Have you ever heard of "clean eating"?  I was introduced to clean eating over the summer and it has completely changed my life!  To me, clean eating is trying to eat as many 'real' foods as possible- less preservatives, chemicals, or additives- eating organic when possible- eating food that is not processed or chemically enhanced- basically eating plain old, one ingredient, basic foods!  The way nature intended it to be.  Check out this article by ABC for a longer rundown:  "What the Heck is Clean Eating?".
Our country has a problem with our relationship with food.  For me, clean eating has helped my relationship with food be so much more healthy (pun intended!).  Eating good, natural, whole foods can be delicious and fun!  Once I got most of the processed, chemical foods out of my system, I didn't crave them anymore.   I felt satisfied when I ate clean.  I felt so much better physically and mentally.  When you give your body the nutrients it needs and desires so badly- it gets happy!  My skin and hair began to glow more, I had more energy, I slept better, and I overall felt amazing!  
What works for everyone is different, but I try to eat clean with an 80/20 ratio.  Eat clean 80% of the time and relax a bit the other 20% of the time.  I still love certain treats and non-clean foods and it's okay to have them every now and then!  We all know that life happens, and I want to be able to enjoy eating out at restaurants, have a piece of birthday cake, or enjoy some movie theatre popcorn here and there.  ;)  When I take care of myself most of the time though and take in good, nutrient-rich foods, straying is okay here and there, in my mind.
I remember at first feeling so overwhelmed trying to switch to living a more clean lifestyle.  It doesn't have to be though! Baby steps will get you there too :)  I dove right in and jumped off the cliff, but starting with small changes can help significantly too!  Try having a piece of fruit and whole grain oats for breakfast.  Try packing a piece of fruit for your afternoon snack instead of a processed pre-packaged item.  Have more lean proteins like chicken and turkey.  Take time to prepare meals so that you can pack your lunches.  Less fast food, more home-cooked goodness!  Many of your favorite recipes can be made clean also.  Check out www.thegraciouspantry.com for tons of recipes, tips, and info on how to help you start your own clean eating adventure!

I love sharing inspirational quotes and little life lessons with my dancers.  I teach six groups of competitive pom dancers and especially try to share some tokens of wisdom with these girls.  They are competitive teams that are require drive, commitment, and incredible motivation.  One of the first topics we talked about in class was goal setting.  What better time than the start of a dance season to talk about what we want to accomplish?  

First, we wrote down personal and team goals that we have for this season.  Whether that be achieving our splits, winning a platinum medal, planning team bonding events, or having perfect attendance- anything!  Then we discussed a plan and what steps we would actually have to take in order to fulfill our goals.  And finally, gave each of our goals a deadline.  I love the quote, "a goal is a dream with a deadline".  Dreams don't become reality without a timeframe!  It's one thing to say "I want to have clean double pirouettes," but to say, "I want to have clean double pirouettes by December 1st," puts things into a clearer perspective.

Goal setting is something that has helped in my personal life and I hope it does for my dancers as well!  It is so easy for us to put things off in the hectic world we live in.  But, by creating detailed, specific goals, implementing do-able steps to get there, and making a deadline- dreams can become a reality!

Absolutely AMAZING.  The DanceLife Conference presented by Rhee Gold was nothing short of fantastic.  I loved it!  From the opening speech, to closing remarks- I was motivated, inspired, challenged, and changed.  Dance Educators are somewhat of a subculture that people don't often know about.  It was so refreshing to be surrounded by like-minded people who understand exactly what you are going through.

The conference was held in Arizona, which is an incredibly beautiful state- and really, the heat was not that bad!  It was so nice to step into a completely new environment, get away, and focus on rejuvenating my dance spirit.  The conference was jam-packed with classes relating to all aspects of the dance world.  Most days we had classes from early morning to late evening.  Non-stop dance information central!  Also, there were a great amount of vendors to learn more about.  Of course I loved visiting the costume vendors- so many cute costumes for little ones!  And it was interesting to see different dance competition/performance options, clothing vendors, curriculum providers, marketing options, and more.  I fell in love with the Magical Kingdom of Dance Company and Twinkle Toes Dance!  They taught classes to us teachers incorporating their methods and props.  It was so inspiring and I learned bundles of new things to incorporate into my classes- especially for the little ones.  I've already tested out my new ballet resources with preschool-kindergarten age dancers and I think it will help greatly with remembering ballet terminology and proper form, in a fun kid-friendly way!

In addition to the crazy amounts of new hip hop, tap, jazz, improv, etc ideas I learned, I gained so much in regards to why I do what I do.  I always knew I loved being a dance educator for much more than just teaching dance moves, but this conference helped me rekindle that spirit.  I love teaching dance because I get to make a difference in the lives of young people- every single day.  I get to be a role-model and influential presence in the lives of developing youth.  Teaching dance is the secondary aspect, first and foremost I am a mentor and a leader.  Dance is an incredible opportunity for youth to learn to express themselves, gain confidence and friendships, to learn responsibility, teamwork, goal-setting, perseverance, and hard work.  Dance class is the venue, but the skills developed will surpass any dance career and help serve young people as they blossom into leaders of tomorrow. 

I am so excited for the new dance season to begin soon so I can further my role of mentor, leader, teacher.  :)

Maybe it's because my life is submersed in dance constantly, but anytime I meet a little girl between the ages of two to about seven, I usually end up asking, "are you in dance class"?  To me, dance is a given for little girls and I don't think I've ever met one who has said they weren't in dance or that they didn't want to give it a try.  Having been a dancer myself and now instructing girls of all ages, I see what an incredible impact in can make.

When I was young, ages three to about seven, I took dance classes.  Then, my stubborn little self decided I didn't like the partner I had in a dance routine, so I wanted to quit.  How logical, right?  I'm sure I came up with a better excuse to tell my mom lol, but that's the only reason I can recall.  (Side note, I'm always wary of giving my dancers partners now!) ;)

Then my younger sister Emily came along and started dance and even became a competition dancer.  I so envied what she got to do.  I loved the costumes, the performing, the camaraderie, the fun.  I felt like an outsider peeking into a glamorous, elite world.  I thought that I would never be able to get back into dance and that those years off had left me without a chance to be a dancer.  Well finally, with some pushing from my parents, I got back into dance.  It's never to late to start (or re-start) a passion!  At this point I was in junior high, but caught back up and absolutely loved it.  I would practice constantly.  I would take home the material I learned and practice it over and over again.  I would do "across the floor" exercises in our basement, I worked on my ballet technique while on vacation, did conditioning exercises in our backyard, I was dancing all the time.  And it sure looks like much hasn't changed since then!

Dance has truly changed me.  It gave me confidence and "star power" as a young woman.  It gave me a passion, a focus, a purpose.  It helped me develop athleticism, skills, work ethic, and stage presence.  It allowed me to be a part of a team, to learn commitment, to gain friends, to experience what it feels like to be in the spotlight and achieve goals.  It kept me busy, kept me active, and kept me happy.

To me, it's a no brainer how wonderful dance can be for someone.  I encourage you to check out dance classes for your little ballerina or the dancer inside your heart.  :)  www.woodburydance.com

One word: Zumba!  Lately I've been trying a variety of group fitness classes and on today's menu for me was Zumba.  I've done a couple of these classes in the past few years and each time is totally different.  It seems like with each different teacher, classes can be completely unique.  Tonight was no exception!  The teacher jumped right in and expected all of us to follow.  There's no real "breaking it down" or slow teaching of the moves- you're just supposed to move and fake it til you make it!  

I love how this class literally pushed me out of my box.  I'm used to dances being slowly taught, perfected, and performed with a gradual progression.  Not- 'here it is- follow me!'.  Zumba, and other things like it, are so good to push me out of my comfort zone.  When you push past your own little box and try something that makes you uncomfortable- you grow!  I may not have done everything perfectly, but hey- I was moving and having a blast!  The class had such an array of students that were all pushing themselves in their own way.  I've been trying new thing lately and I've been great at some things, not so great at others!  ha.  But, each experience has allowed me to step out of my box and learn how to be confident, even while uncomfortable.  Sometimes, you just gotta let loose and dance right out of your comfort zone!

This past Friday, bright and early at 6:30am, I had the pleasure of taking my first barre fitness class.  It was amazing!  This new fitness trend has been blooming and I've always been interested in trying it out.  With my dance background, this ballet-infused workout definitely intrigued me.  A friend of mine, who also happens to be Miss Pennsylvania and was just top 15 at Miss USA, recommended The Barre Studio.  If it's fit for a beauty queen- I'm in!

I roped my younger sister into going with me and she was glad I did!  Upon entering the studio, we felt completely welcome.  The instructor and other students were friendly and helpful.  One student even bought us special "barre socks" to wear in class.  The whole studio space is so beautiful- decorated simply and sophisticated.  The actual barre room had mirrors on all walls and brand new equipment like mats, free weights, etc.  

The class itself was intense and challenging, yet enjoyable!  We focused on different muscle groups, working them in small motions until total fatigue.  It's amazing how small, focused movements can really get your muscles burning.  Most muscle conditioning exercises were followed by stretching to create long, lean muscles.  I can't wait to go back and keep on working on my "ballet bod"!

In early August, I will be attending the DanceLife Teacher Conference in Arizona.  This is an amazing opportunity to further my dance education and I am looking forward to it!  This conference is led by Rhee Gold who is highly revered in the dance world.  I'm ecstatic to learn new things and get motivated for the upcoming dance season.  The four day conference will be jam-packed with classes/seminars, and some of the highlights I'm looking forward to are: Dance to Your Own Tune- Preschool Curriculum, Open Mic Business Brainstorming, and Motivating Your Dancers to be Their Best.

Rhee Gold is very inspirational for dance educators and I can't wait to gain some of his wisdom!  Here's a quote of his that I like to live by- "Dance like EVERYONE is watching"  :)