Hello Alamo!
Getting the community’s perspective is important to what I’m trying to do. It allows us to see how each other thinks, and hopefully foster connection and eventual care that carries over to in-person community.
(The interview for this couldn’t happen until Friday, so I just waited. My ‘planning-ahead’ skills will falter again.)
I was also excited for this piece because movement and its effects on the body have been an interest for me for years.
Claudia Powell has been a resident of Alamogordo for the second time since 1981, and has been both a teacher and a student of belly dance since 2002. Beyond the obvious healthy implications of staying active, recent ongoing research points to dancing specifically as a net positive for our overall well-being.
Powell especially sees this form of movement as beneficial between groups of women. Modern times have us all way too comfortable behind a screen and disconnected from each other. She sees the classes she provides for the community at Otero Artspace as an opportunity to foster emotional connection within ourselves and with each other, 2 aspects of physical health that I personally think are too often considered separate from your physical body.
I mean, as far as I know, the mental conditions going on inside your head also reside in your brain, in your body.
Back before I resurrected this blog to focus on community health here in Alamogordo, I had looked over many studies that showed that neuroplasticity (activities mainly focused on learning new things in some way can create new neural pathways in the brain) was not only indeed a thing, but that dance specifically had been the catalyst for growing thicker gray matter in the brain in many instances. Especially in aging populations who may be facing grim realities like dementia and Alzheimer’s, safe-guarding cognitive functions through activities that also keep you social are fantastic. Powell mentioned that she views learning belly dance as akin to learning a foreign language, and I will be using that from now on.
Powell has taught classes in several places over the years, but she mentioned that, as a realtor, she knows it is pretty rare to find buildings with oak floors like Otero Artspace. Built in the 1930s, it maintains that element thanks to restoration efforts by the community not seen elsewhere, which is more gentle on joints. It also features nice, open space and great lighting. Powell names it as her dream studio.
As far as I know, certain non-profits have a deal with the City to have their space donated basically in exchange for showing that the non-profit serves the community through a quota of volunteer hours. In my very humble opinion, providing space for emotional connection through dance and all-ages creative expression through theatre is a wonderful thing. It’s joy, and health, our community deserves. A listing of her classes can be found on Otero Arts Inc’s website.
And again, I ask you, if you happen to have any free time, please sign up to volunteer at Otero Artspace here.
Until next time,
Salud!
2 Responses
Qauestion. Grey matter? Not sure if that’s a good thing or not. I’m familiar with what a doctor may state. Or a Nero doctor would stay. Not sure if I’m catching your interpretation.
Also what your striving for in our community sounds great. Different but I understand that much. I’ll be watching on the side lines to see if this is what I’m maybe Interested in. Thank you for your time
Respectfully,
Pepper Telles
Hi Pepper!
So, as far as I am aware, the research currently points to grey matter in the brain helping with things like mental cognition and emotional regulation. A lack of grey matter has been seen in people with things like dementia and Alzheimer’s. It could very well be wrong, but I believe science is the best method to strive towards truth, and as someone whose grandfather had dementia, I especially think our elders deserve better than that very scary reality. Thanks for reading!