and The Beat Goes On.........

Your imagination, please!

Now, using your colorful imagination (because i didn't get too many pictures) --

See a Circle of 22 adventurous souls sitting around a candlelit center of a beautiful room with wooden floors and stone fireplace.......each person, rhythmically drumming on their personally selected drum or percussion instrument......each, tuning in to the different sounds around them, hearing themselves in connection with the others and the difference each one makes tonight and in life, while they slowly, rhythmically connect to the musical expressions of the collective group.

The beat starts quietly and methodically and then raises to a crescendo of blended sounds filling the room with a beat of its own. Dynamic, exciting, spiritual, meditative, and thrilling.

That was last night, that was our group of adventurers and passionate drummers who came together at the beautiful Palm Valley Gardens location to explore this interesting medium of connectivity in the community - Drum Circles.

They were not disappointed. They are ready for more.

These 22 adventurers and explorers must be mentioned -- they included area professionals such as: Dean Allan, our evening's workshops facilitator, drummer, and music teacher from St. Augustine; Steve Alvarado, experienced drummer and a part of the downtown drum circle; Debbie Young, Qigong instructor and Full Moon Drum Circle facilitator at the Jax Beach location; Mims Cushing, local writer/author and drummer; Michele Andrews, partner/owner of Palm Valley Gardens; Barbara Lutes, NIA instructor; and Andrew Carey, massage therapist and drummer/chanter.

All of these individuals offered so much to the evening; and their enthusiasm and love for drumming poured out to all of the rest of the many other supportive friends from uptown, downtown, around town, and intown that joined us last night.

These friends and new community are....Barbara King-Hall, Donna Christensen, Bobbi York, Francine Smith, Ida Doherty, June Land, Lena Gallion, Lyn, Mary Howell, Michael, Rick Drazien, Charlie and Colette Sellars, Odiya Slickis, and, of course, me and my adorable hunk of a husband, Frankie-Baby.

Now that's a powerful group!

We all left with a sensation of continuity and community -- with a feather in our caps and a decorated river rock marking our time together......

....................as the river flows, so does our life!

Keep marching to the beat of YOUR own drum!

Hey yanga, ho yanga, hey yan yan!

View Dean's Blog: omrose.blogspot.com

DO YOU KNOW NIA?

NIA DANCE FITNESS....... the only way to go!

If you are looking for dance, aerobics, and fitness all combined in Fun then NIA Dance Fitness fits the bill.

I've been taking NIA classes from Barbara Lutes, Certified Brown Belt NIA Instructor, for over a year now and love it. NIA is an expressive form of movement and lifestyle practice. Nia Blends Nine Movement Forms - Martial Arts: T’ai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, and Aikido. Dance Arts: Jazz Dance, Modern Dance, Duncan Dance. Healing Arts: Yoga, Alexander Technique, The Teachings of Moshe Feldenkrais.

Nia teaches you how to physically interpret and internally direct your actions and choices, and to listen to the voice of your body and allow the body to be your guide in discovering Dynamic Ease. Practiced barefoot to music, Nia is self-guided, adaptable and safe for any fitness level, from stiff beginners to highly fit athletes. Delivering cardiovascular, whole-body conditioning, Nia is based on creating a loving relationship with the body and following The Body’s Way – the innate intelligence of the body.

Barbara's classes are currently being held at the Dansations Studio at Mickler and A1A in Ponte Vedra. She will be there through May and then will be relocating to another TBA location. In the meantime, try it out -- you'll definitely like it!

You can reach Barbara at bklutes@comcast.net or call her at (904) 708-0718.

Dance like there is no one watching!!!!!