Prenatal and Postpartum conditioning.  ;D

New Beginnings

I remember when I first explained to one of my clients what a blog is - back in 2003 - and still I've resisted having one of my own for some time.  I suppose I couldn't imagine what I would possibly say in it that would be of value.  Really.  Now, there are so many wonderful things happening in my studio that I know I must share it all and neither a website, Facebook or Twitter can serve that purpose!  This blog is not just for advertising.  It is for fleshing out the pearls of every day and the simple moments that make what I do worthwhile to me.  I realize now more than ever that what I do for a living is not all that I am, but it certainly gives me a place and a way of expressing myself.  I try to put the best of myself into it.  This is going to be interesting and I want it to be fun!!