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We all like to look and feel our best. Whether it's signing up for a new exercise class, adopting a new hobby, learning a new skill, or trying a new skin care treatment, the changes we make in our lives can change the way we feel about ourselves as well as change the way we look.
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Join us in the following articles as we explore fitness through dancing, natural cosmetics, and spa getaways. |
Get Up and Dance!
By Kimi Raspa
It's Tuesday night and George and his wife, Akiko, are perfecting their waltz routine at the Annapolis Dance Academy. The duo moves swiftly around the room, serious faces set in concentration, their patterned steps driven by the accompanying music. With the momentum going, Akiko performs a couple of graceful spins, and then promptly raises her arms to her husband's, aligning her frame with his, continuing the fluid routine. After ten minutes of this repetition, the couple breaks, and Akiko, out of breath, retreats to the water cooler. A minute later, they begin again, filling an hour with routine, concerted movement.
For people of all ages, dancing has evolved from a hobby to a source of exercise. Avid dancers frequent local dance hot spots three to four times a week, dancing upwards of four hours each night. According to learntodance.com, "Dancing can burn as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. During a half-hour of sustained dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories." The body-challenging, calorie-burning social event has, for many people, replaced or complemented regular trips to the gym.
A colorful range of dance classes and events throughout greater Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore attracts individuals from ages 18 to 70 plus. Line-dancing, hip-hop, salsa, and clogging have become an integral part of people's lives.
Ballroom dancing, in particular, has soared in popularity due to an influx of dance-related media exposure: ABC's reality show Dancing With Stars featured celebrities and professional dancers competitively dancing; October 2004's Shall We Dance? starred Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez; and Paramount's 2005 documentary "Mad Hot Ballroom" followed fifth-graders dancing competitively.
72-year-old Manuael Ramos has always liked to dance and devotes at least three weeknights to ballroom dance. "It's an extraordinary cardiac program," he says. "I enjoy doing it. It's very good therapy for people who need mobility. You gradually regain movements by learning new modern dances, especially Latin dance. After you master them, you become very mobile." A cancer survivor, Ramos credits his tailored dexterity to his weekly private lesson and two (sometimes three) nights of dance. "You have a lot of turns in dancing. You need to be very agile with your feet. As far as coordination of movements, it has been extremely good. For example, for the cha-cha, you must have very good balance of the body and legs."
According to friends, Ramos looks like he's in his fifties, when he's actually in his seventies. Apparently, it's common among his peers. "You'll see people over 80, but they look like a 60-year-old," he says. Yet, for Ramos, looking younger is a small consideration compared with his main objective. "I'm there to enjoy life, enjoy dancing," he said. "This is an extraordinary group that I connect with."
Judith Griebel, an Annapolis local who frequents the Davidsonville Dance Club, took a hiatus from dancing, but a friend lassoed her back into it. "It's like any physical activity," Griebel said. "I've gotten really emotionally and physically out of shape. When I'm doing any activity, I get that physical and endorphin high. [When] you're dancing with other people it gets addictive because you want to get better. It's a quest for perfection because you're dancing with people who are better than you. I've got my enthusiasm going again." So has Don Walker, who danced socially for over ten years and started private dance lessons a few years ago. "Dancing here is equivalent to jogging two miles, you can't beat this," the fifty-something says enthusiastically. "If I had started at your age, [23] I would be a professional by now."
People like Ramos, Griebel, and Walker, find dance events during the weeknights and weekends at the Davidsonville Dance Club, Hollywood in Silver Spring, Holy Ground Youth Center in Severna Park, and the Promenade in Baltimore. The venues attract excited, devoted dancers who learn everything from the cha-cha, waltz, and rumba, to contra, tango, swing, Latin, and fox-trot. And dancers who forget their shoes need not worry. Dance halls commonly provide a wide variety of dance shoes for men and women to purchase.
It doesn't matter who arrives with or without a date because, by the end of the night, everyone will have danced with multiple partners, regardless of whose arm they arrived on. Some describe it as a "three-minute relationship," where people dance one dance, separate, and switch to another partner.
Jennifer Gooding, a nationally certified professional dance teacher and owner of Annapolis Dance Academy, currently teaches classes to people of all ages (including George and Akiko) in jazz, ballet, tap, and ballroom dancing at Maryland Hall and her home dance studio. "One huge physical benefit of ballroom dancing is better posture," she says. "I can attest to the fact that I've grown over an inch just in posture. When you hold yourself upright, you exude confidence, even if you don't feel confident." Gooding stresses the importance and natural progression of strengthening the body when dancing. "In smooth dancing, which is the fox-trot, tango, waltz, those types of dances, they're very much into your posture and how you actually move. It's a lot of work through the abdomen and your core," she says, pointing to her upper abdomen. "It's amazing how you strengthen the muscles all around the spine, and how much stronger you'll be in everything you do because everything is attached to the spine in some way. In Latin [dance], there's so much that really strengthens both sides of your body at any given time because, every time you do a move in Latin, it's a kind of counterbalance where you keep your hip in one place, your rib cage in another. You're constantly working it back and forth so it really gives you a good workout. For the lower part of the body, it's fantastic for legs and for hips."
According to Gooding, knowing various dances and applying their techniques to the others is also beneficial.
"If you learn waltz and then cha-cha, you're going to be strengthening other parts of your body. Each one [dance] makes the other better. And the endurance you get from dancing is, wow, really huge," she said.
For Gooding, dancing has improved her health internally since coping with asthma as a child. "You have to learn how to breathe when you dance. Breathing becomes a very important part. I don't have nearly as many problems with asthma as I used to, and I know it's because I've increased my lung capacity by simply learning to breathe when I dance," she said. "If you learn five or six basic types of dances and do them back to back, what you find is that the cardio workout you're getting is very intense. We dance one to two minutes of a particular dance and go right into another dance. So you're working those other muscles and you're definitely keeping your heart rate up."
George and Akiko have been dancing under Gooding's instruction for five years. The couple initially started dancing for fun and the experience; now they're training for dance competitions and learning a variety of routines, while progressively tackling more difficult moves. "I'm more in control of where my body is-where my arms and shoulders are in space," George said. "When you see dance done well, you can tell it's precise yet still fluid-not wishy-washy. What I'm trying to do is progress from wishy-washy to precise. It's a difficult but fun challenge."
Whether it's salsa one week, it's inevitable for first-time or seasoned dancers to be moving and using their bodies in ways they may have thought weren't possible. Dancing unites a diverse group of people and acts as a social and physical fix that results in a life-changing experience. It has become more than something to do on a Friday night. It works internally, breaking down social barriers and challenging limits; it draws out inner fears and creates avenues for people to newly express themselves in mind and body. "Give it a try. It's not as bad as people think, and it really is a lot of fun," Gooding encourages. "If you're willing to just walk through the door, we'll get you on the dance floor. We'll get you dancing."
After graduating Annapolis High School in '99 and Towson University in '04, Kimi interned with Relevant magazine in Florida and then joined the staff of What's Up? Annapolis in February. A frequent contributor to Relevant , she is working on perfecting her photography skills, discovering good music, and learning more about the evolving culture of Annapolis.
Hip What?
Started in the 70's on the streets of New York City and arguably, the West Coast (depending on who you're talking to), hip-hop dance emerged from the underground into mainstream culture, jumpstarting a movement of Adidas-clothed bodies performing unique acrobatic movements on the streets of their neighborhoods. The stylized dance evolved from a combination of African influences, martial arts, and traditional dances: lindy hop, tap, and salsa, according to Jorge Pabon, breakdance member of RockSteady Crew/Zulu Nation (www.daveyd.com). By its media climax in the 80s due to rap pioneers Run DMC, pop music icon Michael Jackson, and other recording artists (as well as entertainment media), audiences became familiar with terms such as: "breakdancing," "poppin' and lockin'," the "moonwalk," the "windmill," the "worm," and "flares"-to name just a few. Hip-hop dance has many variations: mainstream style, jazz base, poppin' and lockin', breakdancing, and reggae dance hall, according to hip-hop dance teacher Bobby Thompson. "Mainstream style, reggae dance hall, and jazz base are continuous, aerobic movement," he says. "Poppin' and lockin' is muscle control, a kind of lightweight training. Breakdancing is a lot of upper-body strength where you have to hold yourself up." Hip-hop dance demands incredible body strength, control, power, and precision. The workout combines cardio and aerobics with a concentration in coordination. Thompson, who has performed hip-hop dance for eleven years now, sees a wide spectrum of people sign up for his classes. "It's very interesting how several different areas of community come together," he says. "They're able to do different things." He recommends dance as a physical and mental outlet for the average person who's punching in the 9 to 5. "Coming from an area where we're becoming lazier, it's good to go outside the box and our comfort zone and push ourselves to another level," he says. "It makes you accept yourself for who you are and helps your health by improving who you are." The bottom line? Just start moving. "Any type of movement is a good movement, and dance as fitness is a good release," he said. "Forget the 9 to 5 and be with yourself in the moment." Bobby Thompson teaches a Hip-hop every Friday, and a group fitness class every Mon., Wed. and Fri. at Prana studio, 2901 Riva Trace Parkway, Annapolis. See pranastudio.com for times. |
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Dance Steps Swing: A group of related street dances that evolved from 1920's Lindy Hop, Swing, is a partner dance, where the couple consists of a leader and follower. It has evolved into many forms because of its development in different areas around the United States: Savoy Swing, Lindy, West Coast Swing, and East Coast Swing, to name a few. Swing helps develop balance and coordination, and can be a great cardio workout depending on the pace, incorporating the upper and lower body. Hip-hop: Developed from the streets of New York City or L.A. (depending on who you're talking to), exists in various forms: mainstream style, reggae, breakdance, poppin' and lockin', and jazz base. Mainstream terms like the windmill and moonwalk stem from this genre of dance as do the harlem shake, body rolls, freezes, and headspins. According to Hip-Hop teacher Bobby Thompson, hip-hop dance incorporates aerobic movements, muscle control, lightweight training, flexibility and coordination. Contra: Similar to square dancing, a couple, verbally guided by a "caller" (usually works in conjunction with the band), dance a series of moves with each other and various couples. Contra usually incorporates other couple dances and forms of swing, traditional squares, waltz, and polka. It engages the body by improving aged bones and increasing endurance, and is also a great stimulator for the mind. Salsa: Literally translated as "sauce" in many Latin countries, Salsa is a predominantly Caribbean rhythm that fuses African, Cuban and Latin-American influences. 4 beats per bar (4/4 meter), it strongly emphasizes the use of the legs and hips and is considered a "spot dance" that remains fairly committed to one area of the dance floor. Two Step: originally a cowboy dance, the "two-step" is loosely used to describe many dances: Country/Western Two-step, Nightclub Two Step (California Two-Step) and Progressive Double Two. It's a progressive dance loyal to the rhythm slow, slow, quick, quick, and involves a "weaving" movement between partners as well as advanced turns and spins. The Nightclub Two Step basic step takes eight beats. Typically it's danced in American-style dance position with a more relaxed hold than typical ballroom dances. The leader rocks back on his left foot, the follower on her right, for one beat. Then both partners replace weight on the second part of the first. On the next beat, the leader takes a step to the left and the follower to the right. Then both partners repeat, but on opposite feet (the man rocks back on his right foot and moves to the right). The "official" rhythm for the basic step is quick-quick slow, although some prefer to start on the slow, usually on beat two of the music. Other rhythms for Nightclub Two Step rhythms are also possible. Beginners should realize that the quick-quick slow rhythm is just one possibility. Also, you don't have to keep that rhythm going continuously. Several slow steps in succession are often effective to evoke the romantic feeling associated with nightclub dancing. |
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Dance Fever! Give your calendar and your health a boost by putting on your dancing shoes and taking a spin through these dance workshops at venues closest to your area.
Looking for more? Latin Dance Country Dance Swing Dance General Ballroom Dance & More Dance Resources: |
What Exactly Are Natural Cosmetics?
By Julie Dunlap
An urgent phone call sparked my interest in natural cosmetics. "Your daughter's covered in hives," reported a parent chaperone at my girls' dance recital. Because my older daughter had recently told me, "The hair sprays in the dressing room make my eyes burn," I feared chemicals in stage makeup might also be causing my 10-year-old's allergic reaction. As I drove toward the theater to deliver some Benadryl, I vowed to discover a safer approach to beauty.
Hazardous chemicals in makeup and personal care products are nothing new. Ancient Romans tinted their skin with white lead, and later Italian women alluringly dilated their pupils with eye drops made from deadly nightshade plants. Today, dangerous chemicals enter our bodies when we eat mercury-laced tuna, drink pesticide-contaminated water, and breathe ozone-polluted air. "Body care products contain chemicals that can penetrate the skin," says Thistle Cone, Science Educator for the Chesapeake Ecology Center in Annapolis. "Children are especially vulnerable," says Cone. "They have less body mass and more sensitivity to things you might expose them to." Common ingredients in popular cosmetics are known to cause innumerable problems for users of all ages, from minor itching and rashes to asthma attacks and cancer.
Yet few safeguards exist to regulate what ingredients can be used in hand lotions, shampoos, powdered blushes, and related items. Neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency closely controls these products. That leaves consumers with the responsibility to monitor the safety of these products. Begin with research, says Cone. Books such as Kim Erickson's Drop-Dead Gorgeous: Protecting Yourself from the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics reveal the risks posed by artificial colors, fragrances, and preservatives found in many name brands on household shelves. Surprisingly, we need to beware not just of unpronounceable compounds, such as imidazolidinyl urea (a preservative that can cause contact dermatitis), but also of simple minerals such as talc, which can lead to cancer and respiratory distress.
For consumers seeking alternatives, bottles, jars, and tubes boasting "all natural," "healthy," and "nothing artificial" cram the shelves at mall specialty shops, beauty salons, grocery and drug stores, and even Wal-Mart. Cone warns that some of the products are deliberately mislabeled, seeking to attract customers with false claims of healthful ingredients. A skin cream might contain a small amount of natural plant oil, for instance, while the major ingredients were concocted from petroleum in a laboratory. Says Cone, "These labels have become a selling point."
Even genuinely "natural" products may not guarantee consumer safety. Jennifer Krause, a cosmetologist trained at the internationally acclaimed Aveda Education Center in Minneapolis, reminds clients that even homegrown herbs such as chamomile, used in hair conditioners, can cause skin reactions.
A number of companies market their products as being derived from pure botanicals. Makeup products are described as containing exotic ingredients such as nut-seed pigment from Brazil, cinnamon from Madagascar, or English lavender. Sunscreen may be marketed as containing sunflower seed extract to neutralize free radicals and at the same time have ingredients you might find in mainstream products such as titanium oxide and zinc oxide.
Companies like Aveda, Clarins, and Zia have developed a following of health-conscious consumers because their products contain pure plant-derived fragrances. Manufacturers of many store brand products may combine 200 ingredients to synthesize one scent and no regulations require them to list individual components on product labels. With so many chemical components, chances of an adverse reaction are much greater.
Because natural, as well as mainstream, body care products can irritate skin, experts often recommend conducting a patch test, especially for hair dyes and other potentially harsh products. To conduct a patch test, apply a sample on the skin and observe, without washing the area for 24 to 48 hours, to check for irritation or allergic reactions.
The most acute health risk for all types of cosmetics is bacterial contamination, and users should follow common sense practices such as not sharing lipsticks or putting fingers in bottles of liquid foundation. Foundation is best applied with a cosmetic sponge. Mascaras should be discarded after 3 months of use because both natural and artificial preservatives break down over time.
Consumers who want to avoid the risks of either bacterial contamination or potentially toxic preservatives can also try making their body products fresh at home. To sample some recipes for homemade beauty secrets, get Josephine Fairley's new book, The Ultimate Natural Beauty Book: 100 Organic Beauty Products to Make and Use at Home (2004; Universe Publishing).
While I like to imagine stirring up a fresh batch of peach-scented moisturizer each morning, it seems more realistic to learn about brands of ready-made products. A surprising array of product lines can be found in local stores and online, including; Burt's Bees, Ecco Bella, Dr. Hauschka, Zia, Clarins, and Kiss My Face. To make your choice more confusing, each major brand strives to offer something unique to potential buyers.
While most consumers are concerned about their personal health when purchasing natural health products, many also want to be environmentally responsible. There is no legal standard for labeling a non-food item as being organic. The term is often used to refer to fruit, grain, and other crops raised without chemical pesticides or herbicides. Dairy-based cosmetics correctly called organic would be made from the milk of cows raised without hormones or antibiotics and fed organic hay and grain.
To protect the ozone layer, a number of the companies who manufacture products with natural ingredients refrain from selling aerosols. Others request that customers return empty containers for refilling and print their informational literature on recycled paper.
Unless you make moisturizers, astringents, and hair tints yourself, natural body care products will probably cost more than you're used to paying. Even finding the natural items you want to buy can be daunting. Cone adds that to find the exact items you want, you may have to browse online at several stores to find what is available as well as order on line. She says, "You have to go out of your way."
For me, finding natural product lines that will not have harmful effects on my daughters' health is a priority and also a process. I plan on experimenting with several products as we learn about this complex issue. Before my girls lace up their tap shoes next spring, I'll make sure they're wearing cosmetics that enhance their "looks" without causing skin rashes or burning eyes. I want their smiles on stage to look more beautiful than ever, but I want them to look better naturally.
Julie Dunlap has a PhD in forestry and environmental studies and specializes in writing about environmental topics.
Natural Beauty Resources
Books Websites www1.burtsbees.com www.wholefoodsmarket.com www.leapingbunny.org www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare |
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