Dance Meets Fitness

Welcome

Welcome to my Dance Fitness Blog. <META name="y_key" content="ba14d001f787f722">

My name is Patty Rose. I am a dance and fitness instructor. My passion is helping people just like you find fitness results through dance and movement with my Dance Strong Programs.

I am also the Creator and Producer of Dance Strong!(tm) DVD Series, a Complete Workout Program combining the best of Dance and Fitness.
The first of the series is available now...stayed tuned for more fun workout DVD's coming soon. For more info and to order now: www.PattyRose.com

Patty Rose

(914) 804-6757

www.PattyRose.com

Dance Strong DVD Series

 

The Forgotten Body Part

Oh, those aching feet...

We use and abuse them all day. Usually, by the end of a long day they are begging for a warm soak and a good rub. But do they get the attention they need? Rarely!

 

Here are a few things you can do to strengthen your ankles for stability. Also, a few stretches for mobility and to help reduce those aches...

Then you you can go out and do it all again tomorrow. Enjoy!

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find the inspiration to reach their goals, solutions to wellness, and motivation to move & dance!

Wii

I played wii for the first time. Where have I been? I'm not sure , but what a great time this was!

Oh my, we played tennis, we bowled and then the kicker... We boxed! The next day, I could feel the muscles in my back, torso, shoulders and arms.  I must have played four or five games of boxing alone. I used muscles in a new and different way. It's so important to challenge the body like that. That's why I felt the soreness. It was so much fun, and the time flew by! No counting minutes on the treadmill or dreading the next set of lunges (which by the way are my least favorite of all exercises). I don't personally have a wii. Although, after this experience, I plan to get one.  In the meantime, I will be sure to join up with  friends that do.

Its great to find activity that gives you a workout, maybe challenges you in a new way and is a blast in the process! What can you do today to spice up you workout? Try something new, find a friend to share it with, make it fun! It does the body, mind and spirit good!

Enjoy.

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find the inspiration to reach their goals, solutions to wellness, and motivation to move & dance!

Has This Ever Happened To You?

Last week, while taking a yoga class, I had a surge of creative ideas flood my mind. I was working my body really hard and letting my mind answer the questions that popped up. It never ceases to amaze me how this is always the process when we do good things for our body and get moving and active!

But, it also never ceases to amaze me how the creative process is squashed so easily. You you ever had a great, inspiration or idea and your mind tells you "NO"?  Low and behold, by the time I was driving home, I somehow talked myself out of  all my good ideas. I thought, "This is a big commitment. What if  I can't do it? What if I changed my mind mid way"? I thought, "I'm supposed to be the expert, I'm supposed to be the one that "lives" this and motivates others".

Truth is, I am very normal, like everyone else. Most days, I do the right thing in physical activity and nutrition. But, some days, I just don't. There, I said it; it's out in the open. Now, perhaps I can take some pressure off my self and share with you the trials and tribulations that I'm sure we can all relate to.

You may know that I am a HUGE advocate of  "the buddy system". Unless you are a type "A" that can create a schedule and stick to it, you'll probably do best when you have someone to hold you accountable. If you're like me, a "typical Type B' then you might do best with a buddy. This has always been the best and most effective situation for me.

Here is an example of how sharing with someone can be such a natural process. On that drive home from yoga, I was talking with my sister, Liz (using a blue tooth, of course). I somehow reluctantly felt the words falling out of my mouth and telling her of my creative brainstorm. The same one my mind had already dismissed only moments ago. I told her about the idea I had while taking a yoga class and why it wasn't going to work. I listed all the "No’s” that my mind processed for me.

She is a fantastic support, my sister! She turned each "no" into a "YES". She did for me, what I do for my students, clients, family and friends. She helped me to see that it was a good idea and that I should do it, and that I could it!

So over the next few days, we encouraged one another. We shared successes and frustrations, and then we decided to do this together, "the buddy system".

Have you ever had your creativity squashed like I did? Have you ever had a dream, a desire, a wish that you lost?  Have you ever had a moment on the top of the mountain only to feel like you were at the bottom again?

Do you want to find the power to dust off your dreams, stand on the mountain top and re-connect with that part of your self again? I have a plan that I think can help. It can help you feel your best, reach some goals, become more confident, stronger, happier and might even get you dreaming again!

Soon, I will post the idea that Liz and I decided to embark on.  We invite you to join us in this challenge! Get ready! Plan now for the positive changes coming your way!

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find the inspiration to reach their goals, solutions to wellness, and motivation to move & dance!

Always have hope, Always dream!

When I  was a young girl, I found a four leaf clover. It was an exciting event for me as a young person. But, top that with my Irish heritage, and it was a really good day. I'm not sure what happened to that clover but, I haven't seen it since.

All these years,  I held on to the hope and dream that I would one day find another one.

Anytime I have ever seen clovers, I have always stopped and looked for that rare and precious gift. I would look, hoping to find just one in the bunch that happen to have four leaves instead of three. I presume this wouldn't be a big deal to many. But, for some reason, it was then and still is for me.

As the years have past, I continued to look. But, I also, began to wonder if I had imagined that story from when I was young. I started to wonder if there really was such a thing as a four leaf clover. All the rational and reality that comes with being an adult started to take over. I really thought it would never happen.

Always have hope, Always dream!

I found a four leaf clover recently! I was hiking at Harriman State Park with my husband and we came upon a field of clovers. I said to him, "Do you think that in this huge field there could be just one, one, little, four leaf clover for me."

Then, I had that adult, rational, stifling thought, "...ah, you'll never find one..."

For some reason, I looked anyway. Low and behold, all I did was squat down and there it was under my gaze. I can't tell you the excitement and amazement I felt for this one, small gift that I received. This one little surprise has given me renewed hope, a sense of gratitude and re-connection to my faith. This one little clover, that would go unnoticed by many was the life altering for me.

The four leafs each have meaning: The first is for faith, the second for hope, the third for love and the fourth for luck!

I laminated my clover to keep in my wallet as a reminder that anything is possible. I am sharing this story with you to help you remeber as well. Go for your dreams, set your goals and keep working toward them.

What are your goals and dreams made of? Are they physical, monetary, relational? Only you need to know. Only you have the power and the key within you to make the change.

You can do it. You can lose weight and get fit, you can make the money you need, you can find the love of your life... YOU CAN! Stay on the track no matter how long it takes. Try, try and try again. Don't lose sight of your goals.  You can reach your goals and you can find your clover. Always have hope, always dream.

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find the inspiration to reach their goals, solutions to wellness, and motivation to move & dance!

How to Get a Dancer's Legs: Part 3 - Curtsy aka Salsa Dips

I call this move a curtsy, simply because it resembles that of the old fashion curtsy done as a greeting or an acceptance to a dance. The aka," salsa dips" is because the first part of the footwork is also similar to the basic step in the salsa.

So, what's it for?

Well, this one move can target the gluteus muscles as well as the quadriceps muscles. When you use the variations recommend in the video you can also get a torso rotation that can help with flexibility and core activation used for to balance. Lastly, when you do several reps it will increase your heart rate, become an aerobic activity and burn more calories! YEA!

:~) I know, I know, I get  a  little too excited about these things.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy this. Feel free to let me know what you think, leave comment or ask a question. I'm here to help!

Stay tuned for the rest of the series...the last one will be a full leg routine that you and I can do together! It's going to be great.

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find the inspiration to reach thier goals, solutions to wellness, and motivation to move & dance!

A Great Workout DVD - The Best Me Ever

via bestmeever.com

Here's one I recommend! The Best Me Ever...

Here's a great workout program that my friend Geralyn Coopersmith created. If you check out the video clip or her DVD, you may notice me working out with Geralyn and another buddy Raquel Granda. What a great experience it was to work on this project, not to mention the workout we got!

I can tell you from having done this workout myself, that it really works. One of my favorite things about The Best Me ever Program is that it's designed to give you choices. You can tailor workout specifically to your fitness level so anyone looking to get started or simply enhance a workout routine can benefit from it. It even comes with a nutrition guide and all the equipment / bands needed.

Geralyn's knowledge and expertise are extensive. Check out Fit and Female Blog to learn about her and all her fitness tips.

FYI, I don't get anything from this recommendation; simply just sharing something of real good quality that I believe in.

Go ahead, check it out...and Enjoy!

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find inspiration and motivation to move & dance!

How to Get a Daner's Legs: Part 2

Here's another great way to target the legs muscles while doing basic moves that dancer's do everyday in class and performance. This movement uses only body weight; it is not necessary to add additional weight unless your fitness level requires more challenge. If you do chose to add weight, I recommend using light weight dumbbells or resistance bands.

This exercise: 2nd Position Plie with a Slight Leg Rotation is a variation on the 2nd position we did in video Part 1. For a fun varitaton and a bit more challenge do a few reps from video part 1 and then complete the set with the leg rotation in Part 2 (below).

How Many:

Start off doing what you can. Eventually, work toward doing 3 sets of 15 repetitions every other day or 3 times a week.

Technique Tip:

Anytime you workout or do exercise of any kind it's paramount that you have proper technique to actually benefit from it. It's very important that as you turn the leg, you rotate at the hip joint. If you find this confusing, that's OK. It will all make sense when you see the video. The most important thing to remember is that by rotating at the hip joint you are avoiding undue stress on the other joints like the knee and ankle.

If you have any questions feel free to drop a line, I'd gladly help you out.

I hope you enjoy this series. I'd love your feedback so feel free to post!

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find inspiration and motivation to move & dance!

Worth the Watch

Here's a youtube video I came across that I so enjoyed and wanted to share with you. It's a performance done by Danny Twidwell, called "Stupid Things".  It is soooo inspiring and really makes me want to move my body, take a dance class, something, anything!

In 2007, Danny was on the third season of So You think You Can Dance. He was the runner-up when Sabra Johnson won. I loved Sabra, but, Danny's movement is breathtaking! I wish the show could have one female and one male winner every season!

I hope you enjoy it...

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find inspiration and motivation to move & dance!

Gyrotonics...What?

Years ago, there was a studio on the Upper West Side of NYC called "White Cloud". I used to go for private training in Gyrotonics. I haven't done so in many years and just started back again this past week.I am so excited!

So what is Gyrotoncis? Well, It's a series of movements done on specific "gyrotonic machines" that promote, flexibility, strength, and breath. Many of the motions are circular and incorporate connecting the core, breathing, opening the chest and back, lengthening and strengthening and strectching the muscles.

Below is an article I found that really describes the development of The Gyrotonics Expansion System and the creator Juliu Horvath's process very well.  You can either read below or click here for the original source.

You can also find information at The Art of Exercising and Beyond.

For a video on Gyrotonics from Rachel Ray:

Click here for Part 1

Click here for Part 2

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find inspiration and motivation to move & dance!

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Exercises to Get a Dancer's Legs: Part 1

Want to create strong, long, lean legs? Well, you may like this...

I just put together a series of videos that you can do as a stand alone exercise or combine together for a full leg workout routine. They are all exercises that dancers do on a regular basis. I broke them down into small segments for you. This way you can learn and grow stronger at your own pace.

Here is Part 1: The Dancer's Squat - 2nd Position Plie

This basic exercise is also known as the Wide Stance Squat, but it is a dance position that dancers have been using for years. In the video, I show a few variations on how you can do this; from a  beginner variation with the hands on the hips to the a more advanced cardiovascular variation adding arm movement.

Choose which variation is best for your current fitness level and work toward doing 3 sets of 15 repetitions. Once you are ready, combine it with the other exercises from the series.

I hope you enjoy this series. I'd love your feed back so feel free to post!

Patty Rose

www.PattyRose.com
Creator of DanceStrong!(tm) DVD
DanceStrong! DVD Review

Committed to helping people find inspiration and motivation to move & dance!