As the iconic Sheila Barker always says, "It's all about the walk." A performer telling a story on stage, a dancer drawing the audience in with a mere step, a singer moving towards the mic to begin their ballad...they all think about one big thing. The walk. We spend so much time just walking with power, intrigue, and authenticity in performance. But, walking holds even more power than that.

Walking has been proven as one of the top forms of fitness suggested for any human in any walk of life. Athletic walking for as little as 20 minutes a day can be one of the best movement practices you can do. Walking has been shown to boost immune function, increase mobility, improve mental health, increase energy, stimulate blood flow, support memory functions, and promote healthy muscle use. Plus! It's free to walk!

We at T.A.P. love a daily walk to clear the brain and move the body. But, when I moved to NYC it became hard to go on walks because of the amount of walking asked for during a commute. It became easy to choose not to go on a normal walk after a day trudging around the city with a giant dance back, make-up on my face, and the stress of the work shift after my audition. But, this is when I started realizing the value of going on a speedy walk without the commute aspect, without the bags on my shoulder, and with the intention of clearing my brain. Suddenly, I started doing a daily walk to encourage muscle and brain relaxation. I suddenly found my mood and energy increased for further production and rehearsal later in the day. 

With the Olympics wrapping up, and the last month of true summer upon us...how are you inspired to move?? If you are like me, you saw the NYC Marathon this past year and thought...pfft...I can definitely do that. No training, just pure will power. That's not real, sorry to say, and we need to be nice to our bodies. But what if we start to channel this inspiration to move into aspirational goals?

As a dancer, I have rode the roller coaster of emotions about why I do or do not cross train and work-out on a regular basis. Is it for a physical appearance change? Is it to prove something to someone? Is it to make sure I can do the job being asked of me? But recently, while working through some amazing artist-based books (will drop recs soon), I have been reminded of the most important reason to move...it brings me joy.

Even the most basic walk around your neighborhood on a quiet Sunday morning can total reset your mind, while providing endorphins for your body. The body CRAVES movement. If you give healthy movement practices too it, imagine what it can do?

So, stay tuned for the month of August as we dive forward into movement practices and resources that we love!!

If you are anxious to start moving right now, check out ON-DEMAND.

Best,

Abbi :)