Hello Friends,
Nearly half a year has passed since my last correspondence, and more has changed in that time than perhaps several years preceding this current moment. I have composed several emails to you, some abandoned as first drafts and others became irrelevant a week or two into the editing process. I last left off announcing the expansion of Root and Branch Bodywork. January 1st marked a very encouraging grand opening with most of our New Year’s Day classes filled to capacity. I was happy to see several friends who have been consistent in my small corner of the movement community, warmed by reunions with some old friends, and honored to welcome some new bodies (to me) often invited by family and friends who grew beside me in Root and Branch Bodyworks first location. Things have continued to grow in an organic fashion these past few months. Kaitlin has been more active in developing the space and her connections with the Mt. Airy and Germantown communities, and has welcomed many new clients frequenting the space for both her services in massage and movement coaching. I daily enjoy training in the beautiful space, occasionally while Kaitlin works with a client or one of the other brilliant teachers host their own offerings. Having once developed a movement space myself, I am impressed and inspired by the ways Kaitlin manifests her vision and enriched by the ways this diverse and accomplished crew of movement experts offer their own contributions to our growing community. I have been fortunate to attend Adam Woolley’s “Handstand + Flex” class, Luther Bangert’s “Juggling + Movement” class and Daniel Nemer’s “Qi Gong” class. All three classes have found a way to influence my own practice and way of conveying information. All these brilliant movement professionals offer options for financially limited folks, sliding scale or special offerings at discounted and donation based rates. Whatever isolation and disconnect may have been plaguing my experience these past several years, has dissolved under the intense warmth of a home Kaitlin continues to make more comfortable and a community that values quality and care. Find the full class schedule and all class offerings on Root and Branch Bodywork’s website.
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Since Root and Branch Bodywork’s opening, in Mt Airy on January 1st, Kaitlin has longed for the time and energy to put all of her energy into her vision - but reality reveals more complexity than a vision often accounts for. In our case a broken heater and an unsympathetic/irresponsible landlord made for many cold nights during the coldest winter Philadelphia has experienced in a decade and stressful days, managing considerable obstacles with an impossible person at the helm. Almost two months ago, 5 months before Kaitlin’s lease was to end, we made an expedited move in together - performed by the two of us - as a team. I’ve been shy, if not overtly cynical, about the idea of partnerships and teams for sometime. Perhaps this should be unsurprising coming from someone who experienced consecutive events of divorce and dissolution in a recent cycle; but for much longer (as far back as I can remember) I’ve played an archetype who exists at a distance - afraid to lose myself in the company of others. Kaitlin has joyously and respectfully shared the past 6 years with me, providing the conditions to shed any callus and expose ourselves to the influence of mutual new growth. Ideas of self, partnership and collaboration have gone through a dramatic reframe in this time which has only accelerated in this new year. Aside from the obvious physical changes, a metaphysical reality shows itself ludicrous to articulate. The Tao that one can speak of, is not the Tao. A partnership whose center is everywhere with a circumference that is nowhere. Stable yet boundless.
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Our resettling has allowed both Kaitlin and I to put work back into other projects. For Kaitlin this has included the resent hiring of another therapist in Kristin Eleazer and starting a small retail shop in the space - I recommend emailing Kaitlin to sign up for her newsletter to get up to date and accurate info on Root and Branch. For myself, a few musical projects are developing that may reveal themselves in an upcoming newsletter and training both personally and clients continues to be my primary focus. To the end of the later I’ve worked with, Brian Eckenrode, Master Plumber and owner of B.E. Plumbing, over the past decade - at first as a Yoga student in Mt Airy’s former Magu Yoga, later a personal client and in time I became the movement teacher for the employees of B.E. Plumbing’s crew. Brian has been a student, client and friend, sometimes serving in his professional capacity to care for me and others in my network - such as this recent cold winter without heat. Most recently Brian has been meeting with me Saturday mornings, helping build the foundation of what is now becoming our 9am Saturday Strength Class (small group). These classes will run one hour and 30 mins (9-10:30), much like my own typical training session. Beginning with 30-45minute full body warm up, progressing toward a 30-45 minute strength session - generally focused on 1-2 movements (eg., Row and Push-up, Pull-up/Chin-up, Deadlift or Squat) and, (pending time), close with accessory work to support more complex lifts already practiced, or recovery techniques (breathing, stretching and general nervous system regulation). These classes will not seek to combine strength and cardio conditioning as many fitness classes seek to do; these categories are approached separately in both my personal practice and teaching methodology. While all hard physical work will produce a cardio response, pushing the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems to maximum effort simultaneously is rarely synonymous with wellness - though it may be required in some areas of performance. As with all my other classes, these classes will be open to diverse levels of physical ability: Movements are scaleable and progressions are provided. Architectural Movement classes offer pay what you can options. Drop-ins are suggested at $25 a class when possible, $200 for 10 classes prepaid is available to regular attendees, with this income managing to provide financial assistance to folks who need a bit of our assistance. Drop in for $5, $10, $15, or $20 if your situation requires - This situation has provided an effortless symbiosis to our community, where multiple folks who used to come for less now pay more as situations changed.
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Architectural Movement classes (Wednesday 6pm and Sunday 8:30+10am) - please reserve space online, limit to 10 people, prepay not required
Saturday Strength class (Saturday 9-10:30am) - please reserve space online, limit to 4 people, prepay not required
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*Saturday Strength Class will be starting under a similar model, $25 a class requested, pay what you can available at least through July.
With the number of participants of this class needing to be restricted to 4 due to equipment and space limitations - this class may eventually require a minimum income to accommodate base running costs. I will evaluate as things get running and communicate needed changes as any needs arise.
I look forward to seeing you soon,
🙏
Noah