By Ericka Bailey
For years I searched for a movement practice that didn’t seem to exist. I loved the strength I found in functional fitness; it challenged me, built resilience, and reminded me what my body was capable of. While strength training gave me a stronger body, it didn’t always give me the confidence in how I moved through the world. I wanted posture. Fluidity. Precision. I wanted to feel graceful walking into a room, not just strong leaving the gym.
In dance I found the opportunity to feel expressive and graceful. I loved learning dance, but I also realized that, in my fifties, I didn’t always pick up fast-paced choreography as quickly as the younger dancers around me. I wasn’t looking for easier movement — I was looking for movement that allowed me to connect with the music instead of constantly worrying about the next step.
I found myself wishing there was something in between. Why do women have to choose between feeling strong and moving beautifully?
That question became the beginning of ‘Power & Poise’.
Power & Poise is built on the belief that graceful movement and precise strength training belong together. By combining lyrical flow with intentional sculpting movements, women build not only stronger bodies, but greater confidence in how they move through the world. Power and Poise is designed for women who want to feel strong without feeling intimidated… women who want to move beautifully without worrying about being “a dancer.”
Women who want to improve their balance, build strength, increase confidence, and simply enjoy moving again.
Power & Poise is for the women who rarely see themselves represented in fitness marketing. The women whose bodies have changed with time, whose lives have often revolved around caring for everyone else and who are ready to rediscover strength, confidence, and joy—not by becoming someone new, but by embracing who they are today.
What really makes Power &Poise special is that it isn’t just about creating another fitness class. It’s about creating a place where women can reconnect with themselves — especially during seasons of life when they may feel disconnected from their bodies.
I don’t want women to spend an hour trying to change their bodies. I want them to spend an hour rediscovering what their bodies are capable of.
Rather than viewing Power & Poise as something I teach, I think of it as a movement journey that I guide, but we all take together. The G.R.A.C.E. Method provides the framework, but each woman’s experience within it is uniquely her own.
The G.R.A.C.E. Method
Ground — Centering through breath, posture, body awareness, and intentional activation.
Reach — Movement that lengthens the body while inviting you to dig deep and discover your inner strength.
Align — Precision sculpting through bodyweight movement, isometrics, and intentional techniques that build strength from within.
Connect — Music-driven movement combinations that feel expressive, natural, and joyful rather than overly choreographed.
Empower — A flowing fusion of dynamic strength and lyrical movement that leaves women feeling strong, graceful, confident, and capable.
As a music-driven movement journey, the role of music is important not only for keeping a beat, but feeling something. I will encourage and have a place where song requests can be made, those songs become part of future journeys. I Imagine someone hearing their song and they instantly feel seen. The playlist becomes something the community builds together instead of something chosen for them. Posted for session will be the day’s journey, what movements and what music we will be working with.
If Power & Poise helps even one woman stand a little taller, trust her body a little more, or walk into the world with greater confidence than she had before, then it has become exactly what I hoped it would be.
That’s the journey I’m inviting women to take with me.
Not toward perfection.
Not toward someone else’s definition of fitness.
But toward discovering that strength and grace have belonged together all along.
Begin Your Journey
I’d love to welcome you to Power & Poise and share this movement journey with you.
Complimentary Introductory Session
Thursday, August 6, 2026, 10:30am
Uptown Dance Collective, 543 Navajo Trail Dr., Suite D2, Pagosa Springs
Drop in or you can guarantee your spot online for $1 at www.uptowndanceps.com