Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now

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recent posts

  • Happy feet

    Day 15 of 52 Nia dance challenge

    It’s hard to explain why taking off my shoes to dance is so liberating. Maybe it’s reconnecting with the kid in me. Maybe my feet just like not being enclosed.

    I wondered about research on the topic, and found most of it focused on runners and little of it definitive. I did come across a study that followed 20 female netball players who trained barefoot for eight weeks. They were assessed before and after the eight-week training period, as was a control group that trained with shoes on. Here’s what researchers said: It could be concluded that barefoot training had a positive effect on agility and ankle stability, which could possibly enhance netball performance and play a role in the prevention of ankle injuries. They noted statistically significant differences between shod and barefoot players in overall stability and performance agility, but the study was small and they weren’t particularly emphatic regarding results: could possibly? Not a lot of confidence there.

    The Very Well Fit website also published an article on the increasing interest in working out barefoot last year.

    I just know that dancing barefoot hasn’t hurt me and feels good. The only time we danced with shoes on was during the Covid shutdown when we danced outside on concrete in a park.

    Today I danced Energi with Dael Parsons. So fun to be inspired by her grace and power. I worried that dancing at 9 a.m. the day after dancing at 6 p.m. might be a bit much. My left knee got somewhat twingy, so I backed off on the leaping about. Otherwise, no problem.

  • Dance pals

    Still image taken from NIA on Demand’s “Ignite” video.

    Day 14 of 52 Nia dance challenge

    So glad to get back in a studio and dance with others. Synchronistically, instructor Val Wetmore chose “Bloom,” which I am in the process of memorizing. Loved doing it. Not getting tired of the music or the moves at all.

    The energy of the dance community infuses me so much more than just dancing by myself.

    Val’s focus and intent for this class was breath awareness, remembering to deeply inhale and exhale, and have that be part of the flow.

    This class at our local YMCA runs 6:30-7:30 p.m., which is late in the day for me, but worked great. It’s fun because the class includes younger dancers whose energy is big. Lots of smiles all around.

  • Wild thing

    Day 13 of Nia dance challenge

    Thank god for my inner hippy. It’s been a day. I’m burned out, I’m cranky. It’s dark. Summer’s pretending it won’t leave me. It’s late Sunday. There’s no Nia classes. I’ve been semi-well-behaved all day. I mean, I cleaned the mildew out of the shower for heck’s sake. (Also, if you know me at all, you know “heck’s sake” is me being under extreme control.) I haven’t danced today. Damn it. And I made this personal commitment.

    So bring on Led Zeppelin! Yeah, not in Nia’s official choreography. But it’s what I need. Kashmir, Black Dog, Immigrant Song, Living Loving Maid, When the Levee Breaks. Rock my world, boys.

    Thank you Nia. Thank you rock ‘n’ roll.