Dear Friends,
The Marin IJ Readers' Choice Awards 2024 voting is open!
Last year, Jennifer Overaa reached out and encouraged me to ask my community to vote for "The Power With Grace" in various categories for the Marin IJ Readers' Choice Awards. As uncomfortable as it was to ask for votes, thanks to all of you, we actually WON in the category of "Best Personal Fitness Instructor" and we were runner-up for "Best Dance Studio!"
For a small business that is purely existing because of all of you and word-of-mouth, these voting polls are free marketing opportunities to share about our classes with the community!
Will you please take 5 minutes to cast a vote?
This year, Erin Meyers just notified me that the voting is open so here we go again! Please follow these 5 steps to vote for us and some of your other favorite businesses:
1. Go to https://www.marinijreaderschoice2024.com/
2. Click on the tab "Entertainment and Activities" and write "Grace Yu - The Power With Grace" under "Dance Studio"
3. Click on the tab "Personal Services" and write "Grace Yu - The Power With Grace" under "Personal Fitness Instructor"
4. Vote for at least 8 other businesses (need minimum 10 votes total to count)
5. Submit and you're done!
Thank you SO much for your time, support, and willingness to share about our classes with the local Marin community!
Do you want to share about your personal or small business?
In light of Small Business Saturday coming up right after Thanksgiving, I'd like to feature all of YOU and help promote your hard work!
If you'd like to be included in my newsletter coming later this month with over 1600 subscribers, please click on the link below and submit your business information in the form provided before Sunday, November 20th!
Click here to sign up your business!
Did you order your new cap yet?
Thank you to everyone who has already purchased our newest apparel: our Power With Grace + Tommy Breeze collab caps!
We only have 6 rose, 7 seafoam and 3 peach caps left for sale (plenty of black!), so make sure to order yours as soon as possible before they sell out!
Caps are expected to arrive early December so it's a perfect holiday gift! Choose local pick up to save on shipping if you can drive by San Rafael!
Click here to purchase your cap!
Upcoming Special Events
Mark your calendars for our Thanksgiving week schedule (all other classes are happening as normal!):
Friday, November 17th, 11:30am-12:30pm
All-School Stop Drop and Dance Dance-a-thon Fundraiser
@Glenwood Elementary School
Past, present and future families of Glenwood, please join us for this dance-a-thon with all the students, teachers, and parents in the gym!
Wear your GOLD Shine Your Light tank if you have it!
Thursday, November 23rd, 9:30am-10:45am
75 Minute Thanksgiving Stop Drop and Dance Class
@UU Marin (240 Channing Way, San Rafael)
Join us for this annual tradition of dancing together before our long weekend of feasts and festivities! This is a perfect opportunity to bring a new friend or come if you're normally working on Thursday mornings!
Wear any Thanksgiving colors (yellow, orange, maroon, etc).
NO CLASS Saturday, November 25th!
I will be spending the long weekend with my parents and sisters' family in the South Bay. Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Are we Oompa-Loompas?
As many of you know, I really try not to miss class unless it is a family vacation (usually February break, Spring break, and Summer Break) or a holiday weekend where I am visiting my parents.
When I found out Halloween was a Tuesday, I told my girls, "I'm so sorry, I won't be able to come to your Halloween parade this year because I need to teach."
To my surprise, my older 6th grade daughter was the one who responded immediately, "WHAT?? You're not coming to our Halloween parade???"
I honestly did not think they would care that I would miss their school parade... but apparently they do still want me there!!! So immediately after that conversation, I decided to cancel class on Halloween to be with them, and I am so glad I did.
Their school captured that perfect photo above of my 6th grade daughter and her friends dressed up as Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas!
I love this quote from the preview of the new re-imagined movie, "Wonka" coming out in December:
"I've started dancing now.
Once we've started, we can't stop."
- Oompa-Loompa, Wonka (2023)
Light up your life
It has been a family tradition to set up our Christmas tree right after Halloween ends! I know I know, some of you are shaking your head in disagreement!
My girls turn on Christmas music and we decorate the inside and outside of the house together. We sing, we dance, and for the past few years, some tears undoubtedly get shed too as we continue to put up a stocking for our dog, Miya, who sadly passed in 2021 but meant the world to all of us.
But why so early?
With the time change, darker days, and weather cooling down or getting gloomy (or drizzly like today!), seeing the extra lights inside and outside our home is an extra source of warmth, joy, and love to brighten our spirits. Really, it's quite wonderful!
For someone like myself who literally re-charges and craves light and the warmth of the sun, seeing our Christmas tree during this time of the year truly makes me happier.
"Some days, you just have to create your own sunshine."
Love,
Grace
