Makeda

Fierce, Fit & Fab

Those of you who have been readers of this blog know that, toward the end of last year, I completed P90X.  I am so proud of myself for committing to that effort and am so happy with the results I've seen.  Now, as we begin 2011, I am continuing to focus on health and fitness.  I've started on my second round of P90X and am changing my eating habits, as well.  (Whew.  That one is hard.  Giving up sodas was hard enough, but eating healthy?  Can be rough.) 

One of the tools I've found that will help me in this effort is a new message board started by one of my Twitter friends, Miss Jia.  It's called Fierce, Fit & Fab and it's awesome.  There's already almost 600 members and the boards are jumping!  We're talking about everything - from what workout regimens have worked for us, what kind of body we want to have, how to make vision boards, playlists that keep us moving, etc.  If you're interested, go to www.fiercefitfab.com and join in!  Introduce yourself and come on in!  There are so many others who want to share your journey and your success!  I'll see you there!

Dance as ministry by my friend Tonyette

If you read my recent post about how I see dance as my ministry to the world, you may be interested in the thoughts of my friend Tonyette, a liturgical dancer.  Her post was inspired by mine.

http://tonsrandomspewings.blogspot.com/2010/07/dancing-andas-ministry.html

P90X, Day 4: Yoga X

I think I have some sort of mental block against yoga.  I have no idea what it is, but I have never been able to relax into it and enjoy it.  I feel stupid when I'm in the poses and being told to "breathe" and whatnot does not help.  I have tried all kinds of classes and DVDs and have still not found one that makes me understand or appreciate yoga.  I am jealous of all the people who find so much peace in their practice.  The only time I've ever enjoyed doing yoga was when I had a private lesson with a friend who's a yoga teacher and even then I'm not sure I liked the yoga - I think I was just happy to spend time with her.

Anyway, Yoga X is 90 minutes of yoga.  90.  minutes.  Of doing something that I despise.  I was not a happy camper this morning.  And I will have to do this once a week for three weeks and then twice a week thereafter.  Something has got to give.  At some point, I'm going to start liking it, right?  Because otherwise I might wind up in the best physical condition in my life, yet totally baldheaded because I am going to rip my hair out in chunks if I have to do 45 minutes of sun salutations twice a week.

4 down.  86 to go.

P90X, Day 3: Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X

Day 3: DONE!  87 to go!

Thoughts:

I love the Shoulders & Arms workout and I really need it.  I have very flabby arms.  It's time to firm these junks up.

Resistance bands are not for me.  I prefer using dumbbells.  In related news, I need heavier weights.  I want to get some 10 lbs.

I hate Dreya.

P90X, Day 2 - Cardio X

Today was Cardio X.  Whew!  What a workout.  I am covered in sweat, but I feel great. 

Impressions:

The Dreya Roll can kiss my ass.  I think I hate Dreya and I don't even know her.

I used to think I liked Sun Salutations.  I am no longer sure of this.

I am going to love Kenpo X.  Punching and kicking make me feel powerful and kick ass and I work out a lot of aggression.  It is way too easy to imagine someone's face on the end of my foot or fist.

I have a pitiful jump shot.   I would make an awful basketball player.  And it is totally not because I'm only 4'11".

Wacky jacks are stupid.

2 days down, 88 to go.  88 is a big number, but as a friend told me today, "if you can do 2, you can do 88."  Sho' ya right.  Thanks, David.

P90X - Day 1: Core Synergistics

After seeing the incredible results my friend Wendi has gotten from doing P90X, I decided to jump on the bandwagon.  I must say, I was intimidated, but I've never let that stop me before, so to hell with intimidation - let's do work!

First impressions: Tony Horton (the creator and trainer) is a bit of a weirdo, but that's good.  He throws in corny jokes and little sidebar things that help to make the exercise a little easier, as it adds some lightness to it.  As hard as the workout is, he himself isn't intimidating at all.

It was nice seeing two Black people on the Core Synergistics DVD.  I don't know if it's the same people on each DVD, but it was nice to see two people of color and two women on this DVD.  I find myself relating to them and feeling like I can do it, too.

I am awful at push-ups.  Also, hip raises.  I will have no choice but to get better, though, so there's that.

I felt kick-ass afterward.  I was so proud of myself.  I really want to stick with this program and see the results after the 90 days.

So, 1 day down, 89 to go!

Dance is my ministry.

I wrote this as a series of Facebook status messages, but realized that this is a good place to share my thoughts.  So here it is, with some tweaking.  I welcome thoughts, reactions and comments:

I am at a spiritual crossroads right now. I've always been a singer for God - the choir was "my ministry". But now, though I still love singing His praises, the choir doesn't seem quite right anymore. I want to know where I fit in the Kingdom. I want to serve where I am needed. I know what my gifts are, but how I can I put them to use to upbuild the Kingdom of God and help His people? Hmm...

Come see me dance in the month of May!

 You know you want to!

May 8th: MiaNaja's Moments of Magic Hafla (www.mianaja.org)

May 23rd: Alf Laylah Wa Laylah Hafla (  
http://www.samirashuruk.com/Alf_Laylah_Hafla_DC.html)

May 28th - 30th: Bellydancers of Color Association Festival (www.bellydancersofcolor.com) - I'm dancing in the show and teaching a workshop on beledi and sha'abi

I'd love to see your smiling faces!  Raq on!

Makeda teaches a workshop at the 2010 BOCAFest!

Hey dancers (or those who are curious about bellydance)!

I am so pleased to announce that I will be teaching a workshop at this year's Bellydancers of Color Association Festival (BOCAFest)!  The workshop is on shaabi and beledi stylings of Egyptian dance.  If you're interested in beledi, shaabi, the music or the dance, or ... if you're just interested in me *insert bright sunshiny smile with a hint of naughtiness here*, this is the workshop for you!  I would love to see your face and hips in the place.  I am ridiculously nervous but so grateful to have this opportunity and I'd love to share it with you!

I'm not sure of the exact date and time, but the BOCAFest is always on Memorial Day weekend in Washington, D.C.  As soon as I know the exact details, I'll post them here!

Smooches and shimmies, y'all!

My weekend with Faten Salama and Randa Kamel

Well, okay ... of course it wasn't just me, Faten Salama and Randa Kamel.  (But what a wonderful dream that would be!)  No, it was me and dozens of other dancers who got to benefit from the energy, grace and beauty of Faten and the athleticism, power, and poise of Randa.  

Crazy person that I am, I decided to take two workshops in one day: Faten's Live Band workshop and Randa's Egyptian Choreography workshop.  Believe me, my muscles did not thank me later ... but my dance ability sure did!  First, allow me to say that, as of Saturday, March 6, 2010, I have decided that I will follow Faten Salama to he ends of the earth and back if I have to.  Thankfully, I don't have to, as she is in my general area and is lovely and generous with her dance knowledge.  She is such an open and positive teacher.  Though there were plenty of dancers in the room, I didn't find myself feeling as I've felt in other master teachers' workshops - as if I am just one of a herd.  To the contrary, I learned much from her and from dancing with her live musicians - a keyboardist and a drummer.  There is something about dancing to live music that just leaves me feeling warm in my tummy and fulfilled all the way down deep.  I must do more of it!  And that was the #1 thing I got from Faten's workshop: I am not afraid to dance with live musicians!  This surprises me.  I thought I would be incredibly nervous because of the unpredictability of the music, but I found it freeing and exhilirating.  I want to seek out opportunities to perform to live music (hmm ... Alf Laylah Wa Laylah Hafla, perhaps?).

Anyway, other than that I want to dance with live musicians as much as possible, what other salient points did I pick up from Faten's workshop?