Morroco the Ballerino from SF

I was in the throws of my first focus group for the production of Boudoir Ballet, and a dear friend of mine visited me for the weekend with her little boy. One morning, I was in my boudoir pondering life and caught him starring at himself in the full-length mirror. He was wearing a princess dress moving to and fro watching the skirt of the dress sway with a huge smile on his face. I asked him, "How do you feel?" He responded, "Pretty and fabulous!" I asked my Self, "What is your deal? Why don't you feel pretty and fabulous?" This sent me into a tailspin of self-defeating self-talk as to how and why I got to the place I was in: feeling beat up physically/emotionally and generally shitty about my Self and my body. I don't like to wallow in my misery for very long. I usually give myself 24 hours to cry it out and turn things around. So I got rid of my full-length mirror and created the Boudoir Ballet: 20 min. for 20 days. I worked on my body for 20 days straight which gave me a goal to focus on and other participants to hold me accountable. I altered my internal dialogue replacing negativity with hype even if I didn't believe it just yet. Per my dear friend's suggestion, I started to "add a little sparkle" to everything. So I started "playing dress up" by rocking my heels and dresses with more frequency and wearing make-up. It was amazing how working on my physical Self definitely altered my perception. I felt the transformation! I had been working so hard on my spiritual Self through my meditation practice that my physical Self had fallen by the wayside. Who knew that a little boy in a princess dress would be instrumental in turning my body positivity around! I gotta give it up to his fab mama for supporting him in his self-expression. What is so inspiring about this dynamic duo is that it doesn't matter to either one of them: gender, sexual orientation, societies' judgements, or "social norms." HE IS! As he stated to his grandparents once that questioned him on his gender and his affinity for dresses, he responded confidently, "I AM FREE!" Isn't that what it is all about: being free, pretty and fabulous!!! So if you see a fabulous child and his equally fabulous mama prancing around San Francisco, tell them Auntie Luz says hi ;)  

Morroco

Boudoir Ballet Testimonial #3

BEFORE

AFTER 20 MIN. FOR 20 DAYS

I was looking for something simple enough but effective to supplement my regular workout. Something that wouldn't take too long but would have results. Initially, I was a little skeptical because I couldn't imagine how some of the movements were going to help at all.  But twenty days later, I fit into pants I have not been able to wear since I got them, I feel stronger, sexier and like I have found something that can help me tone and stay firm in the places that I am most concerned with. - Boudoir Ballerina

Luz Takes the BB Quiz!

NAME: Luz Emma Cañas Madrigal

AGE: 43

HOW OLD DO YOU FEEL: 33

WOMEN'S BODIES ARE POWERFUL BECAUSE: they are resilient

MY WORKOUT MANTRA IS: you get out what you put in

MY HYPE SONG IS: Lord of the Game BY Death Grips

MY BODY ICON IS:     Maria Elisa Antonelli (BRA) Beach Volleyball

MY FAVE PART OF MY BODY IS: legs

I STAY BODY POSITIVE BY: flipping negative self talk with the opposite even if I don't quite believe it yet

THE WORST THING I'VE DONE TO MY BODY: eating disorder in my teens (not eating)

THE BEST THING I'VE DONE TO MY BODY: nourishing my body with healthy home-cooked food, occasional indulgence, regular exercise and meditation

I SPOIL MY BODY BY getting regular mani/pedis, acupuncture, and shiatsu 

I LOVE BOUDOIR BALLET BECAUSE: not time consuming, keeps me injury free and keeps everything where I want it

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: MY BODY IS MY TEMPLE

Boudoir Ballerina Testimonial #2

After just thirty days of doing Boudoir Ballet I can not only feel but also see results. More than the toning I received in my thighs and abdomen, I really enjoyed the boost of energy I felt after working out. Unlike most exercises that have you sweating like an animal, Boudoir Ballet allowed me to burn calories, firm up some soft areas and not even break a sweat. By the end of the session I had more flexibility and more endurance and A feeling of accomplishment knowing I was able to stick to it for 30 days. - Boudoir Ballerina

Boudoir Ballerina Testimonial #1

BEFORE

AFTER 20 MIN. FOR 20 DAYS

Boudoir Ballet not only sculpted and strengthened my 7 month post-partum body but also provided me with the space and time to connect to my body and spirit in the mix of caring for two children. My entire body felt heavy, tight and crunchy like I had gravel in my muscles and from day one that shifted to a light, loose and smooth feeling of strength. From the inside out, I feel amazing! And I can't tell you how many people have commented on the external results they see. - Boudoir Ballerina

TAKE THE BB QUIZ

NAME:___________________________________

AGE:________

HOW OLD DO YOU FEEL:_________

WOMEN'S BODIES ARE POWERFUL BECAUSE _______________________________.

MY WORKOUT MANTRA IS ________________________________________________.

MY HYPE SONG IS ________________________BY____________________________.

MY BODY ICON IS _________________________.

MY FAVE PART OF MY BODY IS ________________.

I STAY BODY POSITIVE BY________________________________________________.

THE WORST THING I'VE DONE TO MY BODY:_________________________________.

THE BEST THING I'VE DONT TO MY BODY:___________________________________.

I SPOIL MY BODY BY______________________________________________________.

I LOVE BOUDOIR BALLET BECAUSE: ________________________________________.

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: MY BODY IS _______________________________________.

WHO: WHAT: WHERE: WHEN: WHY: HOW:

WHO: 

Who am I/i? Do you want the long or short version? For your sake I will give you the "blog" version. I am a 43 year old single-mother. A widow. A poet, a healer and martial artist. I have been training my body for as I long as I can remember. I began as a competitive swimmer at 6, then gymnastics at 7, which led to Classical Ballet for 22 years, Modern for 8, West African for 4, and my current passions are Capoeira Angola and Kundalini Yoga. I have been practicing both modalities for 11 years. A total of 37 years of non-stop training even through 2 pregnancies. What can I say...dance and movement sustain me. Or maybe I'm just addicted to endorphins...

WHAT: 

I've been teaching Dance-Based Fitness for 17 years. What began as Pilates has developed into my own style which is a synthesis of all the modalities I have trained in and is called Boudoir Ballet. It can be done in the comfort of your h(om), hotel room or on the go. It only takes 20 minutes. It conditions, sculpts and elongates your muscles. It builds your body-confidence and makes you feel sexy in clothes and out! 

WHERE: 

My spiritual journey initiated a series of moves from state to state and country to country. In my process of seeking, I left behind clients many of which no longer do Pilates. With each departure, they had asked me when I was going to come out with a DVD/Video so that they could continue training with me. Initially, I created an on-line forum for meditation which became Rhythm & Breath, but after years of dedicating myself to Yoga and Capoeira, I realized I was excluding a major part of myself which is Pilates and Dance. My self-actualization has led me to embrace ALL that I am. And Pilates is what has kept me injury-free all these years of intense training. So I created an exercise video for busy ladies like myself. Boudoir Ballet is not time consuming, nor an energy drain like cardio can be, and is very effective. Like other mothers, I don't have time to waste so I am sharing what has worked for me.

WHEN: 

There will be three 20 min. videos that can be bought individually or as a bundle. The soft-launch of the first video will be on July 28th. This video has been in development for 17 years and will finally be available for purchase. I am SO excited to finally have something to share!

WHY: 

Dance has historically been elitist and racially biased. I experienced this directly which began a long struggle with cultural identity, body image issues, low self-esteem and depression. For my mental health, I altered my dreams of becoming a ballerina and became a Dance Movement Therapist instead. That is another long story that I will divulge in my forth-coming memoir but as with all the other tools I have created, I don't want anyone to be limited by their life circumstances to not be healthy, content and complete. I believe the only excuses are the ones we create. I was blessed to have exceptional dance and martial arts training and am honored to share my knowledge in the capacity I have created to share it.

HOW: 

1) LIKE my Boudoir Ballet page on Facebook.
2) FOLLOW this blog where I will be posting pertinent information on Boudoir Ballet, dance, fitness, wellness and beauty.
3) PURCHASE my 20 min Boudoir Ballet video available on July 28th.
4) SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel for tutorials on Boudoir Ballet technique, rehab and more!