Bellydance Parody Vid!

This is the video of the guy doing the parodies of famous bellydancers that I was talking about in class last night  - it is soooooooo funny and clever! 

Really funny video for those who know Russian belly dancers, but Dina & Orit are also there at the end!

Alexey Riaboshapka immitates
1. Elena Ramazanova
2. Aida Hassan
3. Maria Shashkova
4. Dina
5. Orit Maftsir

Fitness Competitor/Model who has 6 kids!!!!

I was talking in the 12-week program today about looking to people who have more on their plate than you and who still make fitness and health a priority when Fansisca Dennis came to mind - I often find myself wondering how she manages it all with 6 kids!!!!  She has graced the covers of many fitness magazines, models, competes, and looks good all year round!  Such a great example of getting down to business and not making excuses for yourself!!! She looks better than most 20-something/no kids fitness gals! I have her pic up on the inspiration board at the studio, but check this out too!

 

this with 6 KIDS!!!! We can do it too!

Her website: http://www.franciscadennis.com/

Sadie - wicked awesome bellydancer!

I was talking about Sadie in class the other day and some of you guys hadn't ever heard of her/seen her... here is an awesome clip of her crazy hip and ab-work... she is like an insane bellydancing robot (in a good way!) LOVE HER!!!  I heard she was giving a workshop in Toronto in April or sometime like that, but now I can't find any info on it - hopefully it's still on and I can get the deets sooon!

Burpee Contest Video!

SO, today we were talking about how crazy Liv, Elaana, & Danielle were for doing sooooo many burpees in the burpee contest at the Fierce Fitness Open House in Sept. - Liv got to 50!!!!  Here's the clip with it all on tape for anyone who missed it (or for those of you who were there but want to see it again!) - the burpee contest starts at about 2:30 minutes on this video!




Check out all the fierce fitness videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/fiercefitnesstoronto

& Meagan's BEllydance & Fitness vlogs at http://www.youtube.com/user/meaganhesham

Make sure to subscribe to both so you get updates!

What is J-Setting?

I have fallen in love with J-Setting and taught some in the sports aerobics/cheer class on Thursdays.  A lot of students ask me what exactly it's all about... hopefully this will help explain...

J-Setting is a is a highly stylized modern lead and follow style hip hop dance, characterized by cheerleading style sharp movements to an eight-beat count music. Popular in southern U.S. gay clubs, like the vogue-style before it, it became popular by exposure in a pop music video, this time the 2008 Beyonce Knowles single Single Ladies.

Background: In 1970, former majorette Shirley Middleton became troupe leader of the Jackson State University cheerleading group, The Prancing Jaycettes. Middleton wanted something different, and so threw away their batons, and began dancing in formation. Based on a classical cheerleader eight-beat style, the signature thrusts, pumps, and high kicks were developed into a lead-and-follow "wave" through the troupe. However, the style was strictly reserved for women only until 1997, when male troupe baton twirling member DeMorris Adams, was asked to fill in for an injured female troupe member. After this, although the performing troupe was still female, the crowd supporters started to grow from the colleges gay community.

Development: In the early 1990s, young gay men brought the style back to their home towns, and the distinct and often intricate style that is now J-Setting developed in nightclubs like Club City Lights in Jackson, Mississippi; Incognito, Allusions, and 901 in Memphis; and Club 708 in Atlanta. J-Setting gained popularity in part because it was sharp, and due to its lead and follow nature, meant another dancer could intimate interest through following someone elses lead.

Style: J-Setting has now developed into a culture, with a distinct dress style. There are now J-Setting troupes, where groups of young gay men imitate cheerleaders with co-ordinated uniforms of sequined one- and two-piece leotards, with long flowing capes, sheer stockings and white marching boots. At gay cultural events, squads of J-Setters compete in dance-offs.

Some of the most popular J-Setting teams include: Memphis Elite; Atlanta’s J-Five; Dallas Diamonds; Nashville’s Music City All-Starz; and Grambling, La.’s X-Men.

Check out some of my favourite clips of J-Setting:

Awesome - upbeat DJ mixes!

I sometimes use these electronic music mixes for crazy cardio sections of boot camp classes.  A few of you wanted to know where they are from.  It's an old friend of mine - DJ Fuzzboy, and you too can download them all for free off his website at http://www.djfuzzboy.com/music.php - check it out!   They are usually about an hour of crazy fast music so they're great to get you through a nice long cardio session like a run or a power walk!

Neutron Fitness Competiton - do it with us in August!

We are gonna get together a big team to compete at this very friendly and fun fitness competition on August 6 in Oshawa.  You all have lots of time to work towards it, there are many different categories, and it's gonna be awesome!  Just let me know if you have any questions!

Check out http://neutronsports.com/ for more info!

Who's in?

Zuzana's crazy online workouts

I always get lots of killer ideas from Zuzana for my workout classes and last Tuesday we attempted one of her 300 rep workouts as part of the noon-time class.  Some people knew about her, others didn't, check her website out here:

http://www.bodyrock.tv/

There are brutal at-home workout videos and she is super-fit and inspiring!

Here's the 300 rep workout we did last Tuesday:

Fifi Abdou - my fave bellydancer - so inspiring!

I was talking about Fifi and her jiggly, earthy goodness in a beginner class two weeks ago, here are some clips of my very favourite bellydancer... hope they inspire you all:

Sports Aerobics Video

For all my sports aerobics students and anyone else interested in knowing what inspired my class, check these guys out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeMJOPlK-0E

And the spoof our class is challenging is at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zonA50KVbY&feature=related