Dear Friends,
We have TWO special classes this week!
As most of you know, celebrating birthdays is a THING for our Stop Drop and Dance classes!
You were born on a very special day.
As kids, we get birthday parties and attention at school thanks to parents and teachers. But as we get older, birthdays can come and go without anything special happening.
Of course, it’s a choice and some people prefer the quiet birthday with very little attention. And that’s perfectly ok!
But… sometimes, a little extra love is not a bad thing. And honestly, you do so much for others so why not allow others to shower you with some magic on your special day?
It’s actually a big step to learn to RECEIVE just as much as we give.
So… back to Amy Poirier, pictured above. Last year in January, Amy had already been a regular member for a year and we saw her all the time. Then on her birthday, she came to class and kept it a secret!!! None of us knew until the end of class when her friend told us it was her birthday.
Therefore, this year, Amy agreed to let us celebrate her and we are thrilled!!! Please join us Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 13th from 9:30am-10:45am @UUMarin (240 Channing Way in San Rafael) for a birthday class for Amy and the theme is:
Wear something you have only worn ONCE!
Oh yes, it’s a chance to wear something new from the holidays, or... Amy has specifically said that she will give a bottle of sparkling wine or juice to anyone that shows up in their wedding dress... haha!!! See you tomorrow!
Shayne's 22nd Birthday
If you are around this long weekend for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, we invite you to join us this Saturday, January 17th from 9:30am-10:30am @UUMarin as we gather to remember and celebrate Shayne Rebbetoy's 22nd Birthday.
Just like we celebrate birthdays, we also recognize that life is not always easy or happy, and we try to create a safe space where we can still keep dancing even in difficult times.
In fact, it is often in the most difficult times that we NEED to keep dancing and staying in community.
This will be the 6th year that we will gather with our beautiful, courageous, and strong mama, Lisa Hudson, to surround her with our love, light, and support as she navigates a new year honoring Shayne's short, but positive and powerful life.
The theme will be to wear PURPLE because Shayne was always wearing his famous purple hat.
"Joy and beauty coexist with pain and sorrow in a brave and beautiful life."
- Krista O'Reilly-Davi-Digui
Happy Birthdays Christie & Jacki!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Cue Usher…
It was a rainbow of dancers this past Saturday for Christie McAllister and Jacki Cannici as we celebrated their birthdays for a 60 minute Stop Drop and Dance class!
Christie and Jacki have such a devoted community of friends who live all over the Bay Area from the North Bay to the East Bay to the South Bay, but they come together because of their shared love for music!
Christie and Jacki brought rainbow accessories for everyone who came, Erin Meyers brought a Happy Birthday sign for our background, and it was such a memorable way to kick off the weekend!
Thank you for letting us celebrate you and Happiest Birthdays Christie and Jacki!
Don’t forget that all NEW in-person dancers have a FREE second class redeemable within the next 7 days, so if for example, last Saturday was your first class, email Grace@thepowerwithgrace.com to join again this week on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday!
My New Year 2026 Word: AWE
This morning, I was driving and a song I had never heard before came up and the lyrics sang, "Constantly, God, you are holding me, even when I don't understand."
We just celebrated my younger daughter's Golden 11th birthday on Sunday, January 11th, and the song suddenly overwhelmed me with the thought of how despite parenting being the hardest challenge I am sure I will ever face, I am blessed with my two precious daughters.
I felt a wave of abundant warm emotion knowing that despite making mistakes and being imperfect, I am still loved by my family, by my friends, and no matter what, by God.
I received a clear feeling of peace that despite putting in a lot of time, work, worry, and stress, I am on the right path following my purpose with serving this "The Power With Grace" community, and in my new part-time job choreographing for my daughter's Spring Musical, "Descendants." (Yes, that's somehow happening!)
Beyond just gratitude, or appreciation, or happiness... the word AWE appeared boldly in my heart.
AWE that the sun will always find a way to shine, despite clouds, rain, or storms.
AWE that we have the power to choose our mindset and how we live our own lives, despite good or bad things that happen to us.
AWE that we are always enough and we are forever loved, despite our own negative self-talk or judgment from others.
AWE that we really have everything we need inside of us, and material things are just that, things.
AWE that we are alive, we are resilient, and we are so, so lucky in every way.
Please join me and change the lens on how we see life:
Let's live in AWE together!
Love,
Grace
