Since the summer of 2005, I have been working with figure skaters from the Madison Figure Skating Club. I teach integrated movement (dance and yoga) to help with their posture, core strength, and competition presentations. It is a great pleasure to help these young athletes achieve their goals.

Always active in sports, I slowed down my high impact activities after the birth of my two daughters had an affect on my spine. Yoga has been an exciting path for me in understanding the body-mind connection. I have found, and continue to explore, that different schools of body movement can be integrated to enhance performance, ease of movement, and style in one’s chosen activities, even if that is just toting the kids around or working at the computer. Yoga helps me to feel comfortable and at home in my body.

I am also a student of many styles of dance, starting as a child with ballet and moving from very folky to extremely technical. Among my repertoire is English country dancing, English clog, Appalachian clog, Irish ceidhli, Irish step dancing, contra dancing, belly dancing and tap dancing. Currently I study the Martha Graham technique of modern dance under Lisa Thurell and Robert Cleary, directors of Kanopy School of Dance.

In addition to dancing, As well as teaching yoga in various venues, I have taught cooking, love swimming, biking, walking (with or without children and/or dog) and kayaking. I will try (most) anything at least once. However, even after years of giving it a whirl, I still “throw like a girl” (which doesn’t mean I’m giving up). My other hobbies include sewing, gardening, painting, and cooking, and performing. I have had many opportunities to perform and love and doing so whether in a set performance or street theater. Given the chance to perform or take a break, I will always choose the performance.

About Pat Nicolet, RSYT, RYT