February into March 2025​​​​

 

I've changed the name of class from Whoohoo to Barefoot Dance Fitness. It's not a fancy name, but it's clear. 

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nteresting Stuff

Barb Hennessy Wolf and her husband Jay are spending two months exploring New Zealand. Follow them at barbandjay.com.

When you feel like giving up, it's time to rest. @theWokeMama (Shirley Chisholm Folding Chair) tells us, "This is a reminder that both rest and joy are also resistance." We are expected to be cogs who earn our joy and earn our rest. Both joy and rest are "inherently humanizing." Rest and joy are as integral to ourselves as air and food, not something to be earned or to prove our worth, but simply necessary to be alive on this earth. 
 

I loved this video about how we talk with kids. Saying "don't touch that" gives the message "touch, touch, touch." That's what a kid's brain hears. Oh, wait, that's what all our brains hear, though an adult brain has a lot more impulse control and prior knowledge to help us navigate that communication. Still, as Mr. Chazz explains, we can't do a don't. That means we need to know, specifically, what to do. Check out this video and then think about your own negative statements to yourself. Is there a way to turn your don't statements into what to do instead?

Random thing I read on the internet, attributed to Dr. Carrie Rigoni: "If punishing ourselves led to healing, we'd all be well by now." This line pairs perfectly with another gem from Krista Scott Dixon's page:  "It's not about willpower. It's about support." Take those into your new year with you and hold them close. 

 

Music

*Music for the resistance: Take a walk and listen to Rizzlekick's latest Competition is for Losers. Check out "Good Luck." or "Pleasure & Pain." Macklemore goes all out on "F*cked Up." 

*Readers of the NYT picked the song that defined their year, and it was captivating. What happened in this person's life that "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" by Joni Mitchell defined their year?  Or "Gates of Steel" by Devo? I found a great, new-to-me song in this mix, Ana Moura's "Desfado."

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* I was pleasantly surprised by Spotify's Editors' Picks of 2024.  While I didn't like most of the songs on this list, I was delighted to listen to new and sometimes very interesting tracks. I don't like any of Brittany Howard's 2024 release but I love that she's doing something different. Some songs in this list had interesting lyrics ("Girl, so confusing") with not interesting music. Some had music that was stimulating and catchy with lyrics that didn't appeal ("Sticky" Tyler, The Creator), though I was intrigued enough to listen to the entire Chromakopia. NPR's Best of 2024 includes some of the same tracks but has more diversity, covering some classical and jazz tracks. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter was one of my favorite albums of the year; however, one of my less favored tracks, "II Hands II Heaven," is the one making the best of the year lists. 
 

*Listen to Beyonce's super catchy "Texas Hold 'Em" back to back with Rhiannon Giddens' "The Ballad of Sally Anne." Both songs blend genres and fulfill musical roots in very different and interesting ways. After that, listen to sing D'orjay sing "A New Kind of Outlaw" and remember that what Beyonce is doing is not new, not by a long shot, and she's not alone; she's simply the biggest talent out there. Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter is varied, audacious, interesting, brilliant, and stimulating.  It's not truly a country album because it intersects so many genres.  Bonus points for listening to Post Malone's new country album and then pondering, hmmmm, why the backlash against Beyonce going country and not Postie? 

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* Halsey's most recent recording, the Great Impersonator, is an interesting dive into motherhood and her lupus diagnosis. "I Believe in Magic" is a particularly good track.

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*Singer/songwriter Jensen McRae writes music that, like Jason Isbell's work, is evocative, precise, and sometimes haunting. 

 

Minimalist Shoes and Studio Shoes

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We've got 29 muscles in our feet. Our feet are meant to be active. 

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Minimalist shoes (sometimes called barefoot shoes) can help our feet stay stronger. They usually have little or no arch support and they are zero drop, which means there’s no difference in height between the ball and heel. I've found that my hips prefer a zero drop shoe, but it does mean more work for my Achilles tendon. A good barefoot shoe is wider than a traditional shoe so that our toes can splay (toe-splay-and-why-it's-important). Some minimalist shoes have very thin soles for optimal ground feel, and generally they are flexible so the foot can move and flex while we walk.  

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Not all minimalist shoes have thin, flexible soles. Some options are shaped-like-feet and zero drop yet are quite stiff or have very rugged soles. Topo Shoes and Lems (find locally at Happy Hiker in Old Town) and Altra shoes (find at REI) are examples of these. If your feet are narrow, there may be some Merrell options that work for you. REI also carries Xero shoes and sandals as well as Bedrock sandals that are zero drop, no arch support, and more flexible than a Chaco sandal. 

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 If you want to throw down some bigger bucks for cuter shoes, go to Anya's Shop. That's how I found Freet, which I wear for walking, running, and hiking. 

 

If you wish to wear shoes while dancing at Studio Sway, you need a pair that is worn in our studio only. If they’re worn outside, or even at your home or another dance studio, there’s likely little rocks that adhere to the sole and can scratch the studio’s floor. One option is to look for minimalist shoes on Amazon. The minimalist shoes are a bit wider and more flexible, so you can dance and strengthen your feet and ankles more than in a rigid shoe. Amazon also has jazz dance shoe options which will be more narrow but flexible and non-marking. 

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Katy Bowman’s Whole Body Barefoot is short, easy and pleasant to read, and explains the benefits of minimalist shoes. If you have foot pain, check out her book to see if what you need isn’t a stiff shoe with rigid arch support.

 

Activewear Suggestions

 

Locally, I like Savers for used, and I like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Nordstrom Rack for discounted wear. 

REI has a great return policy for members, so go ahead and wear that bra or walk in those shoes for up to a year and return them if they don't work. 

 

Athleta has excellent quality clothing, and they've opened a store at Academy and Wyoming. Lululemon, located in the outdoor Q mall, is also excellent quality, but like Athleta, they're expensive. 

 

Remember to wash activewear separate from cotton clothing and then hang dry all your activewear to keep them soft and free from pilling.