Practical Self-defense tips

This week's entry is by guest blogger and World In Motion instructor extraordinaire, Glenn Murphy, who is bringing us the first in a series of terrific tips for self-defense.

Glenn runs quarterly self-defense workshops, designed exclusively for women, at the World In Motion studio. He has been training an teaching martial arts for over 20 years, holds a black belt in Aikido, and is a certified instructor in the Russian Martial Art of Systema. Both arts incorporate the use of distance, timing, fear control, and psychological tactics to prevail over larger and stronger attackers, making them ideal for keeping women safe. Over 30 women participated in his workshops at WIM last session.

Here, he offers tips on how to recognize and avoid violent encounters. If you are interested in signing up for his next set of workshops (probably in early August - exact dates tbc), please e-mail him at glenn@ncsystema.com to be placed on the waiting list.

Glenn's tips for practical self-defense:

Remember this well:

• It is better to avoid than to run; better to run than to fight; better to fight than to be assaulted

Therefore, the first and most important level of self defense is avoidance. But how do we avoid violence, or avoid becoming victims of violent assault? It starts with understanding. You should understand that:

• Everybody is a potential victim of violence. Police statistics show that the average 21-year old woman has about a 1 in 4 chance of experiencing a violent crime within her lifetime.
• Criminals do not care about your personal philosophy, and being a pacifist will not keep you safe. True pacifism comes from being able and prepared to fight, but choosing not to.
  
• If you ignore the reality of violence, and take no steps to prepare for it, then that is not pacifism - it's cowardice. And sadly, criminals - like all efficient predators - specifically target those who appear weak and afraid.
• That said, violence tends to happen in certain places, at certain times, and in specific ways. If you know the where, when, why and how of violence, you can successfully avoid it 99% of the time. In this installment, we'll be looking solely at the where; in future weeks, we'll explore the when, why and how.
  

In truth, violence can happen just about anywhere. But statistically, it most often happens in or around:

1) places where young males gather together i.e. bars, clubs, sporting, house parties, sporting events.
2) places where people's minds are altered by alcohol or drugs, allowing inhibitions to drop. i.e. Again - bars, clubs, house parties.
3) lonely places, where there are few witnesses around to interfere. i.e. empty parking lots; empty streets and alleyways; empty parks, beaches and jogging trails.

• Obviously, we're not always able to avoid these places altogether. But if you make an effort to be more aware when you find yourself in these places, then your chances of experiencing violence drop exponentially.
• In rowdy, crowded places like bars, clubs or parties, make a note of where the exits and escape routes are. Stick with friends, avoid separating yourself from the crowd, and make sure you all leave together.
• Avoid lonely streets and parking lots altogether if possible (and especially at night). But if you have to traverse them, again, go with a friend. If you're alone, be aware that you are particularly vulnerable, and be attentive to your surroundings.
• Do not rummage in your bag for your keys on the way to the car - have them in your hand way before you enter the car park. Don't check your cell-phone messages on the way to the car, either - even a few seconds of inattention can be enough for a stalking predator to approach you unnoticed. Walk fast, get in quickly, lock your doors, start the car, and drive straight home. Phone calls, messages and car tunes can wait.

Do all this, and your chances of being a victim drop from 1-in-4 to around 1-in-500.

Want to learn how to decrease the odds further?  Check back here for the next entry, and sign up for classes if you can.

Stay safe,

GM

So You Think You Can Dance

Ever since season 1 when Nick beat out Melody for the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer”, I have been hooked on So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD for short).  BTW- I wonder what ever happened to Nick? Or Sabra? Not to mention all those runners-up that have come and gone?  Anyway, I digress.  This is one of the few TV shows (and probably the only reality show since “The Mole”- but only when Anderson Cooper was the host.  Celebrity Mole was awful!!) that I watch faithfully and without fail, from the auditions until the mountain of confetti is unleashed upon that season’s winner.  I have even gone to the live SYTYCD stage show a couple of times.  All the way to Greensboro! In the middle of the week! You know I must love it if I am willing to forego sleep and brave the wilds of the Triad to be there!

The thing is, I can’t really say what it is about this show that I find so very compelling.  Of course the dancing is sublime and oh so technically challenging, the choreography is beguiling, innovative and cutting edge, the judges (or “jedges” as the charming and beautiful Cat Deeley pronounces it in her lovely British accent) are, in turn, eccentric, poetic, emotional, and LOUD, and the costumes, production values,  song choice, and set design are all top-notch.  But I think what draws me in time and again is the dancers and their sheer love of the dance.  This passion and dedication radiates from each dancer’s very core and permeates every aspect of the show.  It isn’t something that can be faked or manufactured – or at least not for very long.  The contestants who don’t live, breathe, eat and sleep the dance are quickly  left  in the dust (or spangles or feathers) of the rest of the cast.

 If I could have one wish (other than world peace and an end to hunger, poverty and global warming) it would be to be able to be one of these dancers just for one dance.  To feel the power of a young, able, conditioned, trained body, the joy of being able to live my passion and my dreams, to share my love and gifts with others in such a compelling and global way, to have such gifted choreographers composing pieces for me! Little old me!!, to receive the constructive criticism of knowledgeable experts and put it to use to better myself, and to be vulnerable to the world judging me and actually voting on how well I did under such tremendous pressure - and handling this judgment with grace and aplomb— would be wonderful, scary, exhilarating and perhaps even life-changing.

But since that is never going to happen (at least not unless there really are Freaky Fridays!), the most I can hope for is to learn a vicarious lesson from this show:  you don’t have to be the very best technical or trained dancer in order to be America’s Favorite Dancer.  But you do have to have heart, soul, commitment, tenacity, passion and the ability learn from your failures in order to be the best that you can be.  So while the odds are that none of us will ever be America’s Favorite, we can all at least be our own favorite dancer if we are willing to model our efforts on the young kids involved in this show.  Then we will all truly be winners.

Bruce Wayne has nothing on us!

Batman is awesome, that is true.  But his alter ego is a billionaire who merely inherited his fortune.  Many of our WIM instructors, however, have much more exciting lives outside of the studio than that! 

Take, for example, Glenn, our intrepid BodyWork instructor.  His talents extend beyond the realm of body alignment, martial arts and British charm; he is also an accomplished guitarist, member of the local phenoms, The Lost Nomads, and author of many children's science books that are known the world over. You should check them out some time- with titles such as "How Loud Can You Burp?" and "Why Is My Snot Green?", they are sure to be a hit with any curious kid you know.


Then there is Milagros who works as a software developer and designer at SAS, speaks fluent Spanish, was a sharpshooter in the US Army, who has trained in modern dance, and who helps with her husband's dog training and boarding business (Good Dog). Talk about a full plate, balanced with beauty and grace!

Sara is one of 3 of our instructors who speak Japanese, and she puts that skill to good use in her everyday life as an ESL tutor for Japanese nationals living here in the Triangle.  She is also working on the final edits of her first novel, is an accomplished artist who has designed artwork for books, tattoos, and murals as well as company logos (including World In Motion's!), creates her own unique belly dance and street wear out of recycled and re-purposed materials, does graphic and website design on the side, performs with 2 dance troupes (Blue Moon Dance Company and Sparkle Oasis), is a successful and in-demand soloist and seminar teacher, and writes her own blog (http://romancingtheweird.blogspot.com/) .  We always knew that Sara was flexible, but maybe not quite as much as this!

Next we have Vanessa, our indefatigable Zumba instructor, who is a third-year medical student (enough said right there!) and currently a clinical research fellow at the National Institutes of Health here in RTP.  Her research focuses on the role of genetic variation on cardiovascular disease (a mouthful!), hence the reason she absolutely advocates for helping her students improve their cardiovascular fitness.  She manages to teach 3 classes at WIM (maybe more!) as well as several others in the Triangle, and although she would say, “I’m a geek at heart”, she is just a natural born cheerleader. (She was, in fact, the cheerleading captain and choreographer of her dance team in Ecuador.) My goodness- just the medical school part would do me in!

Heather, one of the co-owners of the studio, not only holds down a demanding job as an International Studies Coordinator at a local community college, but is in charge of all of the marketing for the studio, acts as a liaison to the community at large, teaches here and in Clayton, is a member of Twilight Tribal Dance, is the Secretary for ACCMED (our local professional Middle Eastern dance association) does publicity and marketing for her husband (the aforementioned Glenn), wrangles cats at home, and puts up with me and Emily to boot!  It just makes me tired talking about it!

All of our instructors bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, passion and joy to their classes, and they each have full and productive lives outside of the studio.  So move over,  Diana Prince, Barbara Gordon and Clark Kent- we have a few super heroes of our own.

Your Solo Debut!

This week's post is by Sara Beaman, one of our phenomenal instructors at World In Motion. If you have ever seen one of Sara's sublime performances, you will know that her advice on this subject is invaluable!


Your Solo Debut

Have you been taking dance classes for a while? Do you hear the stage singing siren songs in your ear? Are you longing, itching, dying to perform?
To perform, perhaps, a solo?
“But I’m not experienced enough to perform by myself,” you might tell yourself. “And I don’t really know how to make a choreography, or how to do improv. Besides, I’m sure I’ll get horrible stage fright, and I’ll forget everything I planned to do as soon as I’m out there in front of people.”
My professional advice is to ignore yourself and go for it. You have nothing to lose!
If you live in or near the Raleigh-Durham area, there are plenty of performance opportunities for everyone regardless of experience level, and plenty of audiences who are waiting to cheer you on. The only way to get better at performing is to perform, so you might as well get started.

Most people can mitigate a good amount of their performance anxiety simply by being prepared. This article will cover some basic aspects of performance preparation, step by step. Please leave your questions and requests for additional clarification in the comments.

Step One Music
Before you do anything else, pick your music. A good rule of thumb for your first performance, especially if you plan to choreograph a dance for the first time, is to go for something between two and four minutes long. If your music has lyrics, make sure they’re appropriate for your venue. (If the lyrics aren’t in English, ask your teacher if they can help you figure out what the song is about.)
Pick something that you love enough to listen to thousands of times, but something that also helps to highlight your strengths as a dancer: perhaps something slow if you are good at isolations, or something fast if you are good at traveling moves and shimmies.
Listen to your song over and over until you can “hear” all of it in your mind even when it’s not on.

Step Two  Costuming
Start getting a costume together that fits your music. If you’re not sure what to wear, consult your teacher for advice. Each style of bellydance has its own costuming, and the costume helps tell the audience what to expect from your performance.
If you have the ability to buy or make your own costume, great! If you’re on a limited budget and/or you don’t know how to sew, don’t worry. Try borrowing items from friends, fellow students or mentors, or looking on online bellydance communities such as bhuz.com where professionals regularly sell their costumes for cheap.
Your hair and makeup are a crucial part of your costume. If you’ve never done stage makeup before, you should start practicing well before the day of your performance. It’s fun! Youtube is a great resource for all sorts of makeup and hair tutorials!
Remember to borrow or acquire a coverup as well, and footwear if necessary.

Step Three Venue
Investigate your performance venue options. World in Motion hosts quarterly Student Showcases, and there is a regular “open mic” style performance event called Undulation Nouveau at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham. Look at ncbellydance.org to find other upcoming events. Some haflas and shows are invitation-only; at others, you can apply to perform.
Find out what to expect at your venue from the event organizer. What is the sound system like? Will you need to bring a CD or send in a sound file ahead of time? What is the surface of the stage like? Is the stage raised, below the audience, or at the same level as the audience? Is the event outside or indoors? How large is the stage or performance area? Is it an all-ages event, or is it adults-only? Is there a changing room? a backstage area? Where should you park? Is water provided for performers? Do performers have to pay to get in? What about their guests?
Knowing as much as possible about your venue will help you plan ahead for a smooth debut.

Step Four Planning 
If you are doing someone else’s choreography, ask their permission and how they would like to be credited.
If you are doing improv, plan at least the beginning and end of your dance so that you don’t freeze! (And don’t neglect Step Five...)
If you are doing choreography, start working. Trust yourself. Remember that there is no “wrong” way to put the moves you know together, unless you are trying to accurately represent one of the folkloric styles. Try not to second guess yourself or get mired in details. If you need help, try booking a private lesson or two with your teacher.

Step Five Practice (Practice Practice) 
Practice your dance as often and for as long as is reasonably possible given the reality of your life. You probably have more free time than you think, by the way. Try not watching television for a week--perhaps the week before your performance!

Step Six Dress Rehearsal
At least a week before your performance, practice in your full costume, including jewelry and hairpieces. Make sure you have your full range of movement and that your various items don’t get stuck on one another. If your costume doesn’t fit quite right, start pinning it until it does, then baste over where you’ve pinned, then pin it again. No one likes a costume malfunction.
If you have the opportunity, perform your solo for a trusted friend--preferably someone who knows something about dance, but at the very least someone who will be both honest and kind when giving you feedback. Even better: schedule a private lesson with a trusted teacher and have them help you polish your dance before you take it to the stage.

Step Seven Performance Kit
Put together a bag to take with you to the performance full of emergency supplies and necessities. Some ideas for what to put inside include safety pins, double-stick tape, deodorant, an extra lipstick in a shade appropriate for the stage, makeup remover, tissues, hair pins, bobby pins, hair elastics, hair spray or product, needle and thread, an extra copy of your music on CD, arnica gel, a pain reliever, migraine medication if you get them, a calming essential oil, and more safety pins.
If you are getting changed at the venue, put your entire costume on (including hairpieces and jewelry), then pack it as you take it off. The first layers to go on your body will be on the top of your suitcase, and you’ll be sure you packed everything.

Step Eight Recruiting
Ask your friends from class and your “normal life” (if you still have one) to come support you at your performance. It helps immensely to know that you will have friendly faces to look at in the audience. If you want, you can even coach them to zaghareet and cheer for you.
On the other hand, if it would make you nervous to dance in front of certain friends (we all have them), don’t invite them... at least not at first.

Step Nine Affirmations
Make a list of three or so wholly positive phrases to repeat to yourself before you go onstage for a little self-brainwashing. Here are some examples:
“I am fabulous and gorgeous and a fantastic dancer.”
“My choreography is awesome and I look great performing it.”
“Everyone here will love watching me dance.”
It is NOT acceptable to use phrases with the word NOT in them. These are NOT affirmations. Examples of such negative phrases include:
“I will NOT screw up my choreography.”
Repeating this to yourself will probably just make you worried about screwing up your choreography.
Once you have your affirmations written down, say them to yourself in the mirror several times and make yourself believe them. Memorize your affirmations and be prepared to repeat them to yourself silently before your performance.
This may sound insane, but it WORKS! Besides, your sanity is a small (and necessary) price to pay on the way to becoming a fabulous performer.

Step Ten Glamorize
On the day of your performance, do whatever you can to make yourself look and feel fantastic. If it makes a difference to you psychologically, and you can afford it, go get your hair and nails did. For me, just doing a good job on my makeup makes me feel ready to perform. You’ve practiced these skills ahead of time so you know you can do a great job and look super gorgeous without making yourself go the bad kind of insane.
Make sure to avoid foods that cause bloating or gas before your performance, and try not to go crazy with caffeine, either. (Or alcohol... or other substances.) HOWEVER. Make sure to actually eat something before you perform. It might need to be fairly light so you can exert yourself without feeling gross, but don’t fast--you don’t want to end up feeling lightheaded on stage.

Step Eleven Debut!
Get to your venue early, but not hours ahead of time. Bring something pleasant to occupy yourself with: a book, an iPod, a friend, a (supportive and engaging) significant other. Find out when you are dancing. Repeat your affirmations. Warm up. No, for real. Warm up as if you were about to do a hardcore practice session. Repeat your affirmations. Safety-pin your loose ends. Repeat your affirmations.
Now GO! GO ONSTAGE! Out into the open, not alone, but with a crowd of people supporting you and giving you their energy and love.
Acknowledge the audience with gratitude before leaving the stage or performance area at the end of your performance.
Stay in performance mode until you are out of the venue. Be gracious when receiving feedback, especially praise. Conduct yourself with as much professionalism and poise as you can summon up--you’re a performer now.

We, your adoring audience, are already waiting anxiously for your fantastic debut!

Organic Gummy Bears

Today is Memorial Day, a national holiday of remembrance and the unofficial start of summer.  Ordinarily, I would be having a cook-out with my family and relishing a day off. But due to the way the calendar falls this year,  I will be in class tonight instead teaching Tribal Level 1 - just like most Monday nights.  I decided that I wanted to reward those intrepid students who will skip out on the burgers and beers and join me in class. But how? Luckily for me, when I went to the store today I spied a bag of organic gummy bears. Perfect. Who doesn't like organic gummy bears?  And what better way to reward the students who do come to class tonight?

Which got me to thinking- what motivates you to come to class on a regular basis (let alone on a star-spangled holiday)?   It can't just be organic gummy bears (although they are yummy!)  And if you aren't taking classes regularly right now, why not?  For me personally, I take classes that I find mentally and physically challenging, ones in which the teacher seems joyful and motivated to be there, ones that put a smile on my face even when I am cursing under my breath, and ones in which I can connect to the material, the ambiance and the people around me.  But that's just me.  I would love to hear what makes YOU take time out of your busy life to spend an hour or so in class- either at WIM or elsewhere. So feel free to chime in!

 In the meantime, I hope your Memorial Day is (was) a time for remembrance, full of gratitude for the sacrifice of others on our behalf,  enjoyment of good food, friends and family - and gummy bears :-)

It takes a village

The adage that it takes a village to raise a child also applies to running a dance studio, especially one with a global focus such as at World In Motion.  Without the warm and supportive community of teachers, students, friends and family who cheer us on, lend a hand, and volunteer their expertise, skills, advice and physical labor, we couldn't run an enterprise like this studio, let alone in such a meaningful way.  Every time I walk into WIM, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, but also love, affection, great happiness, and honor to share my time with so many fabulous people.  One shining example was our student showcase last Friday night.  Practically packed to the gills with dancers, musicians, fellow students and enthusiastic supporters, the studio radiated my most fervent desires for this endeavor: community support, diversity, passion for global dance and music, inspirational performances, and most of all, joy in the experience of it all.  Many thanks to each and every one of you who make up our WIM community- you have helped to make my dream a reality and WIM a true home for us all.
~Sashi

Instructor Interview with Julie

What do you teach at World In Motion?

Nia on Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 -9:30 AM

How did you become interested in Nia?

In 1990, when I was living in Portland, OR, a friend suggested that I take a class from Debbie Rosas Stewart and Carlos AyaRosas (the founders of Nia)

What do you enjoy most about it?

The freedom and opportunity for self-expression that comes with Nia.  All of me can show up; Nia addresses the whole person.  Body, mind, spirit, and emotions are all involved.

Where does Nia come from?  What are its roots?

Debbie and Carlos started Nia in 1983.  It is a combination of 9 different movement forms; from dance: Duncan, Modern and Jazz, from the martial arts: Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi and Aikido, and from the healing arts: yoga, Alexander technique and Feldenkrais.

What are the most important things about Nia for you to pass onto students?

It is adaptable for all types of people, bodies, backgrounds and abilities.  Nia is a great cardiovascular workout that conditions what we call “The 5 Sensations of Fitness”: strength, flexibility, mobility, agility and stability. Nia also teaches students how to deepen their relationship to their own body by learning how to listen and respond to their own sensations, or what we call “the voices of the body.” Nia is based in “the pleasure principle” which means that we seek pleasure in our movement and give ourselves permission to adapt our movement to create a more pleasurable experience. Nia teaches students how to create more pleasure in their lives.

Who are some of the icons in (your discipline)?  Have you ever trained with them?

I have done all of my training with Debbie Rosas Stewart and Carlos AyaRosas, the founders of Nia.  There are 5 belts total in Nia, and I have all 5.  They each represent a different aspect of Nia: white = physical sensation, blue = communication, relationship and intimacy, brown = sensing and perceiving energy, black = unlimited creativity, and green = the craft of teaching.  All of the belts but green build on each other; the green belt training can be taken at any time after the white belt has been completed.  

If you want to read more about Nia, including more information about the belts, there is a great article that recently was published about it: http://www.americanwaymag.com/white-black-green. 

You can also visit Nia’s website at www.NiaNow.com or theour local website www.trianglenia.com

How should students feel when leaving your class?

Relaxed and energized. We often describe Nia as a “self-healing” practice and what we mean by self-healing is that we create a “feel better” sensation in the body. My intention when I practice Nia is to listen to my body’s sensations and to allow them to guide me toward movement choices that create “self-healing.” My hope is for students to leave class feeling better than when they walked in.

Do you have any advice for current or potential students?

Beginners should focus on pleasure, and trust the sensation of pleasure. Give yourself permission to adapt any and all moves to where your body is in the moment. I also like to remind people to allow themselves to be beginners. There is no getting it “right.” It is about self-discovery through the body.

What sort of music do you use for class, suggest for practice?

I generally use music that has a world focus; music that is eclectic and that encompasses all dynamics from energetic and lively to quiet and slow.  I use music variety to support energetic variety.

Students can practice at home with DVDs.  There is also a practice called the Nia 5 Stages which is meant to be done daily and can be done at home.  (I am also certified in this practice.)  It can be taught as a workshop or as a class.  This practice teaches participants to move through the five stages of development: embryonic, creeping, crawling, standing and walking. By doing this practice regularly, one can dramatically improve alignment, function and comfort in the body.

Where can students buy costuming/merchandise for class or performance?

There is no special equipment or clothing required; just wear clothing that you can move comfortably in.  Nia is usually done barefoot, but if a student has specific need for orthotic support, then a dance shoe or sneaker is fine.

How did Nia get its name?

The name has evolved over time.  It started out standing for Non-Impact Aerobics because it is done in bare feet; it then came to stand for Neuromuscular Integrative Action (which was hard to remember!)  Now it is just Nia because it has name recognition - it is what it is!

What are the most common misconceptions about Nia?

Well, first of all, a lot of people don’t know about it!  And the name doesn’t give a clue as to what it is actually about.  Other than that, some people hear about Nia, but it doesn’t seem as if it would be challenging enough to them; in actuality, it is very cardiovascular. Participants’ heart rates get as high as they would in a regular Aerobics class because Nia works the whole body vs. specific muscle groups.

What is your favorite thing about World In Motion?

Its vision of supporting not just global movement, but non-traditional movement as well.  World In Motion allows the expression of different types of movement.