Flexibility

"Flexibility falls under the 'use it or lose it' rule. You have to practice consistently, and the one thing people tend to forget is that strength and flexibility go hand in hand."





Practice a Variety of Stretches

Exercise books and videos offer differing advice on what stretch to do, how long to hold a stretch, how often you need to stretch, and so on. The answer to all of these questions is different from person to person and every expert will give different advice. What is important is that you make sure to take the time to lengthen your muscles in some way. It helps to know the four types of stretches :

1. Active : This type of stretching is usually used within the warm-up of a training session. You can take almost any stretch and make it active by moving in and out of the stretch using your breath.
2. Dynamic : This is another efficient technique within the warm-up. It involves momentum and muscular effort in order to move primary joints that are going to be used during activity. Big shoulder circles, leg swings, hip circles, and standing spinal rotations are all considered dynamic stretches.
3. Passive : A passive stretch is considered a relaxing, cooling and calming type of stretch. Passive stretches do not require you to hold your body weight while lengthening a muscle. These are mostly done in the seated or lying down position, and exhaling is emphasized to recruit the relaxation response.
4. Static : A static stretch is one that has no movement involved but muscles are recruited to hold the position. These exercises are usually, but not always, weight bearing in nature. Holding a High Lunge with your arms over your head, a Downward Facing Dog pose, and a Kneeling Hamstring Stretch are all considered static stretches.

Quotes

Endurance

"My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength"






Understand the Difference Between Strength and Endurance

Muscular strength and endurance are equally important, and they are closely related in that it requires a certain amount of strength to develop endurance. For example, in order to develop upper body muscular endurance through pushups, you must have the strength to do at least one pushup. The inability to do a pushup is a lack of strength, not a lack of endurance.

For the most part, the same exercises are used to increase muscular strength and endurance. The only difference is the amount of resistance and the number of repetitions one completes in a set. In general, muscular strength is best developed by high resistance (heavy weight) and low repetition (short time period) exercises, while muscular endurance is improved by using less resistance (low weight) and higher repetitions (or a longer time period).

You can have strength without endurance. However, it is nearly impossible to develop muscular endurance without also developing strength. There are weightlifters who can bench press over 500 lbs, as long as they only have to push it up one time. However, some of these lifters are unable to do twenty pushups. So endurance training supplemented with a weight program is beneficial.

Quotes

Mental Agility

"Exercise doesn't make you smarter, but what it does do is optimize the brain for learning"





Exercise for Thirty Minutes a Day

Regular exercise is essential if you're looking to preserve your mental acuity. Aerobic exercise helps get the blood coursing through your system, carrying oxygen and glucose to your brain - two substances the brain needs in order to function. Regular exercise can also prod the brain into producing more molecules that help protect and produce the brain's neurons. Though studies are still underway to establish the link between exercise and increased brain neurons, many researchers - including those involved with Alzheimer's disease research - are studying the protective effects of regular physical exercise on the brain's neural paths for transmitting signals.

The US federal guidelines for exercise say that getting at least thirty minutes a day most days a week will help prevent heart disease, osteoporosis  diabetes, obesity, and now, perhaps, Alzheimer's. If you do nothing else, a brisk thirty minute walk every day will do wonders for your brain health.

It Also Keeps your Brain Young !

As you get older, exercise becomes even better for your overall brain health. Neuroscientists have shown that in aging populations (usually those over age 65) sustained, moderate exercise participation enhances learning and memory, improves the function of the neocortex, counteracts age-related atrophy in brain areas crucial for thinking and learning. Exercise has been cited by several researchers as being the number one factor in sustaining brain health and the ability to make new neurons in an aging brain.

Quotes

Strength

When you first start weight training, don't be surprised if you actually gain weight. This is a normal reaction for many people. The average person starting an exercise program may gain 3-5 lbs. If you're among these people, you've successfully gained lean body mass or muscles. Congratulate yourself. You deserve a pat on the back for all your hard work!



Check Your Body Composition

Your body composition refers to the percentage of fat and percentage of fat-free body mass that makes up your total body weight. Fat-free mass, also known as lean body mass, consists primarily of muscles tissue, bones, and blood, essentially all the rest of your body that is not fat.

Research suggests that the ideal percentage of body fat for men is 15-18 %. For women, the ideal range of body fat is 22-25 %. It's important to remember that these are suggested ranges. Some individuals with a higher percentage of body fat who are regularly active may still be considered at a healthy weight.

When you begin your improvement program, you might want to measure your body composition. This way, you'll have a baseline against which to measure the effectiveness of your program over time. You can see how much muscles mass you have when you get started. Every six weeks or so, you can check to see how much more muscles mass you have developed. If you're a person who is motivated by numbers, this is a concrete way to stay excited about your progress.

Quotes

Diet & Nutrition

Eighty percent (80%) of weight loss comes as a result of wise food choices.




Keep a Food Diary for at Least a Week

Do you even know how much and when you eat during a typical day? Most people don't. The best way to learn is to keep a food journal for at least a week. Using a notebook, your iPad, your smart phone, your running log, or a calendar (something you can keep a record in), write down everything you eat and when you eat it. Don't cheat! List even the breath mints you chew on during meetings. It's also helpful to note where your eating has taken place - at your desk? in the cafeteria? in front of the TV? - and how you were feeling at the time - super stressed? depressed? tipsy? This will help you identify your eating triggers and whatever bad habits you may have formed regarding eating.

After a full week you'll have a good idea of the what, when, where, and why of your eating patterns. From the brief discussion here, you should be able to see from your food diary where you're making your nutritional no-noes. How often have you skipped breakfast? How often have you eaten high fat foods like junk food, desserts, and fried foods? What are your snacking habits? How many fruits and vegetables do you eat in a typical week? How often do you eat because you're feeling blue or stressed, rather than hungry? Which foods do you gravitate toward to elevate your moods?

Quotes

From the desk of Ms. B :

Wishing all my students, past & present, a very blessed Hari Raya.

With warmest regards, Ms. B xoxox

New Class ? - Line Dance Performance

From the desk of Ms. B :

When I started the Freestyle Performance class I was concerned if people would really understand what it meant and if it would take off. Several have already come and gone (some in total shock, others in bewilderment) when they realized the word 'performance' meant training sessions with choreography, patterning and a lot of stamina & energy. Those remaining have so far taken everything I've thrown at them in their stride and I'm grateful to them for trusting me to guide them thru this new venture.

Since Freestyle has very wide syllabus and is truly meant for those with some experience at this level, I'm now very keen to start a LINE DANCE PERFORMANCE class. I enjoy the crisp, clean lines that line dance demands for shows & competitions. If anyone is interested in such a class/training, please drop me a note here or message me at +6014.222.9902

Ms. B

From the desk of Ms. B :

From the desk of Ms. B :

Take note there have been several changes in my teaching schedule. Please refer to the schedule on the left that's just been updated.

Those in the Freestyle, intermediate class at TDA - please remember we've agreed to change the class to Tuesdays 11:30am - 1pm. The change is effective July 2012.

Ms B

Progress Video - Freestyle Intermediate

Video link for your practice video :

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150906303949011

Competition Results !

9th National Ballroom Dancing Championships 2012

9th June 2012

Penang, Malaysia

‎Hoo Sze Yen took part in the Solo Open event at the 9th National Ballroom Dancing Championships in Penang last week and managed to make it thru 2 rounds to reach the semi-finals. She continues to improve steadily and I was very happy with her performance. Good job babe!

Sze continues to grow in confidence and ability and put on a good showing in both her events. As she continues to grow in strength, my expectations of her climb higher too ;D On to the next comp !

‎I-Vee IVee took part in the Synchronize Latin event together with Hoo Sze Yen and they were placed 4th. It was a tough comp for her as she faced several health issues leading up to this event and I'm really happy she managed to push herself to complete the challenges I set for her.

I-Vee also took part in the Solo Open event and though she was knocked out in the first round, she proved to herself that she was more then able to compete on her own and not be dependent on a partner as she had thought =D One challenge down, several more to go Vee !!! Well done.

Ong Yee Kit took part in Solo Open Under 16 and the Solo Open at the same event. She made it to the semi-finals of both events. Not bad at all considering she's only 3 weeks old in this field. Kit has lots of potential and I look forward to seeing her grow in the coming competitions. Well done Kit !

Competition Results !

20th National Boys Brigade PESTA 2012, Kulai, Johor, Malaysia

4th June 2012

The boys I've been training since March for the Boys Brigade PESTA competition did an outstanding job! They came out 3rd but deserved so much better and I'm saddened that politics etc can even effect a competition at this level. BUT I'm so very very happy with their performance, enthusiasm and energy. I LOVE you boys ♥

I may have trained, choreographed and coached but I could not have brought the boys together without the help of Mei Ling Leong who created and handled all the costuming while Hoo Sze Yen did an amazing job of editing the music for us. Thank you EVERYONE xoxoxoxo

Watch their video here : https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150974372062158

The boys of the dancing team of 3rd KL Boys Brigade. This is the second time I've trained, choreographed & coached for the company. The boys are all un-trained dancers and have been working with me since March to produce this amazing piece. They always manage to blow my socks off with their energy, enthusiasm and determination. They are just..........amazing.

Living FIT

WHY EXERCISE WORKS !

"While you're exercising, you're NOT eating !" - Lee Janogly

Exercise works on so many levels, it's worth understanding why. Right now, your body is probably not working at peak fat-burning efficiency - just a guess, of course! You could well have perfected the art of fat-storing thought. The KEY to turning this around is to RAISE YOUR METABOLIC RATE.

Everyone has a 'basal metabolic rate (BMR)'. This is the measure of how many calories your body needs in order to maintain its vital functions when you are doing nothing. Efficiency is based on how much muscle you have in your body - that is, skeletal muscle in your arms and legs, not organ muscle like your heart and intestines. Muscles contain special components called mitochondria, which are responsible for converting calories to heat and water. This is why you get hot and sweaty when you exercise - which makes it worth doing!

Working your muscles against some form of resistance causes more amino acids to collect in the muscle cells, making them denser rather than larger. Denser muscles contain more mitochondria so they burn up more calories. Therefore the more muscle you have, the more more you can eat without gaining weight. [Please remember - muscles are heavy, so if you're in the process of developing muscles and burning off fat, you will initially gain weight rather then loose it BUT you WILL loose inches - Ms B] Fat uses very few calories, so the more fat you have the slower your metabolic rate will be. Clearly then, it is in your best interest to lose the fat and gain more muscle.

Strength, Suppleness & Stamina


These are the 3 different ways to be fit - the 3 S's. You really need a bit of each for optimum fitness.

Strength


You acquire strength by increasing your muscle power throught working with weights [Note : the weight of your own body is a 'weight' - Ms B], OR against resistance by using machines in the gym. NO, you will not develop bulging muscles from basic resistance training. The more toned your muscles, the more shapely you will looks - as apposed to flabby - BUT working on the machines to the exclusion of all other exercise will not get rid of fat.

Suppleness


Suppleness - being able to reach for the biscuit tin without putting your back out - will not burn fat on its own. However, it is an essential part of general fitness. Your body was made to move, so some bending and  stretching is vitally important to keep you joints flexible and your muscles long and lean. Yoga, Pilates, t'ai chi and DANCE all achieve this and are useful for giving you a 'body awareness' [Note : that's when we look at ourselves in the mirror while performing a movement and notice a spare tire popping out somewhere - Ms B] that will help to keep you on track food-wise. After a lovely stretch session you are unlikely to come home and dive into a bag of chips.

Stamina


The only type of exercise that burns up the fat and increases your stamina is AEROBIC EXERCISE, which is fast walking or jogging, cycling, rowing or DANCE.

Aerobic means 'with oxygen'. Fat burns in the presence of oxygen. Continuous body movements makes you breathe harder so more oxygen enters your bloodstream. This engages your muscles to use stored carbohydrate called glycogen as energy. Once all the glycogen is used up, you body looks for another source of energy. It can't break down your muscle tissue because you are using it at the moment, so it turns to the fat. Your fat cells are designed to store fat and release it when it is needed for energy.

Once your lipolytic (fat burning) enzymes have been stimulated enough by exercise to grudgingly release a little bit of fat into your bloodstream, this gets directed towards your muscles. There it is grabbed by the mitochondria in the muscle cells and burned up as heat & energy. [Note : i hope you're following all this - Ms B]

Hence, the more muscle yo have, the more fat you will burn. Exercise increases the amount of muscle, which in turn increases the efficiency of fat-burning mitochondria in the muscle cells. This also make your heart stronger while increasing the efficiency and capacity of your lungs.

Isn't exercise GREAT ?!?!?!?!?!?!

The Feel Good Factor


Exercise can lift depression and make you feel better about yourself because of chemical hormones called endorphins which are released in the bloodstream. Endorphins act on the brain rather like morphine, which explains why you don't feel any aches and pains while you are actually doing the exercise - it's the following day when you may feel a bit stiff and achy.

However, for all that to happen, you must be doing continuous - not vigorous - movement. People who don't exercise assume that aerobic exercise is frantic movement that you do until you collapse [Go on, admit that you did, yes? - Ms B] It's just the opposite, in fact. Vigorous exercise such as tennis, football and squash are known as 'anaerobic' (without oxygen). Although it tones the muscles and stimulates the metabolism, it doesn't produce the steady and continuous increase in the heart rate and breathing rate, so it won't burn fat in the same way.

The minute you get out of breath, you are no longer burning fat - you have gone beyond what is alarmingly knows as your 'cardio-endurance' level. This simply means that if you are puffing and panting and red in the face, you are 'without oxygen' and should slow down a bit to 'catch your breath'. Therefore, to burn fat, the exercise you do shouldn't be too fast or too slow, but moderate & continuous.

[This is why I created Cardio Dance, to supplement your regular dance classes and is known as 'conditioning class' - Ms B]

How Much Exercise do I Need?


You NEED a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each time for your workout to be effective. It takes that long for your heart rate to gradually increase and stabilize at the higher rate for the duration of the exercise until you cool down. This is what increases your metabolic rate to burn up the food you eat rather then storing it as fat. When you rev up your metabolism, it stays in that raised state for several hours after you have put your trainers away and got on with your life. You need 30 continuous minutes to achieve the necessary physiological effect that will keep your metabolism chugging away for the rest of the day. For this to happen you need a concentrated, regular programme of exercise.

You need to focus on exercise that uses the large group of muscles with minimal strain on any ligaments, bones and joints. The more muscles used, the greater the number of calories burned; the lower the perceived exertion, the longer and harder you can keep going. The best fat-burning exercise allows you to either - burn a lot of calories in a short time, or to ensure that the movements are easy enough on the body to keep burning calories over a longer period.

Living SLIM

THE PROBLEMS





I do know what it's like to overeat - regularly and continuously. I do understand that whenever you overeat, you are not consciously choosing to be fat. The last thing you want to be is fat. What you ARE choosing is to be MINDLESS - separating your mind from your body.

At the moment of reaching for the food, you are not connecting what you are eating with the shape of your body. All you know is that you want - or need - to eat something, and you are choosing to ignore the fact that it will make you fat. Intellectually you know this but you are CHOOSING to disconnect as the impulse to eat over-rides the intellect. Then you profess not to understand why your excess weight won't shift !

1.  Using Food as a Reward

You often reward yourself with food. You wait until you're tired, hungry, depressed, weak, sleepy or anxious before allowing yourself to eat. Then you 'reward' yourself with fatty, sugary food.

In most aspects of your life, you plan in advance. You wouldn't wait until your car was completely empty before filling it with petrol, right? When it comes to eating, however, many of us don't bother planning ahead. Eating can easily become something we do to respond to the moment.

Your brain naturally craves foods to meet specific needs, such as to make hormones and neurotransmitters, replace spent fuel stores or rebuild damaged muscles. By the time you crave nutrients to meet those needs, you have already suffered a deficiency. Your body signals you with urgent warnings that force you to over-correct, which means overeat. So by neglecting to feed your brain and body with what it needs before it starts a craving, you set yourself up to eat too much.

2.  Self-esteem & Bingeing


In the fat war, there are no victims - only volunteers. The fat didn't just happen. YOU created the shape of your body internally, by how you feel about yourself and the things you say to yourself, and externally by the food choices you make. If you are always criticizing yourself, putting yourself down, telling yourself how awful you look, how greedy and disgusting you are, you will NEVER lose weight PERMANENTLY. No one ever lost weight by being humiliated (this is SOOOO true, so please don't attempt to humiliate a loved one or someone you care about into loosing weight. Choose to encourage instead).

Bingers - people who use food in response to emotions rather than hunger.

Bingers live with this continual low-grade preoccupation with food. Regardless of their weight, many women feel uncomfortable about some aspect of their body. They dislike the body they live in and, as a result, end up disliking the person who lives there.

Most bingers are aware of the fact that their weight is creeping up, but, they tend to deny that this is happening. They refuse to admit that they eat anything fattening and live in a state of permanent denial. You only confront the issue when forced to by a medical examination. But suppose it happened overnight? Suppose you went to bed weighing 55 kgs and woke up the next morning weighing 80 kgs, fat & bloated?! You would be horrified & panic stricken, wondering what sort of disease you had contracted overnight, right?

The disease is EATING THE WRONG FOOD !!!

That 'couple of biscuits' multiplied 20 times over, day after day, week after week. That's what you've been doing to yourself. The fact that it might have taken years rather than happened overnight is beside the point.

"If the way you are behaving now is keeping you fat, you have to decide to behave 

in a different way" - Lee Janogly

CLASS VIDEO'S / PROGRESS

If you wish to view the video's of your class progress or routines, please view them here :

https://www.facebook.com/groups/115426315503/

Closed groups* have been created on Facebook for competitive groups / individuals and can be viewed here :

Latin : https://www.facebook.com/groups/301004529949352/

Freestyle : https://www.facebook.com/groups/257886167644110/

Boys Brigade : https://www.facebook.com/groups/326099574092585/

* Please note that you have to be authorized to view videos on the closed groups.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers at The Dance Habitat. I hope your children, grandchildren, godchildren & spouse spoil you silly today because you all so deserve to be. Take full advantage and have a blast !

Ms B xoxoxoxo

Living FIT

Have You Got Time NOT to Exercise ???





If your excuse is that you haven't got time to exercise, what exactly are you saying here? Will you have time in the future to deal with the growing list of medical conditions that exercise is known to prevent? Can you take the time to recover from your heart bypass operation or the pain associated with your stiff back, hips or knees? If you don't exercise you are making a decision to compromise the quality of your life now and in the future. So don't say you haven't got time. You just haven't MADE the time - yet.

Fact : if you want to lose the fat on your body, you have to make the necessary changes to shift your metabolism into fat-burning mode. Very-low-calorie diets, missing meals, leaving long gaps between meals (we're ALL guilty of the afore mentioned), detox regimes, foods containing refined sugar - all encourage your body to store fat. The only way to reverse this is to eat healthy food at regular intervals during the day and incorporate some sort of physical activity into your life. 'Bor-r-r-ing!!!' NO - it doesn't have to be. It is a matter of deciding what is important to you and what you are prepared to do to achieve it.

Find some sort of activity that you can do (and might even enjoy) on a regular basis and make the commitment to do it. If you intend to exercise during the day, schedule it in your diary. Once it is written down you won't be tempted to make other appointments at that time, so giving yourself a convenient excuse not to do it. Everyone - no matter how busy their schedule might be - can find three, half hour chunks of time during the week, if they want to. YES - only HALF AN HOUR, at the least, only THREE times a week (that's only 1.5 hours a week, for those who are mathematically challenged like me).

Living SLIM

Choosing To Be Fat

Maybe you just enjoy food so much that every meal is a party and you eat more than a body needs to stay slim and healthy. Maybe you put yourself on such stringent diets that you feel deprived and end up bingeing. Maybe you constantly tell yourself how fat and disgusting you are and how much you hate yourself, and use food to blot out the image this presents. Whatever - you are CHOOSING to be fat.

Think carefully about this because I know your natural response will be "How could I be choosing that ?!" I'll tell you :

• Every time you eat a chocolate biscuit instead of an apple, you are choosing to be fat. No, one biscuit won't make you fat but it will certainly influence what you eat later - and it reinforces that, for you, the choice is always the chocolate rather than the apple.
• Every time you break off a chunk of cheese from a block in the fridge and pop it into your mouth, you are choosing to be fat. No, cheese is not a calcium-rich, healthy snack. It is a lump of flavoured fat - and saturated fat at that.
• Every time you drink an extra glass of wine, which might weaken your resolve and influences your choice of food (and you know very well that it does that), you are choosing to be fat.
• Every time you slump in front of the television on a bright, sunny evening instead of going for a walk, you are choosing to be fat.

So you see, it takes quite a lot of organization to be fat. You have to actively work at it. You are NOT genetically programmed to carry around an excess amount of blubber, forcing your heart to work that much harder to pump blood around your body. Everyone has a natural set-point of how they are meant to look, based on their genes. Although there are some hereditary factors that will influence your shape, such as wide hipbones or thick ankles, you are NOT predisposed to carry VAST amounts of weight around to the detriment of your health.

You can only be fat if you have created an environment that over-rides these factors and supports being overweight. Here's how to tell if you are doing it :

• You keep a 'chocolate biscuit' cupboard in your house (for the children? Those grown up children who left home five years ago? Or those little children who will eat whatever you give them?)
• Your desk drawer at work resembles a sweet shop
• You think low-fat crisps are a healthy option
• You feel cheated if you don't have dessert in a restaurant
• You have 'no time' for exercise
• You get up late and have a chaotic life
• Your social life is defined by food instead of activity
• You are too tired after work to cook a healthy meal
• You are contemplating taking one of those products that stops your body assimilating fat - making it OK to eat that plate of chips because the fat it contains will not be digested (dream on!)

"If you keep cakes in the house, sooner or later you WILL eat them" - Lee Janogly

Living SLIM

Let's face it - it took time for that fat to settle SO comfortably round your waist and hips, it will take time for it to go. However, there's no hurry to loose it quickly, do it gradually as you live your normal life. After all, no one is offering you a contract to pose nude for a Playboy centerfold - are they?



Here are the real deal facts :

1.  Your body shape is the result of your lifestyle choices.

It is the type of food you choose to eat, the quantities you serve for yourself, the exercise you do - or don't do - and the excuses you make for those decisions. All these factors determine what you look like and how you think about yourself.

2.  Losing weight starts in the mind.

If you just focus on the food, all you end up with is the Atkins Diet. The thoughts you put into your mind influence which foods you put into your mouth. E.g. - 'ooh that looks delicious', 'surely a little bit won't hurt', 'i've had a lousy week'.

If you agree with those two statements, you MUST also agree that the reason you are fat is because you are choosing to be. THIS is the most difficult concept to take on board, but let's face it; YOU are the only one who puts food in your mouth. You can't be fat unless you overeat on a regular basis. You probably use food for every occasion - as a celebration when you are happy, as a calming agent when you are stressed, as medication when you feel down, and as companionship when you feel bored or lonely.

For you, food is providing some sort of purpose other than nutrition. You are feeding some need in yourself. As long as that unacknowledged need is there, it won't make any difference which diet you follow or how many times you succeed (temporarily) in losing weight. If you don't know WHY you overeat, then you will never remain permanently slim.

Competition Results !

3rd Seremban Superstar Dancesport Championship 2012 - 28th April 2012

I Vee & Sze Yen took part in their first Latin Beginners event last weekend. They were only ready for the Beginners Cha Cha and were accepted as the only lady pair in the event. They did their very best for a first time and I'm pleased they had the courage to take up the challenge. Bravo girls ♥

Sze Yen took part in the Line Dancing category in the same competition last weekend. She got 2nd place in Advance Open and 3rd place in Crystal.

She showed great determination to complete her many events, worked super hard and managed to bring out a little something more of herself. Every comp, more and more of Sze Yen comes thru her dancing and that's the way a dancer grows. I'm very proud of her efforts and her performance ♥ xxx

Competition Results !

The Malaysian 2012 International Dance Championship

Congratulations to Hoo Sze Yen & I-Vee IVee ! They are 1st runner ups in the Latin Syncronized category at the Malaysian International 2012 Dance Championship.

They put in loads of hard work, especially I-Vee, and I'm glad they went home with something worthy of their efforts ♥

Class Update

Hello everyone,

Please take note that there will be no classes on the following days :

24th Feb, Friday - Puchong (Private)
27th Feb, Monday - RSGC (LD), RCS (DF)
28th Feb, Tuesday - TDA (DF), RCS (LD)
29th Feb, Wednesday - RSGC (LD), Klang (FS)
1st March, Thursday - TDA (FS, Adv & Inter) *the studio is being painted
3rd March, Saturday - YMCA (BB)
8th March, Thursday - TDA (FS, Adv & Inter), A&C (BB)
9th March, Friday - Puchong (Private)
10th March, Saturday - YMCA (BB)

I will be away working on the ADC Dancesport Asian tour. If you'd like to know more about the tour schedule you can check out the Competition & Events list at www.bronyab.blogspot.com or on my FB page Bronya Bishorek.

All classes will resume as usual from the 12th March, Monday. Use the time to digest and practice your dances. I'll be back sooner then you think.

Ms. B

New Class - 2012

CLASS : Performance Freestyle
DAY/TIME : Wednesday, 8:30-10 pm
VENUE : Equinox Dance Studio, 20-2A, Jalan Raya Barat, Pusat Perniagaan Raya
                Barat, 41100 Klang, Selangor
START DATE : 15th February 2012
REQUIREMENTS : Some experience (in any dance style) will be a bonus, dance wear &
                                dance shoes (sneakers, jazz, ballet or foot undies)

BRONYA'S DANCES - Freestyle In Line

Click on the link to view step sheet.

TERESSA - Teresa, Paollo Belli
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/teressa-ID86524.aspx

TEA FOR TWO - Tea For Two, Ross Mitchell Orchestra
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/tea-for-two-ID86515.aspx

SO HOT - So Hot, The Wonder Girls
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/so-hot-ID86319.aspx

SHOULD BE DANCING - You Should Be Dancing, Bee Gee's
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/should-be-dancing-ID86247.aspx

PINK SHOELACES - Pink Shoelaces, Alma Cogen
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/pink-shoelaces-ID86213.aspx

PAINTING - If I Were A Painting, Kenny Rogers
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/painting-ID86192.aspx

MUSIC - Please Don't Stop The Music, Rhiana
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/music-ID86182.aspx

MANDY - Mandy, Westlife
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/mandy-ID86163.aspx

KISS GOODBYE - Kiss Goodbye, Wang Lee Hom
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/kiss-goodbye-chinese-ID86145.aspx

LET'S GET LOUD - Let's Get Loud, Jennifer Lopez
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/lets-get-loud-08-ID76691.aspx

MIAMI- Miami, Will Smith
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/miami-ID30595.aspx

MY CHA CHA - Cha Cha Mu Cha Cha, Giants of Latin
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/my-cha-cha-ID73560.aspx

STUCK ON ELVIS - Stuck On You, Elvis Presley
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/stuck-on-elvis-ID40965.aspx

SWAYVAGANZA- Sway, Pussy Cat Dolls (PCD)
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/swayvaganza-ID41470.aspx

WAKEY WAKEY - Wake Me Up Before You Go, Wham
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/wakey-wakey-ID45074.aspx

IT'S LOVE ! - Everything, Michael Buble
(Dedicated to my eldest son. Thank you for being my rock)
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/its-love-ID86015.aspx

CATHERINE'S PAIN - A Puro Dolor (Purest of Pain), Son By Four
(Dedicated to my friend, Catherine. Be strong babe)
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/catherines-pain-ID86005.aspx

BEAUTIFUL MOTHER - The Way You Look Tonight, Frank Sinatra
(Created for my mother, Katy, in memory of late father - John F. Bishorek)
http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/beautiful-mother-ID85970.aspx

2ND CHANCE - Second Chance, Trisha Yearwood

http://copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/2nd-chance-ID85920.aspx

Emergency First Aid

Returning again to one of the many 'roots' (first aid) that have made me who I am. I'd like to share this reminder of emergency procedures.

UNCONSCIOUSNESS

It is important to immediately check the nearby area for danger to yourself and the injured person. If it is safe, respond to the needs of the injured. Look at the Airway, Breathing and Circulation (ABC) of the patient.

Shout "Are you okay?", and mildly shake the patient. If there is no response :

1. CALL FOR HELP
2. ROLL THEM on to their side, clear and maintain an open airway
3. CHECK BREATHING, if there is none begin resuscitation (CPR) immediately
4. CHECK FOR BLEEDING and control it
5. MAKE COMFORTABLE by loosening any tight clothing around waist or neck
6. TREAT any other injuries and monitor condition
7. SEEK MEDICAL HELP

DO NOT ! :

• Give ANY water, drinks or anything by mouth
• Leave them unattended

BLEEDING

A person requires blood to be continuously circulating in their body. Any major loss of blood can cause death. It is very important to stop bleeding quickly. Try to prevent any excahnge of blood between the injured and the recuer by using gloves, a face mask and goggles.

If a person is bleeding :

1. APPLY DIRECT PRESSURE to the wound preferably using a sterile dressing or clothing and place it against the wound. Bandage firmly in place. This will help the blood to clot. Make sure circulation is not restricted to limbs.
2. ELEVATE THE INJURED PART, while keeping pressure on it. This slows down blood flow to the raised area.
3. CONTINUED BLEEDING requires further dressing and pressure to be applied. Place additional dressings over those already there.
4. SEEK MEDICAL HELP URGENTLY

DO NOT ! :

• Remove any dressings from the wound
• Remove or apply pressure to any objects EMBEDDED in the wound, apply pressure around the object

BURNS & SCALDS

Burns & scalds are caused by contact or proximity to heat sources such as : fire, steam, chemicals, hot metal and electricity.

Emergency treatment of burns should be primarily concerned with the relief of the pain that immediately follow burns, exclusion of air from the affected area, minimizing the onset of shock, and the prevention of infection.

If a person suffers a burn :

1. REMOVE CLOTHING from the affected area but cut around any clothing that sticks to the skin and leave it in place
2. COOL THE BURN under cold running water for 10 minutes
3. COVER THE BURN with a sterile non-adherent (non stick) dressing or a clean piece of sheeting. Burns & scalds are subject to swelling so the covering should be loose with no pressure on the injured area.
4. SEEK MEDICAL HELP

DO NOT ! :

• Break any blisters
• Apply ointment or other substances

POISONING

Poisoning may occur by swallowing, by inhaling, or by skin contact with a hazardous substance.

Do not make the person vomit. If there is involuntary vomitting, keep the vomited material and hand it over to the doctor.

If unconscious follow the procedure for UNCONSCIOUSNESS above. If conscious try to find out what substance has caused the poisoning and find any safety data sheets on it and folows the instructions given. Seek medical advice urgently.

IN ALL CASES SEEK MEDICAL ADVISE


SPINAL INJURY

Injuries to the spine can lead to temporary or permanent loss of movement in the legs or arms. The person should be immobilized. Extreme care should be taken to support the head and neck if it is absolutely necessary to move the person.

If the person is unconscious follow the procedure for UNCONSCIOUSNESS above, taking extra care in supporting the neck and head when rolling them onto their side.

SEEK MEDICAL ASSISTANCE URGENTLY


FAINTING

Lay person on the floor and raise legs slightly onto a chair or other raised object. Allow a supply of fresh air to reach person. Make comfortable by loosening any tight fitting clothing. If the person does not recover, use UNCONSCIOUSNESS procedure and seek medical assistance.


EYES

If there is a foreign object in the eye do not attempt to remove it if it is embedded or, in the black or coloured part of the eyeball. Otherwise attempt to rinse the object out of the eye with cool water. If this fails and the object can be seen, use a clean, moistened handkerchief or cotton tip and carefully remove the object. Should the object remain in the eye, cover with an eye pad and seek medical attention.

OUR EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER IS - 999

* Information obtained from Global Doctors

Line Dance (Freestyle) List - 2012

1.      Soo's Samba - Bronya Bishorek (32 counts, 4 walls, 1 tag, 2 restarts)
2.      Celebration - Bronya Bishorek (32 counts, 2 walls, 1 restart)
3.      Save Your Kisses  For Me* - Yeo Yu Puay (32 counts, 4 walls, 2 tags)
4.      Hold My Hand* - Daniel Trepat (32 counts, 4 walls)  
5.      Ain't No Other Man* - Guyton Mundy & friends (48 count, 4 walls)
6.      Intrigue - Rob Fowler (32 count, 4 walls)
7.      Top Of The World - Bronya Bishorek (32 count, 4 wall, 1 tag)
8.      Footloose** - Rob Fowler (48 count, 4 wall, 3 tags, 1 restart)
9.      Dancing In The Streets - Philip Sobrielo & Ruben Luna (32 count, 4 wall)
10.    Snap Your Fingers - Rachael McEnaney (64 count, 2 wall)
11.    A Thousand Years - Yeo Yu Puay (96 counts, 4 walls, 1 restart)
12.    A Fairytale - Elisa Lau (64 counts, 2 walls, 1 tag)
13.    Innocent - Julia Wetzel (36 counts, 4 walls, 1 restart)
14.   Creepin Up On You - Peter & Alison
15.   Shall We Dance - Deshimona (phrased)
16.   Cuba Nights - Miriam Charlton (32 counts, 4 walls)
17.   Martini Moments - Francien Sittrop (64 counts, 4 walls)
18.   3-2-1 Lets Go - Kate Sala (64 counts, 4 walls)
19.   Domino - Rachael McEnaney (64 counts, 2 walls)
20.   Girl Gone Wild - Ivonne Verhagen (64 counts, 2 walls)
21.   Like A Love Song - The Dance Factory UK (64 counts, 4 walls)
22.   Magic Love - Jaszmine Tan (32 counts, 4 walls)
23.   Never - Bronya Bishorek (32 counts, 4 walls, 2 tags, 1 pause)
24.   Next To Me - William Sevone (32 counts)
25.   Lovers Dance - Johnny S' (32 counts, 4 walls)
26.   A Sad Situation - Elisa Lau (48 counts, 4 walls)
27.   Dance Again - Ria Vos (64 counts, 4 walls)
28.   Dance With Me - Robbie McGowan Hickie (64 counts, 4 walls)
29.   Don't Stop Believing - Gordon Elliott (64 counts, 2 walls)
30.   Everything I Need - Tajali Hall (60 counts, 2 walls)
31.   Fake ID - Sobrielo Philip Gene (32 counts, 4 walls)
32.   For The First Time - Niels Poulsen (32 counts, 4 walls)
33.   Glad You Came - Eddie McIntosh (64 counts, 2 walls)
34.   Heaven - Jin Lan Diong (32 counts, 4 walls)
35.   Her? Or Me? - Amy Christian (Phrased, 4 walls)
36.   Payphone - Caroline Dancer Cooper (64 counts, 2 walls)
37.   Treat Me Like A Rose - Peter Ng (48 counts, 2 walls)
38.   9 to 5 - Gordon Elliot (64 counts, 2 walls)
39.   ExHale (aka Shoop Shoop) - Francien Sittrop (64 counts, 4 walls)
40.   Breathing - Francien Sittrop (64 counts, 2 walls)
41.   Can We Chill* - Susan Puruleski (64 counts, 2 walls)
42.   Looking 4 Myself - Sebastiaan Holtland (32 counts, 4 walls)
43.   The Fairlie Waltz - Judith Campbell (48 counts, 4 walls)
44.   Crash & Burn - Birgit Kjerside & Soren Kristensen (32 counts, 2 walls)




*  with modification
**  danced without tags

Freestyle Advance 2 - 7th January 2012

Check out 5 of the ladies from my Freestyle Advance 2 who recently performed at the WDA Dinner & Dance Anniversary at the Royal Selangor Club. They look amazing here and put on a well executed performance. Very proud of them ♥

By successfully performing here, they have earned their certificates for Advance 2, which will come soon

Happy Lunar New Year !

I'd like to wish all my students a very happy, prosperous, safe & joyous Gong Xi Fa Chai. May we all have great opportunities in the year of the dragon. Enjoy your week off =D Classes resume on the 30th Jan !

Living SLIM

There are no magic wands to make that fat disappear. It took time for that fat to settle so comfortably round your waist and hips - it will take time for it to go.

I am a certified Nutritionist & Wellness Adviser, and an almost perfect example of a working Mum and someone who does not listen to her own advise =(

However, I have spent 2011 undergoing some serious stress (emotionally & physically) which have resulted in some serious 'spreading'. Luckily my FITNESS levels were relatively high at the end of 2010 and I have not suffered too badly in that area but I have completely loss the feeling of SLIMNESS.

Being slim does not mean being a size 10 or less. It means being fit & healthy enough for you to FEEL slim and like what YOU see in the mirror. I no longer feel slim or sexy (if that helps motivate you) and have decided to return to my professional roots to get myself back to my 'happy place' and invite you to join me on my journey.

Take the advise I give you and think about it. Attempt it if you're determined to make a difference and only offer criticism if its constructive. I will post notes for you to dwell on (labelled Living FIT & Living SLIM) as often as I can, take it one note at a time and do it.

Ms B.

Living FIT

Get this - exercise is your secret weapon for losing weight & keeping it off.


If your attitude is 'I can't be bothered' then that's fine : stay fat & unfit.


Just get up & do it. Do not let two days go by without doing some kind of exercise. If you're serious about living fit, you need to acknowledge the excuses YOU make to not exercise. You DO have the time, you CAN work around a bad back/knees/hips (the fitter you are, the less pain you'll be in) etc, etc, etc. The fact is - have you got time NOT to exercise???


Lee Janogly

Happy 2012 !

Happy 2012 everyone !!! Its time to get ourselves back into the routine of classes and fulfill our resolutions for fitness & living slim. All classes resume from today so make sure you haven't scheduled something in your class slots.

Spending an hour a day/week to ensure you learn to live life fit & healthy is nothing compared to the 3 hours you gladly put aside to have lunch/dinner with friends while pushing food in your mouths. Think about it ! See you in class.

Ms B

Merry Christmas !

I'd like to wish all my students - past, present & future - a blessed Christmas & a joyous New Year !!! May you all have a safe, healthy festive season. See you all back in class soon, once all the parties & holidays come to an end. Take care everyone. 


♥ Ms B xoxoxo