Monday Meeting: Stephanie Greeves

It's Monday! And you know what that means...another fabulous event vendor to introduce you to! Today, we'd like you to meet Stephanie Greeves...not your typical wedding vendor, but someone that most brides can agree, she's someone they'd love to meet and work with before (and after) their big day. Stephanie is a born and raised Virginia Beach gal with an extraordinary dance background. She has taken her love for dance and fitness and combined them into one...her dance studio Center Stage Dance Company started offering fitness classes this past year and they are a humongous hit (and the studio is packed).  Zumba is a fave of ours...but the studio also offers stretching and conditioning classes. (and you can even see a few of our staff in their adult tap classes). 

Meet Stephanie:

A few ZUMBA regulars performing our love for fitness at the annual Fairfield Fall Festival.
(Instructor, Stephanie Greeves, in Center)

What is your dance and fitness background?Dancing has been a part of my life for the past 30 years.  I began dancing as a toddler and haven't stopped since!  My dance training involved a variety of styles of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, pointe, and contemporary.  I grew up in a local dance studio which gave me an amazing foundation for dance.  I also trained with master teachers in the area to further develop my teaching style and help me become a stronger dancer.  Most recently, I obtained my Zumba Instructor's License....exercising has never been so much fun! 

What made you leave teaching career to pursue opening a dance studio?

My love for children and my passion for dance were the perfect marriage and instrumental in my decision to open a dance studio!  I was formerly a Kindergarten and First Grade teacher (in addtion to a dance instructor).  I was given the opportunity to host a mobile dance program for a group of local preschools, which solidified the idea that teaching dance was what I was meant to do. As the children began to grow out of the preschools, I had to just let them go...like little butterflies out into the big wide world!  Sometimes this resulted in children joining a dance studio in their neighborhood, but often it just meant they were finished with their dancing hobby.  I wanted to give these little ballerinas a place to call home. Opening a dance studio is the best of both worlds.  I get to nurture and train children in a discipline that I feel so much passion towards!   I wanted to give adults a chance to dance as well, but so many ladies are intimidated by the typical ballet class. I decided to offer Zumba to expose adults to many styles of dance without having them attend the traditional dance class. 

What is your favorite style of dance?

I have two favorite styles of dance, one for the traditional dance studio and the other is my Zumba favorite!  Tap is hands-down my favorite style of dance.  I love the sounds, both simple and complex, and how taps can create their own music! You have the chance to be a little over-the-top when you tap!  Tap takes practice, it is not an easy style to pick up, but once you get it, I guarantee you will be hooked!  Salsa is my favorite interntational rythm.  I love the way the music gets you moving. You just can't stop dancing once you get that beat in your head!

What can someone expect when they come to your studio for the first time?

You will find both our dance classes and fitness classes are very welcoming to new students.  The students in both of those classes are never competitive and always embrace an additional dancer.  New ladies who attend Zumba classes always worries they won't know the routines, but that is the beauty of Zumba...you catch on to the choreography quickly becuase of the repetitive nature of the dances. Ladies always worry that they will look silly or that they don't know how to dance.  I always tell them "no one has time to look at you!"  Everyone is consumed with themselves and trying to follow along, that they just don't have time to notice that you might be on the wrong foot!  99% of the ladies who try the first class return for a second class! 

Typically, how many calories do you burn in a Zumba class?

 It all really depends on your body type and the amount of effort you put into each workout.  Typically, ladies can expect to burn at LEAST 500 calories.  A few of my regular Zumba girls wear monitors and have reported burning over 1,000 calories on multiple occasions!   

What makes Zumba so enjoyable for you?

I love that you don't feel like you are exercising when you Zumba!  It just feels like fun...a dance party!  It makes me so happy to see my friends and Zumba crew working hard on their fitness goals and to know that I am a part of their journey.  There are many reasons why ladies attend a Zumba class...some for help with their weight loss, others just to help them lead a heathier lifestyle.  I am so honored that we have formed a bond that goes far beyond the typical gym membership!

You can check out Zumba yourself 6 times a week at Center Stage Dance Company. 

($5.00 per class or a 10 class punch card for $40.00)

Mondays at 8:30

Tuesday-Thursday at 8:00pm

Saturdays at 8:00am 

Sundays at 4:00pm

Monday Meeting: My Mom.

I try not to get too personal on my blog, but, Today is a little different. Yesterday, I lost the most amazing woman I know, My Mom. After 11 months and 2 days fighting brain cancer she lost her fight. I'd like to introduce you to her:

There are a million and one things that I should be doing, but all I can do is think about my mom. Everything I touch and do is a constant reminder of her…so I thought I’d do what I do best and that’s talk (or in this case, write) to introduce this amazing woman to you.

I can start with the basics; my mom was a 54 year old ball buster. She knew everyone, everywhere. She was the epitome of popularity. She loved to eat out and to entertain. (Maybe that’s where I get my love for throwing a good party.) She was an educator, not just at the high school she taught at for many years, but she also played one in real life. She was hilarious…besides muttering the words “I love you” to me daily until she couldn’t speak anymore…the last cognitive thing she said to me was “HOT DAMN!” (Just last weekend when I told her I heard there were hotties in heaven). She was hard headed and stubborn. She never let the doctors tell her that her disease prognosis was weak, and she never took it as a death sentence, she fought until there was no fight left. She was full of grace and beauty. She never understood how beautiful she was, both inside and outside, but everyone she encountered knew it.

She is a supporter. Truly. She is a supporter for those she believes in. For the causes she believes in. Thankfully, myself, my husband, our businesses and our family are causes she believed in. Still on her dining room table is a copy of every magazine that I’ve ever been featured in.  She was proud. Each time I ran into her friends and acquaintances they knew exactly who I was through her stories and accolades. She was a believer.

She always had open arms. Through her I learned that not only is the family you are born into important, but the family that you choose is as equally important. Without this belief system I wouldn’t have my husband, whom she took under her wing and introduced me to on her front porch 9 years ago. My sister Marci, my Taunte Sunday. I could go on and on. With her gone, I will lean on my “family”, the one that she chose for me, so that I would not be alone without her.

There are so many things I could say about her. But I’ll leave you with this:  She told it like it was. She was humble. She was smart. She was love. She was witty. She was kind. She was bold. She was captivating. She was gracious. She was generous. She was tactful. She was mothering. She was strength. She was clever. She was smart. She was courage. She was mom. 

Signature Drink Saturday: Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail

How pretty is this drink? Fresh Cranberry, Lemon, Refreshing Yumminess...how could you go wrong? 

http://punchfork.com/styu9i

You'll need:

1 cup of fresh cranberries
1 wedge of Lemon
4 sprigs of mint 
1/2 an orange slice 
3/4 cup sugar 
1 cup ginger ale
3/4 cup water 
1.5 cups dry gin 


Here's what you'll do: (taken directly from Creative-Culinary)

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; pour off all but one cup of syrup, reserving any extra for another use.
2. Heat the syrup to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Add the cranberries and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they just begin to burst. Remove from heat and let cool in syrup.
3. Place 2 Tablespoons drained cranberries and 6 Tablespoons cranberry syrup in a large pitcher; add the lemon wedges and orange slices.
4. Using a muddler or wooden spoon, vigorously mash the fruit.
5. Stir in gin and let steep for at least 5 minutes.
6. Strain into a medium pitcher.
7. Fill 4 glasses with crushed ice and 1/4 cup ginger ale.
8. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and then pour half the cranberry mixture into the shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain liquid into two glasses. Repeat.
9. Mound additional ice on top of each glass and garnish with 3 candied cranberries and a mint sprig.

An Engagement Story: Sara and John

We are on an engagement session post frenzy this week and LOVE it! Meet Sara and John...a fun couple getting married this fall at Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center. Sara and John have been such an enjoyable couple to work with, laid back with awesome style! We are also excited about working with the artist behind these pictures...Mr. Glenn Bashaw of Images in Light! We have heard so many great reviews over the last few years of his work and love these engagements...their wedding images are sure to ROCK!

An Engagement Story: Casie and Mark!

Meet Casie and Mark...a gorgeous couple (obviously, check out those pictures) with a gorgeous heart. We have been working with this happy couple for over a year now and love the amount of work that Casie has put into all of the "little details" for their big day. I don't want to share too much, because I know how many details will fill their after wedding post, but for now, a few of their engagement pictures from the always fabulous Bill Murray. We CANNOT wait for this June wedding at the Chrysler.

An Engagement Story: Lindsay and TJ

 Meet Lindsay and TJ...We are so excited to assist them in the planning process of their wedding!  We also love that we have so many mutual friends that are ACE clients. Who knew we ran in the same circles (maybe we aren't as out of the cool loop as we thought?!) including Lindsay's brother Brian and soon to be sister-in-law Jessica. Lindsay and TJ will tie the knot September 8th at one of our favorite venues, Bay Creek on the Eastern Shore!  Love and wishes to this happy couple. 

Thanks Justin Hankins for these gorgeous pictures.