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<\/p>\nAlmost three decades and hundreds of students later, Carla Turner still does a happy dance every time she gets to share her love of ballet with a young dancer.<\/p>\n
For Carla Turner, it\u2019s all about those magical moments when her students\u2019 faces light up after nailing a tricky move. It\u2019s hearing that Monday is a kid\u2019s favourite day because it\u2019s ballet day. And there\u2019s nothing quite like watching them transform into confident performers, ready to shine on stage.<\/p>\n
She first discovered her love for ballet when she watched her older sister\u2019s classes, and then started taking classes too, continuing right through her teens.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen, when I was 18, I was asked to teach the children at church to sing. It was part of their Sunday school attendance. So, think informal choir vibes. I remember how surprised I was at how much I loved it. And so, I decided to combine my love of dance with my love of teaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore long I opened Dance Inc, starting out with five very cute and sweet little students, in Isabelle Krauss\u2019 art studio in Noordheuwel. During these years, while I was completing my classical ballet diploma, I also dipped my toes into the worlds of aromatherapy and reflexology.<\/p>\n
\u201cFun fact\u2026\u201d she laughs, \u201cI\u2019m a totally competent masseuse too!\u201d<\/p>\n
Fast forward 27 years and a couple of studios, and you\u2019ll find Carla teaching at her home in Silverfields. Hoping to change the narrative that ballet is only for the posh crowd, she teaches at a few schools in Krugersdorp and Soweto, too.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not all about ballet in Carla\u2019s studio. It\u2019s about life, faith, hope and love. Over the years, she became known as the ballet coach who doesn\u2019t just see life through rose-coloured glasses \u2026 but pirouettes through it with endless joy and inspiration. Which is exactly what she hopes to teach each student who walks through her doors.<\/p>\n
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\u201cLive your life \u2026 make it beautiful. Don\u2019t just exist.\u201d She likes to tell them. \u201cNever stop dancing. Never stop learning. Never stop dreaming. Don\u2019t spend too much time on people and things that don\u2019t leave you feeling good. And try to focus more on bravery than perfection. And don\u2019t forget to pray!\u201d<\/p>\n
Her students, in turn, have taught her that together, they can make pure magic happen \u2026 regardless of age differences. All thanks to the universal love language that brings them together.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever met Carla or stepped foot in her studio, you know her ultimate jam is \u2018Better when I\u2019m dancing\u2019. Because dancing, she believes, isn\u2019t just fun. It\u2019s a way of life that brings people closer.<\/p>\n
Although she\u2019s passionate about the studio, she absolutely loves the stage. In fact, Carla\u2019s a seasoned theatre producer with a whopping 10 ballet productions under her belt.
\nWhen she\u2019s not with her ballet students, this versatile dancer just loves a good waltz and some ballroom elegance, and has a passion for Spanish dancing!<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really are better when we are dancing. My hope is that when the music is good, we dance! Many people don\u2019t know that dancing is so powerful for brain and body development in children, and good brain and body health in adults. So, it\u2019s quite simple. Just dance!\u201d<\/p>\n
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Carla isn\u2019t just a dancing queen \u2026 she\u2019s also been a Pilates practitioner for seven years now. For her, it\u2019s like meditation in motion, the perfect way to stay strong as we age. Pilates, she says, fights off muscle loss and stiffness that come with age, keeping both the body and mind youthful and vibrant. Just ask her oldest client – 70 years young and thriving!<\/p>\n
When she\u2019s not in studio, you\u2019ll probably find her in her PJ\u2019s, lounging in bed, and taking a well-deserved breather \u2026 especially in winter. There\u2019s just something irresistible about watching brave souls renovate their chateaus on YouTube. And her ultimate guilty pleasure \u2026 binge-watching Grey\u2019s Anatomy!<\/p>\n
She also loves spending time with her two children, 17-year-old Chad and 14-year-old Chlo\u00eb \u2026 whether they\u2019re shopping, going on a game drive or a road trip, soaking up nature, or exploring local markets. And you can bet theatre is always on the agenda. Especially if there\u2019s a ballet production involved!<\/p>\n
Bottom line \u2026 she wishes everyone knew the transformative power of dance. It\u2019s not just exercise. It\u2019s a celebration of life for all ages. Whether she\u2019s waltzing, teaching a little ballerina, or guiding a Pilates class, Carla is living proof that life truly is better when you\u2019re dancing!<\/p>\n
Details: Follow @dance.incorporated on Insta, @Dance Inc. on Facebook and @Dance.inc.za on TikTok.<\/em><\/p>\n 5 Morning stretches to start your day<\/strong><\/p>\n Including some stretching in your daily morning routine can help energise you. It can really make a difference in how both your body and your mind start the day. Remember not to slam yourself into a stretch. Instead, slowly count to eight to start your stretch and get to your end position. Breathe deeply and slowly.<\/p>\n \u2022 The plank. The plank is one of the best and when done correctly, safest core strengthening exercises you can do. A strong core will enable you to maintain good posture by strengthening your abdominals. Plus, it helps relieve back pain.<\/p>\n \u2022 Reverse plank. Unlike bodyweight exercises like the regular plank, which targets the muscles on the front of your body, the reverse plank focuses on your posterior muscles like the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles.<\/p>\n \u2022 Quad stretch. Stretching the quadriceps muscles helps increase mobility, flexibility, and range of motion in the knee and hip joints. This stretch targets the muscles located at the front of the thigh. There are many ways you can modify a quad stretch to make it easier or more challenging.<\/p>\n \u2022 Shoulder stretch. Stiff or tight shoulders can cause discomfort and limit a person\u2019s range of motion. If the tightness goes unchecked, it can cause neck pain and tension headaches.<\/p>\n \u2022 Inner thigh stretch. You use the muscles in your inner thigh and groin area more often than you might think. These stretches will improve flexibility and prevent injury.<\/p>\n Text: ALANICKA LOTRIET. \u2022 Photographer: HILDA MANS<\/a> & CARLA TURNER. \u2022 Make-up & hair: HEIDIE FOURIE<\/a>. \u2022 Venue: USAMBARA<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Almost three decades and hundreds of students later, Carla Turner still does a happy dance every time she gets to share her love of ballet with a young dancer. For Carla Turner, it\u2019s all about those magical moments when her students\u2019 faces light up after nailing a tricky move. It\u2019s hearing that Monday is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":20824,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,20],"tags":[5770,6735,7687,7686,6063,54,1476,7334,3442,7690,6503,7688,6495,7689],"class_list":{"0":"post-20823","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-people","8":"category-personalities","9":"tag-alanicka-lotriet","10":"tag-ballet","11":"tag-carla-turner","12":"tag-dance-inc","13":"tag-dancer","14":"tag-get-it-joburg-west","15":"tag-get-it-magazine","16":"tag-heidie-fourie","17":"tag-hilda-mans","18":"tag-lifes-a-dance","19":"tag-passion","20":"tag-pilates-instructor","21":"tag-studio","22":"tag-versatile"},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/joburg-west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2024-07-02-at-14.36.48-5-400x300.jpeg\")
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