Get Going - More Motown (Certification Observation)

SO the time has finally come to get my class observed so I can officially be certified in Older Adult Fitness. Today is the day, and I'm going to try to keep it simple and have fun. Here is another Motown soundtrack to light up your Tuesday funk:

Michael Jackson & the Jackson Five - A B C
Pharrell Williams - Happy
Diana Ross - Upside Down
Kool & The Gang - Celebration
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive 
Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
Gloria Gaynor - I will survive
Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up, Part 1
Diana Ross - I'm Comin Out
Aretha Franklin - Respect
Rose Royce - Car Wash
The Commodores - Brick House
Jean Knight - Mr Big Stuff
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Marvin Gaye - Mercy, Mercy Me
Blank and Jones - Luftschloss

UPDATE: I totally passed - even though I didn't feel like I taught "the perfect class", my trainer really liked all of the components and "gave the highest marks I've ever given in a first time practical assessment" and anything she remarked on was just so she could give me stuff to work on going forward. She even said that if someone was looking for a mentor, I could easily show them my incredibly balanced and fun class. Yay!!

Get Going - ElectroSpring!

It can be hard to stay on the level when the weather goes back and forth between winter and spring... Hopefully this Electroswing ElectroSpring playlist contributes to your inner sunshine.

The Playlist

Fred Astaire - Putting on the Ritz (Club des Beluga mix)
Lena Horne - Little Doggie
De-Phazz - The Mambo Craze
Kenneth Bager & Fragment Eight & the Hellerup Cool School Choir - The Sound of Swing
Club des Belugas - Hip Hip Chin Chin (Maxim Ilion Mix)
Gabin - doo_uap_doo_uap_doo_uap
Caravan Palace - Jolie Coquine
Mr Scruff - Get a Move On
SilverSneakers - Dance Jive & Swing - Mambo #5
Jazz Juice - fever (pagany_jazzy_mix)
Chinese Man - Artichaut
Nicolas Repac - Revue Noir

Get Going - Get Strong, Get Dancing

We experimented with our low weight dumbells today - with great success! A kickin' playlist had us dancing in our chairs. I improvised an easy non-Zumba dance routine to go with Mambo#5 and then kept the enthusiasm up while we worked balance and coordination. It all really just came together!

SilverSneakers - Dance Jive & Swing
Who Put the Bomp
The Twist
Jailhouse Rock
Let's Twist Again
Hound Dog
Twisting the Night Away
At the Hop
Swing Another Mood
Mambo #5
Jump Jive and Wail
Glee Soundtrack - Lady Is a Tramp
Pharrell Williams - Happy
Paolo Nutini - New Shoes

Get Going - 60's & Motown

I am so fortunate to have such outstanding ladies in my Get Going class! We tried doing the Theraband exercises with the covered Resistance Bands, so it was extra challenging.

Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Your
Stevie Wonder - That Girl
JacksonFive - Blame It on The Boogie
Kenny Loggins - Your Mama Don't Dance
Tina Turner - Fool In Love
Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally
Marvin Gaye - I heard it through the grapevine
Aretha Franklin - Respect
Sam & Dave - Soul man
CCR - Fortunate son
 Lynyrd Skynyrd- Sweet home Alabama
The Four Tops - Sugar Pie Honey Bunch
Martha & the Vandellas - Dancing in the streets
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
Danny Kaye - The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing
Lionel Richie - All Night Long

Get Going - Bonus * 70's Funk & Disco

Its a delicate balance - to challenge my group while reminding them to honor their limits, because they are so able in so many ways. So today was about challenging ourselves with balance and coordination, plus a little more challenge with a heavier resistance band.

I'm teaching them this not-Zumba choreography - because they have so much fun when we do musical things.

Jully Black - Seven Day Fool
Nikka Costa - Everybody Got Their Something
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Diana Ross - I'm Comin' Out
The Commodores - Brick House
Gloria Gaynor - I will survive
Diana Ross - Upside Down
Kool & The Gang - Celebration
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up, Part 1
Aretha Franklin - Respect
Rose Royce - Car Wash
Jean Knight - Mr Big Stuff.
Marvin Gaye - Mercy, Mercy Me
Blank and Jones - Luftschloss

Get Going - A Little Spring Jazz

Since the first day of "Spring" we have had pretty much nothing but snow and its getting a little tiring, and not just the shoveling part. Its my hope that keeping the much fresh will keep my participants engaged and their humors giggling. I challenges them by going 1 step heavier on our free weights, and then doing some not-zumba for Lady is a Tramp. It was fun!

Get What I Want - Bitter:Sweet
Take 2 Blue - Bitter:Sweet
Is You or Is You Ain't My Baby - Diana Krall
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - Lawrence Welk
Old Devil Moon - Lena Horne
Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman
S'Wonderful - Mel Powell
Jumpin' at the Woodside - Count Basie
Lady is a Tramp - Glee Cast version
Buona Sera - Louis Prima
Tuxedo Junction - Al Hirt
Baby Its Cold Outside - Buddy Clark
Take the A Train - Duke Ellington
Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love - Eartha Kitt
Just the Way You Are - Diana Krall
Don't Forget to Breathe - Bitter:Sweet
La Mer - Henry Cuesta

I would like to think that my band teacher from high school would be beaming with pride that I have worked jazz into my life. Though he'd probably hate that Glee was in there, unless of course, like me, he secretly loves it.

Get Going - Let's Go Motown

I chanced upon a great classic Motown album at the library To Mum Love Motown that inspired this week's class & playlist.

song - by - artist

Car Wash - Rose Royce
Celebration - Kool & the Gang
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
How Sweet it is  (To Be Loved by You) - Marvin Gaye
My Guy - Mary Wells
Reach Out I'll be There - The Four Tops
You Keep me Hanging On - The Supremes
It Takes Two - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
River Deep Mountain High - The Four Tops & The Supremes
I'm Still Loving You - Kim Weston
I Second that Emotion - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie
My Girl - The Temptations

We worked with the Therabands today (those are the flat bands) focusing on strength and endurance.

Seniors Get Going class - Yoga Experiment

So as you might imagine, the ladies in my Get Going class - while not all seniors, many of them struggle with issues that make them feel out of place in a regular exercise class. Some of them feel that yoga is completely out of their reach, and I thought that they might enjoy a taste of yoga, because its not all bendiness and standing on your head - Mindful breathing and body awareness are skills that benefit everyone.

We modified Sun Salutation A and the standing series so we could all sit in our chairs. There was a modified standing series with a mudra-esque shoulder opening. We even tackled Downward Dog & Chaturanga while standing behind the chair, with some beginner Tree poses!

At the end for our Savasana, we placed our calves on the seat of our chairs and I led them through the Three-fold breath (Guru's Breath).

Most of the ladies loved it, though their typical giggly conversation was replaced by soft goodbyes and sweet compliments. They were in a very different frame of mind than usual. Only one new face this week, but steadily growing all the same!

Pretty much everything that I played today was from Cantoma's first album (its self titled). Its has this wonderfully bright and relaxing sound that makes me feel like I'm on vacation. Enjoy!

Seniors - Get Going "Awesome 80's" Bender Ball & Theraband workout

The Playlist:

Huey Lewis & The News - Hip To Be Square
Safety Dance (Glee Cast Version)
Power Music: Awesome 80s Step 128BPM
Roll With It.
Let's Hear It For the Boys
Our House
Broken Wings
Lay All Your Love On Me
I'll Tumble 4 Ya
Hot Hot Hot
Break My Stride
Human
True Colors (Glee Cast Version)
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy

One of our ladies had her birthday that week, (she was turning 83) and she thought it was hilarious that it was 80's week.