Along with the German, Finnish and Czech immigrants came their beautiful and effective calisthenics at the German Turnvereins, Finnish Halls and Czech Sokols. But around 1932 we threw the baby out with the bath water because it was Un-American. Out went the ropes, bars, wands, horses, and other invaluable gymnastics equipment and movements. In their place came basketball, baseball and football.

At the same time, Freud said children must be happy, so along came play. Dewey said more scope and along came progressive and permissive education. The population exploded and suburban moved to urban.

Up until this time girls were on a par with the boys but a few men decided women were fragile and that too much jumping and running would lead to a scrambled reproductive system.

SO OUT WENT CALESTHENICS.

And in came the likes of Vic Tanny, Ken Cooper, Jane Fonda and Arthur Jones to fill the void. Now they are gone and….

And guess what? Now Calisthenics is OK again. But the damage has been done and the physical condition of Americans is deplorable.

BACK TO THE 1920s…

Because Bonnie Prudden was growing up in the 1920s she attended the German Turnvereins and the Finnish Hall, she took all kinds of dance and gymnastics at the Alveinne , Russian Ballet and Magna Dance schools. And studied modern dance with the German Hanya Holm and with the great dance team of Weidman and Humphrey.

The Bonnie Prudden program is a blend of all these wonderful movements and techniques. It is calisthenics American style, to music. She said Americans will do anything to music. She wanted it to be fun and get the job done at the same time. And this she did.

If you have questions or need help, email me at enid@bonnieprudden.com. For more information about Bonnie Prudden®, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®, books, self-help tools, educational videos, NCBTMB Approved Courses, videos free, for rent or for purchase, blogs, vlogs and newsletters, visit www.bonnieprudden.com or call 520-299-8064 if you have questions or need help. Enid Whittaker, Managing Director, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®