When we get injured and cannot dance anymore, whether it is temporary or permanent, we focus on the physical injury and tend to forget about the mental impact. Today we chat about mental health challenges while healing from physical injuries, and what that means for recovery.

Today we chat about the vibrant and colourful La Feria de Abril, how and why this is celebrated, and what to expect. We also chat a bit about Sevillanas, its structure, and how it is normaly danced. This episode took way too long to produce, but rather late than never, right? ☺️ Link to the Sevillanas playlist on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1x7SWVWRU9Mlex5Uxr3vZc?si=XRdGaFoBT_6GwuVUx3JuIA&pi=Q45XG_FJStOk3

Today, South Africa marks Freedom Day - a reminder of the long road to equality and recognition. In this episode, we explore the journey towards freedom here in South Africa, and draw some interesting connections to the Gitano community in Spain and their ongoing fight to preserve their identity. Let's look at how different histories can share the same deep roots of resilience and pride.

Today we discuss dance specific injuries as well as health challenges that we face as dancers as we get older. Sometimes these things are hard to hear, but you can't ignore it. However, there's always hope!

Flamenco can be grueling sometimes, like many other dance forms. Today we talk about what we can do to prepare our bodies for dancing and to keep ourselves strong for many years to come.

List of exercises in this episode:

Upper-body warm-ups:

- Shoulder Rolls, Arm Circles, Elbow Circles, Wrist Rotations

- Neck Rolls, Side Stretches, Torso Twists, Chest Opener

- Plank Holds, Shoulder Blade Squeezes

- Braceo (Arm Work) Practice, Marking with Posture, Hand Flicks & Wrist Rolls

Lower-body warm-ups:

- Ankle Circles, Toe Flex & Point, Heel Raises

- Leg Swings, Hip Circles, Deep Squats with Heel Lift

- Lunges with Arm Reach, Inner Thigh Stretch (Side Lunges), Hamstring Walks

- Single-Leg Balance, Pelvic Tilts

Upper body cool-down exercises:

- Shoulder Rolls, Wrist & Hand Stretches, Elbow & Forearm Stretch

- Chest Opener, Upper Back Stretch

- Neck Tilts, Seated or Standing Forward Fold

- Controlled Arm Movements, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Mindful Posture Check

Lower-body cool-down exercises:

- Toe Stretches, Foot Massage or Rolling

- Calf Stretch, Hamstring Stretch, Hip & Inner Thigh Stretch (Butterfly Stretch), Figure-4 Stretch (Glutes & Hips)

- Seated Forward Fold, Supine Twist

- Diaphragmatic Breathing, Mindful Body Scan

Strengthening and mobility exercises:

- Feet and Ankles: Calf Raises, Toe Tapping, Ankle Circles

- Core (Abdominals, Lower Back, and Hips): Planks, Dead Bugs, Hip Bridges

- Arms and Shoulders: Wall Push-Ups, Shoulder Circles, Bicep Curls with Dumbbells

- Wrists and Hands: Wrist Flexor and Extensor Stretches, Grip Strengthening (with a ball)

- Hips and Legs: Squats, Lunges, Hip Openers

- Neck and Back: Cat-Cow Stretch, Thoracic Rotation, Neck Stretch