B. YOURSELF

FEEL GOOD: ROAMING ZEN

“I JUST GET TO DANCE AND BE WITH A BUNCH OF WOMEN WHO LOVE TO MOVE, BE TOGETHER AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER.”

Roaming Zen at home Can’t get to the studio? No problemo! Roaming Zen offers live streaming and pre-recorded classes that you can do from the comfort of your own living room!

WORDS Hayley Pearson PHOTOS Wayne Pearson Set your heart free and dance like nobody’s watching!

Roaming Zen is a barre, yoga, Pilates and movement studio on Magill Road, and everybody who experiences it cannot wipe the smile off their face. It's the whole, ‘I want what she's having’ concept, and you truly don’t know what it’s like until you try it! “We get everybody in our community moving in different ways,” says owner Jen. On the movement menu is barre, a low impact workout which is great for sculpting the body; the popular Mums and Bubs classes for post or pre-natal mums; yoga; Pilates; and the secret ingredient, the b. class®. But what is the b.class®? “It's the class that gets you through the high times, the low times and it's a real gift that we get to offer to our community — it creates a connection to self like no other,” says Jen. The b.class® is for people of all ages and body shapes, and it combines movement with powerful music that speaks to the soul. The lights are dim, you’re not on show and even the most uncoordinated people (like myself) can just feel the music, let go and dance. It’s incredible! Adelaide local Vienna found the b. class® whilst living in Canada. She trained to become a leader and then introduced the class to Roaming Zen when she moved back home. “I just love how the program makes me feel. I get to feel alive and free, and for someone who has struggled with my weight my whole life, I’ve finally found a place where I feel safe and secure. I just get to dance and be with a bunch of women who love to move, be together and encourage each other,” smiles Vienna. The Roaming Zen community extends well beyond the walls of their studio with their Wine & Yoga events and bespoke Wellness Retreats. Imagine a cosy weekend away in the gorgeous Adelaide Hills with yoga, meditation, mindfulness, wholesome food, massage and even some wine, if you please. Now, where do I sign?

@roamingzen roamingzen.com.au

WORDS Hayley Pearson PHOTOS Wayne Pearson

Rock a tutu like it’s nobody’s business at Adelaide’s largest dancewear store, Dance FX!

Whether you like to tango, waltz, cha-cha, krump, shuffle, do The Smurf or step-ball-change your way onto any dance floor, you need to look the part.

Enter stage left, Dance FX! A dancewear store selling everything ‘dance’ — from jazz to hip hop, tap, calisthenics, ballet, pointe shoes, ballroom shoes, tutus, dance bags, costume bags, tights, bodysuits and leotards. They even sell gorgeous material, crystals and sequins so you can make your own costumes.

Dance FX services absolutely any dancer from 18-months-old right through to 90-year-olds, with sizes ranging from petite to curvaceous. “We’re like a dance uniform shop for dance groups, schools and even people who just like to dress up and dance in their kitchens,” says dance extraordinaire and co-owner Judy.

They stock all the well known, quality dance brands, like Bloch, Energetiks, Capezio, Fiesta, Studio 7, MDM and, of course, Kryolan — so you know you’re getting the best of the best.

But brands aside, what really got me was the heart and soul behind Dance FX. Dancing since their womb eviction day, co-owners Judy and Caitlin have a bond like no other. “I was Caitlin’s dance teacher, so I had the pleasure of watching her blossom into an incredibly talented performer and now we get to work side by side, helping the next generation get excited about dance,” says Judy.

Their wealth of knowledge and warm and fuzzy service put Dance FX in a league of their own. I was lucky enough to witness this when 11-year-old Lucy walked into the Unley store with her mum looking for new ballet shorts. It’s not just a grab-and-go experience at Dance FX — Lucy was properly fitted in all the right places and made to feel super special and comfortable. The excitement was real and Lucy and her mum pirouetted out of the store with exactly what they needed.

STRICTLY BALLROOM With Adelaide’s largest range of ballroom shoes, from teeny tiny feet to lovable large ones, Dance FX has you covered with their exclusive range of ballroom shoes.

@dancefxsa dancefx.com.au

FEEL GOOD: DANCE FX

DID SOMEBODY SAY DANCE UNIFORMS? Yes, Dance FX can also design and print team uniforms and merchandise so you can be matchymatchy with your dance crew.

PROFESSIONAL POINTE SHOE FITTERS I had no idea that fitting pointe shoes is such a technical experience — I just assumed anyone and everyone could swan their way around on tippy toes. How wrong I was!

“It should take about an hour to fit a good pair of pointes. We work very closely with a physio for your pre-pointe assessment to make sure you are ready. If you’re unsure whether your shoes have been fitted properly, please come and see us — we’ll help you free of charge.”