A huge theme for this coming year is this idea of embodiment and how we can live our lives in ways that honor our bodies and their physical and emotional needs.

As the year comes to an end, here are a few questions we can reflect on, to help us set the stage for living more embodied lives in 2022:

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• “What does it feel like to be in my body in this moment? What does the experience of being in my body feel like each day? How has my body been generally feeling throughout this year?”

The answers to these questions will vary from day to day and from moment to moment, and there is no wrong answer. What’s true for you right now?
 
Whether the experience of being in your body is a very pleasant one in this moment (maybe you are enjoying a delicious meal, or smelling a scented candle or you just finished a really fulfilling movement session) or a very unpleasant one (maybe you are sick or injured and in a lot of physical pain, maybe you are suffering from depression or another type of emotional pain), making the time to simply take note of how you feel can be so helpful and important.

• “What can I do to help my body feel better each day? What changes can I start making as I head into 2022, to make the overall experience of being in my body more pleasant next year?”

 
Again, there is no blanket right or wrong answer here, but these questions can help you explore the right answers for you.
 
If there is a form of movement that your body is craving, how can you make that into a regular practice? If there is a type of food that makes you feel good from the inside out, how can you integrate that into your diet?
 
What are the activities that make you happy, that make your heart sing? How can you carve out more time to do them more regularly?
 
Is there anything that doesn’t make you feel good, that you can do away with in your life, or make less time for? Have you been getting enough rest on a weekly basis, or does something need to change so that you can get the rest you need?

There is a misconception that you have to show your belly or wear a fancy costume just to go to class... but this is simply not the case.

In reality, what you need to wear is anything that makes you happy, that you feel comfortable and confident in, and that allows you to move freely. 

You don't have to show your belly unless that makes you happy and you are comfortable with it.

It does help to wear clothes that aren't too loose just so your teacher can see your movements, but you don't have to show skin or wear anything super tight if you are not comfortable with that. 

It's also nice to bring a hip scarf or any fabric to tie around your hips to emphasize your movements, but that is not required.

As for footwear, typically we dance barefoot, but if you are uncomfortable dancing on bare feet, you can wear dance slippers, jazz shoes or foot undeez instead.

If you normally wear orthotics, it's acceptable for you to wear whatever shoes and orthotic inserts you normally wear, but you'll need to check with your teacher about their policy for wearing "street shoes" inside the studio. It's possible that they might ask you to have designated shoes just for dancing if street shoes are not allowed on the studio floors. 

And that's it, so plain and simple! Wear anything comfortable that allows you to move and allows for your movements to be seen, and have fun!
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