Lockdown 1.0
Like everybody I found myself sitting at home with only the company of my thoughts (and my wonderful parents of course , having moved back from London - also an adjustment!) and the four walls of my bedroom. I thought to myself “Ok ENOUGH of feeling sorry for yourself, do something to make you feel good.” I began teaching free dance fitness classes for just my family and friends and then friends and family of theirs began to take interest. I started documenting and advertising the classes on instagram (because why not!) and it started to gain some followers. I began a ‘pay what you can’ system through paypal, really not expecting much - if anything (but it’s always good to remember your worth ladies!) and people were so generous, letting me know that they would genuinely pay for this class in a studio or gym, I was chuffed with myself!
I set up an instagram page to keep people up to date with days and times and also to connect with the fabulous people I was teaching. A gorgeous gal called Cat Stewart started taking my classes who also worked on Ireland Am on Virgin Media, she asked me would I be interested in coming on Ireland Am and chatting about my class. I was delighted! A chance to get NB Dance Fitness out there and attract more people, hopefully bringing a bit of fun and exercise into their lives. (See interview below)
The interview went great and I gained even more followers. I now had a fabulous solid group that I was teaching twice a week. Squatting to Beyonce, shimmying to JLO, salsa’ing to Shakira and shaking what our mama gave us to Gaga!
I wanted to switch things up a bit and of course the wonderful occasion of celebrating ‘PRIDE’ was coming up so I decided to do a class dedicated to LGBTTQ+ Icons. Matheson’s Law Firm got wind of it and asked me to do the class for their company in association with their ‘PRIDE’ week. Teaching 40+ lawyers with their cameras off was definitely an experience I wont forget any time soon but it gave me even more scope to the opportunities that are out there for NB Dance Fitness.
Unfortunately during this time the ‘Black Lives Matter’ Movement had to make itself known and heard (rightfully so) so I wanted to dedicate a class to all of the Black Artists that we adore and admire (especially Irish) and donate whatever money I could raise to organisations that needed it. Together we raised an amazing €330 which was split between ‘Bail Out Funds’ & ‘Campaign Zero’ in only ONE class.
I then got approached by Irish Film London, who I used to work for while I was living in London to do a 6 week Film-Themed Dance Course. It was so much fun, we danced to everything from Grease, The Commitments, Little Miss Sunshine, Napoleon Dynamite and so much more! I added in some facts about the films we were dancing to and it was all round just a fun time and a great way to spend an hour in lockdown!
The world began to open up again and people we’re meeting for coffees and cocktails (as they should!) outside in the luke-warm Irish Summer air but this of course meant that numbers in my classes began to drop. So I changed my class to just once a week leading to me eventually taking a break (and going on a little stay-cation myself!) The break was needed because by the time it was over I was ready to come back to class with fresh new routines and a new drive to keep my (and hopefully others) spirit’s up, along with keeping fit & active!
NB x