Legs, bums and Buddha bellies

Ok I have been thinking about the fact that I have billed this here blog as being somewhere to talk about homeschooling, doula/birthy stuff and alternative health. So far no mention of the latter.

Well all that is about to change.

Inspired by pixiemama's Counch to 5k endeavours, I too am flexing and getting myself in better shape. I abso-feckin-lootely HATE gyms though. The whole concept brings me out in hives.

But dance....ah, dance I can do. I can do it whilst I am washing up. I can do it with a toddler on my hip. I can have an absolute blast with the kids as we jive, shake our booties, get our freak on, and work up a sweat! And I can do these in a gypsy skirt - hurray! - no trainers or equipment needed - just space to let it all hang out.

Boogie-woogie, afro-funk, flamenco, rock-a-billy, hill-billy fever. It doesn't matter. We do a musical, global, time-travelling journey around the world, getting a PE and geography/culture lesson all thrown into one wild life-affirming frenzy!

Here are the rules:

• Seriously shake your booty, mama! You can dance like a flapper girl, jive, belly dance, waltz, swing, be a whirling dervish, have a hoe down.... whatever floats your boat. It's all good.

• Wear leggings or a skirt that was just MADE for dancing. 

• Have a large glass of water nearby and have sips/glugs at regular intervals. After breakfast and before lunch is the optimum time as it sets you up for the day.

• Do movements that involve lifting your arms above your head for at least some of the time. Same goes for lifting your knees up, and get your legs as high up off the ground as you can manage without hurting yourself.

• It has to be foot stomping, heart-racing music that gives you and the kids a thrill and makes you all glad to be alive. Whatever you do, don't listen to shite excercise musak.

• Start gently, then work your way up, so you don't hurt yourself. 

Here are some kickin' tunes that will hopefully bring you as much joy and pleasure as they bring me and mine.

To start, some Nina Simone. This is obviously slower than the recent remix. But I LOVE it. Check out her earrings!

http://youtu.be/GUcXI2BIUOQ

Next, ramping it up a bit with this amazing tune, that sounds like Nina Simone but isn't!

http://youtu.be/BcB73rNtwAY

Warmed up a bit now? Check out Hail to the Chief on this ZULUROSE podcast list. Winter cool down mix was my soundtrack to being preggie with Alf, but Hail to the Chief is the biz for a good booty shake. But they are all darn good.

http://zulurose.podomatic.com/

Ok, here is just one more for you, which looks pretty good although I haven't listened to it as a set, but rather zoomed through to check out the tracks. Looks purty good, except for the rather boring intro.

http://worldbeatz.podomatic.com/entry/2009-08-02T06_03_39-07_00

Would love to hear what you are getting your freak on to. Anyone got any good podcasts they'd like to share?