Cristina Michaels If you are just beginning to dance or take class regularly or if you are a veteran dancer.  Having your body, mind and soul formulated for every class, each time takes regular practice. Like class itself making a mental checklist short of long to analyze your body and mind’s readiness.  As a transgender…

Plie to bend or bending  Demi plie half of a bend Grande plie, a full or grand bend  Devant, in/to the front Derriere, in/to the back A la seconde, in second/to the side) En Croix, “in the shape of a cross:” This often indicates the combination is performed to the devant, second, derriere,  and back…

What is Queer Qi?   Cristina Michaels L.Ac. Queer Qi is a term I have coined. To embrace and welcome the queer and gender expansive human aspect into a meditative practice. Which as has been notoriously been left out.  This diverse and inclusive title is meant to indicate and offer a space for the LGBTQIA communities. …

Queer Dance Project, is a project that has been forming for a few years.  Shortly after transitioning I started offering a dance class every 2 weeks. To the queer and trans community in Boulder County.  I was tickled by the turn out, no pun intended.  After relocating to Denver and finding myself getting turned down…

By Cristina Michaels MS L.Ac. Now that we have started to develop and research our technique at barre. Our approach to a ballet class may change slightly now.  The barre is where we develop and find our center or “our core” so that when we do move away from the barre, we will have researched…

By Cristina Michaels L.Ac. As adult dancers either starting ballet or those with experience the potential for injury is constantly present.  The excessive rotation or “forced” turn out of dancers will in the end cause strain on tendons and ligaments.  To clarify ligaments adhere bone to bone often found in joint regions, while tendons attach…

“We are just instruments to an art form.  Shaped like a musical note and tuned like a symphony” C. Michaels