Zumba With Me

Every Tuesday morning at 10:30, I looked forward to my Zumba class at the MJCC; but unfortunately, the time did not work for others. I often found myself alone with my instructor, Samantha. At the end of 2017, the dreaded announcement came. My Zumba class was ending. What was I to do? About halfway through the class, the idea hit me to record the dances; but alas, when trying to place a phone in the right spot, I missed many songs.

I successfully recorded about five dances, and my teacher sent me four videos of her dancing to numbers. Nine clips does not an hour class make, so I searched the internet for songs I could dance to. Now, I'm able to exercise for at least a short time most mornings and even a full hour on some days. Although I miss the class, I find I'm doing Zumba MORE since my class ended.

I do not feel privileged to share Samantha's tapes or what I recorded, but here are the jewels I've found on Youtube. As a blog visitor, you may not sit and watch. Rather, I am requesting that you get on your feet and join me in the dances. I put my computer on the full screen and follow as best I can. If you mess up a dance, that's fine as long as you're moving. It's pretty fun! It has to be to keep me going strong.

For a warm up, I dance to either this one, one of Samantha's clips, or Meghan Trainor's "Me Too." I'm not posting "Me, Too" because I posted it last week.

I love this one because Vijaya is easier to follow than many of these online Zumba instructors. This was a dance I did not know at all before I found her and it has become one of my regular dances.  

Next up, please join me in "Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo. This was one of the ones we danced to in class, but I didn't get it on tape, so I was glad to find the song online. The ladies don't do it exactly as I did, but it's close enough to make me happy.  

Next up, is "Can't Stop the Feeling," by Justin Timberlake. The instructor, The Fitness Marshall, talks a little too much at the beginning of his dances, but I like him because he explains what we're supposed to do. He is also the leader for my Meghan Trainor song. He leads a lot of dances on the web, so when I get bored with what I have, I'll go looking for more of his dances. This one was also not done in my dance class, but I still like it. "Me Too" was part of my class.

Next up is a really silly one. I felt goofy dancing this one in class, and I still feel goofy dancing it in front of my dogs. The version in class was better, but this one still gets me moving, so let's get you going, too. Do you know what to do with that big, fat butt? Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.

I have plenty more, but I'm just going to post one of my favorites before the cool down. We did this one in class, but it was new, and I never felt like I had the steps down pat. I know it's not exactly how we danced it, but it has a lot of the same moves, and I love the tune. I usually move the dial past the talking or make my bed at the beginning of the video. Check this out!

And finally, I found a cool down I like, even if it's not the one we did in class. I love Bruno Mars.

So, did you have a nice work out? If not, you didn't follow my rules and can't leave. Ya gotta dance, dance, dance.

Happy Birthday, Erica Lynn!

Monday, January 29th is my baby's 25th birthday. To celebrate her birth, multiple blogs are posting songs just for Erica!

The songs are about being young and beautiful, because let's face it, she is! Songs also show children growing up, which she has. Reality, if Erica is my youngest child, and she is now 25, what does that make me?

Besides being beautiful, Erica is kind, smart, and important. After all, I told her so when she was little.

 Happy Birthday, Erica!

Here is Lukas Graham's song because she is no longer seven years old, 

she's made lots of friends, and the video has a six pack in it . . . 

which is something she's always liked. If you ask Erica when was 

the first time she realized she was straight, she'll tell you it was 

"when she saw her first six pack." 

Next up is Meghan Trainor, even though getting out of bed is not one 

of Erica's strong suits; however,  Meghan wears a giraffe outfit, 

which was Erica's sorority mascot. 

Plus, who wouldn't want to be this young, beautiful girl?

Erica is also funny. Her Facebook photo shows her celebrating 

her brother's and sister's engagements. Well, they are older!

I chose this last song because Erica loves animated movies and got her degree in Event Management from the Rosen School of Hospitality in Orlando . . . which meant she was a frequent Disney guest. She is also a wonderful artist who liked France, when she visited there. Erica is currently planning weddings in Atlanta, so enjoy, "Be Our Guest."

Art By Erica!

This is a blog hop, so check out the other Erica wishes and leave comments. 

I got to choose the theme this week because I am the Spotlight Dancer!

This dancing hot dog is not as cute as Erica was when she dressed up as a hot dog for the school play! Whatever happened to that picture?

#MMMM For the Dreamers

In 1904, the Czar of Russia had passed rulings where people outside of their church were not allowed to practice religion freely. Nicholas Romanov, who's been romanticized in books as a great one, was certainly not a friend of my people. The night before a planned departure, my grandfather argued with his brothers all night long. "Don't go to America," they said. "You do not speak the language, nor do you have any money." But my grandfather saw enough insight to know, he had to leave Russia and come to the land of opportunities.

A few weeks after settling in the U.S., he received a final letter from family saying, "We wish we had come with you." Many years later, we learned of Russian soldiers barring the doors of a synagogue and setting it ablaze; thus murdering my great grandparents and several aunts and uncles, who I will never know. Thank God my family was allowed to come here!

This week's post is a freebie, but the theme has easily come to me. I can't help thinking about the poor children / young adults who know nothing other than America as home, yet face possible deportation in March. Their parents came for opportunity or to escape bad situations outside of their control. These young people just want to live in our great country and be what they've always considered themselves to be–Americans!

The cruelty of politicians messing with their lives is inhumane. I don't understand why allowing them to stay and become fullfledged Americans, as my grandfather did, is such a struggle. As children, these people did nothing wrong, and for our government to send them back to countries where many do not even speak the language is cruel. Then again, if allowed to become citizens, these dreamers would probably not vote for those trying to kick them out, so I guess that's my answer to why the heartlessness.

For them, I've posted Aerosmith.

And the Beatles.

And "America" from West Side Story. It's interesting to note that this musical from 1961 relates prejudices that still exist, today. Did you know that Puerto Rico, a US owned territory is STILL without power? Disgraceful. Maybe there is something to their "white" comment.

I'm thankful my grandfather was allowed to immigrate into the U.S. He represented what America is all about -- a land of opportunity. Emma Lazarus said it best in her poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”