I’m not going to spend a great deal of time on reiterating the severity and seriousness of the situation we face at present – here I wish to focus on solutions that we can come up with to support each other through this difficult and challenging period for our lives. Particularly acknowledging the new government advice for pregnant women to isolate for 12 weeks.
When I re-launched Dance Mama back in 2018 one of the new features I gave to the site is the Online Class Programme.
I curated them in separate sections (pre and post-natal) and in the different dance styles and fitness sessions I could find. A lot is free and some is pay-per-view.
This was because, in my own experience, trying to find appropriate content in a short space of time, sleep-deprived, not knowing when my baby would wake up was HUGELY frustrating. There was no time to be scrolling through endless videos on YouTube or sites. I remember spending inordinate snatches of time trying to find anything on diastasis recti that I felt was under-pinned by science or an experienced dance professional. I ended up doing a Davina McCall DVD, a DVD from the US of a woman who was married to a guy from Desperate Housewives (??), trying to employ whatever I could remember from my Pilates sessions and the post-natal text book I bought and the rather brilliant Yoga With Adrienne. Let’s just say, both times I had children, the process was S L O W.
So, as I started to find things, and having worked on class programmes at The Place, Central School of Ballet, DanceXchange and at Rambert, I curated them in separate sections (pre and post-natal) and in the different dance styles and fitness sessions I could find. A lot is free and some is pay-per-view.
Take me to the class programme!
In the last few days I have seen that some of my brilliant colleagues are moving their sessions online – BActive Pilates, Wellebeing Yoga and Pilates and Centre Point using Zoom or Hoop. I'm sure a lot of studios will soon follow suit. Let's hear it for the trailblazers, though!
Dance Mama also believes in supporting the three areas of physiology, approach and creativity. With physiology needs being mitigated by the class programme, you can find further content on mindset and productivity for your approach to your career and situation from people I really look up to in this area on this page too.
In terms of your creativity, this is the time to employ it.
I have also seen groups being set-up online to share ideas of occupying children indoors such as Plan C, which has gone from a new group to 21k or more members is a matter of a couple of days - a really positive response to this difficult situation.
In terms of your creativity, this is the time to employ it. If there was ever a time the world needed creative people, it’s now. With scenes of singing and exercise classes happening in Italy with people in isolation or on lock-down, this is the stuff that will keep people going, and as we are likely in for a long stint of this, positive morale is not only key to how we get through it, but also how our bodies will respond to healing. In this regard please do check out the extensive work of Dr Daisy Fancourt in this area.
I’m really happy to receive any suggestions (TW: @thedancemama) for more dance-related content, and don’t forget that there’s also information and sign-posting on the resources page.
I’m not the first say this at all, but maybe unexpected positives from this is that people will really start to prioritise their health in a real way, find inventive and productive ways to occupy themselves, amplify their kindness to support the vulnerable and have greater empathy for those who are isolated beyond this time for whatever reason.
Stay well xo