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Dance4Life

Joanna

(lotusjo)
Female, 30 Years Old
England

Qualified To Teach

BODYBALANCE™

I feel incredibly lucky to have found Body Balance 6 years ago, and even more lucky to have had the opportunity to teach it for the last 5. What did it do for me? Brought me out of my shell, introduced me to some truly wonderful and enduring friends, did wonders for my spine. The first time I got up on stage and shadowed a class –without even speaking – I was shaking so hard I could hardly stand, my pallor went from red to white and back again and I did well not to black out. I was s***t scared. I had always been incredibly shy, even fainting at Uni when I had to do presentations. So, building the confidence to teach, to express how absolutely in love with this class I was, and to then in turn to learn to build the confidence of the participants in my class… Wow, what an amazing journey, and one I am still only at the beginning of. I love the physicality of the class, I am hypnotised by the sheer beauty of the choreography and the profound strengthening, grounding and calming effect it has. There is nothing like it on earth.

I taught right up to the week before my daughter (now 3) was born, and now am halfway through my second pregnancy. We split our time between England, Bulgaria and, when we can, NZ now so I only get to teach sporadically but it is always there in my heart and the back of my mind. Much of my energy recently has been taken up by our project to renovate an old mudbrick house I bought with my Kiwi winemaker hubbie in Bulgaria. It is in a lovely village full of donkeys, chickens, and many Roma people who live in squalid conditions and whose constant cheerfulness and vitality in the face of it all is humbling. I work part time as the head of comms for the UK charity Best Beginnings, whose work is to ensure all children born in the UK have a chance at a healthy start at life. Our main project this year is a breastfeeding DVD, which goes out free to all pregnant women (www.bestbeginnings.info).

I was sooooo lucky to be in NZ with the family for a few months this year, to catch up with all our dear friends, and to make it to the BB42 filming in May. Jackie and Emma were drop dead wow!! All of you who are lucky enough to be able to teach a regular class, to connect every week with all those divine people in your classes… well, I think we all know what a privilege that is. One day it will be a big part of my life again, but for now my family and I are on a different sort of journey!

Favourite overall class: BB34
Favourite track: Emma teaching hips in BB20 to U2’s ‘One’ // Dave teaching the very long forward bend at the end of 32 to Conjure One // The warmup from 41, oh yeah, and 37, and 34, and 26 (that bit when it goes mmmmmm) // and of course “Miserere”

Availability

Coming to NZ Feb - June 2008, so would love to make a few classes in Wairarapa/Welly (and hopefully up to the May filming in AKL)

Messages

Showing 1 to 11 of 19

DrDave - Trainer and Presenter	Hey well that sounds like fun! I'll let you off the hook! Its going to be a super busy time that is for sure. Have a great time and we'll have to see you next time you are in NZ! d x
	25 Aug 2008 02:12

BRENDA	Hi Joanna it was great to hear from you,i hope you are feeling well,i loved being pregnant,i was lucky i did not have any morning sickness,like you i taught for as long as i could,i wish you good luck,keep well and i bet your daughter is really excited. Take care,xx
	25 Aug 2008 01:23

Charlene the BP Queen	Love your pics! Making mud bricks looks like fun! You look so cute pregnant - makes me want to do it all over - NOT!! Saw you on PTB's site & thought I'd drop in , virtually speaking, and say "hi" from the OC, California. Queenie
	25 Aug 2008 10:58

BRENDA	Hey Joanna what is happening with you,did you have a good summer,the weather here was rubbish,i hope it gets a bit better. The kids go back to school tom,it will be good to get back to a normal routine!! We should be getting our DVD'S in about two weeks time,i am looking forward to seeing the new releases. I hope you have a good week,take care.xx
	17 Aug 2008 08:17

BRENDA	Hi JOANNA HOW ARE YOU?I HOPE ALL IS WELL. WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE A FWE DAYS OF NICE WEATHER SO IT'S BEE BBQ'S AND SUNSCREEN. TAKE CARE. B XX
	29 Jul 2008 03:50

Becky (BS)	Hello Joanna, Thanks for the add :) Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. ~Swedish Proverb Becky
	18 Jul 2008 05:58

BRENDA

Hi Joanna,i am very well,how lucky you are to meet Jackie and Emma,i would love to meet them,i was over in OZ about 20years ago when i was nursing,but i was not doing any Les Mills way back then,you never know i may get lucky and win the lottery!!!
I love going back to the old balance releases to,i loved the balance track on 16,i hope the next release is as good as 41
Iam taking the kids to see WALL-E tomorrow,it should be a good film.
Take care.
BRENDA X

16 Jul 2008 03:52

BRENDA

Hi Joanna thanks for adding me to your friends,i am from Glasgow,i am married with two kids,Kieran8&Bethany10,they are off on their summer holidays at the moment.
i am teaching full time,(i gave up nursing about 10years ago)i am teaching BB,BA,BC,BS,BP, I LOVE balance,i started on 16,i enjoyed the splits and the back bend,it takes you back to your teens!my fav pose is the BIRD,i love you picture,that was a hard position to get.
I look forward to chatting to you,i hope you have a goo week,take care.
BRENDA X

14 Jul 2008 03:08

DrDave - Trainer and Presenter	Indeed!!! See you there - i'll be the one outside catching some sun on my pale winter skin! x drd
	28 Jun 2008 04:55

DrDave - Trainer and Presenter	HEY WELCOME HOME KIWI! Will see you in the filming class although I'm not shooting this round. Come up and say hi - you'll love the class it is a divine cruise on your breath! David
	27 Apr 2008 04:55