Jazz Dance with Leslie

Every Tuesday and Thursday I've been taking Jazz dance classes with Leslie. She insisted that I take this class with her in order for us to be closer as well as get regular exercise. I was hesitant to take this course because I haven't taken any dance lessons since I was three, and I am not the most flexible person in the world, so of course, I was a little aprehensive! Also, I know Leslie has taken many years of dance, so I thought she would probably succeed in making me look more terrible at jazz dance than I already was. Luckily, Leslie is like a personal motivational speaker for me. She is full of great advice--including advice on becoming a better dancer.

STRETCHING

Before dancing it is always necessary to stretch. This is mandatory in order to prevent muscles from tearing, cramps, and increasing flexibility. The more flexible one is, the easier it is to perform certain moves and positions. Leslie tells me that instead of watching the television while laying on my bed and nearly falling asleep, to take the opportunity to sit on the carpet and stretch. A lot of people neglect stretching because it hurts a little bit and it can be boring. However, if I stretch while watching TV, my mind is distracted from the pain and I am able to do it better!


STRENGTH

Ever noticed how thin and muscular dancers are? This is because not only do they eat healthy food, but they make sure to strenghten their muscles. Here is a list of some exercises that really help in improving dance skills: Crunches, lunges, push upsand backwards push ups. The most important of these are the crunches and lunges. This is because jazz dancing primarly uses the leg muscles as well as the core, or abdominal muscles. Strengthening these muscles will ensure an easier time balancing, which many find to be quite challenging. For example, as a warm-up each class, we must stand on our tippy toes and do twirls and kicks. I have realized that the more I work out my leg and core muscles, the easier it is for me to do these moves.

An Introduction: Our Sisterhood

Last semester I started off living with two lovely girls, my roommate, Alli, and my suitemate, Leslie. Although Alli and I got along very well, we thought that living with a Resident Mentor (RM) put a damper on the "freedom" of our college living experience. After all, the RM's job is to make sure we stay quiet after eleven PM, not be seen walking around intoxicated, and to report us if we disobey any rules. This being said, it was nice to live with someone who could yell at the baseball boys at two in the morning for blasting their music outside or to report the creepy drunk kid wandering through the pathways. Having Leslie live with us was like having a mother who made sure her kids were kept in line and on their best behavior. Not only was it nice knowing she had such authority in the hall, but that she was an excellent Trinity Concierge. Leslie is a great resource for any questions us as confused freshmen may have. If I ever had a question about registering for classes or navigating the school, she was always there to help! Here is a picture of Leslie, Alli and I:

Despite the fact that Leslie is my RM, she is also somewhat of a big sister to me. After Alli moved back to her hometown and withdrew from Trinity, I've been spending a lot of time with someone who treats me like their little sister. She guides me through my school life and makes sure I am up for my classes. One of the things she has influenced me to do is to make sure I get enough sleep. Leslie's days are a lot busier than mine, so going to bed is a lot easier for her than it is for me. A trick I have learned to help me sleep is to never try to wind down by watching television or going on the computer. The lights of the devices cause the synapses in one's brain to keep you awake, and hence it is very difficult to wind down. Reading a book after washing up and laying in bed is a great way to signal to one's brain that it is time to wind down and to go to bed. Living with Leslie certainly has certainly influenced me to make good choices in order to live a healthier lifestyle.