Sweat The Small Stuff

For the last 2 months, I've exited the blogosphere....and plunged into the dance studio.

As mentioned in my last post, I am a "celebrity" dancer for the Annual CornerHouse Let's Dance event scheduled for November 12. While the evening of the gala will be an exciting finale to four months of preparation, it's really been the process of getting ready that has been extraordinary. Take a look at this 1-1/2 minute video for a 'behind the scenes' glimpse:

Link: Dancing with Bruce, the planet's most patient dance instructor

The video is a humorous promo for the event. The more important transformation transcends the dancing and comes from "the small stuff" --- brief but important moments that made me pause and translated into meaningful insights:

• On technology: We selected a song that was 34 seconds too long.  At 9:15 am one morning,  while driving to work, I used my cell phone to call a professional production company.  By 9:25, David (of David & David Productions) had downloaded the song from iTunes and we were discussing the areas to splice. At 9:45, I got my first cut; by 10 am, I had a 2 min 29 sec version of the song loaded onto my iPod. Thank you David..and Steve Jobs. Technology is truly amazing. 

• On people: After looking at more than 1000 dresses on line (yes, 1000),  my favorite was a lace and crystal extravaganza made by Randall Designs.  Custom made for L'il Kim (the rapper) when she danced the Argentine Tango on Dancing With the Stars, the dress is for (re)sale, but the price tag...excessive. As a last resort, I asked Randall Designs if they could help me and explained the charity. To my surprise, they graciously agreed to let me borrow the dress for the night. Generosity is abundant. 

• On health: By itself, dancing once or twice a week hasn't been rigorous enough to get me in shape. But, the pressure of a performance has suppressed any desire to binge, got me back on the treadmill and motivated me to lift weights every day. The result: I'm a little lighter and a little firmer (for now) with greater appreciation for the power of the accountability that arises from publicly stated goals. Competition is an important element of behavior change. 

• On purpose: Many of us receive donation solicitations and dutifully write our checks to various charities. However, in this case, complementing the financial support by getting personally engaged has connected me to the cause and touched my heart in a way I didn't expect. Whether you are passionate about breast cancer, a religious institution, a political candidate, human rights, or legal advocacy....immerse yourself. You will get back much more than you give.  Philanthropy is more meaningful when you give of yourself..not just your money.

• On human rights: During a recent tour of the CornerHouse, my spine shivered when I learned that in the room next door, a young girl was disclosing the details about her sexual abuse. This story repeats itself 3 times a day...every day. Child abuse is real. 

• And so many more. 
  

So, as hard as it is for me...I will "just ask" if you would support the children served by CornerHouse by voting for your "favorite" dancer.  Here is the link.  Each vote costs $5.  You can buy as many votes as you want using the online link below.  I would greatly appreciate it.

Create Health, 

Archelle