More Bootcamp News!

Thanks to a superhuman, pro-bono PR machine, here's the latest coverage in Her World, Singapore.

In Perfect Synchrony

About four weeks ago, I made a decision to put up a choreography for the studio's recital. And I gave this opportunity to my Broadway Jazz group. Now, the first thing you need to understand about the demography of this group is that, it is mostly made up of professional white-collared females and most of them are working in demanding full-time day jobs.

Over the last four weeks, the girls turned up, night after night at the studio, lugging their laptop cases, shedding their office gear, tired faces and a day's worth of work stress only to take on a completely different persona of Broadway dancers. They danced, kicked, performed their jettes and complex choreography which I gave them, with no complains.

Most nights, they left for home close to midnight and returned again, the following evening, to perform the same routine, working to perfect every step, turn and bits that would form the perfect choreography which we all saw this afternoon at the dance recital.

As their instructor and choreography, I felt my heart swell with pride and joy when I saw them on stage. I know fully well how much work they'd all put into this. I saw in them personal gifts of spirit, unity, passion and dogged-determination and I know that one day, many of these girls will look back in retrospect and say: I am so glad that I did this.

Here's a BIG thank you, to my seven gorgeous super troupers. This post is dedicated to you, who performed like real professionals on stage today. I am very proud of you.

Here's the video of the dance...

This piece is a medley from West Side Story, Chicago and Chorus Line.

In Sync

It’s my first class for over one year. I don’t really know why I started teaching dance again, because it was not in my plans. Think its something unspoken. A mission I’ve to complete. Fitness Bootcamp is fine and all but, there’s something else that’s calling out. Something else I’ve been tasked to share. So, here I am. I’m back. So, lets get right into it. My first class today—actually it was 12-weeks ago but; I’m just now getting to blog about it—a dance member tugs my arm after class today, stares me down and blurts “Bill, I had a tough time with the warm up but, when it came to the across the floor I just couldn’t do it”. She went on to explain she felt like everybody was looking at her “mess-up”.

My retort to all of you out there with the same thoughts is: other dancers haven’t the interest nor time to look at you in class. They’re busy struggling with their own inner dancing demons towards what will someday become a journey accomplished. It’s like life. One needn’t worry about what others think or you’ll end up being a very, very unhappy person. How the heck are you supposed to please everybody? You can’t. You miss the beautiful moments in YOUR life. So, don’t care two-hoots about what others think. That’s the ego talking anyway. If you’re so concerned about your appearance — or in this case, performance — you’re already lost. You haven’t got a handle on what its all about. The joy of dancing isn’t about what’s outside you. Its about what’s within. So, dance to your own rhythm and beat…nobody else’s.

Hear Say

The fundamental difference between a statement and a query, essentially is the question mark at the end of the sentence. Whenever I teach class, I have a bunch of women who comes up to me all the time to make statements that sums up to, "I cannot do this". I usually give them a blank stare and frown - my version of a reply. Reason for my attitude is because I personally feel that such a no-brainer statement does not warrant an intelligent respond.

Making a statement such as the above is a very dangerous subconscious denouncement. Uttering this statement leaves no room for improvement. It’s final, definitive and negative. Don’t shut yourself down. Try to see the other side of the equation, think positive and imagine the cup half full. Positive affirmation is important.

Instead, try believing and saying something such as, "I’m having difficulty with this, can you explain how I can do it better", or "this is really tough, what can I do to perform it better?"

Most times, it is a matter of tonality. Positive tonality, even to oneself, results in positive output and like my pro-bono publicist's mantra, "it's not what you say, it's how you say it".

20 Minutes

Its been 15-minutes since I’d rehearsed my recital item in my Holland dance studio and droplets of perspiration are still snaking down my spine and underneath my clothes. I’ve got my shirt crimped up in the back and front trying to let some air in to dry myself.

I declare that dance is one hell-of-a workout. I rehearsed for only 20-minutes and I’ve burned more calories on the dance floor then I do spinning intervals on the stationary bike. But, why doesn’t it feel the same? Because its fun! When your passion is activated and you’re not just mechanically engaged in benign exercise routines your soul soars. You don’t feel the weight of gravity. You don’t sense the effort. The clock has no meaning, time is infinite. When you soar (dance) you rise above consciousness…and burn a heck-of-a-lot-of-calories.

If you can’t dance…well, there’s always my bootcamps!

More Happenings!

The Sunday Times, Singapore
Date of Publication: 10 May 2009

Frustration? Look Within

This incident hit me like a freight train the other day.

A student asked me to come outside for a chat and there she was crying, tears streaming down her face. Between catches of crying—convulsions—you know the ones you get when you’re a kid after having a really big slobber—she said “I’m the only one who can’t get the steps”.

There I was thinking that this 30-odd year old woman had been devastated, crushed by a mere dance routine…in a dance class that was suppose to be fun. I told her she wasn’t the only one and that in time she would improve. Of course we talked about more and I assured her over and over again but the point is that she was so hooked into the moment of passion that it shook her inner being. It wasn’t just about the steps she couldn’t get. Something inside her was deeply shaken with having gone through the hour and a half long experience of Broadway class that day. At that moment in time dance ceased to become an exercise in movement. Dance had leapt over into that place I’d so worked to get people to for so long.

Dance had shakened her soul and told her something about herself. Now I know why I’ve come back to teaching, after so long. Its time to move souls again…

It’s All Behind You…Dance

We’re rehearsing for the recital and I’ve thrown a tough item at the dancers.

Today I added newer and more challenging steps to the routine. A verrrryyy interesting and wonderful thing is happening. In the beginning the dancers couldn’t get the counts, couldn’t get the steps. They were all over the place. I knew this would happen, predicted it and told them—in the beginning—to be prepared for it.

Now, with the new steps - the previously challenging steps are a breeze. And it keeps happening over and over again. As I watched them digest and run through the new choreo, I witnessed their ease at performing past choreography. Previously difficult moves ceased to become a concern… left behind to allow for new beginnings. What was… has now become the past! Forget it. Let it be.

Once the lights come up and the music starts, there’s no going back. Keep dancing until the song ends…towards the applause.

Bridal Boot What???

Been up to my neck with work/ activities/ classes/ etc etc... the list is endless!

My latest updates - Bill Calhoun's bridal bootcamp is here! Commencing in July, this is a structured fitness programme which will take place 3 x a week for a period of 12 weeks. Read the latest issue of Her World Brides for information or email Tilly at tilly@danceonus.com for more details.

Updates! Hear All About It!

Hi there folks! Sorry for the radio silence. Been really busy setting up my fitness portal and I am now pleased to say that it's up! Visit me at Bill's Fitness Lab

Been so caught up with the intricacies of web work and content that I almost missed this in this month's Shape magazine!

On Health & Fitness

Dance & Fitness

Introducing the Cardio Dance Blast

Hi Dancing Divas,

Happy Lunar New Year of the Rat and may this be the year of goodness and renewal for you!

As I don't have everyone's e-mail addresses, I figured that the best way to disseminate this information is through my blog.

I mentioned to some of you before, in addition to personal training, I would be developing new dance fitness programmes through Dance On Us this year. So here it goes!

Introducing the Cardio Dance Blast!

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ABOUT BILL CALHOUN'S CARDIO DANCE BLAST

Set to energizing hip hop and party music, Cardio Dance Blast utilizes the fundamentals of current and popular dance movements to raise one's metabolic rate and strengthen the abdominal muscles through specifically choreographed moves.

Specially designed by one of Asia’s most renowned celebrity dance director and ACE-certified fitness trainer, Bill Calhoun, the Cardio Dance Blast uses a unique abdominal engagement technique called ‘Tilt-Tuck-Tighten' (TTT) that will blast your way to flatter abs and a leaner body without doing conventional sit-ups or crunches.

Bill Calhoun's Cardio Dance Blast is suitable for individuals who are looking to get firmer looking abdominals and gain stamina in the long-term. Classes would incorporate dance moves garnered from Bill's own experiences from the USA and Asia.


PROGRAMME DETAILS:

Commencement Date: Friday, 28 March 2008 - April 18, 2008

Time: 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm

Venue: Dance On Us

Address: 8 Claymore Hill, Claymore Point, #01-03/04, Singapore 229572

Price: S$140 for four sessions. Single sessions/ walk-in rates are at S$40 per session.

Individuals and corporations/ groups may enquire/ register through the Dance On Us website, which is www.danceonus.com , call +65 6737 4466 or e-mail enquiries@danceonus.com for more details.

Master courses are also offered to dance/ fitness instructors who are looking to teach the Cardio Dance Blast programme. Interested parties may call +65 6737 4466 to enquire or email me at billcalhoun@billcalhoun.com for more information.

Black History Month in Asia

How fitting that I come upon the Chinese New Year and all that it stands for regarding history, heros and current culture whilst at the same time I--as a black American--also celebrate my heritage. This month is Black History month in the USA. And this is the first time I have been away from it.

Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in the month of February, while in the UK it is held in the month of October.

I am proud to reign in my black heritage at the same time I embrace another.

How lovely....

Let's Do Da Funk!

Hi Dancing Divas!

Are you ready to Jazz up the new year with some BRAND NEW dance perspectives? If you are, here's some good news. I'll be starting my new Best of Jazz 2008 workshop series with effect from Saturday, January 19 and this time, I will be imparting what I know about FUNKY STREET JAZZ to you!

Here's a brief description about my FUNKY STREET JAZZworkshop:-

ABOUT BILL CALHOUN'S FUNKY STREET JAZZ

Also known as Black-Jazz, FUNKY STREET JAZZ (popularised by Afro-Americans) is an energetic dance form involving a juxtapose of fast and intricate footwork including technical spins, jumps and leaps.
Evolving around the period of time that Funk, Latin and Afro-Cuban dance styles started populating the dance world, FUNKY STREET JAZZ , as its name suggests, is fluid as it amalgamates the various cultural influences and is thus not as rigid as classical dance forms such as ballet - and yet, not as “soft” as lyrical Jazz styles.

Bill Calhoun's FUNKY STREET JAZZ workshops are technique-based and are suitable for individuals and professional dancers who are seeking to improve their stamina, flexibility, strength and balance. Workshops are progressive and choreography would incorporate various Jazz styles from Bill's own experiences garnered from the USA and Asia.

**********

Workshop details:

Commencement Date: Saturday, January 19, 2008
Classes on Saturdays - Jan 19, Jan 26, Feb 2, Feb 16, Feb 23 and March 1

1.5 hours x 6 sessions
Time: 2.45 pm - 4.15 pm

Workshops' Venue:
8 Claymore Hill, Claymore Point, #01-03/04
Singapore 229572
Phone: 6737 4466

Please contact Tilly at 6737 4466 or e-mail her at tilly@danceonus.com to register or for more details. Registration ends at 5 pm on Jan 15.

To Greater Heights!

I received a number of text messages when I touched down on New Year's Day and many of them were messages relating to new year resolutions and getting fit and healthy.

Well... if you have made a new year resolution just yesterday to lead a healthier lifestyle in 2008, these tips might help:-

Step #1
Aim low. Resolutions are easy to make but can be difficult to keep. The bottom line is if you aim too high (losing 40 pounds and fitting into a dress by spring) you’re likely to be disappointed. Instead target a goal that’s achievable such as losing 10-15 pounds by May 2008.

Step #2
Don’t do too much.

Don’t go for three or four resolutions. Choose the most important one and stick with it.

Find a girlfriend/ boyfriend, improve a relationship, lose weight… Do whichever is most attainable and work towards it. Doing too much will guarantee one thing - failure.

Step #3
Tell everybody you know about your goals. The more people that know the more they’ll prod, poke and pester you to complete your resolution. You’ll also feel obligated to fulfill what you'd initially set out to achieve.

Step #4
Reward yourself when you’ve accomplished little milestones. Buy yourself something or treat yourself a movie or mocha/ frappucino if you stop yourself from spending in a shopping mall. Little rewards give you something to look forward to and gives you that pat-self-on-the-back sense of achievement.

Step #5
Set your own pace… NOT the calendar’s.

Spring (May) is a great time to start your resolute journey as it’s the change of season (in countries with four seasons) and fits quite nicely with the changes you plan to make. For Asia, the end of Lunar New Year (Tet) would be a great time as trashing the old and bringing in the new is the same message that Spring-time brings.

Here wishing you an amazing 2008!

Happy Holidays!

Here's a big THANK YOU to all my friends, colleagues, students, supporters for a wonderful 2007.

This came in time... indeed a very useful and thoughtful gift.
Thank you lot and I enjoy seeing the fire in your eyes when you dance. Keep that passion burning.

I'd be off for the festive hols and am looking forward to seeing you all in 2008!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

But, What If I Can't Dance...

My keyboard was wet...

The tears were not of pity but stemmed from true admiration for I'd just casted my eyes upon the truest meaning of Dance...

The Joy of Dance!



For all of those who have uttered, "But, I Can't Dance..." pause before you say that again.

Think now with new meaning...hope...inspiration and know that YOU CAN!

Dance - A Trinity of Mind, Spirit and Body

Boy oh boy, it's hard work coming up with a brand new series of sampler classes for future stars and slim-n-fit followers to be. I was doing two-a-day (this is what we say when, in the midst of American Football season when one has to practice intensively in the morning AND in the afternoon) for the past two weeks in preparation for this week's classes...it completely trashed my body and mind. But, my soul's still intact. That, of course, is fed by the enthusiasm from my students.

AND... No matter how thrashed I feel -- just prior to heading down to Dance On Us --it all goes away once the music pumps and I see my loyal comrades smiling and having the time of their lives. THAT is what makes it all worth it. If not for them I'd be a wet, wiped-out bag of bones and flesh.

I received an email from one of them this morning and I thought I'd share it on my blog...

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I had a really good workout last evening (and God knows I need it!). Dancing - that’s what I am addicted to.

You see, I’m one of your faithful followers. Over the last six months or so, your classes have become so much more to me than a class to learn how to manipulate my body which can at times refuses to cooperate. I started attending your classes because they are an athletic outlet (I love your blend of dance with physical fitness) and you are a wonderful teacher in addition to being a fantastic dancer (some dancers can’t teach for nuts). I wanted to get into shape physically, less out of vanity and more for my own sanity. When I started, I had no idea that this would evolve into an emotional journey for me and the profound impact it would have on the outlook of my life on the whole.

Through your classes, I found the door to a brand new world, one where I could be anyone I want to be, without guilt or shame; one where I feel a connection with my inner voices and soul. Your repetitive instructions to “listen to the music, don’t think, just feel and your body will follow” may sound simple enough but it isn’t as easy as it seems. It involves evoking almost all our mental and physical faculties simultaneously. It requires one to let go of the many inhibitions we have locked ourselves into, to demolish and/or ignore the rules we keep mentally. We need to break down the walls around us (inside and outside) before we can truly connect with ourselves, the music, the lyrics and our surroundings. We need to learn to listen to our bodies, have a conversation with it while gently coaxing it (or sometimes forcing it) to do things you never imagined to be possible.

In your dance world, I feel free. Free to make mistakes, free to be proud, free to be moved, free to laugh at ourselves. In this space, I have a free-flowing conversation with my body, spirit and mind. It is very private yet extremely liberating. It’s a poignant state of self awareness and consciousness.

The time I started taking your classes coincided with a rehabilitation period of my life. I carried a lot of pain and negative grounding and it is through dance I found a way to release these and re-connect with my inner self again.

You make dance come to life and attainable. What you don't realize is that you have has breathed new energy into my life with your passion and showed me a path to self-heal, all the while having fun and enjoying the new friendships I made through your workshops and classes. For that, I am eternally grateful.

JJ

Realization Revealed

Today I’ve come upon an epiphany. Something happened to me this past week that moved me so disturbingly that I have now reassessed my life direction and reason for being. Curious?
If I get 10 inquiries from legitimate readers I’ll let you in on my life-changing revelation