Category: Educations, Trainings & Workshops

The BODYJAM® initial training module of the weekend in Stockholm went just fine.

12 new jammers left the building yesterday with sore feet, sweaty pants, awesome attitudes and happy faces.
I told them yesterday – and I’m telling you guys today, they did an amazing job.

This round it was quite many that have never taught before – and it’s a lot to nail during three days if most things are completely new to you.  How ever – dance they had done before, and that’s the main thing.

The Jamily-crowd of may 2012:

Thanks guys for a FUN weekend – see you soon again!

After a bit confusion with the last minute change of location – the south of Sweden crew got together at SATS City in Malmö for Choreo Boost!

The workshop is mainly aiming to those instructors who teaches dance classes at the gym, like streetdance, jazz, afro, dance aerobics maybe, and so on.
Maybe not so much regular aerobics classes – and especially not if you’re not interested in working with the music, and choreo in a dancy way.

In Malmö I had some traditional aerobics instructors joining – with the classic mind set of an aerobics instructor educated by the old school guard (in my imagination at least)

Not to willing to step out of the square box – both attitude-wise but also literally, choreo-wise.
But it was a minority and I don’t really let tiny details like that affect me.

I rather spend my energy and time on those who are up for trying something else than what they might normally do. And, that kind of instructor was definitely much more well represented – so I’m happy with the day and their effort.

I’m actually surprised and impressed that I’ve had so many open minded and curious instructors willing to try my ideas.

I don’t teach aerobics classes and I don’t really teach my gym-street-classes in a traditional gym-teaching-way so I understand that it might be a little provocative for a classic aerobics instructor, when I want them to try things from my perspective and point of view.

How ever – I believe creativity start growing when you get forced to try something that you’re not used to, and it all gets a little confusing.
Then it’s sinking in – and you see what you can use out of it – how to make it your own and how to apply it in your work.

If you’re that personality type that shut all new (or just different) ideas out by bringing the attitude; this is not how I work – well, then it’s simply up to you.
I can’t or don’t want to do anything about that.

Lots of THANK YOU awesome people from south, for your energy and your good job. Hope to see you soon again.

Unfortunatley I missed to take my mandatory group pic, but I can assure you that all of them were beautiful and just awesome! : )

Today it was time for the second tour stop with my Choreo Boost Workshop that I’m holding for SATS – and it was SATS Göteborg time to move their asses. : )

According to the list it was gonna be a rather small but still an ok crowd of dance peeps – but when I came it was a teeny tiny group, only five people. But the better were they.
They all moved really well – which was great to see, and they seemed to like the workshop.

Awesome job guys, thanks for your positive vibe!

Now I’m in Malmö – where the third and last tour stop is or this round.
The training manager from the club where we’re supposed to be called me earlier and said that the studio were “kind of double booked” – so I’ll be at another club.
I don’t mind, as long as I catch my flight.
But then when he was about to explain how to get to the club he asked me what hotel I’m at… I answered that I really didn’t know, some Elite hotel close to the central station.

Then he got quiet for a while before he continued;
– Aaah – that hotel.
(me)  – What?! Is it bad
(him)  – Noo.. the opposite… (silence) so, the educational budget is lavish indeed (even more silence)
And in the same moment as I felt he turned really bitter and judgementful to me it hit me that there is rather fancy Elite hotel as you walk from the station – but it’s not that one I’d be staying at.
And for some really weird reason I  felt obligated to explain to him how it was.. and he was like – what ever. Annoying!

He gives me a call one day in advance – tells me that they have double booked their studios – and need to move my workshop to another club, and that I might need to switch studio in the middle of my session as well…
And then he judge me for what hotel he thinks I’m at.

Weird!!!!

Anyhow – that’s just a tiny side track.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s CB and I hope everyone remembers to change the time this night – finally back to summertime!!

You know what that means, it’s summer! YAY!

 

The upcoming weekend will be spent in Sundsvall – and at EGO to be specific.
That’s one of the biggest gyms in Sundsvall. This weekend it’s time for their annual convention.
I’ve been there several times before – last year as well.
It’s always a pure pleasure to teach there. The owners are great – they have an amazing staff and a lot of sweet and good members.
So, I’m looking forward to it.
I’ll teach my sassy jazz that I taught at the Nike Blast Finland.

But before that it’s friday – which means sleeping in (yaay) and my lovely jazz lesson at House of Shapes.
Hope to see you there!

Yesterday I taught my regular wednesday hot yoga class.
It’s a nice 10 am class – and I’ve chosen to keep that class and let the thursday 5 pm class go – since I prefer the atmosphere in the day classes (and least when it comes to yoga)

Last week it was a great focus – and it was even a lady that came up to me after class and was impressed by how concentrated everyone were, and that made it so much easier for her to focus as well, which also made the class way more intense and beneficial. Awesome!

How ever – yesterday’s class was quite the opposite.
I had one lady that shouted out questions loud – non stop.
The fact that I do explain every pose super closely, verbally, and the fact that some of the poses are repeated two – or even four times – if it’s right and left (so there is time to feel, find and try) didn’t matter to her.

Then it also was this couple – a dude and a chica – that chatted to each other.
And every time I tried to assist her she kind of snapped to me. Like it was offending that I came up to her. I only did that twice – and then I put my energy into those who were receivable for development and help.

All these elements made the class a bit fussy and since it is a mental challenge for most of the people that do go all in – it was definitely harder to focus yesterday.

I encourage my participants to ask questions but even more to pay attention in class.
Especially in a dance class.
I much rather want them to ask me if they’re stuck or don’t get it – then get annoyed and therefore block themselves. Totally un-necessary, right?!

In yesterday’s yoga class though, that’s all about focus and concentration – I’d preferred if the people with concerns would have payed more attention from the beginning.
Listened carefully to my instructions – observed the people in the front row that’s been there before – and used the fact that some of the movements were done repeatedly.
If they don’t get it the first time – they will the second, sort of.
And then ask. Not just shout it out loud over and over…

That is me.
What do you think?!
As a teacher – are you in to questions in all classes at any time?
As a participant – do you feel comfortable asking questions, or are you one of those who sighs when someone else asks?
Just curious…

 

Wow… this week really flew by quick.
11 classes down and one more to go today – besides from the master class at the upcoming event this weekend.

Here’s a brief dance class-update from the past week;
Monday – A brand new choreo at the street class.
If you missed it – I’ll do it again next monday.

Wednesday – I taught an old monday-choreo that I’ve done for three wednesdays now.
Give it to me – Jason Derülo
I figured it wasn’t to many wednesday-peeps that have done it before, so I did a little re-run. But that was the last time. This wednesday I’ll most likely do something new.

Thursday – A brand new jazz routine.
The vibe is a bit of contemporary jazz style. It feels really smooth and graceful.
I could tell that in the beginning of the class some of the participants thought to themselves; Ooo yeah baby, this is gonna be a soft and easy class… but then it hit them – the choreo – and it get really physically demanding. (Unless you’re a cheater that is)

Friday – I’ll do the Roc Me Out jazz choreo a second time.
Got so proud of – and happy with – the crew last week and I hope to move on a little bit further today.

Happy friday to all of you!

This past weekend was definitely a good one.
QW round 1/12 is over and out – for me at least and I’m happy and grateful for the awesome peeps that I had the pleasure to work with this time.
Thanks for your great attitude and good work!

In Malmö I had a huge group for BODYBALANCE™ where some of the faces were familiar from initial trainings and other events – and quite many faces were also new to me.

These fierce faces were definitely familiar…
Soffan and Anna joined in for BODYBALANCE™ and Ms Anna Key, ready to rock some BODYPUMP®.
The BODYJAM® crew was rather small – and our session got quite intimate and cosy. But non the less ass-shaking!

Sorry about the blurry pic – but you know how it is after class, high on endorphins and your hands are a little bit shaky… It was just like that! 🙂

BODYBALANCE™ 56 is in the building! Well – it has been for a while I guess.
This was the second and last weekend of quarterlies in the capital and also the second round of BODYBALANCE™56.
I had a great group of about 50 people that joined me this a m a z i n g spring day.
I’m happy – accept with one thing.

When I handed out the kits (dvd, music and choreo) I accidentally handed out my own.
So – someone is gonna have a kit without the CD and without the choreo notes. Which means – someone’s gonna be very angry.

I’m sorry!!
How ever I don’t think that person read my blog – but you never know.
I carried up the boxes from the front desk and put my stuff on top of it.. and I guess the kit just ended up lying there, and I thought it was one the new ones.
Well – apart from that I’m happy with the day, and I’m grateful for the meeting with all the lovely, talented and positive instructor.

Now – I’m on the most shaky train ever (car sick – or train sick then – as h***) almost in Malmö where I’ll be first flowing then shaking my ass.