Up and Coming

The Struggle Is Real

Celebrate Life

Carpool Tomorrow & Dance For Shayne Saturday!

January 27, 2023

January 18, 2023

Dear Friends,

"How do you spell 'love'?"
- Piglet
"You don't spell it, you feel it."
- Winnie the Pooh

Today, January 18th, is National Winnie the Pooh day, celebrated on the birthday of author A.A. Milne.  Besides the fact that Winnie the Pooh is a treasured childhood character for many of us (including especially my husband), Winnie the Pooh had many profound and inspirational quotes that taught lessons about life. All the quotes in today's newsletter, including the one above, are from this "tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff!"

"You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes."

Over the long weekend, my family and I flew to Miami to visit our good friends.  I had to reluctantly cancel class on Thursday, which is our normal Stop Drop and Dance day.

What a pleasant surprise to see this photo that some of our dancers decided to organize a get together and go on a hike!  

At first, you come to dance and get some exercise.But then, you get to know the people that stand around you (and yes, everyone tends to gravitate towards the same spots).Over time with consistency showing up and with a little courage to go beyond the usual hello...

Conversations happen, connections occur, and relationships bloom!

The hardest step is simply showing up.  Not just physically, but showing up mentally and showing up in your heart.  See and be seen.  If you come to class and would like to join our Dance Crew WhatsApp group, all you have to do is ask!  Everyone is always welcome.

"Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude."

"A friend is one of the best things you can have, and one of the best things you can be."

Yesterday, our dancers brought the rainbows and sunshine for a 75 minute Stop Drop and Dance birthday celebration for Michelle Sullivan!  Thank you to Michelle for getting all sorts of accessories from rainbow socks and arm sleeves, to headbands and wristbands, to tutus and hair accessories for all of our dancers, and thank you to everyone who attended and dressed up in all sorts of rainbow workout clothes!

Happy Birthday Michelle!And look - Michelle brought her mom to class too =)

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

As much as we celebrate the joys of life through dancing and community, our classes have also become a source of strength and healing.  We danced through the pandemic, we danced through cancers, we danced through racism, we danced through war, and we danced through grief.

Please join us this Saturday, January 21st as we wear purple and celebrate the life of Shayne Rebbetoy.

Shayne's actual birthday is today, January 18th, and he would have been 19 years old.  Everyone is invited to join Shayne's mom, our very own Lisa Hudson, this Saturday at 9:30am in "The Garage" (1 Thorndale Drive in San Rafael), as we dance together to support Lisa and to lift her up.  

"Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

"Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon."

Have you bought your Dance-A-Thon ticket yet???

There will be balloons, there will be dancing, there will be food, there will be friends, and most importantly, there will be an incredibly amazing feeling when we accomplish our goal of 44 songs and sprint to the finish line together!

TRAINING STARTS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26th!

Training?? HAHA, I know that's exactly what you are thinking! YES, training, of course! 44 songs is no joke - it will be just under 3 hours of non-stop cardio! So we have to train!  From January 26th to March 10th (44 days), one danceathon video will be released each day for you to learn and practice, so that when we dance together on Saturday, March 11th, you will know all the dances!

Invite your friends and purchase your ticket by January 25th to start training with us!

Carpool Tomorrow if Possible

One final announcement, if you are coming tomorrow, Thursday, January 19th, to Stop Drop and Dance class, there will be 2 other renters at UU Marin, and parking will be limited. Please consider carpooling to class tomorrow if possible!  We will also be closing half of the windows to keep the sound quieter for the other renters. Thank you for your understanding!

One final quote on appreciating the present moment...

“What day is it?”
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.


Happy Birthday Shayne and Winnie-the-Pooh!

Love,
Grace