Yoga Stories

We’ve come a long way from that day three years ago when the first Ready  Steady Move! program was born. Originally conceived as a movement program to improve language skills, Ready Steady Move!  has come a long way since then.
The first version was based on dance and movement theatre but as time went on we saw the benefits of adding yoga to the syllabus. This happened when the kids reacted so well to the small yoga sections introduced by chance to the program; they really got a kick out of the asanas! We didn’t call it yoga and of course we didn’t call the postures asanas but the love for yoga was obvious. Since then the yoga has developed into an integral part of the program, performed using specially written yoga stories that will soon be available on DVD called Yoga Stories for Children. Both the kids and their parents will be able to practice yoga at home, with any luck it will become an integral part of their lives.
And then came the Pilates! As usual the best things happen by accident. Helen Doron and Ella Doron started to learn Pilates with Ganit, got hooked, dragged me along and before you could say Hokey Cokey, Pilates for Children was introduced into the program as well. Children really benefit from the Pilates method especially as they spend so much time stuck behind desks, computers and TVs. This sedentary life style is ruining their posture as well as reducing their overall physical fitness, balance and body strength. Pilates can counter this. Naturally the three minutes of Pilates in each lesson aren’t enough so…..we’re making a Pilates DVD. The kids and grown-ups participating in Ready Steady Move! will be encouraged to do Pilates at home as well as in the lessons. If you have to watch the “box” then you might as well get fit at the same time.
Of course Ready Steady Move! One begat Ready Steady Move!  Two, I mean how could we produce just one successful program? So we have a new program, 32 new songs and chants set to music from around the world, but no choreography. Along came Tal and Ganit, combining Jazz dance techniques with traditional Indian dance movements, they produced a series of entertaining and challenging dance numbers keeping the kids and teachers on their toes, literally. The second program is more difficult than the first and is suitable for older children (and their parents) of up to eight years old (or eighty).