popn' cherries

A post dedicated to preserving our sexy legs, please.

Showing up is half the battle. Great, you made it. Congratulate yourself but don’t be a fool like me and make the same mistake… multiple times. Come prepared!

Unless you are fairly certain that you won’t be droppin’ it low and rolling around doing floor work, even then, I still highly suggest coming prepared and packing kneepads.

Even when I was confident about an instructor’s dance style, there were occasions when they switched up their choreography on a whim and suddenly we became sexy vixens or had to channel our animalistic personas right on that wonderfully hard dance floor.

Prime example of “should’ve learned my lesson” was from a recent Technique (Jazz & Contemporary) class taught by Lee Pazmino at Dogpatch Dance & Yoga studio. An amazing class with a focus on learning and improving your technique. Although it concentrates on Jazz and Contemporary, these techniques and principles can be applied to dance in general and even to go as far as life lessons. **Full instructor, class review, and more to come – check back very soon!

So, back to kneepads. I took this class twice before and knew what to expect – yup, ending up on the floor. Yet, I tried to a bold bad a*s chick and stick it out. Just don’t. By the end of the night my knees, shins, and thighs took a beating. An hour later, bruises started to pop up and by the very next day it turned to the beautiful fifty shades of purple you see pictured above.

Where to buy dance kneepads? Type “dance kneepads” on Amazon.com or on Google and you will find plenty of places where you can make a purchase. I was impatient and wanted kneepads for an evening dance class the night of so I went to a dancewear store in San Francisco. In the SOMA area, I went to San Francisco Dancewear on Mission Street between New Montgomery and Third. I bought the Danshuz brand in black and absolutely love it. It comes in a nude color as well. There are other brands and styles varying from size, thickness, length, and color that you can choose from. I personally like the Danshuz brand made for dancers and cheerleaders because the kneepads are not too thick and you can wear them under baggy pants. However, many people like to wear them over their bare legs, leggings, or activewear pants. Just depends on your preference and functionality.

To sum up, pro tip for my fellow dance fitness addicts – preserve those sexy legs! While as a dancer you can expect a few bumps and bruises, do what you can, wear protective gear, and protect what you can so you can get back up on the dance floor ASAP! Make the investment to buy kneepads, pack it in your bag, and always make sure to come prepared and bring it with you. You’ll thank me as well as your kneepads later.