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Cftarlotte ^ost CHARLES FAULKNER Kindness Is Often An Indication Of Strength "Dear Dr. Faulkner. I am a good person. I don't abuse anyone, and I try to be Mnd and respectful to every one I meet. But, I am getting sick and tired of being nice to other people when all that they do is push me around. They think I'm weak. I'm quiet, but not weak. Why are people like that?" Ms. S., Denver, Colorado Dear Ms. S.: What a lot of people cannot understand is that a person can be kind and strong at the same time. Kindness may, in fact, repre sent strength rather then weakness. I'll tell you why. An inse cure person might have a need to make everyone feel as weak and insecure as he (or she) does. Push ing others around, insulting them and degrading them gives this horrible person a sense of psychological control. It is similar to a man who has an argument with his boss, but goes home and takes his frustrations out on his wife by beating her up. Or, like a woman who is rejected by a man, and, in turn, is rude to every other man who ap proaches her. This bullying person will eventually meet his (or her) match. There are many so- called "quiet" people who are extremely strong. They may be quiet around people with whom they are not comforta ble, or they simply do not know very well. A person might be quiet be cause they have exceptional maturity and self-control. They do not find a need to get upset over small, unimpor tant things. Insecure bullies get upset over some very small, unimportant things. They often create things to argue about. They get upset if you don't agree with them. They really get upset if you Ignore them. They might tiy to trick, or "sucker" you into an argument. And, while they are creat ing an unnecessary argu ment, the quiet, strong per son is simply thinking, "This insecure person is real ly infantile." Also, this bully might try to set you up by do- -See KINDNESS Page lOA LIFESTYLES 7A THURSDAY July 7,1993 Riding The Fitness Bandwagon Enercise It Has Become A Black Thing By April C. Turner THE CHARLOTTE POST N ■1^.. * 1 1 i m ike said "Just do it," and the black community said "consider it done." National studies show that African Americans have leaped onto the aerobic bandwagon and are exercising more often. Karen Withrow, an aerobics Instructor at the McCrorey branch YMCA says the number of brothers and sisters in atten dance has increased dramati cally. "When I came here (a year and a half ago) we started out with four people and now the class has grown and we have about 30 people. They come and go but they always come back," she said. Withrow says it is important to recognize how vital exer cise is to overall health. 'We all need some type of extra fitness program in our lives so it's important for me to make the class fun," she said. Class members attend Withrow's class for various rea sons. She says that the reasons are usually not cosmetic. "The main reason that people come to class is not to lose weight. A few people are here because their doctors recom mended that they exercise," she said. High cholesterol and blood pressure levels prompt doc tors to encourage patients to work out. Withrow said that exercising has helped Improve her students' conditions. Advising class members about heathy diet practices is an important role that Withrow says she enjoys playing. "They [students] do ask for dieting tips and my advice to them is to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables," she said. "Cut out the red meats. If you have to have some type of meat, eat chicken and fish. You don't want them to stop eating or take diet pills unless they are under some type of supervision. If they eat right and cut back on their fatty foods and exercise they're going to lose the weight." Hubert Tyrelle works out at the Park Road branch YWCA three times a week for a different reason. "I wanted to give myself some discipline so when I'm 50 I'll feel like I'm 20. I'm a big kid Inside," he said. Tyrelle says that over the last six months he has noticed an improvement m strength and development. "It's been worth it," he said. Withrow says men are catching on to the benefits of aero bics and are working out just as much as women. "Many times black Americans, in general, don't eat right and women don't like to work out because we sweat our hair out," she said. "But I try to make it fun for everybody so they will come back. I tell everyone to go at their own pace and to just have fun." "Just do it" - \ MklHw' Photo/James Brown Karen \nthrow (bottom center) leads people to better, heaUhier lifestyles through aerobic ex ercise. Above, students who have enrolled in class get a vigorus work out to get fit. African Dance Whips Wayward Thighs Into Shape By April C. Turner THE CHARLOTTE POST For 90 minutes every Wed nesday, silence does not exist at Spirit Square. Drums pierce every comer of the room and the atmosphere is alive with laughter. Christopher Thompson, 33, bounces around the room and the movement begins. Thompson is an African dance teacher, drummer and performer who holds a class each week at Spirit Square. "Don't think about it, just do it. African dance is very free, so let go." As soon as those words leave his mouth, Thompson lets go and the students in class hold on tight as they swing away on the ride of their lives. Christopher Thompson teaches dance. Photo/Caivin Ferguson "Let's go!" the rhythm speeds up and heels kick higher. "Ba dada da ba dada da ba! You got it, now start over." Thompson demon strates the feeling. He shuttles back and forth be tween the dance floor and the dmms and his energy level is high enough to raise the roof. "African dance is the root of every form of communi cation. The very first form of face-to-face communica tion Is African dance. That face-to-face communica tion Is an expression. An energetic way to talk," Thompson said. The dances he teaches are traditional combinations that are performed in Afri ca at ceremonies, festivals and celebrations. The Spirit Square class focuses on the Sufinl dance from the Sene- gambla region. Students learn about Afri can customs and how these customs have survived with African people in America. But with this learning comes sweat. Knowledge is earned in Thompson's class. Students are encouraged to care about the movements to the dance and to commit to them fully. Thompson pleads with his class to remember the steps from week to week and to re spect the ancestors that were forbidden to do the same tra ditional steps during slav ery. The rewards of this hard work are cultural enlighten ment and healthier bodies. Vickie Torrey, a partici pant in the class, says the benefits are well worth the work. "I really believe in the posi tive advantages of African dance... in this class you get a pretty good workout, it's fun, very healthy and very heal ing," Torrey said. Thompson has been teach ing dance for 13 years. He says he started his career as a dancer under the tutelage of N.C. School of the Arts, Tobi as School of the Arts, Cleo Parker Robinson and Chuck Davis. Thompson recommends African dance as a stress- relieving tool and a great way to whip wayward thighs See Thighs Page 8A INSIDE: RET.TOTON • • • 9A AROUND CHARLOTTE • • *8A CHURCH NEWS • • • I2A
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 8, 1993, edition 1
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