“Time is a matter of how long the duration between two events takes to achieve itself.” (The Nikolais/Louis Dance Technique* p.176)

In “real time,” we have just had St. Patrick’s Day, are looking ahead at the end of March. Daylight savings has already sprung forward in North America, and shortly will here in Germany as well. Quarantining during a global pandemic has also done weird things to our sense of time. How can we alter our perception of time in dance and life?

Recently in the “Roses Have Thorns” Sleeping Beauty/Hamilton/Shakespeare blog and Podcast 39, I talked about the poignant finitude of time in life given our human mortality. Today I discuss Time’s potential expansiveness, abundance, and richness, from the perspectives of yogic philosophy, as a coaching concept and as an element of dance. Next time we’ll get into more detail about musical ideas about time.

Resources Mentioned:

What is the conversation that you have with time?

Stay tuned on my YouTube Channel and Blog for more about the element of time, or book a free sample coaching session with me to try out these tools at ablythecoach.com

According to Agrippina Vaganova in Basic Principles of Classical Ballet**, Pas Balancé “Is one of the simple pas allegro, which is easily done even by children. In classical dancing it is often used in waltz tempo.” (p.99) I love to waltz alone or as a pair, and find it’s swingy rhythms intoxicating, much as its early critics were!

There are many famous waltzes in classical ballets, including “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella” as well as more modern pieces such as Balanchine’s “Vienna Waltzes” to music by Richard Strauss. Since it’s St. Patrick’s Day today, I’ve been sharing Irish folk music in dance this month, including a lovely Irish Waltz that makes me want to dance!

Although the Waltz has become a beloved ballroom and social dance as well as inspiration for balletic movement, at first it caused a scandal due to it's closed hold and mesmerizing swirling movements.

In the Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet**,  Gail Grant describes balancé as a "Rocking step. This step is very much like a pas de valse and is an alternation of balance, shifting the weight from one foot to the other. Balancé may be done crossing the foot either front or back. [...] Balancé may also be done en avant or en arrière facing croisé or effacé and en tournant." (p.11)

Vaganova describes the performance of a basic ballet balance: “Stand in 5th position, right foot front. From demi-plié, do a light jeté with the right foot to the side, and then draw left foot back (on count one). On count two change to the left foot on half toe, and on three lower yourself again on the right foot in demi-plié, and raise the left one sur le cou-de-pied back. The next balancé will be to the left, i.e. jeté left, etc.”  Agrippina Vaganova in Basic Principles of Classical Ballet** (p.99-100)

I find in describing a balletic waltzing step to dancers of other forms, it compares well with modern dance’s “Triplets,” or “The Pony” of the 1960’s.

In a blog and podcast coming soon, I will discuss musical meter, ¾ time, and so forth, but for now it is helpful to think of counting a waltz step as “one and uh two and uh three and uh four and uh...” or “one two three, two two three, three two three, four two three...” unlike other even meters such as marching rhythms, you’ll notice is has a up-and-down or swingy feeling.

Stay tuned on my YouTube Channel and Blog for more about this delightful ballet movement and more! 

There are two ways to look at my approach to achieving my goals, especially when it comes to today’s topic of fitness: there is the positive interpretation, or “efficient,” and the negative way, or “lazy.”

But it doesn't matter how my behavior is interpreted, as long as it is getting me the results that I seek! In order to achieve my most important goals, I need to prioritize, and along the way I have learned to find the least amount of effort to accomplish what I desire. Even big goals begin with these small steps!

Today in episode 42, I’m sharing my current minimalist workout or cross-training regimen, future fitness goals, and ideas for creating your own custom plan.

That’s right, we’re talking about exercise and working out, and I want to be clear that I am not not necessarily recommending that you exercise like me, or suggesting that the way you appear, function, move your body should in any way resemble the way I do. You are beautiful as you are, and I just want to share tools that have helped create better balance and well-being in my life. 

Body positivity all the way!

What I want to encourage is your own discovery of what brings you joy in movement, what makes you feel good and capable, and what expands what your body can do, in the ways you want to.

Taking control of your movement, your yoga practice, and your dancing can be incredibly liberating and can ripple out to the rest of your life. Maybe for you, minimal movement involves doing a favorite stretch each morning, a walk around the block on your break, or another action you will enjoy and that cumulatively, will make you feel good!

I have collected many exercises over the years from dance, yoga and Pilates classes as well as physical therapy from a variety of practitioners, and have developed a minimal and evolving plan that allows me to do what I need to do (teach ballet and yoga, bicycle, walk, sit to create content, coach, and study on the computer), feel able, minimize my stress, and care for my nervous system. I do have lingering pain from accidents and injuries of the past, so there is a certain amount of maintenance I require to minimize the effects of old whiplash and other injuries.

START with a short and simple yoga practice

TRY a minimal full-body workout like Ben Greenfield's 10-Minute Workout

I chose versions of each of the basic exercises that suit me, and also recorded videos for each element of the “10-Minute Workout,” with a variety of fun variations and modifications to try on my “Micro-Workout” YouTube Playlist. Maybe you don’t feel up to jumping today (or ever), then consider my side-lying jumping jacks. Or perhaps your aversion to push ups could become delight with the right variation. Or maybe none of these exercises is right for you, but the idea of coming up with your own edited capsule or micro-workout inspires you!

MAKE IT MINIMAL like Atomic Habits**

TRACK your habit and don't skip more than one day

KEEP IT FRESH with variety

What will your own “micro-workout” cross-training look like? Is it irresistible and in small enough increments where I can find no good excuse to skip it? Does it feel good, make you feel stronger (or more flexible or more relaxed…) and encourage you to keep going? What structures of support and accountability do you need in place to guarantee consistent practice for guaranteed results?

Tell me at the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page or on my website, ablythecoach.com

Blythe Stephens, MFA

“Whatever you stockpile--be it diamonds, big houses, fame, money, proficiency at advanced yoga poses, or less flashy things, you will inevitably encounter two certainties. First (as discussed in Chapter Fourteen, “Impermanence”), all will be lost. Second, these things, in and of themselves, will never satisfy your cravings, which are expressions of your fear and emptiness.” - Judith Lasater in Living Your Yoga** (p.107)

I’m pretty excited to talk about minimalism, as it’s a key principle to my ideal life, unburdened by excess things and free to move through the world with, as I say, balance, grace, and power! Just as I was never a “perfect” vegan, so too am I also a very imperfect minimalist, but what is important to me is the process and the results in my life, not appearing a certain way or having some specific number of belongings.

I have always enjoyed an elegant, minimal aesthetic, and making things happen in my life in the simplest way possible. Though the pursuit of a physically minimal lifestyle is ongoing (it will never be complete and finished, and that’s the practice!), further it has become a mindset and approach to all that I do, asking “how can I make progress on this with the minimum of time, effort, and materials?”

This all goes well with my spiritual growth, current studies in yogic philosophy, as well as Biblical teachings - nothing belongs to us, anyway! 

In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali teaches about detachment and greedlessness: "When we seek contentment, or [...] santosha, we are closer to experiencing our own wholeness. In book two, verse forty-two, he writes [...] 'Through contentment unexcelled joy is gained.’" Living Your Yoga** (p.108)

In my most recent reading of the Bible, I was struck by repeated emphasis on humility, faith in being provided for, and priorities. As Jesus states in Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

My journey to simplicity is ongoing, and this month I'm tackling one of the last bastions of hoarding, playing the Minsgame with my paper clutter, including assignments from my MFA, notes from teaching and coaching over the last ten years, financial documents, and more. You're invited to join me in a Spring Cleaning minimization fest! Let me know what you're working to remove from your life to live more lightly. 

For my full "Minimal Memoir," listen in, and for links to many more resources, including books, podcasts, YouTube Channels and more, come visit my accompanying blog at ablythecoach.com

Blythe Stephens

In the book Myths of the Asanas**, which details the stories behind the names of yoga’s poses, Alanna Kaivalya and Arjuna van der Kooij tell the tale of the monkey god Hanuman, who inspired the iconic forward-splitting yoga pose: “Hanuman’s journey, as recounted in the Ramayama (the epic tale of Rama), is one of faith, fearlessness, and complete devotion. Hanuman is said to embody all of the qualities of the yogi, and his story reflects our own in many ways. How many times have we forgotten our own divinity only to fall back into the same self-defeating way of thinking over and over? Who hasn’t had a crisis of faith and wondered if some burden wasn’t too great to bear, or whether some task wasn’t impossible to complete? Hanuman teaches us that there is one thing that allows us to override all of our doubts and fears. That one thing is love.”  (p.75)

In this episode--40!--we’re leaping into the benefits of a stretching practice for body and mind. In the blog, I’ll include many more resources for preparing to stretch and going deeper with the practice, so stay tuned for that!

“As he flew over the ocean toward his destiny, one of Hanuman’s feet reached forward and one foot reached back, like the famous split pose, hanumanasana, that yogis know today. Despite encountering numerous obstacles, including a demon that rose from the water to try to gobble him up, Hanuman landed confidently on the island of Lanka.” (Myths of the Asanas** p.73)

Listen in to the podcast for more details of how to get into the stretch, and the potential benefits, physical and mental, of releasing the deep muscles of the iliopsoas.

As you breathe into the stretching shapes like those of Hanumanasana or the splits, consider how you have already overcome fear and resistance to the practice, regardless of what your shape may look like from the outside. Be gentle and patient with yourself, and remember that, “We easily forget that there is a part of us that is also divine and can accomplish the impossible.” (Myths of the Asanas** p.72)

Maybe we think accomplishing the splits, or some other advanced yoga or dance position is impossible now, but consider what a steady practice combined with faith in yourself might do. 

What is your splits and flexibility story? Fly over to ablythcoach.com, the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page or Instagram and tell me about your successes and frustrations with positions such as these!

Blythe Stephens, MFA

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

I’m also releasing a video this week, in which I discuss the ways I teach the ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” with children and adults, including musical passages, key variations, and different versions of the story. In it, I talk about how I love to weave in related themes waiting, patience, resilience, awakening and rebirth, winter’s transition into spring, the return of the light, human mortality, gratitude, blessings and curses, virtues, mindfulness…it provides a bridge to many other stories and ideas, both through its narrative (Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast and other fairytale characters attend the wedding in Act III) and through the universal themes it presents.

Balanchine and Mason concede that, “Most of the fairy tales that adults go to the theater to see again and again--Swan Lake, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, the Ring--symbolically enshrine truths about human experience and human behavior to make their pleasures more than incidental," and discuss Charles Perrault's moral of the story, Tchaikovsky's musical interpretation and others. (Balanchine’s Complete Stories of the Great Ballets**  p.553)

They ask, “Does the ‘meaning’ of The Sleeping Beauty not lie simply in its patterns of movement, as does that of, say, Ballet Imperial, Balanchine’s homage to Petipa and Tchaikovsky? While spectacle, pure dance, expressive dance, narrative, and symbolism must mix in any presentation of the work, what importance should be given to any single ingredient? Different productions have provided different answers.”  (Balanchine’s Complete Stories of the Great Ballets** p.554)

For now, we will seek inspiration from all of these ideas and interpretations, and in the future I’ll cover related topics of time, music, how all of this contributes to choreographic inspiration, and more!

Blythe Stephens

This podcast includes bite-sized insights on dance, yoga, well-being, creativity, and joy! Today in episode 38, we’re taking a mental trip to a beach bonfire, where the scene is set to unwind your tension and tune you in to the beauty of nature.

In ballet and modern dance, I have always delighted in movement inspired by imagery of the natural world, food, mythology, art, poetry…in fact in podcast episode 006: Using Visualization + Imagery in dance, yoga & meditation I discussed imagery in general, as well as read a poem called “Fragile and Rooted”  about a flower blooming, which then inspired Blossom Visualization Yoga, a 55-minute practice.

Imagery is also important to my meditation practice, and I recorded a Yoga Nidra: Deep Relaxation Practice Video on my YouTube Channel along with tons of other free yoga, dance, and coaching goodies, with even more available to subscribers to my weekly email newsletter.

I first experienced a meditation on the theme of the four elements in German, with Luisa Doerstel at the yogaloft here in Cologne. I love using vivid images to fuel my movement in yoga and dancing and find that this sort of visualization can create a wonderful sense of awe and relaxation.

Do you enjoy guided visualizations? What kind?

Would you like more guided visualizations as well as yoga, breathing work, dance, and more? Visit my website at ablythecoach.com to join my weekly email newsletter and receive joy, inspiration, and resources in your inbox!

Blythe Stephens

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.

In his book, Launch Your Life, Morgan Rich explains how we can come to know and appreciate our unique qualities and preferences: “Who you are is a combination of how your brain works and what is in your heart and your body. When you Know Yourself, you understand that you are okay just the way you are. You will always continue to expand who you are and what you know, and you get to decide what is best for you and what you care about.” (p. 139)

This includes how you personally learn about the world and what you hold dear. Rich continues, “While you build your Know Yourself, it will be helpful to capture the things you learn about yourself in the Powerful Portfolio part of your Play Huge Notebook. This can be a collection of pictures, words, poems, quotes, music, or whatever else will keep you connected to your Know Yourself and on the path of the Real You.” (p.160)

A few places to start when it comes to learning about your abilities and interests and compiling your Powerful Portfolio:

Your Powerful Portfolio can be a notebook, hard copy or digital file, collage, Pinterest board, audio file, jar of scraps of paper… Mine is a binder, with articles, notes, goals, statements of purpose, resume and CV, thank-you notes from students and feedback from clients and colleagues, letters of recommendation, current projects, long-term goals, transcripts, certificates, mission and vision statements, inspiring quotes and music, and more as well as an annual digital running list of accomplishments, as shared in my 2020 End-of-Year Reflection blog. I find it a grounding and inspiring resource as I pursue my dreams!

I will record a video for my YouTube Channel sharing the contents of my Powerful Portfolio, and would love to see what you assemble to create your own.

Do you keep something like a “Powerful Portfolio” to celebrate your strengths and accomplishments, or do you plan to start? Send me a message, or hop over to the A Blythe Coach Facebook Page and tell me about it! Or visit ablythecoach.com and join my weekly email newsletter to get joy and resources direct to your inbox :)

Blythe Stephens

In her book, Making Connections**, in describing possible steps in the change process, Peggy Hackney elaborates on how to clarify one’s movement intent further, a key to changing the way we move: “The clearer you are about your intent in movement, the easier it is for your neuromuscular system to function properly. You won’t then be giving it mixed messages. Once you know what it is that you want to do in a general way, become specific in one of the following ways:

a. Use Imagery

It’s so magical when an image resonates for one of my students and their access to the desired movement suddenly shifts! I have another podcast on imagery,  Podcast 006: Using Imagery + Visualization in dance, yoga & meditation, and will continue to provide more examples of images to try in the future.

b. Work from Movement Principles

Educate yourself on functional anatomy and kinesiology, and get feedback from a teacher knowledgeable about such topics. You can seek out a Bartenieff Fundamentals practitioner, explore other somatic movement therapies, or train in dance with a teacher versed in such concepts.

c. Let your whole body be involved in the movement.

This begins with the body's to the earth and physical forces. I also discuss this topic in Podcasts 001: Finding a Grounded State of Being for dance & life & 002: Finding a Centered State of Being.

d. Tune-in to your own emotional feelings as you move.

We can use our physical and emotional sensitivity to fine-tune our movement. Podcast 004: Finding a Creative State of Being has to do with identifying and working with our feelings, emotions, and contexts to create what we dream of.

e. Work with the space around you.

All movement is performed in relationship to our physical, spatial, social, and other contexts. Podcasts 003: Finding an Oriented State of Being & 025: The Body in Space speak to the space around us, as well as the Planes of Space in the Body video on YouTube.

Personalized teaching and coaching can provide a mirror to our current behaviors and their impact, as well as design the way forward. Schedule a complimentary consultation using my Calendly Calendar here to discuss your technique and performance goals.

Send me a message or click over to the @ABlytheCoach on Facebook to share the transformation you’re creating!

Changes are happening, from the inauguration of a new president in the US, vaccinations coming out for the deadly pandemic that has swept the planet, a new calendar year, all of us having had to radically change our lives in some way, recently, if not in every way.

Often change comes to greet us whether we like it or not, even tragically in the moment, and we have to summon all of our resources to get through. Sometimes we crave and need change, because we are stuck in a block of inaction or in a rut of ineffective action.

In either case, I am here to help you find clarity, powerful action, transformation and joy! Today I’m sharing about the process of change from the books Making Connections** by Peggy Hackney and The Creative Habit** by Twyla Tharp, and I also use tools from The Artist’s Way** and Accomplishment Coaching, among other sources in my practice. I offer coaching sessions with yours truly in order to launch these processes into action in the lives of my clients and students.

Schedule a complimentary coaching session using my Calendly Calendar here to identify your powerful Essence, design a Project Plan, or recover from a Breakdown in one of your goals or projects.

Standing for your greatness as we ride these wild seas of change together!

Blythe Stephens