Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

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Posts Tagged ‘hula’

State Dances

Posted by terrepruitt on February 23, 2022

Recently a friend brought up the fact that West Coast Swing is our state dance. I was puzzled. I didn’t know states had state dances. Or if I ever did, I certainly didn’t remember that states had dances. Did you?

According to Wiki not all states have a dance. And in 1970 Square Dancers tried to get Square Dancing to be the National Dance. Most states still have it as their state’s dance: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland , Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

The District of Columbia’s state dance is Hand dancing, which is compared to a type of swing. I am sure you can guess what Hawaii’s state dance is.

California is listed as having both West Coast Swing and square dance. Looks like Delaware HAD a state dance from 2016 to 2017, Maypole. Kentucky’s state dance is Clogging, whereas Minnesota does not have one.

North Carolina’s state dance is Clogging AND the Carolina Shag. South Carolina went with The Shag, square dance, and the Waltz. And Wisconsin went with Polka.

Wiki has a nice little table of state dances as does a site called NetState  which I came across when I did a quick search to find out HOW a dance becomes a state dance. I didn’t spend a lot of time on that quest.

Did you know some states had state dances?

 

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FREE Classes – Bay Area National Dance Week

Posted by terrepruitt on April 21, 2009

The studio at which I teach my Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes Sunday classes, participates in the Bay Area National Dance Week.  This is a week (actually 10 days) where all types of classes and performances are free.

The location of the classes range from San Francisco, to the East Bay, to the South Bay, to the Peninsula, and the North Bay.  There is Zumba and Ballroom in San Francisco, Salsa in Oakland, ballet in Berkley, Mountain View, Walnut Creek, and Los Gatos.  Pole dancing in Redwood City, Nia and Belly Dancing in San Jose . . . . Whew.  If there is a class for it,  it is part of the Bay Area National Dance Week, more classes include; Flamenco, Greek, Hip Hop, Hula, Hula Hoop, oh, far too many classes and locations to list.

Friday, April 24, 2009, at noon there is going to be a Conga line.  Per the booklet:  “Dancers and non-dancers, students and adults will join our downtown visitors, shoppers, and workers on the streets of San Francisco.”  There will be performances on the Union Square stage.

You might want to check out their site:  http://www.bayareandw.org for all the information.*

Also Friday at noon there is Dance Anywhere.  Oh, yeah, that is what they mean, where ever you are at noon on Friday, dance.  Now, I am thinking that the dance doesn’t have to be big.  You can just tap your toe and bob your head, but whatever, I think it would be cool to join in:  http://www.danceanywhere.org/

This 10 day event is from Friday, April 24, 2009, to Sunday, May 3, 2009.  Don’t miss it!

If you attend one of my Nia classes from April 27th to May 1st and mention the event you can take the class for free.

 

Please check www.HelpYouWell.com for class schedule changes.  Thank you.

*As of 06.06.20 – this site appears to not exist.  Sorry.

Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A Brief Look At Nia

Posted by terrepruitt on March 7, 2009

I want to talk to you about Nia™.  I was looking for a different form of exercise when somehow (in the vastness that is the internet) I came across Nia.  I had never heard of it.  It has been around for 25 years.  At one point it was known as Non-Impact Aerobics, then it was called Neuromuscular Integrative Action, then at one point it was the Nia Technique, now it is just Nia.

Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas created it in the early 1980s from a need and a desire to help people exercise.  When I read the book and listen to Carlos, I believe that they wanted more than just traditional exercise because they really wanted to help people feel good.  They were being drawn towards something that addresses the whole body.

Nia is a teacher led dance workout that allows you the freedom to get exactly the workout that your body needs.  Nia is really awesome because it is done in bare feet to all kinds of music.  With the absences of shoes, we are reminded that we do not have to have harsh impact to get a great work out.  With Nia, the level of intensity is regulated by the participant.  A workout includes movements of all of the 13 major joints and I believe that this is one of the key factors that make people feel so good after they do a Nia workout.  Throughout our day we don’t always move each joint as it was built to move, so sometimes they can become stiff.  In a Nia class you move them throughout the routine and it helps the balance in the body’s systems.

Nia is similar to Jazzercise in the sense that there are segments or cycles to the routine:  warm-up, cardio, strength, floor, and a cool down.

A lot of people just want to go to a workout class and be told what to do, I am going to be honest with you because I want you to enjoy your experience, you need to concentrate a little.  What you are concentrating on is not so much what the teacher is doing, but more what you are sensing.  You are encouraged to listen to your own body and do what it is telling you it needs.  It might not need what the teacher is doing.  And with Nia, that is fine.

In a Nia class there is no judgment if you cannot bend, stretch, jump, kick, shout, shimmy, shake, punch, chop, cha-cha-cha, hula, jazz square, modern dance, or anything like your teacher or neighboring participant, because it is all about YOU and whatever you can do.  You must seek your own Body’s Way and what gives it pleasure.  With Nia you can get a great workout at the same time.

Does your present workout invite you to seek pleasure during your workout?

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »