Pilates, Fitness, Health and Well-Being from a Local Expert

Hi my name is Josie and I’ve lived in Mt. Washington now for well… let’s just say nearly long enough to have squatter’s rights around here.  It wouldn’t be that important but during my stay here and prior to that stay I have done a lot of things; most of which have been in the Arts in one way or another.  I studied Art, have taken countless acting workshops for the benefit of a voiceover career, been an announcer, and done voices on video games.  Somewhere in that continuum, I evolved into a performance artist.

Being active in the Los Angeles Arts Community through the late 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s…I continue to work on various projects around town.  I’m a violist, having had my own band for about 15 years.  We played in clubs and galleries all over L.A. and were quite infamous.  I’ve worked with some of the most infamous performance artists and underground musicians over the years. 

I have a long history in dance, having studied Jazz Ballet and Modern, went to Spain to study Flamenco, and, on the basis of my music and performance works, in 1990 I was awarded a fellowship from the Asian American Arts Council to go study Butoh dance in Japan.  It was a fabulous trip and I came back duly transformed.

Last year I took up Tai Chi and wound up in China in October of 2010 studying Xigong and Tai Chi in the presence of an internationally recognized master of the form.  Another fantastic trip that opened my eyes to yet other dimensions of the body...the temple of our spirit/soul… ok, cut the sentimentalism you might say…but, but, but….I’ll cut it only after saying -- its true!

One of the many body disciplines I am involved in is Pilates.  I am a teacher of Pilates and presently teach privately and semi-privately in Mt. Washington and also in a rehabilitation facility in Pasadena, where the specialty is senior fitness and physical therapy, though I also teach young people, athletes and a nationally competitive swimmer.

One of the attributes that I realize is shared between everything I’ve ever done is mastery and use of the body.  Think about it, drawing, painting, dance, tai chi, playing an instrument, etc….which brings me full circle to why I’ll be writing this blog on fitness, body awareness and pilates.  I promise to write about – well, just about anything that crosses my mind related to health, fitness, wellbeing and anything in between.

I hope you will excuse the profuse horn tooting here but, it is my goal to share with others some of the things that I’ve accumulated over the years and possibly contribute to my community’s health, fitness, and well being.  I hope you will watch for my first blog in the Highland Park/Mt. Washington Patch!  And I hope that others find them at least interesting and possibly helpful in some way.

Josie