Over the weekend, I filmed a number of videos for my new website. I have resisted doing this for years, one because I absolutely hate being in front of a camera and secondly because I prefer teaching to a live audience. But I caved in to the pressure and began the process.
I am 56 years old. Just like everyone else, my life has had it’s ups and downs. Through every tough time, I have kept my body and soul together with movement. My first love will always be dance. But as a young girl attending class I was constantly told I didn’t have the body for ballet. I was too tall, too fat, too weak. During my teenage years I went from being anorexic to bulimic and then to being quite obese within a span of 5 years. When I left home at 19, I proudly told everyone I was off to become a ballet dancer. At 180lbs (81kgs) I am guessing people just kept their mouths shut.
I did become that ballet dancer. Was it hard? Yes, I was still too tall, too fat, too weak. But I did it. I have struggled forever with a body that doesn’t quite fit the norm. For the past 20 years, as a teacher trainer, I have had to learn to accept myself so I could help other women feel empowered about WHO they are and not what they LOOK like.
And so, this weekend I discovered how quickly you can be sucked right back into that space inside your head where your body just doesn’t look as good as it should.
What I didn’t look at was how flexible I am, how strong, how easy my movements look, how well I am now looking after the last two devastating years of my life. All I could see was that my tummy stuck out during the teaser.
Well folks. There you have it.
With these videos, I will calmly unveil
MY PERFECTLY ORDINARY BODY.