Dear Inspirational Souls,
I hope you've had a wonderful weekend!! I had a fantastic Saturday night!! I went to Sadlers Wells with my friends to see Pina Bausch's Rite of Spring directed by Germaine Acogny, the Founder of L'Ecole des Sables, Senegal, West Africa!! It was so inspirational Germaine Acogny is still dancing at 80 years old and choreographing, I spoke to her and she is the most Humane choreographer I have ever met. The show was breathtaking! Because of the energy, because they adapted Pina Bausch choreo as if it was happening in Senegal!!
Also, thank you to all those who have been asking how my MA in World Performances, Theatres and Cultures at Goldsmiths is going. It is indeed going amazingly well. I did my first presentation in Cultural Studies and it went outstandingly well, despite this recurrent throat issues I've had as some of you are aware (it seems Syrup has become my new diet... lol)
I am so grateful to be able to take part of IRIE! Dance Theatre and the Team has not only allowed me to take classes but they have been facilitating connections who have basically allowed me to teach i.e. work...
Born in the Performing Arts, it has been frustrating to have been trapped in the Health & Fitness industry. Don't get me wrong, everyone has always treated me with kindness and respect. It is not something that I never wanted to do either. You probably know the story... My parents were contracted to perform at the Club Med, in Greece, when I was 14 years old, I went to all the fitness classes (morning, afternoon and evening) because I simply found it fun, easy to follow, when I came back home, my Mum would find me pretending teaching fitness classes by myself in my bedroom. I did find the concept easy to grasp but in the "milieu" I came from, it was frowned upon because we were from the Performing Arts i.e. Arts & Culture Industry (without emphasising the fact that my parents have been paying for my weekly Ballet and Jazz Dance training since the age of 6 years old...).
During my Dance Teaching training, a friend of mine who was doing the same training as me talked to me about Zumba. And guess what, in 2010, I had no idea what Zumba was, I simply never heard of it before!! Initially I was not interested, whatsoever. But I did aspire to teach African Caribbean dance styles and when I youtubed Zumba and noticed there were not only some African Dance steps but when I understood that Beto Perez, the Founder of Zumba, was also teaching Afro heritage Dance styles, I signed up immediately!! I trained at the Spa in Beckenham where some of you know experienced me teaching Zumba for 2-3 years. I taught everywhere; I even taught it at IRIE Dance Theatre.
Why did I stop? Didnt I like it? I loved it! The intensity was like as if I was performing. But I got injured! I was teaching Zumba everyday 3-4- classes a day! Why? Because my Landlord sold my property and I had a few months to get a deposit to move somewhere else. But I got injured like I never was injured before. As a Professional, it was the saddest times of my life. I was always in pain day and night... The Doctors recommended I stop teaching! That's why I stopped teaching Zumba and that's why I have many hats: I am a teacher in Education, I developed my Clinical Exercise Programme to support NHS Patients with their recovery as it took me 10 years to recover!! Indeed I took the time to train as a Yoga, Pilates and Physical Activity & Lifestyle Medicine (NHS/ SLAM) Instructor.
I do sufffer from a long term medical condition which can only be taken care of by moving mindfully... However, when Better kindly invited me to teach in New Addington to take over the Zumba class, I had to make the request to change it to 'Dance Fitness' so I can take pauses whenever I needed to mindfully scan my body i.e. not to overdo it as a couple of years ago, Virgin offered me to teach Zumba, I could only teach with low intensity as everytime I tried to get to a higher level I would be stricken by intense migraines followed by nausea; so I did not want this to happen with my New Addinton class. And because I did not experience these symptoms in Dance classes I would attend nor in the other classes I would be teaching, I thought I would be fine teaching Dance Fitness in New Addington, sadly the same symptoms re-occurred AFTER each Saturday session. The recovery would take two days!! I was obsessed with my diet as I thought it was something I was doing not enough until my best friend spoke about my symptoms to her partner who trained in Naturopathy and who simply advised to watch my salt intake. He was absolutely right. I stopped consuming salt for at least 5 years to prevent developing cardiovascular conditions but which led me to feel completely unbalanced and completely drained especially after teaching my classes.
So does it mean I can teach again Zumba? The reality is that many things happened during that period, I was no longer able to access my playlists on my ipod, I no longer pay the Zumba Instructor Membership and above all, I developed my own style: my Afro- Oriental Dance Fitness style, which embraces Belly Dancing and African Dance steps. I do rejoice in delivering some Zumba routines. However a Zumba class has to be 70% of South American music and dance. My Dance Fitness class is 75% Afrobeats and Oriental Dance Music... However, my Dance Fitness style of instructing has completely been inspired by my training with the Zumba Academy, I do believe that the non- verbal teaching method is one of the most efficient and successful teaching approach I have ever come across!! However, I also rejoice in teaching and correcting techniques, I'm a Dance Teacher after all... Last but not least, I aspire to develop my artistic signature in World Performances, Theatres and Cultures...
Now you know why I stopped teaching Zumba. If you found this story interesting, don't hesitate to like this post because that would really make me happy :-)
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, IRIE Dance Theatre has kindly shared my services with like- minded connections. I will be covering this Monday, Shebas' two classes starting at 11:30am with African Caribbean Dance Class at the Copleston Centre in Peckham and Thursday lunchtime at the Walworth Centre in Camberwell.
On Tuesday, I will be teaching the Afro- Oriental Dance class with the Young Women Group, we had a blast last Tuesday as we rehearsed Thriller and at the end of the session, we danced onstage!! There was so much energy and their act was so together when it came to make monster faces and Zombie walks!! It was so much fun!! I think we should try with make up on and actually do a video clip for next year, that would be so cool ;-)
On Saturday, as most of you know, we have the Afro- Oriental Dance Fitness class (as I like to call it) followed by Pilates in New Addington!! You'll be happy to know that I am now able to lead the "J'ai trop dance" Dance Routine, a very full on and energetic but really fun routine I choreographed years ago, and now I can do it without the above symptoms (meaning I can now fly again when I dance it)!! I am hoping to bring a NEW DANCE ROUTINE this week!! I can't believe how big the Pilates class has become, if we continue like this we wont have any Swiss Balls available!! (lol) It's great, I love the energy of that class!! I am taking the time to give a special shoutout to South Norwood, everytime I come to cover the Participants are just so lovely, so thank you so much for welcoming me so warmly, I also love it when you sing and it is such a pleasure to cover both of your classes, thanks for appreciating my Afro- Oriental Dance Fitness style & my Soulful Yoga)!! Also, you will be delighted to know that I will be part of the BETTER Open Day Weekend on Sunday 24th November, New Addington!!
If you are unable to commit to weekly classes, come and join us the first Sunday of the month to the Afro Dance Fusion Workshop at Tree House in Croydon, it is FREE for Young Female Refugees and Bromley & Croydon Women's Aid, so please do not hesitate to REFER any potential Dance Participants, that would be sincerely appreciated; otherwise, you can PAY WHAT YOU CAN. Please find the link below to register and/ or to share:
Don't hesitate to contact me if you wish to book 1-2-1 sessions with MOI!
I am wishing you a wonderful week!!
See you soon,
AWA!
Movement Practitioner
Lecturer for Young Refugees
Founder of The Ojas Centre
AWA! & GERMAINE ACOGNY
Sadlers Wells, London
November 9th, 2024
Thank you so much, Gema, that is so generous of you!! I so look forward to dancing with you!! See you soon in the Dance Space, Awa, xx PS: Apologies for the late reply, I was unsure how to reply to messages...
Your energy is amazing! You are so inspiring