We have come together this evening
to celebrate our lovely Pat
to celebrate having our lovely Pat in our lives
and to celebrate, not only your success Pat,
but also your significant contribution
to the joy, health and wellbeing
of the many many people
lucky enough to be able to tap into Pat magic .
Both personally and directly in yr classes ,
and indirectly through yr 2 books and DVD .
And also just by being in your energy
and in your space.
This 2nd book, Pilates For All
together with its accompanying DVD
is truly a magnum opus.
It is a monumental achievement by any standard .
It is in fact a Pilates Bible .
It is in fact a foundation to functional movement.
It is in fact the instruction manual,
of the course that Pat teaches
at the graduate Human Movement Science Degree course
at Stellenbosch University.
This course is for
doctors, physiotherapists, biokineticists, kinaesiologists, other fitness trainers,,
sports psychologists, and the like.
But its clarity and simplicity is such
that it is also suitable for the man in the street
and the woman in the street,
and in fact, anyone in the street.
Including the elderly
and even children.
Because the sooner this education in functional movement internalises,
the more it facilitates the growing up of strong, supple and flexible children .
The book also demonstrates however
that its never too late to restore muscle balance.
Its never too late to become a stronger, more supple, more flexible you .
It is never too late for anything.
Pilates, too has a huge role to play in rehabilitation,
as in the case of sports or other kinds of injury.
It goes without saying, too,
that the principles of Pilates
can be applied to any physical or mental activity.
Pilates is indeed the ultimate mind-body-connection training.
It is never too late to engage all of whom you are.
Pilates Pat, came, by the way
from a ballet background.
Not only did she teach ballet for many years,
she also has a Fellowship in ballet.
And went on to become a ballet examiner.
Pat is a ballet dancer
body soul and brain,
as Balanchine once said of himself.
Pat, you have trained and taught and inspired us
in this dance of life..
To quote you,
"Dancers know how to move through space"
And with your
passion, dedication and training
in both dance and pilates
and your integration of
the dance of the body
and the dance of life
into your pilates classes,
your book is a manual not only for pilates,
it is a manuual for life.
The fact too,
that one can play the DVD
and tap into this bodymind training
for however long or however short
one might have on any particular day
is a nugget of gold.
And enables one to just
tune in
and turn on
thus enlivening body, mind and spirit
that is the natural and inevitable consequence of this focus.
The more one hones one's instrument,
the more one understands
that these skills are applicable to each and every life situation.
They say that if you leave the world in a differant place from where you found it,
if you have a transformational effect on peoples' lives ,
then this is a life well lived.
This honour, this gift, is not given to many people.
But Pat you have truly earned
this gift that was granted you.
They say that when a butterfly flaps its wings,
it can be felt on the other side of the world.
Well, our beautiful butterfly has flapped her wings.
In fact,
Pat's first book
called simply "Pilates"
which was translated into Afrikaans French and Spanish,
was in fact picked up by a stranger across the world
who then got in touch with Pat
and invited her to open a Pilates studio in Bahrain.
Which she did.
Followed by a teaching stint in the Middle East.
And this, her second book, with accompanying DVD
has now empowered her students
and her readers
to spread Their wings and fly.
Pat is an inspired and inspiring teacher
with a compelling message.
(At this point I asked all present and previous students to put up their hands!
And then said,
"Kyk hoe lyk ons nou!
All these glorious woman...
their lives transformed by you!)
Pat you have transformed the lives of everyone who knows you,
both within and without your Pilates Studio.
And am sure will continue to do so for the rest of your days,
maybe still within the pilates context,
but for sure, without, as well.
The beauty of tonight's particular contribution
is that whever one is in the world, dearest Pat,
near or far,
we can tap into your Pat magic,
any time, any day,
,
just by having Pilates For All next to the bed,
and or spending a few minutes with the Dvd.
If we guests and wellwishers tonight
choose to take a copy of this ingenius package of manual and DVD home with us,
we will also take with us
the spirit and energy of Pilates Pat.
If we then further
make it a part of our lives,
even if for only a few minutes every now and then,
we will wake up and Twinkle and Shine,
our every atom and molecule infused and transfused with vitality.
We will hone our gem,
the gem that we already are.
We will become an incarnation of
the Poetry of Pilates,
of Pat magic
as we dance our way throught life.
Pat has a beautiful poster in her studio
of a couple dancing The Tango.
May you and we always
for Ever and Beyond
Face The Tango Wall.
And Pat may your extraordinary book
"Pilates For All"
find its way into the hearts and souls of very very many people.
And other sacred places.
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Posted By zenjen to words by zenjen at 11/29/2010 07:15:00 AM
