Monday...

Back to the old grind for me...today I went to Pilates after a trip to the dentist.  I was able to take Yasir down the street to the park but once there, a fierce wind forced us back, in time for Pilates -- what a crowd!  It was hard to get back to class after such a relaxing weekend with puppy, but I was glad I got there.  Afterward, I felt very weak and so I went to get lunch and walk puppy again.  Then I went to ballet class, and the teacher said, Dorothy, where have you been?  It was good to dance again, too.

Then I went to the gym and walked underwater front, back and sideways and something made me get out of the pool and head to yoga class.  Yoga was great, even though I was by now really tired, and it turned out to be the last class with my favorite teacher  for a while, since he is a dancer and will be getting ready for a performance.

Now I am home again with my restless puppy, but he has been a good boy, quiet and well behaved.  It turned out to be a very good day!

Ballet Class:
1. Plies with parallel stretch forward.  Stretch away from barre, stand on toes and lean forward.  Elbows bent into barre a bit.  Balance in passe.
2. Tendus 1st, plie; degages with plies.  Brush the floor and extend the toes like you are pushing the air away -- it feels good to do this!
3. Ronde jambes with plies and arms.  Fondu front, passe, arabesque, penche, balance in attitude.
4. Frappes with pointed toe, then on demi-toe.
5. Ronde jambes en l'air without moving the thigh.  Just knee action.  Also, try to move the leg while keeping hips still.  Think of moving out, not up.
6. Fondu developpes.
7. Grand battements with balancoire.
Center:
1. Tendus to side, passe balance, pirouettes to lunge, to 5th position. Then pique to sou-sou and pirouttes.
2. 4x changements, sissonnes side, assembles, quatres, brises.
3. Sissonne arabesque, pas de bourre, sissonnes side, assembles.
4. Ballotte, ballotte, assemble a la seconde, glissade jete jete assemble.
5. Tour de finis.


Yoga class was lots of downward dogs, upward dogs, chair pose with forward stretches; triangle pose, reverse triangle.  Warriors, step wide sideways and bring head down to floor, bending arms back.  Pick up straight leg and move to side, looking opposite way, bow to leg and raise up and hold.  Stretch leg forward, other leg bent or in lotus, with binding.  Inversions, shoulder stand, legs against wall, bend knees, lift one leg up.  Corpse pose.


Pilates was lots of squeezing legs with magic circle, roll-ups, roll down and hold; hamstring stretches with magic circle.  Hold leg up and lift bottom leg one inch off the floor, feel the stomach burn.  Round back into a "C."  Lie on stomach and hover with chest. Planks with pushups.  Stand up, roll down, releve.