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.

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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

Women in My Life

This week’s been enlightening.

I’ve had discussions with friends (all women) that have been going through all sorts of life changes. One is still battling with a never-to-have love; the other has decided to return home after thinking she found her life partner (in a foreign country); another is suffering admirably a true passionate love that both have decided will never be; another is battling passion-haunts of glory and long lost marriage obligation of the abyss; and the final woman has found a love of self and partner long past denied. But what wonderfully whole women they are.

Geez... I should consider writing a "What men think" column...

Why I love Diane Lane...

- She's captivating on-screen
- I'm hypnotized by her features and flawless performance
- She's talented and has the X-factor
- Her beauty is understated and I personally think she is truly gorgeous...

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Afternote: And believe it or not, I met someone who looks just like the Asian version of Diane Lane … hmmm! Now, isn’t THAT intriguing?

Healthy Hearty Breakfast

It's my official binge day but it's always good to start a Sunday with a healthy, hearty breakfast... My new found favourite joint. Cedele @ Wheelock!

And... these guys sell gluten free bread!

Let's Groove This Christmas!!!!!!

Hey peeps!

Here's the latest on the cards for dance workshops... a pre-festive holiday weeklong dance and fitness program which starts from Monday Dec 10 - Saturday Dec 15, 2007

This series would include 2 hour sessions of the Awesome 80's Dance, Afro Jazz, Cardio Dance Blast, Dance of the Decades, Soft-N-Sexy and Latin Rhythms. The workshops would give everyone the opportunity to "sample" the various dance genres that I teach and for those that have experienced my workshops before, you'd know that my classes are guaranteed to be loads of fun - not to mention fantastic workouts! (think LBD)

Details:-

Who's teaching?
Me! Bill Calhoun =)

Where:-
Dance On Us (8 Claymore Hill #01-03 - next to the Amerian Club/near Shaw Centre).

Fee:-
Each 2-hour session costs $55. For those who sign up for ALL 6 sessions, a special rate of $300 applies. Registration Deadline: 30 November 2007.

To register/make payment, please contact tilly@danceonus.com or call 6737-4466.

Description of the Dance and Fitness Sampler Series:-

Mon, Dec 10 - The Awesome 80's!
Time: 8.15 - 10.15pm
Jump back to the 80's with hot new routines to classic dance tracks. Learn to Pop and Lock, Freak, Smurf, Hustle and Shake your Groove Thang - burnin' calories while still looking cool.

Tues, Dec 11 - Calhoun's Cardio DanceTime: 8.15 - 10.15pm
Calhoun's Cardio Dance Blast A hot and sweaty dance party with the best hip-hop, reggae and popular music. This non-stop workout will melt away fat and trim abs while boosting your dance skills like never before.

Wed, Dec 12 - Lyrical Jazz (aka Soft & Sexy)Time: 8.15 - 10.15pm
Soft-N-Sexy A lyrical dance-based class utlizing pop music hits from the slow and sexy genre. Slow songs from Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Tata Young, and the Pussy Cat Dolls, to name a few are used with supple, sexy, undulating choreography to lend an entirely different approach to sweaty and sexy. Emphasis is on lengthening of the muscles, balancing, and sustained contractions.

Thurs, Dec 13 - Afro JazzTime: 8.15 - 10.15pm
Afro Jazz Dance Learn actual dances of Africa in this high energy Cardio workout that will get you sweating, while learning dance steps. A great class for all dance and fitness levels.

Fri, Dec 14 - Latin Rhythms Salsa
Time: 8.15 - 10.15pm
Latin Rhythms Salsa, Mambo, or Cha-cha. These are just a few of the dance moves that you'll learn and use in this "sizzling" south of the border workout. The combinations are "hot", and the rhythms are "Strictly Latin"!

Sat, Dec 15 - Dance of the Decades
Time: 2.30 - 4.30pm
Travel through time with this dance class inspired by the past five decades. Swing into the 40's, twist into the 50's, shake your groove thing in the 70's, Le Freak your way through the 80's, and Running-man into the 90's.

Call Tilly at Tel:6737-4466 or E-mail: tilly@danceonus.com for more information/ registration OR to purchase dance packages/ sessions for your loved ones (let them dance to the tune of happiness this Christmas).

See you on the DANCE FLOOR!

Mussing at One Night Stand

I spent Halloween at One Night Stand, Clarke Quay catching one really talented musician in action. If you’ve got only one night in Singapore you’ve GOT to catch Muss The Man when he jams at One Night Stand.

The guy slams a mean drum and slashes a sizzling guitar. He’s got more showmanship than any performer on the Clarke Quay strip. No shit, this guy and his band are AWESOME. Just go check it out. If you don’t feel the same buzz I got then hit me back on my blog.

A little belated but ... Trick or Treat?

There's Always A First

This tastes good... My first time eating Bak Kut Teh

Cautionary Lust

I was literally dragged to the cinema over the weekend to catch the 'very censored version' of Lust, Caution. After reading so much about the edits of the scenes, and the numerous calls for boycott of the film in Singapore, I was seriously reluctant to watch it.

However, after sitting through the movie (armed with a packet of salted popcorn), I was really glad that I relented, for Lust, Caution is, in my humble western opinion, a dynamic display of directing, sensational cinematic showcase and believable acting delivery. Lust is a sensitive screen study of Chinese culture and emotional turmoil.

A bit of background here... Lust, Caution, a film based on Eileen Chang's novel 色，戒 showcased the sentiments, politics, insecurities of people in China during the Japanese occupation. The film was beautifully constructed and captured the history and culture of Shanghai and Hong Kong during the 1930s - 1940s very well.

I have no idea what the fuss about censorship is all about - does all the sex (or lack of) mean a great deal to the film? I think not, for Lust is overall a budding cinematic gem that comes close to other historical film masterpieces and epics with the likes of Judou, Raise the Red Lantern, Seven Years in Tibet and The Last Emperor.

As I waited for the crowd to disperse, I sat in the dark and pondered... if film critics and members of the public alike feel this movie lacks any integrity due to the de-emphasis on sex then there is something terribly, terribly wrong with their historical appreciation and artistic consideration. Have we come to the point were our sensitivities are limited to images of violence, gore, mayhem and flesh-flashes? If so, then I feel saddened about the future of truly meaningful film.

Be cautious about lust, least you succumb to brain-dead movie mush…

Jazzing Up Health & Fitness Tips

Surprise! Go grab a copy now to have a read or click here to view the cover story.

5, 6, 7, 8 and ...

As some of you know, I'd be starting the Best of Jazz dance workshop series come October 23. One thing I never did realise is the level of positive impact that my workshops have on my students. I'd received emails during the period where I was busy with the President's Star Charity to ask when my workshops would be starting again because my students were getting 'withdrawal symptoms'.

And there I was wondering why... until I received this note from one of my students who'd faithfully followed my workshops from studio to studio...

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Dear Bill,

I remembered how traumatized I was, when I seemed never to get the jazz walk done properly! I told you I’d forgotten how to walk, because I really did freak out, wondering how I could how danced all this while if I didn’t even know how to jazz walk properly…

But you were an absolute angel, constantly encouraging us, reminding us that what we really needed to do was to dance, to feel the music and not analyze too much. You never gave up on any one of us, no matter how awfully we performed that day. I know I have been awful in class, on more occasions than I dare to count!

I felt I only started dancing towards the last 2 weeks before your previous workshop series ended. Finally, I could let myself go, felt the music in my soul and enjoyed myself without worrying if I got my steps right (though I think my timing still sucks!)

I found comfort reading your blog at least once a week – so much inspiration and support from there! You’ve encouraged all of us not just in class but out of it and I have always been proud to be your student.

I have lots more to learn from you and I know you have a lot to teach. Many, many thanks for being such a wonderful teacher (the absolute best!) and I certainly look forward to being in the next Best of Jazz workshop series!

Thanks once again and see you soon.

Lots of love

Closet Dancer

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Dear Closet Dancer and all my Dancing Divas reading this entry...

I look forward to seeing all of you on Tuesday, October 23 at Dance On Us!

Later--

Dancing Through The Value Chain

One of my dance students told my group in jest last week that she thinks that I am secretly trying to build a dance empire. So... to affirm her story, I am pleased to announce that I will be starting Master Dance Workshops in mid-October!

The Master Dance workshops would be a fantastic refresher for advanced-level dancers, performers as well as dance instructors. If you have prior technical background in dance such ballet, jazz, chinese, tap, modern, give the ladies at Dance On Us a tinkle to ascertain if these workshops are suitable for you.

More details below:

Click here for more information or call Tilly from Dance On Us at 6737-4466 if you require more clarification.

See you on the dance floor!

On Biomechanics

The dance, just as the performance of the actor, is kinesthetic art, art of the muscle sense. The awareness of tension and relaxation within his own body, the sense of balance that distinguishes the proud stability of the vertical from the risky adventures of thrusting and falling – these are the tools of the dancer.

Rudolf Arnheim