By Tamara Anne Fowler | CNA Media Team
Ready Set Grow (RSG) is a new movement, art, education and wellness studio dedicated to families.
Classes are offered for new parents, ones well past postpartum, for parents who didn’t give birth to their children and for kids, including those with sensory and learning differences.
Opened in February, RSG is the creative brainchild of Daniele Strawmyre, a professional dancer, choreographer, yoga instructor and installation artist.
After growing up in Philadelphia, she moved to Portland with partner Mike four years ago. The family – including children Colin and Donavyn, 6 and 3 respectively – purchased a home in north Portland.
Daniele created RSG as a program before she rented space for clients to come to her. After giving birth, she was shocked at how long it took to recover and feel strong again. She wanted to help other mothers recuperate in healthy, nurturing ways.
Those ways include yoga, dance and Pilates-based classes, including some fun ones for parents like “Ballet & Babies,” “Ma-ma Modern Dance,” and “Core Baby Bounce.”
Not only are there movement classes, there are educational series for parents as well as childbirth education, baby sign language and baby sleep classes. For class lists, schedules and events, visit AndReadySetGrow.com or call Danielle at 503.505.6989.
Often, in other schools’ classes, once the child reaches a certain age or ability, it’s difficult to find anything for the parents with kids still present or allowed. RSG’s offerings include classes that are for parents of kids of all ages.
As for children’s classes, they range from “Kids Contemporary” to “StoryTime Ballet” and “Wild Force Kids Yoga” in this cozy space at 5433 N.E. 30th Ave. That’s next door to Milagros, one of RSG’s several collaborators in serving local young families. See the CNews story about Milagros’ 15th anniversary on Page 8.
Art events are also hosted at RSG. One is the art gathering from 6 to 8 p.m. the last Thursday of every month. That’s when the art on the walls is changed out.
“It’s really important for me to support artists as well as parents and families,” Daniele said.
In fact, she’s looking forward to the opportunity to host dance, theater and music events, and she would like to rent the space to dancers in need of rehearsal space.
Ready Set Grow
Tamara Anne Fowler is Edit Kitten, a writer with 20-plus years of experience offering a sof ter, gentler approach to editing and coaching. Her personal editors — Armani, Max Factor and Spicey’D — are also her cats. Visit her at EditKitten.com or contact her at Tamara@EditKitten. com.