October 10, 2008

Happy October!

Although the weather has been anything but Fall-like, you can still look closely and see the change in the leaves or notice how the days have become shorter. See if you can tune-in to the cycle of the seasons. As we become more in-tune with nature, we can become more in-tune with ourselves. Our article this addition is all about eating with the seasons and cycles of the day for health AND weight loss. In addition, decrease your stress and increase your sense of fun with our new fitness and dance classes: Jazz and Tap Workshops are still open for registration (pro-rated rate!), and we have new classes on Mondays to help you start your week- Boot Camp with James (11:30 AM), Afro-Funk Fusion with Najaa (7:30 PM), and Yogalates with Rebekkah (8:30 PM). Come check them out!

Ayurveda for Weight Loss

Eating in Accordance with Nature

Living in a large city, spending our days inside or in our cars, and with tight schedules and busy lives, we usually find ourselves eating on the run, or forgetting to eat altogether, then binging because we're starving, or downing coffee or snacking excessively. Even though we live in a beautiful climate with easy access to beaches, mountains, and parks, it can still be difficult to connect with nature. But opening up our senses to the changes of the season does not need to be so hard. Tuning into the natural cycles of our days and years can be an important guide in improving our health and quality of life.

According to Dr. John Douillard, a leading Doctor of Ayurveda in the United States, eating with the seasons, specifically- Winter, Spring, and Summer and with the natural cycle of the day- morning, mid-day, and evening, can clear out congested toxins from the body giving you more energy and increased loss of body fat (where we store most of our toxins).

This idea is very simple and once we get out of our bad habits and patterns of eating, it will become very intuitive- as it is in accordance with nature, our nature. Eat produce that is in season- shop at a farmer's market or look at labels in the store. Eat more protein and fat in the winter (nuts, warm grains, stews, soups, meat, and fish), low fat and cleansing foods in the spring (salads, berries, leafy greens), and during the hot, long days of summer, cooling foods high in natural carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables).

And in accordance with our daily cycles- eat a light to medium size breakfast before 10am (the part of the day when we should have the most energy), as big of a lunch as you want as this should be your biggest meal, and a light, early supper (around 6pm). DON'T SNACK IN BETWEEN MEALS AND LET YOUR BODY FAST BETWEEN DINNER AND BREAKFAST. If you are hungry in between meals- it means 1) you are not eating enough during your meal, 2) you are not eating the right foods during your meal or 3) your body is still trying to balance out its blood sugar after years of inbalance (another words- hang in there and change your habits gradually).

The last and most important underlying element to weight loss and health is to REDUCE STRESS. Most weight gain and 80% of disease is caused by stress.

For more information on Dr. John Douillard and Ayurveda- please goto: Lifespa.com.

By Kumbi Butler, who took take an Ayurvedic Weightloss workshop with Dr. Douillard at the Yoga Journal Conference in Colorado.

REGISTRATION STILL OPEN!

Rhythm Tap and Funk Jazz Workshops

It's not too late to join in on the fun- David's 6 Week dance workshops are still open for registration- we will pro-rate your rate, of course!

Every Saturday from October 4th - November 8th:

FUNK JAZZ @ 4:00pm
Sweat your buns off, learn the latest choreography fused with technique, and lose yourself in the beat -- it's all about attitude!

RHYTHM TAP @ 5:00pm
Build rhythms from learning basic steps, from Broadway to Gregory Hines, and jam to be challenged and free-flowing. No tap shoes required.

Pro-Rated Rates:
$83 - Jazz OR Tap
$154 - Both classes

Individual Classes
$25 - 1 class

David Person is excited to return to Heartbeat House where he taught for 3 consecutive years. He has been teaching a variety of dance disciplines across the country for over a decade, and judged national competitions for Dance Xplosion. He has choreographed productions, such as 42nd Street; performed in videos, including a "Weeds" commercial for Showtime, and live events at the Rose Bowl and Warner Brothers Studio. Recently, he was a guest performer for Street Beat, and is currently doing choreography for a TV pilot.

Yogalates with Rebekkah

Starts Monday 10/13 8:30 PM

Join our much-loved Rock 'n Soul Pilates teacher on Monday nights for a combination Yoga and Pilates class - Yogalates - a great way to end an evening of dancing or just to end a long day. Enjoy Rebekkah's encouraging personality to help tone and stretch your body, then finish the class in a relaxing savasana as the stresses of the day melt away. Your body and mind will be ready for a great night of sleep.

Monday Nights 8:30-9:30 PM begins 10/13.

NEW CLASS: AFRO FUNK FUSION

Monday 7:30 PM with Najaa!

All New Afro-Funk Fusion Dance Class with Najaa Young! - In this hot new class Najaa uses the foundations of traditional West African and Afro-Caribbean dance to teach high energy dance routines to the infectious grooves of house, juju and highlife music of the African Diaspora. So if you've taken traditional African dance before or you just like world music this is the class for you!

Monday Nights 7:30 PM

Najaa is a native of Cleveland, OH and attended high school and college in Pittsburgh, PA. A bashful kid, it was in high school that Najaa broke out of her shell and began performing with her mother's African dance company, Omi Tutu. Since then she has performed with various West African and Afro-Caribbean dance companies as a member and as a guest artist. Most notably, African Soul International, Olokumi African Arts Collective and Tam Tam Magic directed by Senegalese master drummer, Assane M'Baye. She has performed and taught throughout the midwest and written and directed productions for Karamu House, Cleveland Public Theatre and Cuyahoga Community College Dance Department. Najaa has a BA in Theatre Arts from Chatham College and a MFA in Film Production from Florida State University's Graduate Conservatory of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts.

SAMBA SECTION

Choreography, DVD, & Performances

For all you Samba lovers who take Fransini's Samba Passion (Thursdays 7:30 PM), you no longer have to worry about memorizing any of the choreography you learned in class! Fransini will conveniently put all the choreography from each week on a video on her website: www.sambabody.com. Go check it out! You will also see that her new upcoming Samba Body DVD is on sale now with a special pre-sale price. You don't want to miss it!

We will also be posting information about upcoming Samba performances with Fransini and her dancers. These girls are out in our community performing and dancing all the time. Maybe you can check them out in your neighborhood!

Schedule Updates

Subs, New Classes, Cancelled Classes

SUBS:
Jessica will sub Polynesian Heartbeat on Saturdays at 12:00 PM until November 1st.

NEW CLASSES/WORKSHOPS:
Rhythm Tap and Funk Jazz Workshops with David is still open for Registration! Saturdays 4:00-6:00 PM.

Afro Funk Fusion with Najaa on Mondays 7:30 PM.

Yogilates with Rebekkah will begin Monday 10/13 8:30 PM.

CANCELLED CLASSES:
Broadway in L.A. on Mondays is postponed until further notice.

Ballet Stretch & Tone on Mondays is cancelled until further notice.

World Beat Workout on Saturdays with Kim is cancelled after 9/28.

Dancing for the People on Sundays is cancelled while Jasmine is gone.

ROCK TODDLER

New Session Begins 10.23.08

Rock Toddler is taking a week off then coming back for a new 5 Week Session beginning Thursday 10.23.08 (10:45-11:30 AM). Sign you and your toddler up now!

Rock Toddler is a fun, interactive dance and music class for you and your toddler (1-4yrs.). Julie and her guitar (and her beautiful voice!) lead you through a series of popular songs, chants, and music from the 50's to present day. Your child will be stimulated with instruments, dance moves, a parachute, and other fun interactive activities. Don't let them miss out - they will have so much fun!

Thursdays
10:45-11:30 AM
Begins 10.23.08
$60/5 Weeks Pre-registered ($12/class)
or $14 Drop in fee

Julie Ingram is very excited to be teaching Rock Toddler at the Heartbeat House. Julie recently moved to Los Angeles from Austin, TX. In Austin she
coordinated the Early Childhood Music Program at Austin Lyric Opera. She has her BA in Italian Literature from UC Berkeley and her Masters of Music
from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to Rock Toddler she teaches Orff classes at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music.

New Contemporary Ballet Teacher!

Mecca Andrews

With Jasmine leaving town for her bike ride sabbatical, Mecca Andrews will be taking over her Contemporary Ballet class on Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM. Come check out this FUN new class and welcome Mecca to Heartbeat House. We are honored to have such a talented, professional, dancer and teacher.

Mecca Vazie Andrews' film and stage credits include Disney's Bedtime Stories, RENT, MTV Movie Awards, Hysterica Dance Company, Commonality Dance Company, Grammy's with David LaChapelle, Sony Industrials, Vh1's Showgirl Bootcamp, and American Apparel. Mecca can been seen in the February 2008 issue of Dance Spirit with Hysterica Dance Company. Her work is spoken very highly of in Street Scene, Los Angeles Times and Arthur Magazine. Mecca was featured in the June issue of Loudmouth magazine for her performance troupe The movement MOVEMENT who were also chosen as one of 20 Finalists for the VH1 reality television show Choreographer. Mecca has choreographed for Los Angeles Comtemporary Dance Company, Hysterica Dance Company and Syzygy Theatre Company just to name a few. She has travelled to Stuttgart, Germany with Commonality Dance Company to instruct Contemporary Jazz and perform the companies repetory and has performed extensively in Europe with Electrosoul indie band Hey Willpower. Mecca choreographed singer/songwriter Eleni Mandell's video Dis Moi and completed a collaboration with 'A Family Finds Entertainment' director Ryan Trecartin for his most recent film 'I Be Area' in which she also performs. She is currently choreographing a new play Beauty For Ashes that will premiere in November. Mecca Vazie Andrews teaches contemporary jazz at Edge Performing Arts Center, Creative Movement at Gramercy Park and Jazz 3 at Loyola Marymount University. Ready Steady Go!

Volunteer/Work Exchange

Work For Your Classes

Want to dance, but low on funds? Sign up for our Volunteer/Work Exchange Program! Help us out at the studio- cleaning, filing, errands, organizing, etc. and we'll give you Free Class Passes! Every hour and half you work, you receive a Free Class Pass- good for any of our regularly scheduled classes.

Email us with your availability: heartbeathouse@hotmail.com. Our studio runs smoothly only because our volunteers are so great!

Community Events

Expressive Arts Workshop with Heidi Thornberg

Our amazing Still Moving teacher (Wed. 10:00-11:00 AM) will be teaching an Introduction to Expressive Arts workshop in Pasadena this weekend:

Life, memory, and themes are stored in the tissue of the body and each body part is a host to many movement metaphors, which may provide insight into various aspects of our life, as well as deeply integrated artistic material for creative exploration and development.
This workshop is an introduction to Expressive Art Therapy techniques developed by world renowned Anna and Daria Halprin. We will utilize an inter-modal arts process of moving between dance, drawing,text, performance based witnessing and aesthetic response.
The foundation of Expressive Arts work is an introductory vehicle into the body that is an approach that enlivens dialogues between body and imagination generating new resources for your life and art!

Community Events

Taking the Reins 9th Annual Family Day BBQ

For more info go to: Taking the Reins

Community Events

5th Atwater Village Trick-or Treat on the Boo-levard!

The AVNC and AGPCC co-sponsored event is coming up again on Friday, October 24th, 4:00-5:30 PM. This annual event gives local elementary school children a safe Trick-or-Treat environment. From Glenhurst to Revere, local businesses (including Heartbeat House!) will be distributing candy to all the cuties in their costumes! Come, bring your kids, and participate in this fun, family event.
For more info go to: Atwater Village Trick or Treat

Promotions

New Student Promotion:New Students can try any class they want their first week for only $5/class!
Birthday Promotion:
Come dance off that birthday cake with $5 classes the week of your birthday!
Referral Promotion:
Receive 20% off a 4 Class Package when you refer a new student who buys a Class Package.

FEEDBACK and TESTIMONIALS

We appreciate any and all feedback you have about our studio, our classes, our teachers, requests, etc.

If you love our little studio and have had experienced some real fitness and fun results- please help us promote by sending us testimonials. Email or write!

Thank you!