05/10/2026
Focus of the week: Dance as “me time.” ✨
Wow, friend. I heard the term Maycember for the first time this past week, and boy did it resonate.
This past week many of you mentioned feeling similarly…. Mostly… really really BUSY.
Work, weddings, graduations, sports, spring concerts, finals, end of school-year busy-ness… plus the nicer weather and the desire to plant the garden, the need to mow, and the urge to go on fun adventures…. Not to mention all of the unexpected not-so-fun things that can also arise that require our time and attention…
Personally, over here at the Eastman house, life is feeling quite gloriously FULL. So much of it is really wonderful--- and I’m really grateful for so much goodness. But, oh man, it is also feeling busy. I often find myself wishing there were 50 more hours in a day. There's just so much I want to DO! :)
How about you, friend? How's your May feeling? Is it feeling really full too?
In honor of the Maycember vibes many of us are feeling, this week we’re going to focus on sensing our dance time as an opportunity for some “me” time.
Something I love sooooooo very much about this practice, is that AYA can be whatever you want it to be on any given night...
• A super high-energy workout?
• A cathartic movement therapy session?
• Deliciously mellow movement to wind-down for the night?
• Powerful movement to help release tension and de-stress?
• Medicinal movement to free stiff joints, and relieve any aches and pains?
• A mindfulness practice to help you ground and recenter in the present?
• A chance to lighten up, be goofy and playful, and have FUN?
• Space to sing along and use your voice unabashedly?
• Permission to just tune everyone else out and focus inward?
• A chance to unleash your inner artist and be wildly creative and expressive?
• An opportunity to shake out anxieties or frustrations and return to peace?
• A spiritual practice that helps you connect with and feel a part of something bigger?
• Time to move your body and find an answer from within?
• A chance to simply have fun with (or meet some new) friends?
• A way to reconnect with your inner child and simply dance your heart out?
Or perhaps all of the above? Check, check, and check.
I’ll have a playlist and plenty of choreography ready to get and keep us moving, but the entire experience is all so very much personalize-able. 😁
• Feeling super energized and want to make the movements really big and powerful? Awesome. Yes! Go for it.
• Feeling really tired and just want to take it super easy? Please do. Way to listen to and trust your body. That’s so important.
• Feeling really curious and want to dive deeply into an exploration? Sweet. Let’s gooooo. I can’t wait to hear your aha’s.
• Feeling really overstimulated and want to just dance and be? I know what you mean. Always room for that too. Yessss.
• Feeling really extroverted and want to chat with everyone before or after, and make lots of eye contact throughout class? Wonderful! Please do!
• Feeling really introverted or overstimulated today and just want to close your eyes, focus inward, and dance? I feel that way too some days.
I’ll always be there, right with you (ready to play the music and guide the choreography)... But please know that as much as Aya is a chance for togetherness, class is also always a chance to simply enjoy some “me time”—whatever kind you’re needing today.
So this week, whether we’re together in person or dancing together through a video, let’s simply dance and sense the freedom you (always) have to make the dance whatever you want it to be.
As always, can’t wait to see you! See you soon!
Much love,
💛 Dani
Photo thanks our amazing photographer, Cat McCombs 🫶
