DANCING HELPS WOMAN STAY HAPPY AND FIT
Dancing, naturally
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How do you keep fit? Visit our discussion board to share health tips, diet secrets and physical activities that help you stay in shape. |
By Zenaida Serrano
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Lasensua Osborne is always on the move, whether she's teaching a salsa class or traveling to another dance festival abroad.
Being able to move — specifically, dance — later in life is her biggest fitness motivator.
"Most joy in my life comes from dancing and music," said the Makawao resident, 55, who is known professionally by her first name. "I want to always be able to express myself when I hear music, so I want to have a really healthy body when I get older."
Luckily for Lasensua, there's no need to squeeze in workout time because it's just a natural part of her daily life.
By day, she's a creative movement and drama specialist in elementary schools on Maui and also works in schools on Moloka'i and Lana'i. She teaches elementary school courses — including math, science, literacy and social studies — through movement and drama.
In the evenings, she teaches salsa and sometimes West African dance.
A dance ethnologist, Lasensua has studied music and dance all over the world, including Indonesia, India, Thailand, Brazil, Cuba and all over Africa and Asia.
It may be hard to imagine that this fiery, free spirit who grew up in Toronto was asked as an adolescent to train to be an Olympic swimmer to represent Canada, and was a former Canadian junior women's professional golfer.
But dancing is where her passion is now.
"I'm way into salsa now," Lasensua said. "I love it because I had an uncle who used to live in Cuba back in the day, when Havana was like Las Vegas — lots of energy — and he would come back to Toronto, pick me up when I was a little girl and dance around with me to salsa music. So I got really, really into it."
Lasensua also credits her mother, a former nightclub singer who had an affinity for Brazilian bossa nova music, for her love for all things Latin American.
Even if Lasensua wanted to stop all physical activities, she wouldn't be able to, she added.
"I've worked my muscles so hard my whole life that if I don't do it every day, I wouldn't feel good," she said. "My muscles need to work."
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Lasensua Osborne Age: 55 Profession: Dancer and dance ethnologist Residence: Makawao, Maui Height: 5-feet-5 Weight: 124. "Since I was 16," she said. Stays in shape by: Swimming, dancing, walking and stretching Interesting facts: Traveled the world studying music and dance; has a son, Makana, 33, who was born and raised on Kaua'i; swims the Na Pali coast every summer; and plans to dance at every major salsa festival around the world. Workout habits: Since she was a child, she has enjoyed all sports, especially skating, skiing and swimming. "(I) must have fun at whatever I do," she said. Good foods: Organic veggies, grains (especially quinoa), ginger, cardamom and Chinese herbs Bad food: Pumpkin pie Biggest motivator: Herself. "I feel better when I move my body," she said. What saves my sanity: Being in or near oceans, lakes and rivers Next challenge: "Creating more challenges to keep life interesting — with aliveness and wellness. Also staying youthful so I can keep dancing until (I'm) 85 years old, resting somewhere along the way." Advice: "Love yourself, take care of yourself, use natural medicines, stop and take a good look at yourself and act on the callings, use intuition to guide your life so magic happens, and be happy." |
Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.
