Structured Journaling - An experiment

Hello there :)

Another blog post today, about 'structured journaling'. This one is about something that I have been experimenting with since 1st of January 2017, after reading about the benefits of daily affirmations (see my recent blog post on that here) and trying out various (dance and life) journaling methods over the years.

The format is partially inspired by the 5-minute journal (as recommended by Tim Ferris in one of his awesome podcasts), mixed with inspiration from the 'Morning Pages' practice which Julia Cameron mentions in 'The Artists' Way' (one of my favorite books for inspiration), plus my own daily note-taking habits.

It looks like a lot, but in reality it only takes me a few minutes each day to write down something in each section. I take about 5 minutes for the morning portion, and 5 minutes for the evening notes, the rest of it (top of right page) are lines I note down here and there throughout the day, which only takes a few seconds.


Every evening I prepare the page for the following day, and I make sure my (lucky!) pen is at the ready, too - It helps to make journaling in the mornings as easy and accessible as possible.

I looks something like this:

Daily Journal - Example pages

I currently use a Paperblanks lined journal, format 'ultra' (180 x 230 mm) - but whichever format you like journaling in will do.

The points I fill out over the course of the day are the following:

1. Date and time
I fill out the date the evening beforehand, and the time once I start journaling.

2. WWMTG - 'What would make today great?'
3 Things that would make me happy if they happened on that day. This could be anything (eg. receive a booking, sell a DVD, enjoy a great workout/dance practice session or class, go for a walk, etc..) 

3. 3TIATF - '3 Things I am thankful for'
These things can be very simple (eg. the pen I am writing with, fresh coffee, a bird you hear singing outside), or more abstract (a person you are happy to know, something you look forward to doing that day, your health, etc..)

Note: This section (2 and 3) is borrowed from the 5-minute journal, and they help prime you to think about the 'bigger picture' of your day and feel grateful for small and bigger things in your life, both of which will help set a positive mood and bring focus to your mind before any input (eg email, etc..) has the chance to redirect your attention for the day.

4. THOUGHTS/DREAMS
The biggest space on the left page is for this section, but on days where I am inspired to write more, I just continue on the back of the page 2 where I add the date and 'MORE THOUGHTS'

As long as I only prepare one 'Journal Day' at a time I can be flexible with the space in the rest of the journal.

- If I remember anything I dreamt that night, I start with writing that down, including any thoughts/memories/insights it might trigger. I have noticed that making space to note dreams for the past 9 days (it's January 9th today) has already helped me recall more of them, with more and more detail.
- If not, I just jot down a stream of thoughts, things I remember from the previous day that I have not written about yet, things that occupy my mind at the moment, anything that comes up is fine. This section is to 'get it on the page', so your mind is free and 'open' for the rest of the day. If, on occasion, interesting, new or fresh ideas come out of this, I make sure to note them down in a separate 'Ideas journal' (I have many journals) to use for later on.

5. TODO
This section is self-explanatory. After some experimentation I have settled on a maximum of 6 Todo-items per day - 3 work-related ones, and 3 personal ones, inspired by the Passion Planner to-do list setup, to make sure I prioritize for the day.

Note: I have CONSCIOUSLY made this section as small as possible, because otherwise it just becomes a repeated and ever-growing list of items. I do make a 'Master TODO'-list for each month at the beginning of the month, with one main focus per week, so the 'best' (ie most effective) daily Todo's can be easily deduced from that.

6. FOOD/FUEL
I note what I eat and drink during the day in this section. It might feel a bit hokey at first, but adding the word 'fuel' helps to see food as what it is: something that helps your body (and mind!) work and keeps it running happily. Water is also fuel!

7. BODYCHECK
I've added this one because it sounds badass :) And also because checking in with how my body feels helps me get grounded and can give me inspiration/direction for the following section, which is:

8. MOVEMENT LOG:
Planning/noting down what I do, physically, movement-wise per day. This is an attempt to work in more healthy movement-habits throughout the day.

Note: You can write down 'structured' movement in here (ie. a dance practice session or movement class, a workout, etc..) but in reality every bit of movement counts (ie taking the stairs, walking, doing a few TKD kicks in the hallway while you wait for your coffee, elevator shimmies, hanging from a doorway, a ghetto stretch while waiting in line, breathing deeply, etc.. etc..) 

Writing these down consciously will magically motivate you to do more, and it will help you think of new ways to sneak in healthy movement throughout your day. 

9. 3GTTHT - '3 Great things that happened today'
Here I note down 3 things that made me happy. They can be anything, great or small.



10. HCIHMTEB - 'How could I have made today even better'
Here I note 3 ideas on how I could have had/made an even better day. Simple, but very powerful.

Note: This section (9 and 10) is also inspired by the 5-minute journal, they help put the happenings of the day in a positive perspective, and the last question might even inspired ideas 'in the background' while you sleep! After filling out this final section I prepare the journal for the next day, and repeat the process the following morning.


So.. that's it. My 'structured journaling' experiment in a nutshell.

If you decide to try it out for yourself, please let me know how it works for you. And/or if you have any journaling habits/tips you'd like to share with me in the comments, please do! I would love to learn more about your own journaling processes/experiences.

Bonus note: A year-end review
Again, inspired by Mr. Tim Ferris, but this time his 'Tools of Titans book (which I highly, highly recommend), I have used the following writing prompts for a 'year end review' of 2016 at the end of my previous journal, right before starting this daily journal for 2017.

At the top of the page/journal, I wrote down the following questions:

• What did I do?
• What did I learn?
• Who did I meet?
• What did I make/create?

I filled out the answer to each of these questions for every month of the year 2016. It took me about 30-45 minutes in total (spaced out over 2 days), and it has already given me some surprisingly deep insigths, as well as an innate motivation to 'make more' in 2017, including this blog post :)

I know the year has started already, but there is still value in looking back to look forward nonetheless. Maybe even more so right before diving into a 'daily journalling experiment'. If you want, try it out and.. let me know what you think!

xx K.
www.khalidadance.com
www.inspirationnation.de

(PS: I have added a free downloadable .pdf version of this blog post on www.inspirationnation.de/articles ) Enjoy and feel free to share!

Belly Dance Affirmations

I am very happy to share my latest venture with you today.


A few months ago Kyria of the Netherlands contacted me (and several other dancers) to collaborate on a great project: We were asked to each send input for a set of free(!) printable affirmation cards for belly dancers, to help inspire and motivate in dance, dance practice, and life.

Affirmation cards - download them here!

Below you can find a link to download the set of free affirmations I've created for this project:

www.khalidadance.com/affirmations


Using affirmations is a powerful and easy way to create 'positive input' for yourself, and it can have motivational effects that last throughout your day.

I used to write my affirmations down into my journal, to start my dance days 'right', but now I simply use the cards we've created physically by printing out the sheet, cutting out the individual affirmations and including them into my journal pages.

We've created a digital treasure hunt so you get to visit every dancer's page to see how they used the affirmation cards and download their PDF file. There are five sheets of affirmations waiting for you to get started!

Check out the other dancer's belly dance affirmation sheets and websites below, as well as Kyria's Blog for tips on how to create a beautiful 'card deck' out of them.

Kyria

Falling in love with the music and movements of belly dance is what got Kyria started, inspiring her students by teaching belly dance is what keeps her going. She is available for classes, workshops and performances in the Utrecht area in The Netherlands. After teaching weekly classes for over a decade she figured it was time to reach out to dancers all over the world and offer resources to students, teachers and performers on www.bellydanceresources.com. Her first Kickstarter for Belly Dance Practice Dice will go live in February 2017.

Download her affirmations here

Andalee

Andalee is an Oriental dancer and instructor from Durham, North Carolina, now based in Montpellier, France. Her dance style is based in Egyptian belly dance and American Cabaret belly dance. Her mission is to promote belly dance as a respected and valid performance art. She teaches her students that belly dance is truly accessible to anyone by exploring the different techniques and styles of belly dance. In 2013, Andalee founded Belly Dance at Any Size after learning about size-acceptance and Health at Every Size. The website is a resource for building self-esteem and a positive body image for belly dancers.

Visit Belly Dance at Any Size for Andalee’s affirmations

Khalida

Khalida is a multi-award winning professional belly dance performer and instructor, born in Belgium and living in Germany. She currently offers personal coaching, instructional dvd’s and workshops as well as high-quality performances.  In August 2017 she hosts the first Movespiration congress in Wurselen, Germany. The goal of this weekend is to share her biggest discoveries, learnings and inspirations of the past year(s) in dance and movement in the form of a 2-day movement and dance intensive, featuring guest classes/workshops from teachers from different movement disciplines/arts, as well as personalized (belly)dance technique and movement guidance.

Visit Khalida’s website for her affirmations

Mao Murakami

Mao Murakami is the founder of a DIY belly dance costume website, Sparkly Belly, where belly dancers can learn to sew and DIY their own costumes, even if they are new to sewing!

She turned her love of belly dance and costumes into one website, empowering belly dancers with sewing and DIY skills, and help them feel beautiful and confident on stage. What’s belly dancing without sparkly costumes that celebrate your uniquely beautiful body?

Check out her free tutorials (65 of them and counting!) at SparklyBelly.com.

Visit Sparkly Belly for Mao’s affirmations

Zahra Zuhair

International performer, workshop instructor, and choreographer, Zahra is world renowned for her knowledge, authenticity, and dedication to the art of Middle Eastern dance. Raised in raqs sharqi from a young age, Zahra is known for her musicality and classic, elegant style. She is the artistic director of PoNaNa Dance Theatre (loosely meaning a blend of many things) and has written and choreographed productions intertwining Arabian tales and dance, since 1997. Los Angeles, California has been Zahra’s home base since 1984, where she has been one of LA’s most esteemed teachers for many years. Her always-evolving style keeps students, old and new, coming back for more.

Visit Zahra Zuheir’s website for her affirmations

Enjoy and feel free to share!

xx Kim/Khalida

www.khalidadance.com - www.inspirationnation.de

PS: My own affirmations download link can be found here: www.khalidadance.com/affirmations

Inspiration and Movement - InspirationNation

Hi there :)

Soo... Some very exciting new developments are happening at the moment @ casa Khalida.

I have just launched a new website, called InspirationNation - This is where I will be sharing my latest movement experiences and biggest inspirations, in dance, life, and martial arts, and hopefully help inspire movement improvement for dancers and non-dancers alike.

InspirationNation.de

Over time I will be sharing more updates, articles, blog posts (check out the Movespiration blog too) and most importantly, information on a new and upcoming movement and dance(-ish) event on the InspirationNation website.

Peddle and float - strength and grace <3

See the official website here: http://www.inspirationnation.de

Check out the blog here: http://movespiration.blogspot.de

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/Inspi_Nation

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/movespirationnation

Event page: ... coming up. :)


More updates to follow ... SOON!

xx K.

www.khalidadance.com - www.inspirationnation.de

Outside, where the magic lies. Find the green.

About one year ago I made an important change.

After re-discovering my home area Eschweiler from an inliner-view last summer, and in trying to hold on as long as possible to the memories of green, green Skye in September, I decided I needed, urgently, to 'go outside' more - or at least once a week - and actively search for the green around me.

And in that year I found something I thought I had lost..  My sense of self.

Apparently my Self.. likes to be outside. Picture by the amazing Elster

Even though it had been years since working in an office full time, I still sensed lately that something had been 'missing'. Getting outside felt deeply counter-intuitive at first. After all, as an entrepreneur/dancer/professional/person, I am supposed to be dancing, training, working, reading, learning, or at least doing something 'productive' with my free time, whenever I have some, yes?

Actually, no.

As dancers, and as humans, we NEED to get outside, and we need regular movement. Actual people movement, that is. And movement variety at that. So not just training, crosstraining, working out, drilling, or even freestyling and/or 'relaxation' once or twice (or thrice) a week. We need to walk, run, climb, hang, carry, crawl, swim, roll around, and above all, get outside.

Our bodies crave it. Our brains light up when we do. Our senses need all that input from going outside, being outside, and moving about. Amidst all this, we relax. And as our body moves, while the mind is restful, creativity soars. Whatever we search, see, hear and do.. Dictates what we will perceive. Find the green.

So how to go about all that? Slowly, at first.

Find some green.

Try going there once.

Then, another time.

At first once a week.

Then maybe twice.

First walk, then run.

Then walk or run again.

Every now and then maybe, ride a bike (with helmet please!)

And after that.. walk some more.

To nearby places you used to go to by car.

Whenever the mood strikes, and you can, go.

When you can't go outside, look out a window, find the green.


Find the green.

Eat outside, if weather permits

Read outside, if you can find a space

When meeting friends, go for a walk

On a holiday.. plan for the green.

Hike, bike, jump, run, swim, or walk.

Walk some more

Then maybe run, or bike.

Or climb. Or crawl.

And while you do, sense. See, hear, smell, feel, listen.

Try it.

Try it today. And tomorrow.

Find the green.


Pictures of our tiny (but beautiful) Eschweiler wald:

And that was just last spring, summer, and fall. 
I can't wait to re-find it in winter.


See you soon too, I hope.

xx Khalida

PS: See the updated (dance) website with more pictures from our outdoor shoot:
www.khalidadance.com

And check out www.inspirationnation.de/forest for more of my 'find the green' photos.


PSPS: What I'm reading right now: The secret life of trees. 

And another great read (blog post) on going outside: Biomechanist Katy Bowman's Exercise less.


Now that your eyes (and mind) are primed.. Find the green.

How I got pain-free - part 3: A DVD

Hello again :)

Almost a full year after writing about my adventures in self-help health care via How I got pain-free - part 1 and How I got pain-free - part 2, it feels like it is high time for an update.

Since discovering (and being part of the pilot version of) Monika Volkmar's awesome Dance Stronger program last July-August, my life as a dancer (and human!) has changed for the better.

Finally pain-free, even still today(!), I have continued searching for ways to maintain my newfound healthier way of moving, dancing and training. To integrate new body awareness into my daily life and even expand it, I started experimenting with different new (to me!) physical activities over time.

These were things I had always wanted to, but was somehow unable (or afraid) to try earlier, and things I had even given up on ever learning how to do. They included:

• re-taking up inline skating (much more fun with better balance, who knew!)
• at-home kettlebell training (since learning how to do a proper TGU via Monika's Dance Stronger I dove into Pavel Tsatsouline's 'Simple and Sinister' program, an excellent kettle bell training book, very highly recommended)
• regular woodland walking and even some running (with my boo, Mr E, in our beautiful Eschweiler Wald)
• signing up for modern dance/jazz (weekly classes by my favorite ballet teacher Constanze Janssen in Aachen, DE)

Since last November I've also started studying Korean martial arts, aka Tae Kwon Do, at Sportschule Chae, with our fantastic Master Großmeister Chae Seung-Eun.

Enjoying this entirely too much :D #husbandflinging #matkissing #hosinsul #selfdefence #TKD #taekwondo #belttest #armbar #yellowgreen #gürtelprüfung

A video posted by khalidadance (@khalidadance) on Jun 18, 2016 at 2:19pm PDT

I have also made a promise to myself at the beginning of this year to continue to deepen my (belly) dance studies intensively, which has taken me to the Netherlands in June to take up Sadie's Raqs Flow program, as well as to Plakiás, Crete (Greece) in May, for a week long of private studies with one of my favorite mentors and absolute heroes in dance and life, Boženka.

Grandmaster of Dance, Boženka

(I talk about my experiences in Crete in this Podcast interview by Annett Bone)


So, what to do with all this newfound knowledge and experience?


I have pondered this for quite a while, and ultimately what would make me happiest, is to share all I have learned in these eye-opening, physically adventurous and experience-rich months, with as many people as possible.

My original plan was to write yet another epically long blog post *ahem* :) But as the topic itself is more about embodying, moving and EXPERIENCING change, I decided I might as well go 'deeper' and attempt to pour all of my learnings and experiences into an 'active style' DVD form.

Chapter 1: Awareness and relaxation

This new DVD (and downloadable/streaming class) is a gathering of all the valuable things I have learned in the past year(s), and I have done my best to highlight those exercises, movements and concepts that have brought me the most palpable and immediate change.

I have also attempted to incorporate my own experiences in applying these concepts into my personal dance training, as well as into private classes and workshops with students willing to experiment with movement and awareness with me. What you'll find in this DVD is what came out of all of that. :)

Healthy Movement - Deeper Dance - Drills and Conditioning

Below you can find a short preview video, as well as a listing of all of the chapters I've included, plus links to inspirations and resources for those who want to dive deeper into the material.


Video preview:

Healthy Movement for Deeper Dance - Drills and Conditioning with Khalida

Where to find it:

• DVD version: www.khalidadance.com/DVDs
• Downloadable/Streaming version: https://gum.co/drills

Chapters:

Healthy Movement for Deeper Dance - Drills and Conditioning with Khalida

Part 1: Relaxation and Awareness
- Breathing exercises
- Floor relaxation
- Releasing the upper body, arms, neck, head, legs, and hips
- Tips for deepening upper body movement
- Dance drill for smooth and '3D' upper body and arms

 Part 2: Martial arts-inspired Warmup
- Light cardio
- Footwork warmup
- Breathing for recovery
- Deeper stretches for hips and legs
- Anti-stress and diaphragm strenghening exercise (TKD style punching mini-tutorial)
- Shimmy drill for stronger shimmies with relaxed upper body layering

Part 3: Movement pattern progressions
- Movement sequence and strenghtening patterns
- One-legged and double-legged hip movements drill

Part 4: Feet, Ankles and 'Cogs' release
- Pre-test
- Releasing the feet, ankles and lower legs
- Hip hinge and squat technique
- Re-test
- AiM 'Cogs' in all 3 planes of motion - Dance warmup version
- Rounded movements drill


Resource list

Related/ Recommended books, articles, websites, blogs, instructors, DVDs, people, and programs:

Part 1: 

• Anatomy of breathing - A wonderfully thorough resource on all things breath
• The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook - Revised 3rd edition, highly recommended
• Stop chasing pain - Excellent, excellent blog by Dr Perry Nickleston - Pining for the book!

Part 2:

• Sportschule Chae
• Boženka's World

Part 3:  

• Monika Volkmar's Dance Stronger life-changing program, pre-warmup and core activation
• Dr Mark Chengs awesome Rehab-Prehab program (both highly recommended!)

Part 4:

• Becoming a supple leopard - Dr. Kelly Starrett - Great self-care book for healthier movement in feet, ankles, hips and legs - Also check out the Mobility WOD Youtube channel
• Finding Centre - Anatomy in Motion by Gary Ward. Also check out the book What the Foot!

That feeling of completion :) <3

I hope the resources and contents of this blog post will bring you much joy, movement, and positive changes and experciences, as they have done for me.

Dance on, move freely.

xxx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com 

Tips for shimmy practice

This is a blog post inspired by a question by Laura of UK/Ireland after working with the Shimmy Sessions DVD's, as well as by an amazing 'deep' 3/4 shimmy technique practice breakdown shared by Boženka during her Training Weekend in Würselen, DE last weekend.

Enjoy!


Tips for practising your shimmies at different speeds 

• It depends a bit on the specific kind of shimmy you are practising, but in general doing the movements at a slower speed and focusing on evenness in tempo and range of movement (left and right leg) helps to make your body (and mind!) feel more comfortable with the movement. Practising it faster every now and then is definitely also helpful to challenge shimmy dexterity, but if you notice that the shimmy goes 'rogue' then slowing the pace down until you 'refind' it during practise makes the training session most efficient.

• It is also good to keep in mind that while doing the movement slowly you can go for maximum range of movement, but when speeding up the movement becomes smaller. So for the faster practice try to focus on precision and tempo, but with a smaller range, rather than compromising the movement quality in order to keep the movement 'big'.

• To practise shimmies at different speeds you can try them without music from super slow to gradually faster and faster, then slower again, trying to keep the rhythm 'even' at different speeds. Then you might find that some 'speeds' (fast or slow!) might be easier than others, which is good to know for 'target practice'.

• When I train and/or teach 3/4 shimmies (up or down) myself, I practise slow first, then medium speed, then faster movements with breaks in between sets/steps. After a while, if the shimmy technique/sequence starts to feel easier and 'controlled' in tempo, we go for faster movements without breaks, like the build-up in the shimmysessions and shimmies DVDs/ Online Classes

• If the faster speed of a DVD/Online class/practice session is a bit too much right now you can always go for half that speed for instance, while still following the musics general down beat, this way you can follow along with me/the instructor/yourself to the music, but at a more comfortable tempo until the shimmy becomes easier (which it will, eventually! it just takes time, patience and conscious practice) 

• When I practise the 'regular' shimmies (eg egyptian shimmies and hip shimmies) I usually combine it with other tasks around the house eg folding laundry, ironing, making breakfast, brushing teeth.. that are not too mentally demanding and can be done 'upright'  This way I get some bonus practice in, which is always beneficial.

• Focusing on engaging your glutes slightly and lifting the back of your ribs to free up movement also helps to relax the hips and legs, which makes the shimmy feel less like 'work', which is the ultimate goal.

• Also remember that medium speed shimmies are usually fast enough to match most music, so having an 'even' shimmy will give you more than being able to 'warp speed' it.

• Keeping your core engaged deeply (pelvic floor, glutes, lower belly) while shimmying helps to concentrate the movement and conserve 'shimmy energy'. Deep breathing, focusing extra on the exhalation also helps to keep the shimmy relaxed even at higher speeds.

• Making sure to warmup well, and to stretch and relax your musles (and mind) before and after the training session helps tons towards having a 'high quality' shimmy practice session.

• In very short my answer would be: Yes, definitely keep practising at slower speed, but also try to go even slower, AND speed it up to beyond your comfortable speed every now and then to challenge yourself and to see if the shimmy is becoming easier/more comfortable over time.

Bonus tip: Sometimes, when a practice session feels especially uncomfortable, it can be a sign that you are learning/improving/changing your movement, even though you don't have the 'benefits' of it yet right away. I've noticed at times that about 2 days after a 'difficult' practice session my movements have made a 'quality jump' - so this is something to experiment with as well.


Good luck and happy shimmying!!

xxx K.
www.khalidadance.com 


PS: For those interested in shimmy-specific online classes and DVDs, check out the respective links!


ETA: You can download this Shimmy Tips blog post in handy .pfd format via this link.

My Dance Practice Process

As a follow-up on my previous post on planning practice, here are some of my favorite tips on how to structure your actual practice sessions at home and/or in the studio, plus a few great articles I've found on dance practice, rehearsal and movement quality.

Enjoy and feel free to share!

How I structure my own dance practice sessions depends a bit on where I practise, and what I am currently working on.

No matter how much time I have though, I always take a few seconds (using very simple breath work) to center myself and focus before starting, and I take some time to warm up properly, making the practice itself much more productive - even if the session is short.

Same goes for cooling down. If I take one song to 'simmer down' I find that the work I have done sinks in more deeply, and if I stretch the muscles I have worked before moving on with my day- even for just a few minutes - I've noticed I have more energy and 'spunk' on the following day.

Also: I have found that whenever I get 'stuck', letting my dance rest a bit by moving it back to the pre-dance phase (see below), or working on a different piece, or just getting outside and breathing for a bit instead of stressing out about making progress always helps me get back on track easier on the next practice day. Sometimes inspiration takes time!

'outside' - the secret practice ingredient <3

So, in short (not) I usually structure my dance practice time like this:

Movement preparation
- take 3 breaths to center and focus - 30 seconds
- mini warmup: moving the joints through their respective ranges of motion to help up movement space (including 'cogs' from Anatomy in Motion) - 2-3 minutes

Dance-move preparation
- freestyle dance miniwarmup: dancing to one song in my itunes 'dance/listen' playlist that I am not currently working on, focusing on how my body feels, not on what I do per sé - 3-4 minutes

Note: The breathing and 'cogging' movement preparation help me connect with my body (something I have been working on more consciously lately) before any practice session, and it really makes a difference, so I even incorporate it now in classes that I teach (and take). 

I have also found that dancing freely to one song before practice helps me discover quickly which things to work on more during my technique sessions. I sometimes even find 'new' movement for my choreography work this way.

Actual dance pratice session
- Technique

•  I usually choose a specific movement to work on at different speeds, including in slow motion, first without music, then with music added
• Another option is to practice one or two techniques combined with music, then focusing on each movement separately without music (or with 'mind music' :) to refine and experiment a bit
• A technique DVD (or a mix of DVDs) focusing on a topic/two topics I am currently practising

Depending on how much time I have I sometimes do a mix of all 3 options, but if I am very short on time I will usually just do one movement focus, and/or 1-2 techniques with music, or a very short section of a DVD - All sandwiched between a short movement preparation, warmup and cooldown.

- Choreo work

• I start by reviewing a video of a previous choreo practice session and/or workshops I have taken/taught for inspiration
• Then I either dance the full choreo (while recording) OR I focus on a specific part I am working on (while recording the version I want to check 'in action')
• Then I check the recording of the full choreo (or of the specific part I am working on) using my dance journal as a guide to reflect (see below)
• After that I usually try out a few things to refine without music, making notes of the things I want to KEEP
• Then I dance again (while recording) etc..

Note: My dance practice sessions can be technique, or choreo, or both. If I have plenty of time then I will do technique first, then choreo work, as working on technique always inspires me. Sometimes I am working with a DVD and suddenly inspiration strikes, so I have to stop it and then test out my new choreo ideas right away. 

If I have the studio for practice I try to work on my technique at home beforehand (or on an earlier day), so I have maximum studio time for the choreography itself. I still do the breathing, and movement preparation + mini freestyle session at the studio though!)

So for me choreography is mostly an iterative process: I dance - record - reflect - refine - redance - record - etc.. Even if I am planning to improvise (or partially improvise) to a song, having this immediate feedback loop helps me to use the practice time I have to the max.

my dance - record - reflect - repeat setup at the studio :)

Using a dance journal

I always bring a notebook (I have a separate one for practice sessions) where I note the date, time, where I practise, what I work on, and what I did that day (dancing with or without music, with or without costume, with or without mirror) for each practice session.

For each 'dance loop' within the practice session I note the things I see that I like, the things that I didn't like (and ideas on how to change them if I know), the parts where I want to try out different options, and the parts that are still missing somehow.

The Little Book of Dance

Bonus dance challenges and self-coaching

If a dance is more or less 'set', or if the improvisation sessions start to feel more fluid, I challenge myself by adding more performance-like circumstances (dancing with the costume, dancing without mirror in different directions, imagining my audience and/or performance environment) and focusing more and more on how the dance 'feels' when it goes well.

So in a way I am coaching myself, much like I would coach a student who is working on her choreography or musical interpretation. It is certainly less comfortable than 'just' dancing the choreo many times, but it does make the practice time much more effective.

My 'Coachee', with #dancerfeet :)

Cooling down

I move more slowly for at least one (calming) song after a vigorous practice session, and no matter what I have worked on I try to take my time to stretch out the muscles that have been working hard, as well as reflect a bit on how I feel about the practice session and the things I have learned in the process.

Doing this gives my practice sessions a feeling of 'completion', helps restore my mental and physical energy a bit, and it makes it easier to 'stay in my body' during the rest of the day.

Sometimes I will use my foam roller routine for some extra deep upper body relaxation work


Dance prep work

BEFORE I start to choreograph (or prepare to improvise) to a song I tend to go through a preparation process for a few weeks or months, by listening to different versions of the music, watching videos of different interpretations, gathering information about the song itself, studying the lyrics, visualising dance movements that I would like to 'see' (this usually works best when I am doing something else, like work around the house, showering, walking, or driving), imagining how I would make use of a (sometimes still imaginary) costume etc..

This process can happen months (or even years!) before I start on the actual choreographing/improvisation preparation of a song, and I find it to be one of the most crucial steps in unlocking my creativity, even though it is mostly 'passive work'. It also allows me to work on several pieces at once, so they can germinate and mix in the back of my mind, intermingling with my daily dance (and life) experiences.

Sometimes inspiration hides up here!

Focusing on other non-dance activities (like TKD), or taking classes in other dance forms (like ballet, modern) while having a dance project broiling in the back ground also help to boost choreographic/improvisational creativity.

For improvisation performances this background preparation process still happens, albeit a bit more subconsciously.

Soo, that's it, my dance practice process in a (big-ish) nut shell :)

Please let me know if you have any questions/remarks, and if you are a dancer: I'm curious to learn about your practice process too!

xxx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com



PS: Check out the following articles for tips and more inspiration on the process of practice, performance and general movement. Enjoy!

Articles of the month: On movement quality and performance

How to improve your movement quality instantly by Move Better:
https://gmb.io/move-better/
  
Top 10 muscle imbalances (and how to fix them) by Stop Chasing Pain: http://www.stopchasingpain.com/free-articles/

3 Awesome articles on dance and movement by Monika Volkmar:
- Dance like a Human part 1: http://danceproject.ca/dance-like-a-human-part-1
- Dance like a Human part 2:http://danceproject.ca/dance-like-a-human-part-2-do-you-even-shift
- Dance like a Human part 3:http://danceproject.ca/movement-variability/

How to unlock smooth and free movement using self-regulation:
http://fitforreallife.com/2016/03/unlock-rigid-stiff-movement-self-regulation

Performance tips by Dance Magazine:
http://dancemagazine.com/inside-dm/make-magic-onstage/


Articles of the month: On practice and rehearsal

7 ways to practice on a busy schedule by Dance Comp Review:
http://dancecompreview.com/7-ways-practice-busy-schedule/

Journalling tips for dancers by 4 Dancers.org:
http://www.4dancers.org/2016/03/journaling-for-dancers-why-you-need-it-how-it-helps/

Tips for (mostly group) rehearsals by Dance Advantage:
http://www.danceadvantage.net/rehearsal-management-tips/
 
How to get the most out of each class by More Than Dancers:
http://www.morethandancers.com/10-mistakes-to-avoid-dancer-edition



Until next time,

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com

Books and Articles of the month - March 2016

Hello,

Can't believe it's March already! Here are my favorite (dance and life) related book and articles of the month:

Book: The Art of Learning
by Josh Waitzkin

The Art of Learning - Josh Waitzkin

I picked up this book for the first time last month, and it is one of my favorite reads on the process of learning and developing performance skills. I am planning on re-reading it for many times to come.

From the Amazon page: 'With a narrative that combines heart-stopping martial arts wars and tense chess face-offs with life lessons that speak to all of us, The Art of Learning takes readers through Waitzkin's unique journey to excellence. He explains in clear detail how a well-thought-out, principled approach to learning is what separates success from failure. Waitzkin believes that achievement, even at the championship level, is a function of a lifestyle that fuels a creative, resilient growth process. Rather than focusing on climactic wins, Waitzkin reveals the inner workings of his everyday method, from systematically triggering intuitive breakthroughs, to honing techniques into states of remarkable potency, to mastering the art of performance psychology.'

Check out a free chapter and audio excerpt as well as a video interview with the author here: http://www.joshwaitzkin.com/the-art-of-learning

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/857333.The_Art_of_Learning
Amazon.de: http://www.amazon.de/The-Art-Learning-Journey-Performance/dp/0743277465/
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Learning-Journey-Performance/dp/0743277465


Articles: 


On balance, alignment and movement dynamics:

• 'Where is your head at' by Monika Volkmar: http://danceproject.ca/wheres-your-head-at-how-to-keep-your-eyes-off-the-ground/#.VtmPO9DEZNR
• 'Restoring your movement map' by Monika Volkmar: http://danceproject.ca/restoring-your-movement-map/
  

On developing performance skills:

• By Dance Magazine:  http://dancemagazine.com/inside-dm/make-magic-onstage/

Interiew with Mahmoud Reda, living legend of Middle-Eastern dance:

• 'There is always hope' by Yasmina Ramzy: http://blog.yasminaramzy.com/blog/2015/09/there-is-always-hope-mahmoud-reda-.html
• 'What more can I ask for' by Yasmina Ramzy: http://blog.yasminaramzy.com/blog/2016/02/what-more-can-i-ask-for-mahmoud-reda.html

Music recommendation:


Check out these 2 treasures,  Simon Shaheen, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab and Mercedes Nieto, Layali El Hob Vol. 2

Highly recommended for anyone who loves rich orchestral arrangements of Middle Eastern music, with special thanks to Razia Star for recommending the first CD to me, and Mercedes Nieto for producing the second:

Simon Shaheen, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Mercedes Nieto, Layali El Hob Vol. 2

Happy reading/listening!

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com

Reading into December.. Books and Articles

Hello,

One of my most beloved pasttimes (next to dancing, ruminating, woodwalking, and very recently also Taekwondo!), is reading. Here are my favorite (dance and life) related book and articles of the month:

Book: Anatomy of breathing
by Blandine Calais-Germain

Anatomy of breathing

A wonderfully detailed and beautifully illustrated reference on the bio-mechanics and different variations of respiration. I especially love the preparatory and breathing exercises, and will be incorporating a few of them in my dance preparations and warmups in the future.

Chapters:
1. Initial observations about the act of breathing
2. The skeleton's role in breathing
3. Respiratory organs
4. Respiratory muscles
5. The principal forces involved in breathing
6. Forces affecting respiratory volumes
7. Relationships among anatomical structures involved in breathing
8. Analysis of the principal types of breathing
9. Practice pages

Goodreads link: Anatomy of Breathing
Amazon link (uk): Anatomy of Breathing
Amazon link (de): Anatomy of Breathing

Articles:

On movement and dance recovery:

• An ode to 'static back' by Pete Egoscue: http://www.sonima.com/fitness/static-back
• The (excellently illustrated) art of recovery by Aaron Swanson: http://www.aaronswansonpt.com/the-art-of-recovery-part-1-of-2/ 

On dance craft:

• Creating a BD routine - by BDNewEngland: http://www.bellydancenewengland.com/articles/2013/7/11/the-routine-roller-coaster.html
• Tips for dancing with confidence - by FlamencoBites: http://www.flamencobites.com/main/how-to-be-confident-when-you-dance
• Tips for remembering choreographies (I will be applying a few of these for the upcoming ballet recital December 19-20th!) by Flamencobites: http://www.flamencobites.com/main/5-tips-for-learning-and-remembering-choreography 
• More choreo-learning tips by Dance Advantage: http://www.danceadvantage.net/learn-choreography-quickly
• For balance - Tips on improvisation by Dance-Teacher: http://www.dance-teacher.com/2013/12/guiding-serious-play

Our ballet recital - 19th and 20th of December - I will report back if I survive

 On life and art in general:

• Embrace the suck - by DailyZen: http://www.thedailyzen.org/2015/06/28/embrace-the-suck

Sidenote: Embracing the suck (the article above) co-inspired me to finally take up studying Taekwondo this autumn, after years of fearing the unknown. An absolute beginning. And you know what? It is a breath (ha!) of fresh air to knowingly deeply suck at something, and at the same time enjoy the learning process. Every single class.

Our very first (half) belt grade! With huge thanks to Grandmaster Chae

Another one of life's small victories, after finally getting pain-free this summer, with help from the Dance Stronger project <3 Eternal gratitude from me to you and your work for dancers, miss Monika Volkmar!

DanceStronger - the love is still strong

As a bonus:

A podcast I heartily enjoyed - Inspiring interview with Jamie Foxx by Tim Ferris:
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/12/06/jamie-foxx/

Plus this lovely video of Dahlena (USA) teaching exquisitely elegant floorwork combinations:

Wishing you all a lovely remainder of the month (and year)!

x K.
www.khalidadance.com 

New foam rolling video: Cooldown/upper body relaxation routine

Hello hello :)

I'm happy to report I've just uploaded a free 6-minute foam rolling bonus video cooldown as an addition to the ShimmySessions and Shimmypack downloadable classes from the Online classes with Khalida page.

The video below is part of my personal post-dance training routine, which I've created in the process of finding ways to become, dance (and stay!) pain-free during the past few years.

Here it is:

Cooldown Foam Roller Routine - Khalida 

This video features some my favorite foam rolling cooldown exercises, including a combination of 3-D breathing inspired by the Dance Stronger program and a few simple but effective exercises to relax your upper back, gently release your hip flexors and reset your posture, all at once.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Foam rolling cool down/upper body release

Filmed at Sandra van Frankfoort-Mamentus beautifully 'zen' home studio <3

ETA: For a bit of extra zen-ness, complement this routine with practising the art of.. Letting go.

Happy rolling,

xx Khalida
www.khalidadance.com


PS: Also check out the pre-warmup video mini-series using basic foam rolling techniques at http://khalidadance.blogspot.de/2015/08/how-i-roll-khalidas-pre-warmup-rolling.html

On Deadlifts and Dance: An interview with Monika Volkmar of DanceStronger

I am very happy to share this interview with Monika Volkmar - Dancer, strength coach and author of the awesome upcoming DanceStronger book and workout program.

Enjoy!

Monika Volkmar

K: Hello, who are you? :) Please tell me a bit more about yourself (in dance and life)

M: I’m super stoked to be featured on your blog, Khalida. On paper, I am a dancer, a strength and conditioning specialist, owner of The Dance Training Project, a Thai massage practitioner, and level 1 Neurokinetic Therapy practitioner. Really though, you can call me a movement nerd and dancer enhancer who enjoys spending free time riding her bicycle, doing yoga, and eating scones.

Through the DTP I am on a mission to show the dance world that yes, you can (and should!) become strong, and by being strong and moving well fundamentally you will feel incredible improvements in your dancing, while becoming free from pain and preventing injuries. Sounds pretty awesome, right? That’s because it is. Strong feels good.

But I wasn’t always this optimistic. I used to be in pain, was quite unhealthy, and pretty weak (mind and body). Then things went further downhill after a string of injuries that I never felt the need to get proper rehab for, and so had to stop dancing.

Fun fact about me: I briefly competed in French kickboxing (Savate). There is Youtube video of me fighting a girl. And losing. Just try to find it, I dare you.

K: How did you transition from the world of dance into the world of body work/health/strength mojo for dancers? What sparked your interest initially?

M: That’s a fantastic question. As I’ve already alluded to, I did not used to be the image of dancer mojo you point me out to be. I had cripplingly low self-esteem, I developed an eating disorder, I disconnected completely from pain signals (which would have been really helpful for preventing the ridiculous number of injuries I would eventually accumulate). While at university for dance I became extremely over-trained, I still continued to eat unhealthily, was in chronic pain daily (which I continued to ignore), was stressed out of control, not sleeping enough, getting injured but not resting or getting rehab, and generally hating my life.

Eventually, this all climaxed in the form of a gnarly hamstring strain that forced me to stop dancing. But like most devastating, identity-shattering obstacles, you learn from them and they become a catalyst for personal growth. The down-time I was forced to take from dancing allowed me to refocus my energy on something that was becoming more and more fascinating to me- Strength training, and how it could help me return to dance and help other dancers who needed it.

The one healthy thing I was doing throughout this period of overall negativity, was that I had become certified as a personal trainer and had begun strength training. Too bad I was so over-trained that the strength training was not highly effective. Oh well. I did see some improvements in my dancing, and so did my teachers. I was starting to feel stronger until the day I injured myself in a jazz warm-up, because I never warmed-up properly.

So to keep this story short, immediately after graduating I started the DTP as a summer program. Since then, I’ve continued to learn and develop my dancer-enhancer skills, writing the DTP blog and sharing what I’m learning along the way. It’s been a sweet ride, so far.
 
K: How did you come to write your first blog post on the now fabulously information-rich (and award-winning!) blog at http://danceproject.ca/blog/ ?

M: I did it because someone told me to.

I could stop there, because it’s as simple as that. My web/PR girl at the time was really interested in my mission, and said, “Yo Monika, you should be writing about this. It’ll be good for business, too”.

I never considered myself a writer. I’m really not very good at it. But I found that I had a lot of things to say, and really enjoyed the freedom of writing it exactly how I wanted to. I knew I should probably start to take it more seriously when a reader emailed me to tell me to stop with the profanities. The F-bombs in particular, so that she could share the articles with her students. At first I laughed, and then I decided that probably keeping things (mostly) PG wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Because I was learning as I went, my blog served (and still does serve) me mostly as a way to clarify my thoughts. If I could articulate my thoughts to an invisible audience, I knew I would be able to explain concepts and coach my clients better, too.
 
K: What are your own favorite blogs on bodywork/health for dancers?

M: In all honesty, I don’t follow that many dance-related blogs these days. I’ve been focusing more on output rather than input, meaning that I will read relatively little compared to the amount of experiential learning I try to do. Maybe read one concept, and then take that and run with it for a while. Mostly, my learning about movement and strength is coming directly from a few colleagues of mine who have taught me exercises that I experiment the crap out of. Knowledge is useless until you apply it, after all.

That said, these are a few blogs I often refer to when I need to clarify something or share it with my community (not necessarily dance-related, but human being related, so that includes you).

-Dr. Dooley Noted www.drdooleynoted.com
-Stop Chasing Pain www.stopchasingpain.com

And some other more dance-related ones by my internet friends that you should check out:
www.theballetblog.com  If you’re in the ballet/contemporary world
www.miguelaragoncillo.com  If you’re a breaker
www.joelminden.com  If you do dancesport


K: Can you tell us a bit more about the new Dance Stronger program/book?

M: With pleasure :)

Dance Stronger started as a free 4 week program availble on my website. It was pretty ok. I got a reasonable amount of people emailing me to thank me for it, and that it was helping. And as the years went by, I realized that it really wasn’t my best work, and it got to the point where I felt deeply wrong about having it on my website knowing that I could do much, much better.

This past May I gathered a group of about 60 dancers online from all over the world, and they witnessed the re-creation of Dance Stronger version 2 (DS2). When I started, what I had in mind to do was simply re-shoot new videos and re-design the program with new exercises and structure. But then I realized there was so much that I felt dancers needed to know before started to ensure they actually got results. So of course I had to write a book to go with it.

Dance Stronger is essentially everything that I try to teach to a new dance client within the first month of us training together. It covers the most basic of the basics, and includes the tools I feel so essential to becoming the best dancer you can be, while reducing pain and injuries.

In the program itself you’ll find some fundamental concepts for training to improve movement quality and strength, everything you wanted to know about breathing, how to warm-up properly, how to use outcome measures to monitor your progress, the truth about core training, and then 4 weeks of training with complete video tutorials so you can immediately apply what you’ve been reading and integrate it into your life (application is key!).

I’ve been told that Dance Stronger is more like a lifestyle change than a 4 week training program. And that’s pretty awesome, because that’s how I feel about it, too. 

DanceStronger in action

K: What was the motivation for you to get started on this new version?

M: Oops, kind of already answered that. Cognitive dissonance. The last Dance Stronger was, pardon my language, pretty crappy. It made me feel bad inside to not update it. Also, someone told me to (same person who told me to start blogging as it happens), and apparently I’m easily persuaded to create stuff.

K: In what way does this program differ from the ‘old’ Dance Stronger program?

M: It’s different in a few ways, besides the overall improved quality, quantity of information, and exercise selection.

There is now a home program option that uses only bodyweight, bands, and optional resistance if you have the means. The choice of exercises are pretty different, too, as I already mentioned. The video quality is much better (I essentially coach you through each exercise as opposed to just showing it). There’s also a lot more emphasis on the concepts and “why” for choosing the exercises in the program, and explaining how things should feel, along with many opportunities to regress or progress exercises based on your current skill level.

Another exciting new part of the program is the online community you get to be a part of. We have a really inspiring private Facebook group where program participants ask questions, post about their successes and frustrations, and I get to help answer questions a little more quickly than through email.

And like I mentioned above, the new Dance Stronger asks you to take a good hard look at yourself, and to change your habitual ways of doing and thinking, thus changing your dancing (and probably the way you live your life).

The new Dance Stronger is the exact metamorphosis, written step by step, that I have experienced over the years I’ve been trying to “rebuild” myself to dance better, stronger, and with less pain.

K: What do you hope it will achieve?

M: I’m hoping Dance Stronger will accomplish a few things:

1) Give dancers a tool to help them start a sensible cross-training program. One that isn’t just crunches and stretching.
2) To give dance teachers a tool to start to integrate some movement and strength exercises into their classes (Dance Stronger is actually in the process of being transmogrified into a class for dance teachers in London, Ontario with help from my colleague Bizz Varty, who you’ll remember from her popular SI Joint Whisperer blog posts).
3) To emphasize the need for dancers to change their mindsets as it relates to stretching, core training, lifting weights, restorative exercise, and best-practices in general.

Like I mentioned above, Dance Stronger describes the changes you will need to make if you want your body not to hate you when you’re 30, or like me, have to stop dancing at 22, with worse hips than my mother’s.

K: What were your findings/experiences about the DS2 trial run this summer? Were there any things that surprised you? And/or surprised you not?

M: The best part of the trial run was getting to “know” the awesome people in it! Everyone in the trial group is amazingly hard working and dedicated to the experience, even though I was totally winging it and creating as I went. I was so great to be getting immediate feedback on what was working, what wasn’t, and which ideas were just plain awful (there were some…).

The most surprising thing was that people were actually getting some crazy awesome results! I was expecting some people to say, “These are cool exercises but I don’t feel any different”, or “Monika, this sucks”, or, because most of the exercises in the program are deceivingly simple, I was expecting people to say it was too easy and boring.

But no. Many people were getting great results just from the breathing and prep week alone. So that was amazing. And I didn’t have to face my biggest fear- That Dance Stronger would be a total failure. I’m also surprised and so excited about how active the online community is on our Facebook group. I feel like I’ve really gotten to know the most active members of the page, and so many of them have gone above and beyond giving me feedback on the exercises, helping me to edit the chapters, and even give me financial advice. Hilarious and amazing. I feel truly grateful to these wonderful people (that includes YOU Khalida).

K: Who do you think would benefit most from the new program/book information?

M: There are 3 main types of people who will appreciate Dance Stronger:

1) Dancers who HAVEN’T been injured yet. Why? Because Dance Stronger will help them prevent injuries and not have to go through all the hell that I went through. Dancers that are smart will use DS2 as a preventative program, to help them get strong so they can not only improve their dancing immediately, but not get hurt in the future.
2) Dancers who have already been injured, are struggling to get their bodies back into dancing shape, and are losing hope (thinking they may have to soon stop for good). Like I mentioned already, DS is the exact metamorphosis I’ve achieved for myself to bring me back to dancing pain-free, from chronic pain and a string of injuries, and I think these dancers (or non-dancers) will benefit the most.
3) Dance teachers who are looking for some tools for their students, or are interested in adding in some extra strength training exercises into their classes. So many teachers settle for crunches as their foundation of cross-training exercises, but you shouldn’t! I hope that dance teachers will use DS not only to help themselves but to help their students.

Above all, Dance Stronger is for people who want a change in the way their body feels on a daily basis, dancer or not. If you think you’re perfect already, and that everything you’re doing is totally sustainable for the rest of your dance career, then DS is probably not the program for you. But if you know you need to do something different and you’re not sure how to start or what to do, then DS2 will absolutely be something that helps you on your journey to better dancing.
 
K: What is the best advice on (dance) health you’ve ever received? 
 
M: Wow that’s a tough question. There have been so many small bits of advice that on their own haven’t been “the best”, but together have helped me realize what I should be focusing my energies on.

The best guidance I’ve been given for training actually came from my favourite Yoga teacher, who now lives in India. He always said, “Find the relaxation within the struggle”. At the time, I was thinking “Is he out of his mind”… But this I now something I encourage my students to do as well. This guidance has stuck with me through all aspects of life, yoga, training, and dance.
Acknowledge the struggle, work at the edge of your abilities, but try to also find the part of the movement or position that isn’t a struggle, that you can focus on to make it a bit more bearable.

Good advice for dance, movement, and life. 



K: Thank you very much Monika for your extensive and open-hearted replies

Monika in action

PS: See www.dancestronger.com for the latest updates on Monika's upcoming book and movement program. 

For all you blog readers: Use code KHALIDAROCKS to get a special nice lil' bonus on the http://dancestronger.com/sign-up page

Dance Stronger - The Book

Also: Check out this blog post (scroll all the way down) for my experiences in being part of the trial version the past few months: http://khalidadance.blogspot.de/2015/08/how-i-got-pain-free-part-2.html

Happy reading!

x K.
www.khalidadance.com