Category Archives: 2012 Olympics

Piano Lessons in NYC Spotlight: The Olympic Fanfare

Posted on by
Reply
The Olympic flag's five rings symbolize the five populated continents that send athletes to the games every two years.

The Olympic flag’s five rings symbolize the five populated continents that send athletes to the games every two years.

The Olympics never fail to promote the sense of good sportsmanship and unity between countries, whose young athletes come together every two years to celebrate the pinnacle of physical perfection and athleticism. Yet the regal fanfare, the opening ceremony and the familiar symbols of the Olympic Games carry just as much importance in symbolizing the values of the Games.

The Olympic Hymn or Anthem, composed by Spyridon Samaras, is played when the Olympic flag is raised and has been the official hymn by the International Olympics Committee  (IOC) in 1957.

It is the “Bugler’s Dream” from Leo Arnaud’s Charge Suite that is the most widely recognized Olympic theme. Written in 1958, it has been used in the NBC and ABC broadcasts of the games since 1964.

John Williams composed his own “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He has written Olympic themes for several games since, but the “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” is still used in the network broadcast for the games. While not as widely known as Arnaud’s theme, it is still recognizable to the American public.

Want to learn how to play the Olympic anthems when you and your family and friends gather ’round to watch the games? Find piano lessons and piano instructors for all levels in NYC on HeyKiki.

The 2012 Olympics: Meet Sgt. Jamel Herring, The Soldier Boxer

Posted on by
Reply
Sgt. Jamel Herring prepares for the Olympics

Sgt. Jamel Herring prepares for the Olympics

Interested in boxing lessons in NYC and love the Olympics? Check this out!

When it comes to the 2012 Olympics, it’s always nice to profile someone from the area who shares the same interests as us. It brings the excitement of the Games closer to home by localizing the fun of it all. In this case, let us meet Sgt. Jamel Herring, a Long Island native and captain of the U.S. Boxing squad in London.

After serving two tours in Iraq, the U.S. Marine strived to achieve his real passion: the sport of boxing. This is the first time in twenty years that a Marine hopped into the ring to show off his American pride. Herring has told reporters that the Corps taught him the discipline and determination he needs in the ring. He also mentions that the death of his daughter a few years back due to SIDS Disease is an inspiration for the fighter as well.

In the Games so far, it’s unfortunate for us to share that Herring actually lost to his opponent from Kazakhstan, Daniyar Yeleussinov. The loss has ended Herring’s bout at the Olympics this time around but it doesn’t put a finale on his career. After boxing for eleven years or so, the former Marine is not letting the loss bring him down and he will continue fighting for his passion.

If that doesn’t inspire you to get back into your boxing lessons in NYC, we give up.

[Image via]

Yoga Lessons in NYC: Bikram Yoga Preps British Olympians

Posted on by
Reply
Bikram yoga - if it's good enough for Rob and Marian Heffernan, it might be worth giving a shot!

Bikram yoga – if it’s good enough for Rob and Marian Heffernan, it might be worth giving a shot!

If you’ve been taking yoga lessons in NYC recently, you may not have seen any Olympic athletes in your classes, but that doesn’t mean that yoga hasn’t played a role in training regimens for this year’s games. In fact, make no mistake – though yoga is not an Olympic event (or at least, not yet, as some currently argue), it’s played something of a role as a sponsor of every Olympic event, with some of this year’s athletes using Bikram yoga to stay in shape for the occasion.

“Bikram yoga counteracts injury depression,” Irish race walker Robert Heffernan recently told Cork Independent. “I feel great after it, even though it’s torture and I’ll be back again tomorrow.” Heffernan and his wife, track runner Marian, have used Bikram yoga to get ready for the Olympics, and considering Bikram’s particular emphasis on recovery, it’s a facet of yoga that makes perfect sense for the games.

And they’re not the only ones who have been using yoga to get ready. English competitors including tennis superstar Andy Murray, sprinter Christian Malcolm, and baskebetball players Eric Boateng and Luoi Deng have all noted that Bikram yoga has helped them in their quest to stay at their physical feats for their respective events.

So when you’re setting up your yoga lessons in NYC, give a ninety-minute Bikram yoga class a try – the unique breathing exercises and twenty-six practiced poses may not turn you into an Olympian, but if it’s good enough for one, it’s certain worth checking out!

(image via)

Yoga Lessons in NYC: Yoga… In the Olympics?

Posted on by
Reply
USA Yoga aims to take yoga to a competitive level.

USA Yoga aims to take yoga to a competitive level.

No matter how much you love yoga lessons in NYC, or how dedicated you are as a yogi, for most, it’s hard to imagine the words “yoga” and “competitive” in the same paragraph. Yet with the London Olympic games now underway, the debate continues to rage about whether or not the Olympics should recognize yoga as a competitive event, with one group in particular spear-heading the charge.

The non-profit organization USA Yoga seeks to have Yoga Asana (or, that is to say, seated yoga) acknowledged as an official Olympic event. How would yoga even be scored on a competitive level you may wonder? Despite the potential novelty value of seeing USA and Russia square in downward dog, yoga would be treated more like gymnastics.

Each individual athlete would perform a series of poses over the course of five minutes – five poses being mandatory (standing head-to-knee, standing bow-pulling, bow, rabbit, and stretching) and two being up to the athlete in question – to a panel of judges, who determine skill based on pure physical ability, as opposed to any other resultant meditative feats accomplished.

With over 25 million yoga practitioners in the United States alone, such a proposal seems like no-brainer – it cultivates awareness for yoga, garners enthusiasm for yoga lessons in NYC, while grooming further zeal among pre-established fans. All the same though, many feel that stripping yoga down into a solely physical challenge robs it of its more spiritual, personal benefits. But with the London Olympics only ramping up now, there’s plenty of time for this debate to continue as Rio’s 2016 games near.

(image via)

The 2012 Olympics: Meet The U.S.A. Olympic Boxing Team!

Posted on by
Reply
The Olympic countdown has begun.

The Olympic countdown has begun.

Here at HeyKiki, we’re going crazy for the Olympics and, for our boxing lessons in NYC, it only makes sense that we explore who is representing our country in the Summer Games. Boxing has been a major event in the Olympics for over a hundred years and has made for some of the most thrilling moments in the Games’ history. Let’s see the team!

This year, the United States will send 12 boxers to the Olympic Games – the largest delegation in our country’s history. The team was assembled from qualifying Championships across the globe. The roster includes:

Flyweights: Marlen Esparza, Rau’Shee Warren

Bantamweights: Joseph Diaz Jr.

Lightweight: Queen Underwood, Jose Ramirez

Light Welterweight: Jamel Herring

Welterweight: Errol Spence Jr.,  Claressa Shields

Middleweight: Terrell Gausha

Light Heavyweight: Marcus Browne

Heavyweight: Michael Hunter

Super Heavyweight: Dominic Breazaele

With this team in hand, the U.S. is on the way to a showdown at the Olympics. Games start on July 27th so start taking those boxing lessons in NYC as soon as possible to prepare yourself.

[Image via]

An Olympic Update on Boxing

Posted on by
Reply

As you’re well aware, the 2012 London Olympics are now in full swing, and boy, what a couple of weeks it’s shaping up to be. Out of all of the amazing events right now, we’re especially excited about boxing. Not only are there some great matches lined up for the guys, but it’s also the first year where women boxers have their very own competition (jeesh, it took the Committee long enough).

So for your convenience we’ve included some of the upcoming, must-see fights where top boxers are battling it out for the gold, silver and bronze medals (via the official Olympics website). Enjoy!

30 Jul
14:30*
If you’d like to get more into the martial arts, we can help! If you’re in the New York City area, check out the boxing classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect boxing training for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to train with, we have boxing training buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!
If you’d like to learn another sport or activity other than boxing, we have other instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

Dancer-Turned-Boxer To Compete In The Olympics

Posted on by
Reply
Siona Fernandes and Alex Pritchard will compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer. The pair are set to become the first female boxers to represent New Zealand at the Games.

Siona Fernandes and Alex Pritchard will compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer. The pair are set to become the first female boxers to represent New Zealand at the Games.

As any dance instructor from NYC to Shanghai will tell you, dancing can teach lessons and skills that are invaluable to a vast array of activities. From playing tennis to playing the piano, both the physical and rhythmic aspects of dancing can help to develop a craft. And, as one athlete would discover, dancing would also help her reach the Olympic Games.

Siona Fernandes, 29, is one of two women set to make history by becoming the first female boxers to represent New Zealand at the Games. Along with her fellow boxer Alexis Pritchard, who will compete in the lightweight division, Siona will compete in the flyweight division.

However, though it seems like every Olympic athlete has been readying him or herself for the experience for his or her entire life, Fernandes is different. The Indian-born athlete began boxing just two years ago; prior to that, she trained in classical Indian dance and received her bachelor’s degree in performing arts, as well as a master’s degree in psychology.

Her entrance into the world of boxing was not an easy one. After landing a blow to her face in an early match, Fernandes came home crying. Her mother was not particularly supportive, asking why her daughter “couldn’t have found something else[.]” Her father, however, was far more encouraging. “[He] thought it was cool. He’s a massive fan of Muhammad Ali and he’s very supportive of anything I do,” Fernandes told Reuters.

She kept at it, though she says she did not expect to end up at the Olympics. She compares the sport to chess, saying that instead of playing, a boxer fights. She also highlighted the similarities between boxing and dancing, saying that both are about “footwork, balance, coordination, and focus.”

Like many dancers, Fernandes is light on her feet, a particularly useful skill when it comes to the tricky footwork involved with boxing. As for her goals for London? Fernandes, borrowing a line from Ali, said she would like to float like a butterfly.

Interested in taking up boxing or dancing lessons yourself? Check out HeyKiki’s awesome resources, which are sure to connect you with whatever it is you’re looking for. As Fernandes has proven, it’s never too late to start up something new—who knows, maybe it will even lead you to the Olympic Games some day.

[image via]

2012 Olympics: Best Books to Read Beforehand

Posted on by
Reply
Phelps swims to the finish line!

Phelps swims to the finish line!

As we have done several times with our tutoring lessons in NYC, a supplementary reading list always comes in handy when preparing for a certain event. In this case, we have the biggest athletic event of them all: the 2012 Olympics. And there’s plenty of material out there to get you pumped for London. Here’s a few that we here at HeyKiki recommend:

1. Amazing Pace: The Story of Michael Phelps from Sydney to Athens to Beijing by Paul McCullen

Follow the tale of Phelps across his career arc as he makes his way from his hometown to the Gold Medal ceremony in Beijing. The term ‘epic’ is presumably used several times in this one.

2. Complete Book of the Olympics by David Wallechinsky

Wallechinsky’s definitive work on the atheltic spectacle is cited by experts of the Olympics on a daily basis. Bits and pieces of it have been used in films and documentaries as it captures the spirit of what happens every four years.

3. Off the Deep End by W. Hodding Carter

This work would be seen more in Oprah’s Book Club than on ESPN. Hodding Carter attempted to use the Olympics to fix his midlife crisis in this personal take on the Games.

4. Owning the Olympics: Narratives of the New China by Monroe Price and Daniel Dayan

It is without a doubt that Beijing was a modern-day masterpiece in 2008; the constructive forces that went behind the Games there were heralded by critics and experts alike. See the story behind the scenes at what will go down in history as one of China’s defining moments.

Our countdown has begun and these books are a great addition for the Olympics as well as our tutoring lessons in NYC. Enjoy!

[Image via]

HeyKiki’s Favorite Weird Olympic Facts

Posted on by
Reply

The Olympics are nearing, and various blogs have been posting lists of obscure or quirky Olympic facts. HeyKiki has scoured them all, and the following includes a few our favorite bizarre details from history.

- London has hosted the Olympic games twice! In 1908 and 1948. Only the United States and France have hosted more. South America will host its first Olympics in Brazil in four years (not including Mexico City).

- Australia’s Henry Pearce stopped rowing his boat in the 1928 Amsterdam games quarter-final to allow a family of ducks to pass safely in front of his boat. He still won the heat and took gold in the final. Pearce proves that karma exists.

Above is Pearce celebrating his win - no ducks to be seen, though

Above is Pearce celebrating his win – no ducks to be seen, though

 - This one breaks our heart, but the Gold medals that first place winners receive are not actually made of gold. The medals are made of silver and are plated with roughly 6 grams of gold. We have suspicion about Oscars now too…

Going for the GOLD (silver).

Going for the GOLD (silver).

- The London Olympics organizers have used recyclable building materials for 90 percent of construction. In addition, all food on the Olympic site will be served in compostable materials.

Reduce Reuse Recycle!

Reduce Reuse Recycle!

- Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the 1960 Olympic marathon while barefoot. No comments can articulate how badass this is.

Run!

Run!

If you’re as excited for the Olympics as we are, then make sure you check out all of our listings for classes and instructors at HeyKiki! 

Boxing Lessons in NYC: Olympic Boxing vs. Regular Boxing

Posted on by
Reply
The use of protective headgear is just one way in which Olympic boxing is distinct.

The use of protective headgear is just one way in which Olympic boxing is distinct.

If you’re experiences in boxing lessons in NYC, or at least know a thing or two about boxing, watching the boxing matches during the Olympics may momentarily confuse you. Not to worry though – no matter if you’re a novice with only a faint understanding of the sport or a dyed-in-the-wool expert with years of boxing lessons in NYC under your belt, there’s still plenty to learn. Hopefully, that’s where we can help.

For one thing, the Olympics still implement protective headgear during their matches. Olympic fights are also effectively color-coded too, with a designated red corner and blue corner and matching colored materials separating both fighters.

However, the differences aren’t all so outwardly superficial – even the fights themselves are slightly different in how they play out too. While professional fights generally last twelve rounds, in the men’s competition, fights take place over three three-minute rounds, with scoring determined based on the punches dolled out over that allotted time period. (Of course, a knockout is always a knockout, Olympics or otherwise.) Similarly, the fights in the female competition transpire over the course of four two-minute rounds.

But hey, these differences noted, boxing is still boxing, and we’ll still be watching eagerly in less than a month’s time as the U.S. fighters take on challengers from around the globe in London, no matter what color their corner may be.

If you’d like to get more into the martial arts, we can help! If you’re in the New York City area, check out the boxing classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect boxing training for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to train with, we have boxing training buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!
If you’d like to learn another sport or activity other than boxing, we have other instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

(image via)