August 24, 2012

#35: Finding Joy at Conventions

St. Louis Cathedral
New Orleans
From Weekly WCS Note #35: The Good Life (now Finding Joy at Conventions). Released August 6th 2012. 
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Dear Readers,
I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics! They are such an excellent source for training and inspiration. I've written two posts about them already on my blogs. If you haven't read them yet, here they are: Get Your Training On and Olympic Torch Strikes Gold.

In the meantime, I have some great reports and some awesome reading to share with you! (Click here for Recommended Reading.)

ADVENTURING
BEYOND THE HALLS AND WALLS

Next week we may get back to my articles, but I thought you might like to hear what your peers are up to.

I don't know if it was Convention Mention or Life After Swing (Telling the Truth) or maybe even hearing about one of our crazy road trips for the millionth time that did it. But you guys are making me jealous.

Why? Because you're sending me all these emails about how, when attending the *a-hem* "West Coast Swing" events out there, you've been ditching them to see the ridiculously awesome cities they are being held in!

Oh yes, I've explored these cities too (I think Nick and I still have cramps in our legs from the DC Mall once upon a time), but the way you describe your own adventures... well, I want to be there too!

Lincoln Memorial
Washington D.C.

Yes, many of these emails include regrets or disappointments with the events themselves, but then again, most of you had already purchased the event tickets, the flights, the comp fees, etc months ago. And that's not to say you didn't get to dance either!

French Quarter
New Orleans

My favorite stories came from dancers who hit the town at night. Apparently, they found some awesome places to dance... clubs, bars, jazz clubs. Some said they fell in love with WCS all over again. How awesome is that?

The Capitol Building
Washington D.C.

So I count all of these as success stories. My husband shared a quote with me this week that really struck home for me:

"Curiosity only comes when joy is present."

How very true. If we could see the photos these dancers took, I bet joy was emanating from every face.

Joy. 

Our community could use a little more joy in our lives. It's about time. No matter what inspired you to leave your hotel lobbies behind and seek new frontiers... I hope you do it again. And again and again and again!

xoxo,
Katherine

August 01, 2012

Get Your Training On... Olympic Style


I liked what an instructor here in the States wrote recently:
"Enjoy the Olympics (it represents what people can do with a lot of focus, practice, and determination). How will it inspire your dancing?"
It reminded me of my article "The Power of Perfection." This is truly an exciting time in history... as it always is when it comes to the Olympics.

But since we are in the middle of the Summer Olympics, the fact of the matter is that you will have, quite frankly... the best chance to check out the "power" that comes with centering.

Women's Balance Beam

As I walked past a large flatscreen in a restaurant over the weekend, I saw a man do the most tremendous gymnastics routine... he executed these incredibly expanded, point-perfect acts of balance, control, positioning and thrust... pivots, angles, motions... one single small change in the direction of his center changed the entire game.

I saw body flight... on an Olympic level. 

Body flight. 

The power of the center.

Men's Synchronized Diving

You will see it in the swimmers, you will see it in the gymnasts, you will even see it in the runners... Watch while our Olympians are not covered in large vests of down feather padding, but when their centers are almost the main attraction... bodies in the midst of perfect execution, using their centers in all their glory.


Women's Fencing

What an amazing time to learn. What an amazing gift. And what a perfect time to celebrate unity in the in the world of excellence and training.

Men's Basketball

It's the Olympics. Jump on it.
And be inspired.

xoxo,
Katherine

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