January 2017 Calendar

Eden Rocks at Modern Steps!

It was a fortunate day when Tammy went to a class at the Marco Island YMCA and met Eden Looney.  Eden is the "Barre-ista" of EdenRocks and has brought her own special fitness program to Modern Steps.  Working with some great, ultra cool, ultra hip and ultra fun music and a barre just like the one you see in a ballet class, Eden is teaching us how to train our bodies to be leaner, stronger, and longer.  Her focus in the class is working on posture and finding balance in your body position.  Imagine that!  Posture and balance while dancing!  There's a connection here for students of ballroom dance!  Eden's story combines her love of dance, tennis and the need to train using less brawn and more brain.  Each class is an hour long, and meets three days a week at Modern Steps (Tuesday and Thursday at 9am, and Saturdays at 10am.)  She combines elements of barre exercise and ballet movements, with yoga and pilates, and then she throws in some serious cardio and ab workouts. And at the same time, she makes this a class for all ages and all levels of student ability.  If you are looking for a new dimension in fitness, come to Modern Steps and try this amazing hour of exercise--you just might get hooked!

Eden Looney leading the Barre Class.
Check her out on youtube.com.

Students lining up at the barre for warm-ups

Posture and balance are at the center of the class philosophy

Increasing flexibility is one of the class objectives.
Flexibility has been shown to decrease the
effects of aging.

Working on abs, or your core, strengthens back muscles
and reduces risks of osteoporosis and its symptoms.

Each student is encouraged to work at their own comfort level
and the community that builds in the class is also
a key to reducing depression and improving mental health.

For more information about the class, call Modern Steps at 239-775-3445 or email questions to modernsteps@gmail.com.

Summer Adventures for Modern Steps Students Part 1

We all love living in Southwest Florida, but as everyone knows, it gets a little quiet in Naples during the summer.  So where do all those people go?  A lot of our students "fly north" for the summer, but some of them have interesting adventures that take them away.  Pat Vautrinot is one of our students who went on a grand adventure this summer, exploring the two youngest states of America.  She traveled with her family, first to Alaska and the Denali National Park, and then also to the western United States' Paradise of the Pacific, Hawaii.  Here are some of the spectacular areas that she was able to enjoy last month.  Thanks for sharing your journey, Pat!

The Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley
The peak itself in all it's glory!  Usually covered by clouds,
Denali is only visible about 30% of the time.

Pat flying out from Kanchitna, after a 6 hr ride in a park service bus to get in!
Living strong, Pat went white-water rafting while visiting the National Park.

Pat and children, Frosty and "almost" son Ralph were
 part of a larger family reunion.

Little store that is home to "Mayor Murphy," the cat!
You expect a moose to stroll by at any minute.

Pat's son, Ted, giving our own private concert, though
many passersby dropped in to enjoy his music.

Saw the calving of this glacier!  Calving is when a chunk
of ice falls off the glacier, creating an iceberg.
Learn something new everyday!

Just your normal, friendly, grizzly bear.
(We'll assume Pat was in a vehicle of some kind and not asking the bear for a dance!)

View of a waterfall inside an old volcano on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.
Pat's riding in a helicopter, one of several modes of transportation
needed for these great views.

Aboard the museum of the USS Arizona