Going in a different direction, but A Love Song by Garth Stevenson is such a beautiful instrumental background for a closing meditation. I discovered it from M/BODY classes and melt into it every time.

This 45 min class was extra sweaty for me, with bounces and pulses and a few jumpy options but is a mid (can be low) impact class. The one leg work at the barre was intense and when I return my goal is to not drop the leg and re-set before our count is complete. I liked the switch up of some of the traditional order- the hip release final 2 minutes was perfect placement. Pilates-inspo core work, brief weights (short time I went up to 5 lbs. and that was lovely). 

This quickie flew by, all standing with some squat motions and low wide second moments, but mostly opportunities to bounce (could be barely bouncing or could be straight jumping at some points with jumping jacks and kick-your-own-booty moves). Leave room for some front kicks, side kicks, and grape vine side-to-side moves but otherwise wonderful for on the go, or if your wrists and arms need a break. I haven’t been at the mat as often as I’d like, but the cardio level was totally doable. And this helped dance through a mood so I could sit with the feelings that were under the surface level irritability on the mat after. Cardio dances at home are fun- it’s ok if you’re off the choreography for a beat, just keep moving and bouncing (or pause and rewind if you prefer). But please welcome the movement any way you can, rather than your brain judging if you’re mastering the choreography perfectly. That’s something that has taken me some M/BODY years to embrace.

20 minutes flew by in this all-standing class, using the Movement ball under our feet and a single weight in one hand and then behind one knee. Marnie says up to 8 lbs. for this one, my new 5 lb. handweight was perfect for me. Pace in class is mindful but not fast and furious; we are pulsing but not jumping. Playlist is strong women with a rockin' country music vibe. The ending meditation with so much Zuma love and puppy love was incredibly heart warming.

60 mins that felt long for me with waves of emotion, yet flowed nicely with a chance to mark it, do, and add on. Thighs & legs overall are feeling it as well as core woven throughout. Wide seconds, back lunge, side curtsy-inspo, some ups and downs with lots of optional jumps. Use of all equipment but Marnie specifies weights 3 lb. or less. Movement ball brain focus moments & extended dancing bridge with all the fixings (said core, right?). Brief-ish plank dance. Always thankful to anchor into M/BODY movement & connection through all the phases of life. I look forward to returning to this one in another heart space. PS great playlist! 🩵

What a beautiful, elongated stretching class with strength and sculpt woven in as Marnie does. This chair class felt accessible (last few ones in the catalog were so challenging for me!) and yet still had some challenging moments that we can work through (and pause/rewind). I loved the choreography where we lifted from a one knee kneel, to the bent leg, into straight, into bent, then forward to the chair with releve (oh my goodness that felt so beautiful to move in that way) and the wide second choreography with the leg stretch and moving away from the chair as that stretch was so gooey wonderfully needed. The low squats to the 'explicit content song' had me realize my booty muscles work differently when I stretch arms in front and one at a time, who knew? The feet on the chair laying on our back is an area of challenge every time for me, so it's good to re-visit and work through the mental challenge and physical challenge. Weights are fairly brief in the beginning.

M/ovement Ball classes are so brain engaging for me and bring on the wiggles with every balance of a foot or knee on top of the ball. Marnie's reminders of the power of our thoughts and our ability to shift them is helpful, as are the closing words of class. Fabulous full-body work, with immediate awareness in my legs, hip flexors, and glutes, but also core, postural muscles, and upping the weights to 5 lbs instead of my usual 3 lbs was brief but very engaging. Not highly aerobic (felt more anaerobic overall) but warming for sure. Some of the choreography was just like pelvic floor physical therapy that I did after childbirth!

This playlist! The choreography combos! The fun dancy vibes and words reminding us of our power! The PUPPIES! International Women’s Day M/BODY classes tend to be added to my Favorites List and this class is def a new favorite. I can’t wait to do it again, although my entire core (back to front) was feeling the work later that night and I am feeling my arms the next morning. Great mix (balance) of raising our heart rate here and there and fast twitch and slow twitch muscle work.

Low impact, larger muscle group focus with accessory muscle acknowledgment, weights that we are mostly holding as we move (not a traditional arm dance choreography here). Mostly standing with down on the mat first on one knee with side leg work then in all four position but again with one leg lifting and working. Lovely warming exercise without the jumpy bounces. Intentionally paced quickly but does not feel fast. 

Badass Ballerina, all standing, anaerobic sculpt class with some serious leg and booty burn. An emphasis on balletic barre legs but our arms are engaged in dancer form. I’m glad I did this in front of a mirror- my challenge is keeping my hips level throughout (and mentally being fueled by the fire). The M/BODY gliders are perfect on my rug (before owning them I’d roll the rug out of the way and wear fuzzy socks on the hardwood to glide). This was a great lower body focus class if your upper body recently did a power sculpt class, just sayin’. Edit to add: I think most previous glider classes do not use the barre as much- I liked incorporating the stable surface in this one- felt more balletic glider and less towel dance in origin (as I feel like glider classes grew out of towel dance classes as the class catalog progresses).