Saturday, August 14, 2010

12th August 2010, Thurs. 10am - Advance 2 Freestyle (TGCC)


We had a full turn out this week, great stuff. We started class with our warm up by REVISING : Frim Fram, Breathless, Ice Cream & Painting. We then went on to RELEARN : sections of Art of Love & Sexy SeƱorita and then put the whole medley together. We attempted to remember the last new section of Claire De Lune but it eluded us, yet again this week so I was forced to leave it to another day as I didn't want to waste any more time. We continued to ADD ON : to our present piece 'Latin Lover' which is fast becoming a rather challenging piece and a good step up to the next level of cha cha for the girls.

11th August 2010, Wed. 8pm - Intermediate Line Dance (RCS).


 Full turn out today with a few late straglers coming in after buka puasa. We started off REVISING : Say Hey Love and then LEARNT : Forget Me Not by Mei Ling Leong. Everyone managed to pick up the steps fairly quickly but as with the other group had some trouble handling the restarts and tags as they were not listening to the music yet. We're looking forward to doing it better next week.

11th August 2010, Wed. 10am - Intermediate Reviser Line Dance (RSGC). 


We had a late start to class today but we really got thru some good dances. We RELEARNT : Forget Me Not and everyone did much better today as predicted. We then went on to REVISE : Under The Sun, Paloma 09, NY Cha & Hush Hush. Great end to our present CD. Next week we start on our 'new' CD which will comprise of everyone's favourite dances from the past 4 years.

10th August 2010, Tues. 8:30pm - Mid Beginners Dance Fit (PY, Lucky Garden)


Small class here today too. BUT it was a good one :D We had a great cardio session alternating Copacabana.dfld, Honey Honey.dfld & Coffee.dfld for a full 30 min - fantastic. We then went on to our strength & stamina building core work followed by our slowly growing lower body session and finished off with some lovely stretches. All in all a really efficient class today and everyone should have a lovely nights sleep tonight :) Next week we start on our next new routine. Looking forward to it - yeah!

10th August 2010, Tues. 6:15pm - Beginners Dance Fit (KITT)


Very small turn out today. Must be one of those days when everyone has something important to do. Anyway, the people who did come were very enthusiastic and really worked hard. We continued to work our the Coffee.dfld routine and learnt another 2 bars. Now everyone has learnt 6 bars in total with just 2 more to go !!!! We did the upper body work stationary to help everyone get the hang of it. We will put it all together soon, don't worry. Good advancement in the core work too and we managed a decent stretch out too. Hope to see more back in class next week. Selamat Berpuasa to the muslim students in this class.

9th August 2010, Mon. 10am - Intermediate Line Dance (RSGC)


Small turn out today but it allowed me to really work on teaching the ladies how to get their moves just right. Today we LEARNT : Forget Me Not by Mei Ling Leong, a short 32 count dance done to a lovely smooth older chinese song. The ladies found it easy enough to pick up the steps but got a little muddled with the restart, tag, restart, tag sequence but that was simple cos they weren't listening to the music yet. We're looking forward to a better round on Wed. Thanks ladies.

From the desk of Ms B

SUPPLEMENTS THAT FIGHT CANCER

The best cancer fighting nutrients come from vitamins & minerals in food, but most of us don't get enough of them. A supplement can offer protection. Just don't take more than the amounts recommended here.

1.  Vitamin D : studies suggest that getting enough D may cut your risk of breast cancer by as much as 50%. People who combine D with calcium can cut the danger of developing other kinds of cancer by up to 60% when compared with those who take only calcium. How much to take : 1,000 IU a day, say experts, who call the current AI, 20-400 IU, woefully low.

2.  Calcium : in a study from the American Cancer Society, people who took calcium supplements were 30% less likely to develop colon cancer than those who didn't. How much to take : 1,000 mg if you're age 50 or younger, 1,200 if older.

3.  Folic Acid : studies have found that folic acid may reduce the risk of breast cancer by 45%. Some studies also link adequate folic acid with a decreased risk of colon cancer. What's more, a glass or two of wine a day raises breast cancer risk by 30%, but enough folic acid wipes that out. How much to take : a multivitamin provides the necessary 400 mcg a day.

7th August 2010, Sat. 3pm - Bronze Latin & Social Ballroom (RSGC)


I arrived late for class today due to an unusual amount of traffic heading into KLCC. Sorry all. We got going with REVISION : of our Bronze Cha Cha routine. It was a little rusty as we hadn't touched it for a while but we soon got it back. We finished off by revising our Social Tango and got that one step we were unsure about sorted out as we had our tango man - Mr Lim - with us today. Thank you Mr Lim.

5th August 2010, Thurs. 10am - Advance 2 Freestyle (TGCC)


We saw the return of our long missing classmate Vicky Yl Ng. Welcome back dear, good to have you 'home'. We were however missing Tracy Ho & Joanne L.Y. Ng. We REVISED : Tea for Two and used Lady Marmalade music and also Painting. We then RAN THRU : Distance, Art of Love & SS. Since we had 2 missing from class and 2 rather blur ones in class, i decided to start on my next piece and wait for the return of the others to finish of Claire De Lune. Today we worked on a Cha Cha piece entitles Lain Lover and covered 6 bars which is actually quite a lot but the ideas just kept flowing so i just threw them out and the girls did pretty well actually. Next week we finish off our Claire De Lune and continue with our Latin Lover if time permits.

4th August 2010, Wed. 8pm - Intermediate Line Dance (RCS)


Full turn out today. Great to see everyone. After a brief discussion on everyone's preference for their next CD we went on to RELEARN : Games People Play and managed to dance all four walls. Everyone was really puffed out at the end of it but nobody dropped out. Sifu is very pleased :D We went on to LEARN : Say Hey Love which was so simple, everyone was rather shocked =) Its always interesting to take people by surprise occasionally. We then REVISED : Russian Roullette & Cool Chick. All in all a really good workout today and even i managed to work up a sweat. Thanks everyone.

4th August 2010, Wed. 10am - Reviser Intermediate Line Dance (RSGC)


We had a good turn out today and got thru all our favourite dances from this CD. Today we REVISED : Under the Sun, Say Hey, Cool Chick, Russian Roulette, Paloma 09, NY Cha, Games People Play & Hush Hush. One more dance to go on this CD and then we'll start on "The Best of RSGC". Looking forward to that one :D

3rd August 2010, Tues. 8:30pm - Mid Beginners Dance Fit (Purple Yogis)


It was one of those days today and I only had 2 students. We used our time effectively thought and managed to handle the whole of Copacabana.dfld including the paddle turn :) Since the rest of the class was not there I decided to slow down and teach Jothi & Lin Hong Honey Honey.dfld in more detail as they joined the group at the end of that dance. They did really well and i'm confident they'll perform it much better during our next class. We had a great round of core work, going thru all 3 beginner stages with an emphasis on stamina followed by leg work and stretching. We had a short visit from our recovering Seenu and we're really glad he's on his feet again, kind of....

3rd August 2010, Tues. 6:15pm - Beginners Dance Fit (Kris Int. Travel & Tours - KITT)


I arrived late due to an accident somewhere in Bangsar to find a full class waiting. I was most pleased :) We got going as soon as the sound system arrived and I took them thru 4 bars of Coffee.dfld and did the upper body work for 3 bars. Everyone gamely got into it and did their best. There's lots of work ahead in terms of coordination but as long as their spirits stay high we'll get there. We also managed to cover stage 1 of the core exercises and stretched out in the end. Good class.

2nd August 2010, Mon. 10am - Intermediate Line Dance (RSGC)


Very small turn out today and people just trickled in. It was just one of those days when everyone had something come up at the last min. We did manage to end up with 5 people thought :) Great ! We LEARNT : Under the Sun by Kathy Chang & Sue Hsu. It was listed as a beginners dance and it really was. Very enjoyable and it was worth the break from our usual intermediate routines. Thank you ladies. The class then went on the REVISED : Say Hey, Cool Chic & Russian Roulette. We had a good session and repeated the routines enough times to have a decent workout too. We wished Gina Kam a very happy birthday today too - Happy Birthday Gina !!!

From the desk of Ms B

DANCE WITHOUT PAIN

Exercising your feet can ease discomfort - and even prevent it. To target the three most common foot aches, try these simple stretches. For best results, do each up to 3 times daily.

1. Toe Stretch - sit in chair, right leg crossed over left thigh. Interlace left fingers with right toes (as if holding hands with your foot). Squeeze fingers and toes together and hold for 10 seconds. Do 3 times with each foot.

2. Arch Massager - stand with tennis ball directly under second toe of right foot. Slowly roll ball around sole of foot for 1-3 minutes, repeat with left foot.

3. Heel Reliever - sit with right leg extended, left foot against right inner thigh. Bend forward and hook right thumb around pinky toe and left thumb around big toe (its okay to bend knee), fingers wrapped around sole. Pull back with hand to flex foot and gently press thumbs away from each other to separate toes. Hold and massage bottom of foot with fingers for 30 seconds. Do twice with each foot.

31st July 2010, Sat. 3pm - Bronze Latin & Social Ballroom (RSGC)


We had a small turn out today with just 4 ladies but we used the time well to help 2 of them really work on their Bronze Rumba routine. I'm glad to say they all got it by the end of the lesson. We also managed to run thru our Social Tango routine. I got a little lost on the final step but with the help of Jeannie, i managed to figure it out. Thanks dear. We followed our lesson with our usual 'tea', bought by Janet Foothis week (thanks Janet ♥), while we watched a torrential downpour lash the golf course. It was beautiful to watch but terribly dangerous. The winds managed to bring down one of the beautiful old trees, on top of the guardhouse. Luckily no one was hurt but traffic had to be diverted to the back entrance.

29th July 2010, Thurs. 12noon - Intermediate FIL (TGCC)


We had 3 missing students today and then unanimously decided to adjourn upstairs to the coffee house to an early lunch to celebrate my birthday. I appreciated it greatly ladies, thank you - Margrave ShumSoo M Wong, Angela & Joanne Koay. We were also joined by Sze Yen & Tracy Ho. We should do this more often :D

29th July 2010, Thurs. 10:15am - Advance Freestyle (TGCC)


We had full attendance today with the exception of Vicky Yl Ng who's still on MC. We WARMED UP with Painting & Breathless. Then REVISED our recently finished mixed genre medley with Distance, Art of Love & SS. We continued to ADD on to our classical piece today and managed the new section rather well. I do believe the girls are actually getting the hang of listening to the music. Just one more section to finish off our classical routine.

29th July 2010, Thurs. 9am - Mid Beginners Dance Fit (TGCC)


Sadly we didn't have sufficient attendance to have this final class today. This class will be closed from next week onward till further notice as we try to build up the numbers again. Thank you Metina & Mui Geok for the time you've spent with us and we wish you all the best in the new chapters of your lives.

28th July 2010, Wed. 8pm - Intermediate Line Dance (RCS)


Full class today :D We started off REVISING : Russian Roulette, Cool Chick & Paloma 09. We then went on to LEARN the final 4 bars of Games People Play by Mei Ling Leong. Everyone managed to catch on fairly quick (better then last week) and we were soon dancing the whole 64 counts to the first wall. I'm looking forward to taking them thru the 4 walls next week. Class ended a little early today as we has a little party to celebrate my birthday during which i was presented with an absolutely delicious chocolate cake (which was just the right size) and a bottle of perfume from Chanel called 'Fresh' which has a delightful scent which is exactly what i like. The ladies made the perfect selection there. Thank you so much - Janet FooKatherina LeeYow Oi LinAdam Junid, Pek Wan, Moon, Chong & Lily.

28th July 2010, 10am - Intermediate Reviser Line Dance (RSGC). No class today.

27th July 2010, Tues. 8:30pm - Mid Beginners Dance Fit (Lucky Garden)


Good turn out today. We brushed up on our Copacabana.dfld steps and then added in the upper body work for 4 bars. The ladies are doing their best :) We quickly performed Honey Honey.dfld and Coffee.dfld without the run thru. I think we're not quite ready to give up the run thru's yet :D As we've hit the middle of our beginner syllabus I introduced the next level of core work (stamina training) to the ladies and also introduced some leg work too (inner & outer thigh). We've got lots to look forward to during our next 3 months ! I was very pleasantly surprised at the end of the class with a cake from Shobie Malani (the studio principle) in celebration of my birthday. The ladies gamely joined in with the song and really enjoyed the unexpected treat. Thanks so much Shobie Malani. And thank you ladies - Mrs Siva, Prema, Shirley, Jothy, Shamini Suppiah and Lai Hoon.

27th July 2010, Tues. 6:15pm - Beginners Dance Fit (Bangsar)


Had a trial class with Kris International Tours & Travels in Bangsar today. We had a decent turn out which many ladies & 2 men. They had never done any classes before but were very keen to start something that would make them fitter and healthier. After a quick talk to clarify their goals I suggested we start off with Dance Fit as it would be a little more challenging then an aerobic class and hopefully keep everyone's interest. Several of them thanked me for the class and I was touched. I hope they'll decide to choose fitness and make it a corporate goal.

26th July 2010, Mon. 10am - Intermediate Line Dance (RSGC)


Slow start today with people coming in slowly. I received several birthday wishes & gifts, thank you so much Margie, Jeannie, Gina, Corina, Set Fah & Grace. We LEARNT : Say Hey which was a basic mambo styled dance. It was easy to grasp but i did find it a little tosimple to be labeled 'intermediate' so i tweaked it a bit and made some changes to the 1st & 3rd bar. We also REVISED : Russian Roulette, Cool Chick & Paloma 09.

From the desk of Ms B

Stretch Your Heart Healthy

A good reason to loosen up daily : the more easily you can touch your toes, the lower your blood pressure and heart disease risk are likely to be, reveals a Japanese study. The most limber over-40 women had about 7% less arterial stiffness (a marker of heart disease) then their less flexible peers. Increased blood flow from stretching may expand arteries, keeping them pliable. For your healthiest heart, continue doing cardio, but stretch for 5-10 minutes afterward when muscles are warm.

25th July 2010, Sun. - MY SCHOOL ROCKS, final round (Putrajaya Internatinal Conventional Center). 


This is it !!!! Everything we've been working towards. I didn't have any trouble getting up today as I was as anxious as the girls. I did some touch ups for them and checked their costumes. Then did a dry run followed by a full run and it was time for them to head back stage. The first few teams were far below our girls standard and my confidence soared. Then it was their turn! They came bounding out, full of life & colour and outdid themselves !!!!! They held their own against the other 271 teams, no sweat. I'm so proud, sigh...........

24th July 2010, Sat. 3pm - Bronze Latin & Social Ballroom (RSGC). 


We had a couple away from class today with the current flu bug that's going around. We hope Margie & Dora recover soon. We completed our Bronze Rumba routine today and even ran thru our Social Waltz set too. It was a fun class with lots of attempts of spicing up the routine :) This was the followed by a delightful tea with class members, past & present, to celebrate my birthday. Thank you everyone. I felt very blessed.

23rd July 2010


THANK YOU! - to my lovely ladies from my previous Klang FIL group for remembering my birthday and throwing a lovely cosy home party. I really enjoyed myself and LOVED the gifts and RELISHED the beautiful cake made by I-Vee IVee. Thanks again dears.

23rd July 2010, Fri. 9am - MSR, Klang Team (Klang)


My hectic past two weeks were really catching up with me and I arrived late for training today. When i got into the studio to find the girls all lying around i feared the worst. Deciding not to delay the inevitable, i got the girls to show me how they had managed all the news bits recently added. I was BLOWN away !!!!!!!!!! They had not only managed it but even nailed it firmly to the floor. WOO HOO !!!! I'm can now only hope they can put in the same on the day. All the best - Ong Yee KitKrystal PhuarJeannee Tan, Jen & Abigale.

22nd July 2010, Thurs. 12noon - Intermediate FIL (TGCC). 


We missed two of our classmates today - Jenny & I-Vee IVee. We finished off - Mas Que Nada and everyone was very attentive at learning the techniques and termanology of the dance. I know it will take everyone time to master the cuban lines and styles but never fear, wehave no deadline. We also managed to REVISE : Believe It Or Not.

22nd July 2010, Thurs. 10:15am - Advance Freestyle (TGCC)


During our warm up session today i decided to use some of our old dances to reinforce some forgotten technique, so we REVISED : Kiss Goodbye & Ice Cream. We then went on to run thru our classical piece - Claire De Lune. I had decided to add on another 32 counts to our dance, Art of Love to give it a better continuity in our mixed genre medley and am now satisfied with it :) Next week we continue with our classical piece.

22nd July 2010, Thurs. 9am - Beginners Dance Fit (TGCC)


Sadly class was called off again from lack of attendees. Doris and I enjoyed a cup of tea together instead. Please take note that next week will be our last lesson as our numbers have dropped too low to sustain the class next month. I hope to see you all.

21st July 2010, Wed. 8pm - Intermediate Line Dance (RCS)


We were only missing Moon today so not a bad turn out. We started by REVISING : Cool Chick, Paloma 2009 & Ooi Nassum. We the went on to LEARN : Games People Play. We only managed to get half way thru but we did manage to do it to all 4 walls. Looking forward to finishing it off next week. Though its a fast piece of music, it is rather catchy so i'm sure you'll enjoy it.

21st July 2010, Wed. 10am - Intermediate Reviser Line Dance (RSGC). 


Not too big a class today. Several people out sick with the same symptoms. I hope everyone gets well soon. As we had no class on Monday, we spent the lesson revising our finished dances. REVISION : Russian Roulette, Cool Chick, Paloma 2009, NY Cha, Games People Play, Hush Hush, Guantanamera, Funky Fire Dance, Don't Play With Fire, Sister Kate, Booty Music & Chica Boom Boom. As you can see, we had a really good workout. Thanks for the effort everyone.

20th July 2010, Tues. 8:30am - Beginners Dance Fit (Lucky Garden)


We had a visitor in our little class today who gamely tried to follow along and she did really well too actually. We were missing Sharmini today but we still managed to finish off our Copacabana.dfld routine. Thanks everyone for putting up with my unusual disorganized mess today. Still haven't recovered from my trip. Promise I'll be back on track next week.

 20th July 2010, Tues. 9am - MSR, Klang Team (Klang)


Rushed down to Klang today with great anxiety. The team captain texted me while in China to say we're using the wrong version of our chosen song. We only have 4 days to make the changes and get it. Wow !!!! 8 additional bars and a whole extra chorus to add in. My exhausted brain could see nothing initially, then instinct kicked in and inspiration surged. The girls gamely tried everything thrown at them, pointing out little things here and there my tired brain didn't catch. We worked together and HEY PRESTO !!!! the routine just fell together. It looks better then ever. Now to leave the girls to it and hope it gels in time. I'm so relieved.

From the desk of Ms B

Juice Up Your Immune System

Adding just 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice to each of your 8 daily cups of water provides nearly 20% of the daily value for vitamin C. This major antioxidant not only fights heart disease and boosts immunity but also helps form the collagen we need to heal tendons, ligaments, bones and blood vessels. Squeeze two whole lemons in your tea, seltzer or other beverages to get your daily vitamin C quota; fresh juice offers almost twice the C of bottled varieties.
14th July 2010


*NEWS* : I'm preparing to leave for the 8th Shenzen Star Int. Dancesport Championships. I'll be away 15th-19th July 2010 so please note that there will be no classes during that time. Enjoy the break but don't forget to practice.

13th July 2010, Tues. 8:30pm - Beginners Dance Fit (Lucky Garden)


Great turn out to class today! Only person missing was Shri Nivas and we're all hoping his recovery is going smoothly. Let us know how you're doing Shri. We continued with our Copacabana.dfld routine and added on the mambo sequence. We followed that with ourcompleted Honey Honey.dfld and Coffee.dfld. Yes, I hear you all ladies, I'll see what i can do about putting up practice video's for all of you.

13th July 2010, Tues. 9am - MSR, Klang Team (Klang)


Its finally coming together !!!!!!!! I'm delighted the girls seem to finally be putting things in the right places. There are still problems, individual ones, but the TEAM is starting to be a TEAM !!!! I'm most encouraged by the improvement. I hope each girl can work on the problems areas I pointed out to them today. I pray they have the maturity to understand what i said and work it out. I'm looking forward to being amazed during our next session.

12th July 2010, Mon. 10am - Intermediate Line Dance (RSGC)


Full turn out today, I'm most happy. Today we LEARNT : Russian Roulette by Teesha. It was listed as a beg/inter routine and so it was. It had a very repetitive coaster step and drag step but I guess it would work for those who are just starting to get the hang of slower rhythms and who need to work on balance. The ladies picked it up easily enough but like me lost their place in the routine during the many coaster steps. We still had a great time getting it right. We also managed to REVISE : Cool Chick & Paloma.

From the desk of Ms B

HEALTH


Note from Ms B : I'm including this study as many dancers are affected by one or more of these conditions. Many of us think its largely due to the fact that we're always in tight, sweaty clothes for the most part of the day which could aggravate or trigger conditions such as those listed below.

Help For Intimate Pain

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) affects 1 in 7 women and is notoriously difficult to heal. New treatments are bringing hope and genuine relief. What doctors now know is that CPP is rarely due to just one problem. Most women have three or more conditions, each of which adds to their overall discomfort. If you treat just one cause, the patient won't get much better. To find relief, you'll need to be your own educator and advocate. It's essential that you understand some of the more common components of CPP, the subtle differences between them that even doctors miss, and how the various conditions interact with one another and exacerbate your symptoms. Familiarize yourself with the test you'll need, as well as the menu of conventional & natural therapies available to you.

Five common conditions for which your doctor will test are :

1. Endometriosis (5 million women have it)

Cells similar to the tissue lining the uterus migrate elsewhere and break down each month in sync with your period.

* Telltale signs : severe cramps, often coinciding with your menstrual cycle, that radiate to the lower back and leg.

* How it's diagnosed : laparoscopy (a minimally invasive surgical procedure) to perform biopsies (removal of tissue samples for examination under the microscope).

* Treatments : frontline remedies include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, along with birth control pills and other hormones to shrink endometrial tissue. your doctor may recommend minimally invasive surgery to remove or destroy endometrial growths or, in severe cases, a hysterectomy.

2. Interstitial Cystitis (900,000 women have it)

This involves recurring discomfort in the bladder, which may be caused by a breakdown of mucin, cells on the surface of the bladder that protect it from acidity.

* Telltale signs : women say interstitial cystitis (IC) is like the worst urinary tract infection they ever had, with burning or stabbing pains when their bladders are full and when they urinate, which some do as often as 60 times a day and night.

* How it's diagnosed : by ruling out other conditions that could cause the same symptoms. Your doctor with test your urine for bacteria to eliminate a urinary tract infection and use a thin, lighted instrument called a cystoscope to examine your bladder; a bladder wall biopsy may be needed to cross of cancer as a possibility.

* Treatments : Elmiron, the first oral drug developed for IC, coats the bladder surface and may take 6-9 months to be totally effective. Doctors have also had some success with antihistamines, a variety of tricyclic antidepressants (used for their anti-pain properties), anti-seizure medications (increasingly prescribed for hard to treat pain) and other medications instilled directly into the bladder.

3. Pelvic Floor Tension Myalgia (common, frequency unknown)

Many issues, both physical (such as difficult childbirth) and emotional, can lead to chronic tension in the pelvic floor muscles, which support your pelvic organs.

* Telltale signs : a heaviness of achiness in the pelvis; burning, itching and pain in the vagina or urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder).

* How's its diagnosed : physical examination by an experienced pelvic pain practitioner.

* Treatments : the most effective treatments involve pelvic floor physical therapy. You'll learn how to align our pelvis and do a core strengthening and stretching routine that helps prevent pelvic floor muscles from going into spasm. Botox injections may prevent spasms by temporarily relaxing the muscles. Trigger point injections of the anesthetic lidocaine relieve pain for some women.

4. Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (7 million women have it)

Varicose veins in the pelvis cause pain. Like varicose veins in the leg, the valves in veins become weak and don't close properly, so blood pools, causing painful pressure.

* Telltale signs : women complain of a dull, aching, throbbing pain in the pelvis, often describing a 'heavy' feeling. The pain is absent or mild in the morning and gets progressively worse throughout the day. It improves when you lie down or apply heat.

* How it's diagnosed : A special test called a transcervical venogram enables your physician to measure the size of the abnormal vein and its rate of blood flow.

* Treatments : doctors often first try a progestin hormone, which has been shown in studies to decrease pain and shrink the veins. If drugs fail to provide relief, embolization, a procedure that closes off problem veins, helps as many as 70% of patients. If a woman is finished with childbearing, a hysterectomy, in which the tubes and ovaries are removed along with the affected vein, has been shown to the the most effective therapy.

5. Vulvodynia (6 million women have it)

Vulvodynia means 'chronic vulvar pain', most often described as a burning or searing sensation. Although the causes of vulvodynia are unknown, experts speculate that previous yeast infections may make some women more susceptible to developing vulvodynia. Another possible cause is nerve damage caused by anything from horseback riding to childbirth. 75% or women with vulvodynia suffer from vulvar vestibulitis - pain at the entry to the vagina.

* Telltale signs : a persistent or intermittent burning or stinging in the vulva that may spread to the buttocks and upper thighs. Inserting a tampon, sitting or wearing jeans can bring it on. About 80% of women with this disorder have pain during intercourse.

* How it's diagnosed : the 'cotton swab' test, in which doctors touch parts of the vulva to detect pain, helps identify vestibulitis. There is no test for vulvodynia; docs rely on an extensive exam, your health history and test to exclude other causes.

* Treatments : frontline remedies include anti-seizure drugs, anti-depressants and the topical anesthetic lidocaine. Some specialist have had success by compounding all of these drugs into a topical formula that's applied directly to affected tissues. Surgery to remove nerve endings at the entrance to the vagina (the vestibule) helps up to 90% of women with vulvar vestibulitis but is a last resort.

Natural Remedies That Work

Relaxation exercises have been shown to ease pelvic pain. Other natural options aside from good hygiene are :

- nearly three-quarters of patients who have tried new biofeedback-guided Kegel exercises have found relief for pelvic floor tension myalgia.

- an organic diet with no red meat or dairy containing hormones helps some women with endometriosis.

- a low-acidic diet that excludes bladder-irritating foods such as coffee, tea, citrus fruit, hot peppers and chocolate may ease symptoms in women with interstitial cystitis.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

10th July 2010, Sat. 3pm - Bronze Latin & Social Ballroom (RSGC)


Great class today. We continued with our Rumba Bronze routine. Everyone worked really really hard today to understand our side steps and cucarachas, even the guys - bravo. I'm really pleased with the progress in this dance and hope you'll practice. Reminder :There's no class next week, 17th July.

8th July 2010, Thurs. 12noon - Intermediate FIL (TGCC)


Not a full turn out today but we did see the return of Joanne Kuey which was most delightful. We started on our 'new' routine today - Mas Que Nada, which explores the mambo. We only managed to get as far as 3 bars but the ladies did manage to understand an awful lot of technique. I am impressed at the effort put into today's class. Thank you ladies.

8th July 2010, Thurs. 10:15am - Freestyle Advance 2 (TGCC)


Just about everyone was on time today. Both Tracy Ho & Vicky Yl Ng were away on MC. We had the privilege of having not one but TWO birthday girls in our class today. Happy birthday Janice Kueh & Zyen Hoo ! We REVISED : Ballroom Medley & Mixed Genre Medley before we covered quite a lot of ground with our new classical lyrical routine which is our current project. Thank you girls for trying your best without complaints. I heard a few grunts & groans but NO complaints - i'm most pleased.

8th July 2010, Thurs. 9am - Beginners Dance Fit (TGCC)


Sadly 4 ladies were unable to attend class today due to family commitments so no class was held today. However, i did get to enjoy a lovely breakfast with Doris as compensation :) Thank you Doris.

7th July 2010, Wed. 8pm - Intermediate Line Dance (RCS)


We had an overwhelming number of 'visitors' today. 4 friends joined the class today for a trial so we had a nice big crowd today. We missed Janet Foo as she was not feeling well. We wish her a speedy recovery. We LEARNT : Cool Chick today and several of the visitors managed to pick it up, great job. We then REVISED : Upside Down & Ooi Nassum.

7th July 2010, Wed. 10am - Reviser Intermediate Line Dance (RSGC)


We welcomed back Lynn Wong to class today, after several weeks away on MC. We RELEARNT : Cool Chick and everyone picked up on it fairly quickly. We then followed on by REVISING : Upside Down, Ooi Nassum, NY Cha, Games People Play, Funky Fire Dance & Hush Hush. Good class.

6th July 2010, Tues. 8:30pm - Beginners Dance Fit (Lucky Gardens)


A very very small class today but both the ladies were game to put their best effort into it - well done !! We started on our third routine which was Copacabana.dfld which expands the use of the triple step and mixes latin, cuban & disco styles. They worked hard, i'm very happy. The steps you covered today were - chasse R, back rock, chasse L, back rock, L 1/2 turn cha, back rock, R 1/2 turn cha, back rock, merengue R, merengue L. Practice it a little and we'll do great next week. We heard good news on Shri Nivas shoulder surgery and we all wish him a speedy recover and return to class.

6th July 2010, Tues. 9am - MSR, Klang Team (Klang)


Since I shifted my Tues morning class to Thur afternoon, the girls were quick to snap up my only other free morning. Well, its no longer free now :) 


The girls were all early and they ran thru their steps and warmed up while waiting for me to arrive. The was some marginal improvement since i last saw them. What was glaringly obvious was that they didn't really know HOW to practice as a team so they were all still dancing very much as individuals. I was very pleased to see though that Ong Yee Kit & Jen seem to have a very natural balance between each other which was delightful to watch. However, since this a team event and not a duo event, the rest of the girls really need to get themselves together and start thinking and working as one. Looking forward to a better session on Fri.