4000 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto California 94303
My review is for the hip hop classes I took from Mandy & Lisa in December of 2022. It feels almost like a lifetime ago, but I thought of them this morning on my walk and it's never too late to call out awesome people, is it!? First of all - it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find an adult hip hop class that's mildly convenient on the SF peninsula... so when it fit my schedule and I saw how welcoming they were, I jumped at the opportunity as soon as I could. It also made for a perfect off-season triathlete activity. Not only did the entire group make me feel comfortable as a newbie, Mandy & Lisa asked me quietly my reason for taking the class. At the time, I was comfortable to confide to them that I still had some unresolved trauma and since a lot of it is energetically stored in the hips, it felt like a good alternative medicine for me. They definitely seemed to understand this, especially as women. Plus, I absolutely LOVE hip hop and jazz and I was able to learn music theory and history, simply by attending this class, perfect for my inner learning geek. Since Jazz is the foundation of hip hop and it was Christmas time, we rehearsed a jazz number, where I felt so lost at first! To their immense credit, both Mandy & Lisa broke down the moves repeatedly, but not too much to distract/slow the more dedicated class goers. Just like any other sport or activity, to improve, they encourage you to practice at home, using their online tutorials, which was very helpful. My best advice to a fellow newbie, with no formal dance training, like me, is this: relax and don't worry if you think you look silly. You'll never improve if you focus on these things. Admittedly, that's much easier said, than done. By the end of my time taking classes here, I learned enough moves to improve at-home dance parties with my kid, relax my body and have fun. If you can swing it, Groovitude is definitely a positive step towards good general health, trauma healing, improving dance moves and good vibes. Imagine if dance were standard in the education system, as part of the core curriculum? Wow, the good it would do for children, being so healthy for the entire body, mind and spirit. Maybe include a homework activity some parents wouldn't mind helping their child with? Hmm, food for thought.