Mind Your Body Pilates has NEVER, in fifteen years, canceled Pilates classes, appointments or closed the doors. As you all may know, we will jump through hoops to get to the Pilates studio, though most of our instructors travel from Brooklyn to get to the dedicated Pilates students at Mind Your Body. Today was different. Though, instuctors, James and Lamar started on foot, I stopped them in their tracks to say, “Though this is tough, WE ARE CLOSED FOR THE DAY!” Because most of our clients live on the upper east side and just footsteps away from the Pilates studio, I received many disappointing messages, though everyone understood why. We still have openings in our weekend Pilates classes and you can sign up online:

HAVE FUN. BE SAFE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO MIND YOUR BODY AND YOUR PILATES PRACTICE!

Renowned choreographer David Parsons, artistic director of NYC dance company Parsons Dance, returns to the Joyce Theater to present his evening length work “Remember Me,” a fiery, athletic, heart-wrenching rock opera featuring live vocals from the East Village Opera Company. After nearly a three week run, the show ends TONIGHT 2/21 at 7:30 PM. For those who are unfamiliar with Parsons’ work, imagine a product both graceful and sharp, technical and artistic, innovative and classic. Parsons’ ability to reinvent an age-old story (two men in love with the same woman) proves his presence in the dance world is ever lasting. The dancers themselves are gems, highly trained and committed to their art. Night after night live music, bold lighting and video projection captivate the audience. This is not just a dance show, this is an experience. Tickets are still available, no less! Visit www.joyce.org or call the box office at 212-242-0800. If you would like to donate to Parsons Dance and help Parsons himself create a brand new work, please e-mail inquiries to info@parsonsdance.org.

Additionally, did you know that NYC Pilates studio, Mind Your Body, has in its instructor roster the very talented Melissa Ullom, the most recent addition to the Parsons Dance ensemble? David Parsons, an avid Pilates class fan (and a fan of Mind Your Body on the Upper East Side), has been known to practice Pilates with the best, and Melissa certainly is an asset to Mind Your Body! Pilates keeps the body strong and able to perform night after night after night! After watching “Remember Me,” I trust you will feel inspired to achieve those fitness goals!

Parsons Dance in collaboration with the East Village Opera Company

Rescue Chocolate is “the sweetest way to save a life”! That’s because one-hundred percent of the net profits from the sale of the bars are donated to animal shelters and rescue organizations around the country and for March 2010, United Animal Nations is the chosen beneficiary.

Begun in early 2010, the company’s mission is two-fold: to raise money for animal rescue organizations, and to spread awareness about methods to end the so-called pet overpopulation crisis.

Founder, Sarah Gross invites rescue groups and animal shelters to utilize Rescue Chocolate at adoption events and fundraisers. It makes for an easy way to draw in the public to learn about issues like spay/neuter and foster homes to save animals’ lives.

With this big mission, it’s almost like an afterthought to consider the chocolate itself. But retailers need not worry about the shelf life of this product. It’s addictingly good! Handcrafted in Brooklyn with high quality Kosher and all-vegan ingredients, the chocolate quality is as pure and heavenly as they come. This is a quantum leap above Hershey’s!

The packaging of each flavor of Rescue Chocolate highlights a different aspect of the current pet overpopulation epidemic. For example:

“Pick Me! Pepper” [available now]

64% cocoa content with chipotle peppers and pink peppercorns
explains the advantages of acquiring pets from animal shelters instead of breeders

“Peanut Butter Pit Bull” [available now]

64% cocoa content with peanut butter and vanilla wafer
argues against punitive, breed-specific legislation; counters the negative public image of the pit bull breed

“The Fix” [coming April 2010]

70% cocoa content, large sugar crystals and fleur de sel sea salt
urges pet owners to spay and neuter their dogs and cats

“Foster-rific Peppermint” [coming March 2010]

65% cocoa content with peppermint
emphasizes the need for people to provide foster care for shelter animals

Rescue Chocolate is sold wherever people like chocolate, or animals! Help bring Rescue Chocolate to your favorite place to shop. Grocery stores, pet stores, specialty boutiques, humane societies, no-kill shelters, adoption events, and veterinary offices are all prime places. In addition, it is sold direct to the consumer online. Stay tuned, and watch out for your bank account: doing good and eating this well can be very habit-forming.

If you weren’t aware, right here under our noses at Mind Your Body Pilates we possess not only a highly experienced and knowledgeable Pilate’s instructor, but also a very talented professional dancer by the name of Melissa. The most recent addition to the world-renowned modern dance company Parsons Dance, founded by choreographer David Parsons, Melissa is performing AS WE SPEAK at New York City’s Joyce Theater through February 21. How are Pilates and dance connected, you might ask? Well, Pilates is an excellent practice for dancers with injuries, or for those who need to build muscle (you know what I mean, have you ever really looked at the legs of a dancer? WOW). The two go hand in hand, in fact, the majority of Mind Your Body’s instructors are dancers or former dancers. If you are new to the Pilates scene, I would recommend attending a dance performance or two. At the very least, it will inspire you to keep working and keep exercising!! Visit www.joyce.org for tickets to Parsons’ masterpiece, titled “Remember Me,” a rock opera featuring live vocals from the East Village Opera Company.