Author: Fiona Ledgard Personal Trainer

“After your Zumba class I couldn’t stop dancing when I got home!”

“I feel amazing after your Zumba classes, and the high lasts all night and the following morning until lunchtime!”

“It really is true what group exercise and Zumba can do for the soul, I’m coming back every week!”

“I can’t believe that was an hour! It went so quick!”

“I’ve sweat more in your class than I have ever sweat in my whole life!”

“I experienced different pains in my legs the following days after my first Zumba class with you, but my legs are already getting fitter, the soreness has definitely reduced.”

My Zumba classes are 6-7pm every Wednesday at Platt Lane Sports Complex. All fitness levels welcome!

Public £4.70 / MMU Student £4.20 / Other students, MMU & MMC Staff £4.40 / Concession £2.45

Lots of shiny happy people hugged each other, expressed their thanks and congratulated me after my first Zumba class last night! It was so much fun!

We had to wipe steam from the mirrors to take a photo in the reflection! We got drenched in there! Such a good workout.

Lots of great open minded energy and smiles from the start. I enjoyed it so much and already can’t wait for next week!

I LOVE the feedback from last night:

John: ‘Slightly surprised to still be alive after that, but feel properly great now.’

‘… It’s brilliant. The music’s bonkers. Like the Macarena, only with a massive bass drum and a really angry man shouting at you over the top.’ 😂😂😂

‘Absolutely no way I’d have got through that when I was smoking. It is serious business.’

Chloe: ‘I LOVED IT!!!!! So much fun and vibes Fi, you bring the ENERGY as always.’

Steph: ‘Fiona just totally smashed her first Zumba class, I know, I was there and it was awesome sweaty fun! Much better cardio than running on a treadmill!!’

My Zumba classes are open to everyone (18+) and are £4.70 per session or included in the gym membership at Platt Lane Sports Complex. Monthly direct debit for gym membership is £18.50 per month for members of the public / £13 for Manchester Met students / £16 for other students, MCC & Manchester Met staff.

Zumba is incredible for so many reasons, but one of the best things about a Zumba workout is the FUN and self expression involved. Take a look at the 2 videos below. 2 dancers in the first video dancing to the same Zumba track as the 2 dancers in the next video. Same choreography, but because of the way they dance and how they choose to style out the moves, they bring something different. It’s all about how you go with the flow, how you bring it and how you OWN IT!

Same track, same choreo, yet with a slightly different essence in each video! If you’re interested in coming to one of my classes, stick one of these videos on and have a go! Just keep practicing and it will get easier and more and more enjoyable when you’re able to lose yourself in the moves!

If you’d like to book onto one of my classes at Platt Lane Sports Complex, feel free to call the reception: 0161 247 5605

 

If you know me well, if you’ve read my blog before, if you’ve seen me on a dance floor, or if you’ve bumped into me at Platt Lane Sports Complex talking about the new Zumba classes, you will already know… I LOVE TO DANCE!!!

I am honoured to have been trained by totally inspiring Mexican Zumba instructor Sandra Bayliss in April 2018, with the hope of bringing Zumba classes to Manchester Met students and members of the local community at Platt Lane Sports Complex!

The training day was 8 hours, combining highly energetic dancing, and sitting down writing notes on genres, rhythms, specific dance moves and all kinds of visualisations to help us remember moves. Visualisations like landing a plane, rubbing your boobs up a wall (lol) for the body roll, chopping the sugar cane, carrying a candle… And for me, these visualisations have really helped with the learning process.

And my is it a learning process?! I have spent hours and hours listening to the different tracks, identifying intros, verses, bridges, choruses and breakdowns all in a language I don’t yet understand! Then came the watching of the Zumba Instructor Network DVD On repeat. Throughout summer, watching and practicing, even drawing little stick men with arrows in different directions to help me memorise portions of tracks.

A major springboard moment in the learning process was when I enjoyed dancing to a free Zumba-for-everyone class in the streets of Columbia, where Zumba comes from! This was a recent trip and dancing with everyone in the streets to Zumba, was a real life affirming moment! It gave me a real boost for the mind, body and soul, it gave me more confidence in my Zumba dancing, and I learned some news moves too!

 

I felt so happy to see all ages of people , all genders, getting right into it, and it was FREE! Apparently this happens every Sunday in the Trinidad Square in Cartagena. How’s beautiful is this? GOALS! Loads of people were wearing the yellow Colombia football team shirt, and there was a real electricity in the air, because Columbia had just won their first World Cup 2018 game that afternoon! They were out a few weeks later, but hey, people still experienced pure excitement and pleasure in the moment, that lifted their souls.

Which brings us back to the power of DANCE! Specifically Zumba! Zumba Fitness really is ‘the most joyful money machine on earth’ Haha.

And there’s a reason why Zumba is the most successful dance class in the world. In fact there are many:

Not only do you lose yourself in all the intoxicating, colourful, vibrant rhythms of reggaeton, salsa, cumbia, merengue and more… You also reap these benefits: Calorie and fat burning, improved coordination, full body workout, aerobic benefits, anaerobic benefits, confidence boosting, increasing self esteem, it gets you hooked on exercise, anyone can join in, it is social and IT IS FUN!

I learned on the Zumba course that your participants might not really remember how to execute correct technique, but they will remember how you made them feel. I love this.

During my first ever Zumba class, I got the giggles at the start, but a few tracks in, I was lost in the music, I had lost all my inhibitions, I was FEELING THE  MUSIC and I started to notice my mood was getting more and more lifted with each track. The intensity varies between each track, to create an interval training session, better for fatburn and preserving energy for more intense moves! But gradually the moves get more intense and complicated, as you pick them up and own it!

There is so much to say, but I must dash. I am so ready for tonight’s session! All fitness levels welcome. From experienced dancers to complete beginners (18+) come and give my Zumba class a go!

Wednesdays 6-7pm at Platt Lane Sports Complex, Fallowfield, Manchester.

£4.70 per session or included in the gym membership.

Bring a water bottle and a towel! See you in the fitness studio in the Leisure Dome! LET’S DANCE!

Here’s the brand new Platt Lane Sports Complex fitness class timetable. See you there!

Lots of exciting changes are coming to the fitness timetables across MMU Sport, very soon! Sports photographer Molly Darlington (she’s really good, check out her Instagram: @mdarlingtonphotography – do it) took some photos of me leading various classes and PT sessions in the gym at Platt Lane Sports Complex, for the new timetable launch. Stay tuned for more info!

Just keep rowing:

How low can you go? Make sure those glutes are activated!

Shoulder press:

Working the cross-trainers:

Lat pull-down… Exhale on the pull, keep your back straight, and keep that core engaged!

Checking squat technique with the bar before we add weight! 

Making the ‘Y’ from the legendary ‘YMCA’ in military press!

 

Shiny new gloves, pads and skipping ropes from @ProBoxUk for our Box Fit sessions at Platt Lane Sports Complex!

I’ve been learning some awesome new drills & skills for my Box Fit sessions, thank you @pullinpt 💪🏼 & @joc_sport 🥊

We currently run 3 Box Fit sessions every week:

Mon 17:30-18:15, Wed 09:30-10:30, Fri 18:15-19:00

New to boxing training? Seasoned professional? Everyone welcome! Call @plattlanemmu reception: 0161 247 5605 to book onto a class!

 

One of the students I helped train for The Great Run – the much loved Manchester 10K – did the run IN EXACTLY ONE HOUR! I saw the evidence from the GPS tracker on Georgia’s Instagram live! THIS IS AMAZING!

Here’s Georgia (in the purple T-shirt) on the day of The Great Run, Sunday 20th May 2018, raising awareness and funds for The Hospice of The Good Shepherd.

A few months ago she told me that she would be doing the 10K Run for the first time, with members of her family. They have been raising funds for the hospice that helped Georgia’s auntie before she passed away. This is incredibly moving and such a positive thing to do, in the context of losing a much loved family member.

Georgia is one of the regulars in my fitness classes at Platt Lane Sports Complex and I have really enjoyed working with her, enhancing her cardiovascular endurance and stamina, increasing leg and core strength, training for a safe, enjoyable run, with the hope that she could get a good finishing time in her first 10K event.

It’s such an awesome feeling to see that she did the run in such a brilliant time and that she will continue to run from now on!

Georgia: “After telling Fiona I would be running the Manchester 10K, she offered to help me train for it and having had no previous running experience, this was something I came to be extremely grateful for.

We had 10 weeks to train before the run so we had one personal training session per week and she even let my two housemates who weren’t doing the run join in.

Fiona taught me different exercises and techniques that would improve my running style and help build my stamina, along with teaching me lots of different facts about running.

I managed to run the 10K in exactly 1hr which is something I would never have been able to do without the help of Fiona.

I can’t thank her enough for the amazing support she gave me in the run up to the event and she’s even motivated me to do more running in the future.

THANK YOU!”

THANK YOU GEORGIA! BIG RESPECT TO YOU AND ALL OF YOUR FAMILY! (And your mates who turned up to the training sessions!) Keep up the good work!

To mark the end of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek 2018, I’ve compiled a list of 10 of my favourite pieces of deeply relaxing music.

This week The Mental Health Foundation chose to raise awareness around stress.

If we make time for relaxation, we are less likely to experience stress. Stress can be seriously bad for our health. It is so important to be able to feel calm, and to know – in such a ridiculously busy world – that we have the ability to find moments of peace.

I know for a fact that chilling out to music, meditation and exercise (specifically yoga and swimming) can really help me to feel relaxed.

I also love the healing power of gong vibration detox (group relaxation with large gongs being played around you). Click here to listen to my radio interview with Manchester based Gong Spa Practitioner Martyn Cawthorne.

But if you’re struggling to find peace, make it simple. Run a bath, light some candles and play these tracks below! No bath? No worries! Simply make time to lay down with your eyes closed and listen!

Vee Uye is a friend of mine who inspires me greatly. She’s like a superhero.  She is a prolific runner, she’s totally knowledgeable and passionate about running. She motivated me to get into running, which changed my life.

I asked her to answer a few questions to get people psyched for the Great Run (the much loved Manchester 10K) happening this Sunday, and to also offer some advice to people who might be new to running.

She’s a physiotherapist, she’s just completed her Level 3 Sports Massage qualification and soon she will start a Masters in Running Biomechanics!

How did you get into running?
I was never particularly good at sports as a kid. By the time I hit adolescence, I’d completely lost interest. Fast forward to university and I was living a very unhealthy life. I wasn’t active, I was overweight, I drank, I smoked. I remember catching sight of myself one day and thinking, ‘how have I got to this?’.
I headed to the nearest newsagents and picked up a fitness magazine. It contained a running plan it it for absolute beginners. I figured that running was the cheapest activity I could get into to try and lose weight.
I started the plan. The plan nearly finished me! I was running for 1 minute and walking for 3 mins and I thought I was going to die!! But I stuck to it and started running further and further. But the end of the plan I could run for 5k straight so I found a plan that took me from 5k to 10k. I started to legitimately love running and the mental and physical benefits it gave me. I entered the Great Manchester Run for the first time and absolutely loved the vibe. It was like I’d found my people! Since then I’ve run loads of races from 5k to marathon distance. It’s safe to say that running is now a massive part of my life. It inspired me to retrain as a physiotherapist, and in September I’ll be starting a postgraduate degree looking at how running biomechanics relate to injury.

Out of all the races and marathons you’ve done, which is the most memorable so far?
Tough one. I think that has to be the Brighton Marathon in 2014. I ran with my best mate the entire way round. He is a much better runner than me but hadn’t really trained that well for the distance so we ran the same pace. We’ve known each other since we were teenagers and we had similarly difficult starts to life, which translated into us both being a bit too into partying for such young people. So to run the marathon with him, as healthy adults, meant something really special. During the race, there were times when I struggled and he kept my motivation up. Then, he would start to flag, and I’d chat to keep his spirits up. We crossed the line hand in hand. I’ll always remember that.

What are the 3 most interesting insights you’ve learned in all your years of running?
First off, running is excellent therapy. It is meditative and mindful. You can think about absolutely nothing whilst running, or you can work through problems in your head. You can run on your own for some ‘me time’, or you can get out with a group and chat it out. My partner Lucy knows when I haven’t been running much and will practically order me out of the door as it affects my mood that much. Sometimes, when you are feeling low, lacing your trainers up is the last thing you want to do. But that is your cloud talking. If you get yourself out of the door, 9 times out of 10 you come back feeling better than when you left.
The second thing I have learnt is that no one cares! What I mean is that I used to be really paranoid I’d be called out for not being a proper runner. Or laughed at in the street when I was doing my 1 minute wheeze/cough/splutter running. Runners come in all shapes and sizes. I realised that the only person judging my speed, size, or technique was me. No one else cared! They were all busy with their own lives. You are highly unlikely to be last in a race, if you enter one, and even if you are, no one will care! Run because you want to. That’s what counts. That’s what people admire.
Lastly, you can’t just run. This took a while to sink in for me, but it is really important that you are also strong. The forces you will subject your body to whilst running are pretty big. Modern sedentary life has robbed us a bit of our natural capacity to absorb these forces so we need to counteract that by cross training. I’d recommend doing something resistance based at least twice a week. Yoga, or bodyweight exercises, or using the machines in the gym, whatever you enjoy. The bonus is that not only will you reduce your risk of developing a running related injury, but you can carry the many benefits of strength training into other areas of your life.
Which other runners, if any, inspire you?
If I had said Yuki Kawauchi a few weeks ago, you probably wouldn’t have known who I meant but he’s big news at the moment after winning the Boston Marathon. The reason he is a big deal is because until this prestigious win, he worked a full-time job, and raced multiple marathons each year as an amateur. He always, always pushes himself to the absolute limit. ‘Zip up your Yuki suit’ is a saying popularised by a podcast called Marathon Talk. It basically means stop complaining and get it done! Such is the character of Kawauchi. I try to zip my Yuki suit up when I’m in the middle of a tough session or race.

Photo by Kyle Hightower

I also admire Paula Radcliffe. Mary Keitany tried to break Paula’s 2003 marathon world record of 02:15:25 in London this year and in failing to do so, she reminded us of just how spectacular an achievement that record is. It’s stood for 15 years and looks like it will stand for a little longer too. Photo from Getty Images

The other runner I have to mention is Eliud Kipchoge. This guy IS running. He is poetry in motion. Super humble, monastic in his approach to training, totally zen. I recommend checking out Nike’s Breaking 2 documentary for an insight into, I believe, the greatest marathon runner of all time.

Photo by Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
What sort of things do you eat the day before a 10K Run?
I think people can get a bit hung up on what to eat before races. There’s a big emphasis on stuffing yourself full of pasta and taking sports gels. Personally, I think you don’t need to. Eat healthy, well balanced, meals the day prior to the race. Your body will have more than enough fuel to get you through. There’s no need to load up on gels or anything like that. I wouldn’t eat anything unfamiliar as it is likely to upset your stomach and that’s the last thing you want while running. You also need to make sure you eat breakfast at least 2 hours before the race. I check the start time of my wave and work back from there. If I get peckish after that, I might have half a banana.

How do you motivate yourself to train throughout the week?
Motivation is a finite resource. I can’t always count on being motivated to get me out of the door, especially when it’s raining, or I’m busy, or stressed. The way I manage this is by making it difficult not to go on a run. For instance, if I know that I have limited time in the morning, I get everything ready the night before so I just have to roll out of bed and into my running gear. Or I might plan to run to work, turning a session into a commute. If I feel that my mood might be getting low, I’ll arrange to run with friends, or with my club. That’s usually enough to ensure I get out as I don’t want to let people down. The bottom line is, it isn’t always a beautiful day, your mind isn’t always in the right place, and time isn’t always on your side. But with a bit of pre-planning, you can usually make it work.

What’s your favourite piece of music to run to at the moment?
Controversially, I tend not to listen to music whilst running. I know some people can’t run without tunes but if I listen to anything, I tend to listen to a lot of podcasts related to running and fitness. I do this for a few reasons. The first one comes back to making runs work for me. I’ve got limited time and it’s a way of maximising my day by learning. The second reason is that I find my feet locking to the tempo of songs I’m listening to. I like to keep my cadence above 175 steps per minute and music that matches that tempo…is usually not what I want to be listening to in the morning! The final reason is that I like to train my mind as well as my body. The marathon is my main distance and to run 26.2 miles, you need to be comfortable in your own head. More often than not, I’ll take my headphones out and just let my mind wander.

What advice would you give to runners doing their first Great Run experience this Sunday?
Enjoy it! It’s probably the best supported 10k you will ever do so soak it up. Also, pace yourself. When you cross the start line, your adrenaline will be pumping and everyone around you will take off like a rocket. Try to remember your training. You aren’t going to be able to magically run 2-3 minutes per mile quicker on race day than you could the day before so stick to your pace and if you have something left in the tank at the end, you can put your foot down then. It’s not easy, everyone gets pulled a bit faster by the occasion and the atmosphere, but try to resist the urge to set a world record. It will only end in tears!
What would you say to someone who is interested in getting into running, but not sure where to start?
The best advice I can give is to start a structured running plan for beginners. Something like the Couch to 5k. Or send a message to running clubs in your area to see if they have any beginners sessions. Both Chorlton Runners and Manchester Frontrunners offer beginner sessions periodically so find out when their next programs begin. The benefit of starting a structured plan is that it will help you gradually increase the time/distance you are running for. One of the biggest risk factors for developing injuries is doing too much too soon, and as an inexperienced runner, it might not be clear how to gauge how much is too much. If you are considering taking up running, go for it! I never looked back. I wish you the same joy and peace of mind running brings to me.

Thank you Vee! Keep up the excellent work, and good luck with your upcoming Masters!

ALL THE BEST TO ALL RUNNERS THIS SUNDAY! 💚

“If I Can’t Dance, I Don’t Want To Be Part of Your Revolution” Emma Goldman

Tomorrow I’m going on a course to become a ZUMBA INSTRUCTOR! I am beyond excited. Dancing is one of my favourite things to do in the world. Dancing makes me feel FREE and ALIVE. The feeling I get – from going out dancing and experiencing connection with others, dancing in my room when getting ready, or taking part in dance classes – can genuinely empower and energise me for days and days.

Here’s a photo of me rocking out wearing an eye mask, losing myself in music aged 6!

There’s something about losing yourself in the moment, because of the way that the music makes you feel – in your mind, body and soul – where you forget about everything else, but you become more aware of your self. Studies show that dancing can help people increase their self esteem to get better at public speaking! Dancing can help people feel more comfortable in themselves.

Posing on the floor at a @justdivad vogue workshop at Airborne Studios Manchester.

Movement in the body can ‘create the space in our minds necessary to bring us back in touch with the natural intelligence of our bodies, and ultimately with each other and the planet.’ Natasha Blank of ‘Get Your Dance On’ also based in NYC.

‘There was a time when mankind was primitive, a time when the sun was an object of worship and human beings were in sync with the earth. In these ancient days, the indigenous people didn’t only use language or drawings to express themselves – they used dance. The old, shamanic ritual of uninhibited movement as a means to heal and energize’ and nowadays, many people and collectives try to recreate this magical skill. Experiencing something like this place in Texas is on my bucket list!

But you’ve gotta laugh. This scene from British sitcom ‘Peepshow’ has had me crying with laughter TOO MANY TIMES!

I’ve always loved dancing, with all my heart. I am by no means a professional dancer, but the enjoyment of dancing and watching others dancing has always been there. My mum and my nanna have always taken us to see live stage shows and seriously, the all singing all dancing musicals have always made me feel high-on-life. Favourite musical? That’s a whole other conversation!

HOW AMAZING IS THIS?! Combining some of my favourite things: Rhythm, movement, singing, nature, women’s collectivity and community. Footage of women using their hands to splash the sea Vanuatu Islands. Stunning.

There is something so special about watching people express themselves dancing. Ever seen the most heartwrenching scene in The Green Mile? Where the innocent protagonist requests to ‘See the moving picture’ before he is sent to the electric chair on death row. He sees footage of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers dancing ‘Cheek To Cheek’ and compares them to angels.

Dancing is the ultimate feel-good form of exercise. So many health benefits. Did you know that dancing can relieve anxiety and even boost brain power?

Photo by Christopher Dresden Styles, Bollox at Legends (2012)

Below are some of my favourite music videos, YouTube videos and scenes in movies, where dancing has either inspired me, moved me to tears or made me smile from ear to ear.

The best film I’ve seen recently without a doubt is 120 BPM. It is a beautifully powerful French film about ‘Act Up’ the gay rights campaign group during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. The dance scenes throughout the film represent rebellion and community. This scene really stayed with me.

Fatboy Slim – Praise You is one of my favourite music videos ever. A work of genius. Comedy gold.

I will always remember how the music video for Jason Nevins remix of RUN DMC’s ‘It’s Like That’ made me feel when I was 10 years old. It was released in 1997, and it exploded. Everywhere. That thumping beat is infectious, and the music video is too. Featuring all different kinds of people having a breakdancing dance off. This was the first time I saw women breakdancing and it did something to me. We heard this track at every school disco at Middle School (on Friday lunchtimes! – I went to every single one!) and friends birthday parties. I’m now 30 years old and I still think the original, the remix and the video are so cool.  ((SPINBACK)) – “CHECK THIS OUT!”

How much excellence can you see in one performance? See Jabbawockeez at the NBA Finals last year, above, to find out more.

PULP FICTION: UMA THURMAN & JOHN TRAVOLTA IN JACKRABBIT SLIM’S TWIST CONTEST!!!  They don’t even dance for that long on screen, but the dancing comes across as so flippin’ effortlessly ICONIC. Intoxicating to behold.

Shoutout to the northern powerhouse, spellbinding dancer and choreographer that is Joshua Hubbard of The House Of Decay. Follow him on instagram. His performance in the video for the Young Fathers track SHAME needs no introduction. Just watch.

Great memories and lots of lessons learned in various vogueing workshops with Joshua! Below is a photo of some of us, post-workshop at Hype Dance Studio, Sheffield.

The above disco scene in The Get Down. Thrilling.

Check out this DISCO CLASSIC: Musique – Keep On Jumpin’

Word. I could talk for DISCO for days, but for now… Here’s Grace! At Studio 54.

Someone once said about the feeling of experiencing the closest thing to what heaven might feel like on the dance floor at Studio 54. LOVE IT! In the future, if they design some sort of App where you can actually time travel, the 70s disco scene in New York City will be one of the first places I go.

Of course I need to talk about my love of vogueing and ballroom culture. I am so grateful to know about vogueing. We must always acknowledge and celebrate the Black and Latino gay community who started this incredible form of expression around the 1970s in NYC. Paris Is Burning is an exceptional documentary. And now, following the legacy of Willi Ninja, Paris is OFF THE SCALE. Vogueing has gone completely global. It’s without a doubt my favourite form of dancing.

Vogueing combines elements of elegant poses like those in Vogue magazine; styles like old way, new way and vogue-femme, with a whole load of amazing categories for vogue ball participants to channel and OWN IT. Watching other people vogueing, especially people from the LGBT+ community, expressing themselves and LIVING really does inspire me.

Shoutout to OH-SO-FIERCE Darren Pritchard, the Mother of The House of Ghetto who’s has taught me and my friends so much about vogueing and working the floor in his high energy vogue-femme workshops. All the best to everyone involved in tonight’s SOLD OUT Deep In Vogue documentary’s fundraiser at TriBeCa in Manchester!

There is so much to touch upon, Manchester has such a wealth of historical importance when it comes to music, dancing and the power of collective consciousness. Check out the MDMArchive for ongoing (highly dedicated) documentation.

One of the MDMArchive Co-founders is the ever-so-passionate-about-music-and-culture Abs Ward. Listen to her awesome show on NTS Radio. Keep up the good work Abs!

Back to dancing.

This scene in Billy Elliott makes my heart beam with joy.

This scene is also intensely powerful. The whole soundtrack is brilliant.

I watched Mary Poppins on repeat when I was little. I was always absolutely mesmerised watching this particular scene with the happy chimney sweeps. Then I became an adult and studied sociology, and I enjoy challenging inequality and exploring representation of different social groups. Great film though!

Watch these awe-inspiring Lindy Hoppers HAVING IT! Pure energy. Pure skills.

‘Shall We Dance’ from The King and I has moved me to tears many a time. I feel that the film is problematic and dated, but I used to watch it loads as a kid. I’m sure my mum bought it on VHS for my sister and I, with some colouring books, for us to chill out one Easter Holiday. I remember thinking that the king is a horrible person, but this particular scene and other scenes with music and dancing really fascinated me as a child and still do. This scene makes my eyes fill up – it’s when they realise they’ve got feelings for each other! And it’s is just so extravagant and old school!

Sometimes it’s the simple things: The Snowman animation, specifically this jubilant dance scene with the uplifting violin folk music moved me as a kid. Still does. What a heart breaking film though!

When it comes to talking about the power of dance, there is so much more to say, and I will be blogging about dance and movement again, watch this space.

The next *HIGHLY* recommended night out in Manchester for dancing ALL NIGHT LONG in a safe space with nothing but love and hugs (and kisses) on the dance floor? Come to Kiss Me Again Saturday 5th May at Soup Kitchen with guest DJ sets from *the legendary* Kath McDermott and Philippa Jarman!

Tickets here. See you on the dance floor!

In the words of Belinda Carlisle:

“In this world we’re just beginning, to understand the miricle of living…

… They say in heaven, love comes first. Ooh Heaven is a place on Earth!”

“I feel like I’ve been to a rave!”

“When I come out of your spin class I feel like I’ve been clubbing!”

“I sweat more in your class than ever!”

“I can feel my fitness level getting better because of your spin classes.”

I keep receiving wonderful feedback for my spin classes. I love teaching spin at Platt Lane Sports Complex. Every time I come away feeling truly energised after a real workout!

I mix it up with the music and the moves, so no two classes are the same. I work with the beats, the bass lines, the climatic builds and the drops.

Here are my 10 favourite tracks at the moment, that fill me with joy and drive me to motivate people to push themselves (and keep pushing themselves) to sprint, hill climb, ‘cycle through the tunnel’ and much more!

Want to come to a class? Here’s the timetable. You can book onto classes by calling the reception. Then come to the Leisure Dome at Platt Lane Sports Complex, walk through the reception, turn down the corridor to the right, keep walking and you’ll find the spin studio and lots of friendly faces.

Reception: 0161 247 5605

Bring your towel, a water bottle and LET’S HAVE IT!!!