Virginia
I was kind of running out of food at this point, so for breakfast I had a cucumber.
River and I got up and out early this morning to head to ACAC Fitness in Midlothian, VA, just outside Richmond.
I always get a bit nervous about teaching Nia in a gym. Stereotypically, the mindset of gym-goers is different than that of someone who attends classes at a private dance movement studio or rec center. And especially when I saw the tennis courts, I had to stop myself from telling stories about the clientele. I want to go in and present my work without prejudice. So I rose above and shook it off and went in fresh and clean. (Running around the parking lot with River was very helpful for that.)
We got nothing but warm reception in the gym, by the staff and clientele.... except for the exercise studio itself, which was air conditioned uncomfortably cold. My producer, MaryBeth Grinnan took care of the temperature and I set up River crate in the giant, cold room. (I was staying warm inside).
I left the room and took River with me into the changing area across on the other side of the gym. I changed in there and then, I'm sure quite conspicuously, walked in my silver glitter pants, barefoot with a dog on a leash through the gym, past personal training stations, over the running track, past the stationary bicycles, into the studio.
While I was gone, the room had literally filled with people. At least forty people were now gathered in this room, which suddenly didn't feel so cold and immense.
We ended up have a wonderfully dynamic and brilliantly energetic class together and I could really feel the love by the end. We all migrated onto the basketball court while the students for the next class quickly began setting up the steps.
Marybeth had a great idea for a way to compensate me. Since she was only paid $20 for the class herself, and it was free to the members, there was no real income potential for me. So she made up a 'donation bucket' for those who wanted to contribute to the JAG & River Goldfinger Road Trip LOVE fund. It was a genius idea, which ended up making me nearly $150 for the class (in addition to the $20 from the gym).
After class, Marybeth took River and I to an outdoor cafe in a dog-friendly mall to have breakfast. She caught a shot of River and I in Georgia before we hit the highway for our next destination.
River and I got up and out early this morning to head to ACAC Fitness in Midlothian, VA, just outside Richmond.
I always get a bit nervous about teaching Nia in a gym. Stereotypically, the mindset of gym-goers is different than that of someone who attends classes at a private dance movement studio or rec center. And especially when I saw the tennis courts, I had to stop myself from telling stories about the clientele. I want to go in and present my work without prejudice. So I rose above and shook it off and went in fresh and clean. (Running around the parking lot with River was very helpful for that.)
We got nothing but warm reception in the gym, by the staff and clientele.... except for the exercise studio itself, which was air conditioned uncomfortably cold. My producer, MaryBeth Grinnan took care of the temperature and I set up River crate in the giant, cold room. (I was staying warm inside).
I left the room and took River with me into the changing area across on the other side of the gym. I changed in there and then, I'm sure quite conspicuously, walked in my silver glitter pants, barefoot with a dog on a leash through the gym, past personal training stations, over the running track, past the stationary bicycles, into the studio.
While I was gone, the room had literally filled with people. At least forty people were now gathered in this room, which suddenly didn't feel so cold and immense.
We ended up have a wonderfully dynamic and brilliantly energetic class together and I could really feel the love by the end. We all migrated onto the basketball court while the students for the next class quickly began setting up the steps.
Marybeth had a great idea for a way to compensate me. Since she was only paid $20 for the class herself, and it was free to the members, there was no real income potential for me. So she made up a 'donation bucket' for those who wanted to contribute to the JAG & River Goldfinger Road Trip LOVE fund. It was a genius idea, which ended up making me nearly $150 for the class (in addition to the $20 from the gym).
After class, Marybeth took River and I to an outdoor cafe in a dog-friendly mall to have breakfast. She caught a shot of River and I in Georgia before we hit the highway for our next destination.
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| Next Stop, New York! |
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