France Tales

I just got back from a step class at the gym. It was one of the best step classes I have ever taken. I have no idea the name of the instructor. He was very amusing and fun to take class from. Toward the end he came over to me to ask “Ça va?” I said “Je comprends mais avec le bruit je ne comprends pas.” Then he started speaking very rapidly in English, I almost asked him to speak in French again. His English was impeccable but very fast.

Some of you know I used to teach step, high impact, etc. In Oakland I took many classes from fantastic instructors who influenced me as an intstructor: Sharon Garrett, Jojo Salazar, Pam Miller, Andre Houlé, Juan Carlos Tejeda, Coco ???, Lynn ???. I have never taken a class so inventive. Sorry guys and girls, France beats you again.

He is obviously a dancer. Usually you step up on the step on the 1 and 2 and step off either on the 3 and 4 or 7 and 8. There was no rhyme or reason to when you would go up or down on the step. At first it was hard to follow because I was unused to it, but once I saw the underlying logic it was really interesting. At the end of a block of choreography you always stepped down on the 7 and 8 but it sometimes took awhile to get there. Many times I thought, oh no he didn’t, he just went up on the step on the 6 and 7, we danced around on top, then came down on the 2 and 3, pranced around, yes we pranced, got on top again, fluttered some more, and finally stepped down on the 7 and 8.

The pace was quick but not too fast. Once thing I got tired of in CA was step at 160 bpm’s. If you know what that is you know that is very fast. You couldn’t do the movements. This was perfect, maybe 135 bpm’s or so. A nice blend of interesting choreography, personality, and repetition. By the end everyone was doing it perfectly, except me of course, I had it almost perfect but one thing threw me off.

So far I have taken a few Pilates classes, a ragga dance class - think hip-hop, and step. All my classes were excellent and taught by competent, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable instructors. I can’t say the same was true of the classes we took in Philadelphia. If anyone is considering joining a gym in Toulouse, France I highly recommend Euforie. They have 4 locations that you can go to, a wide variety of classes, equipment, pools, saunas, hammans, wellness centers, and of course an interesting people watching element. Check them out here.