Helga Morgan 💃 Helping, Healing, and Joy Through Dance and Jump Rope (Ep. 16)

Dizzy Skips (00:43)
Helga Morgan, thank you so much for agreeing to come on The Jump Rope Podcast. I can’t tell you how excited I am to talk to you.

Helga (00:50)
My pleasure. Likewise, it’s an honor to be here. Thank you for inviting me.

Dizzy Skips (00:54)
absolutely. You know, I looked up earlier to see, I couldn’t remember, like, how long have we been talking on Instagram? Because it feels kind of like forever in a way. And I went back in my little scroll and it was like September. Like, how could it only be September? Because I feel like I know you a lot more than I know several, you know, people that I live around who I’ve been around for years. like, we’ve talked quite a bit and…

Helga (01:02)
I know, right?

Yeah, I remember.

And you were great. know, when Hurricane Milton hit us here, you were so supportive. You’re checking on me. Hey, are OK? I was like, yeah. Thank you.

Dizzy Skips (01:26)
Well, it was scary

you were obviously a little bit scared and yeah, that’s gotta be a terrible thing to go through. I’ve been through some pretty bad storms before and I know it can be kind of unsettling and I felt like you were, I mean, I thought you were alone at the time too and I thought that’s gotta be like nerve wracking. anyway.

Helga (01:43)
I was.

It was. I appreciate your kindness. It was really

nice of you to check on me. Thank you.

Dizzy Skips (01:52)
Well, you’re welcome. Well, so I want to start by telling you a few things that I love about you, Helga. So one of them, like the first thing that I really found just amazing was I think it was probably the first video of yours I saw was that you are a rope dancer. mean, like you, you dance.

you whether you’re skipping or not you flow like a dancer and I just I think the first video I saw I was like my god look at this woman she is amazing and

And every time your videos pop up on my feed, they always make me smile. And oftentimes cheer out loud. I was laughing earlier because there’s been more than one occasion where I’ve seen a video and my dog who’s sleeping on the floor next to me, I’m like, my God, Zuzu, you’ve got to see this woman. And she’s like, dad, I’ve got a chew toy here. But anyway, I just think you’re just so fun to watch.

Helga (02:38)
Thank you.

I appreciate

it and that is cool because I was looking at a picture when I was four years old. It’s a picture of me in my ballet tutu, you know, and I’m frozen. I’m just stopped and it was like the deer in the headlights. And I remember it was the first time I tried to dance when I was very little. My mom put me in these ballet classes and the first time I was on stage I froze so bad that they had to go there and get me out.

Dizzy Skips (02:56)
Really?

Helga (03:09)
They picked me up and yeah, I was dead frozen.

Dizzy Skips (03:10)
They picked you up and you just stayed still.

Helga (03:13)
And it’s so funny that memory stuck to me. It’s been like almost 50 years But I remember they getting me off stage because I was like and I have a picture that made the moment immortal, right? But I have to post that picture because it’s so funny. I’m like terrified. They open the you know, the curtains and I’m like I’m not doing that. So I thought that it took me a long time to overcome this fear of like, you know being on stage and everything

Dizzy Skips (03:24)
Really?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Helga (03:41)
And then after overcoming that, was the fear of being on camera. Like my first videos, I’m terrified. like, you know, they’re kind of fun to watch. But it’s one of the reasons why I post then. It’s for me to see like, wow, you’re doing this. Because if I didn’t watch myself doing that, I wouldn’t believe it that I was actually, you know, doing that.

Dizzy Skips (03:45)
Mm.

Really?

I know what you mean. That’s

a weird feeling, huh?

Helga (04:09)
Yeah, it’s like, wow, you know, and what I do is I have a lot of difficulty memorizing routines and choreos. I was chastised in ballet so bad because I couldn’t memorize the routines. So what I do is I leave the camera on and I just do whatever the music. Yeah, I just flow with it. And if you ask me to repeat it, I can’t do it because I have no idea what, you know, it just…

Dizzy Skips (04:19)
Hmm.

Mm.

and you flow.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (04:39)
That’s the way I do it and I love rope dancing because it allows you to do that. You don’t have to follow a set of steps. For me it’s very therapeutic to do that, to listen to the music. One of the videos that you liked I think it was a tango, Bruno Cabeza, believe. Yeah, think it was a Carlos Gardel tango.

Dizzy Skips (04:46)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

to Carmen.

yep,

yep. I know exactly which one you mean.

Helga (05:08)
Right? And it has a funny story because I was just listening to that song in the car and I was like, hmm, I feel inspired to dance to it. And I just, you know, and if you see sometimes I kind of… The blue dress one yes. And then I just played the song, got my shoes off and just danced and it was so much fun.

Dizzy Skips (05:21)
Is that the one of the red dress ones? That’s the blue dress one. Okay.

Helga (05:33)
But I like that, you know, with rope dancing you can do that. You can just let yourself go, listen to the music and let your body talk. I like that idea.

Dizzy Skips (05:38)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yeah,

it’s amazing. And you do it with such grace and you smile. You just look like you’re having so much fun. And when I see those videos, I think that’s that point that I want to get at. You know, that’s my nirvana too, is when I can get out there and I can flow and I’m not thinking about anything else. And I’m not necessarily thinking so hard about what I’m doing at the moment. I’m just like channeling the music, you know, in a way. I just think that’s…

So fun and it really comes through in your videos, I think.

Helga (06:12)
Yeah, but it looks like you’re having a lot of fun. You flow. You have got, you know, the moves. Yeah. Yeah, it shows.

Dizzy Skips (06:15)
my God, I have so much fun, yeah, yeah. But

I love that about your videos too. And you also have great musical taste. I love the music that you come up with. And of course, I think we were chatting the other night while I was wearing a Cure t-shirt and you were like, the Cure! And then we’re like, the Smiths! Yeah, Morrissey.

Helga (06:30)
Yeah.

Yes, exactly.

Dizzy Skips (06:37)
Yeah, and also, so last thing I’ll say to embarrass you is that I just think you’re such a kind, empathetic person and I just love how you contribute to the community and how you express yourself and I think you come across as very genuine and vulnerable and

and kind and true. I don’t know, you’re just such an amazing person and so I’m so glad to know you and I’m just super happy that you’re here talking to me.

Helga (07:04)
Thank you, it’s a pleasure and right back at you. It’s like putting a mirror, It’s just the same.

Dizzy Skips (07:08)
Well, thank you. That’s so

nice of you. So what can you tell us what part of the world you’re in?

Helga (07:16)
I am very close to Orlando, Florida. Yes, I don’t work for Disney, no.

Dizzy Skips (07:19)
Okay. And you don’t work for Disney. Yeah, right, right.

So what do you do for work?

Helga (07:27)
I am a healthcare interpreter for Portuguese.

So I work for a company that when patients that have what we call limited English proficiency, when the patients go to see a healthcare provider, I will be on video with them and I’m going to help patients and healthcare providers communicate. And I absolutely love doing that. It’s really something that, it’s very challenging, but at the same time, I feel that

You know, when you get to serve people at a moment where many times they are very vulnerable, you know, like you went through like, for instance, you had a car accident or injured, you go to an ER and then everybody speak in English, you don’t know what they’re saying. All of a sudden they bring the interpreter and we say, how are you? You’re an interpreter. Okay, you know, it feels good to see how people feel like supported and really

Dizzy Skips (08:18)
Sure.

Helga (08:20)
believed

that somebody speaks their language. And so it gives me a sense of purpose and I love serving healthcare professionals. I learn a lot, but what happens is…

Dizzy Skips (08:23)
yeah.

Helga (08:33)
it’s not easy to see people in pain. So the rope helps me a lot as an outlet for days that can be challenging because I don’t want anybody to get hurt. And it’s hard because especially when you’re on video, you have like…

Dizzy Skips (08:45)
Yeah.

Helga (08:51)
you cannot comfort them as much as you would like to. And you see babies, newborns, infants, like you work with all kinds of, it’s every single medical specialty. And we work with hospitals all over the country. Yes, yes.

Dizzy Skips (09:05)
really? So

you’re doing like remote interpreting for not just in Florida but…

Helga (09:10)
Yes.

no, it’s all over, all across the US. What happens is the hospitals, have special iPads and so they have, I think right now we have 50 languages on video, so when a healthcare professional needs an interpreter, they just press the button and they connect to us in 10 seconds or less. So we have our studios and then we are on a video call with them and it’s very interesting.

Dizzy Skips (09:37)
sounds

Helga (09:37)
interesting.

Dizzy Skips (09:38)
amazing. So, and you do this all from home.

Helga (09:41)
Yes, we have a…

We work from home, we work remotely, which gives us the capability of working 24-7. Because, you know, we have like… No, our team provides services at 24-7, which is great. Like, if you’re a healthcare provider, have an emergency, three in the morning, you’re going to have somebody who speaks Portuguese there for you in less than 10 seconds, which I think it’s amazing. And I absolutely love healthcare

Dizzy Skips (09:51)
Is that a capability you want?

Yeah, right.

Helga (10:13)
professionals, are my heroes. think for me it’s a privilege to work with them and the patients, the Portuguese speaking community. I feel it’s great, but it’s not easy. It’s not easy.

Dizzy Skips (10:24)
Yeah, I can imagine. I can imagine it for such

an empathetic person and someone who is, you

so empathetic and so kind to be put into the middle of situations where sometimes it can’t, I mean, sometimes the physical thing that’s going on can’t be easy.

Helga (10:42)
Yes, it’s challenging and…

It’s kind of cognitively demanding but also emotionally demanding at times as well. But we are well supported, so we have the ability to debrief and I have truly the best manager ever and I’m really appreciated. It’s so good to have somebody who is kind and understands and she used to work as an interpreter,

Dizzy Skips (10:51)
Sure.

Helga (11:11)
knows

what the work is like. So I really appreciate having her guiding me and being my manager. So that’s one of the great things about the job. It’s challenging, but you have that kind of support. But the rope has helped me so much because if I have a hard day because…

Dizzy Skips (11:21)
Sure.

Yeah.

Helga (11:31)
You really wish that people didn’t get sick or didn’t get hurt. There’s nothing you can do though, right? And it can be hard as well because my mom died of cancer. So when I hear I have to tell somebody that they have the same diagnosis, it’s challenging, right? And I’m like, my gosh. I wish I could change things for people, but

Dizzy Skips (11:34)
Yeah. Right.

Mm, get flashbacks,

Yeah.

Helga (11:55)
I’m limited to just relaying the information. But that’s one of the reasons why I started jumping rope. There was a time that my… I have two kids and they are grown, they are out of the house. But my daughter left for college and she had this gym at home. She had this little PVC rope. And I had just moved into this town. I was living by myself. I didn’t know anybody there.

Dizzy Skips (12:03)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (12:19)
It was this island, know, four by six miles. I didn’t know a single soul in that place and I felt so isolated. was like, hmm, I think, you know, I start jumping, but it’s…

Dizzy Skips (12:31)
So it just came

to you like, I’ll just start jumping or had you seen somebody else doing it?

Helga (12:33)
Yeah, yeah, but there’s

something else. It’s hilarious because I was the worst at jump rope. I was absolutely hopeless at the rope. It’s like I remember I was in martial arts when I was still living in Brazil.

And I was taking this martial arts class and from time to time the instructors say, well, we’re going to start today warming up with the general propels. Like, no, I couldn’t. I couldn’t even like simple bounce. I was absolutely like I couldn’t do it. You know, I couldn’t. And everybody was doing the boxer steps, you know, and everything. And I was just like struggling. So I was like, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do this. Then I’m like, hmm.

Dizzy Skips (13:02)
Really?

Helga (13:14)
Let me try, you know, and I started and on my account I have the very first video that I posted in I think August 2022 was the first video I posted was when I started jumping and I, you know, I learned that there were better ropes.

Dizzy Skips (13:15)
Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Yeah.

Helga (13:35)
But one thing that I wish that I had done is I wish I had watched tutorials from the very beginning because I would have avoided injury and I would also get better form, you know, because once you spend like when you spend one year with your arms wide open and then all of a sudden, you know, it’s normal for me. They just go.

Dizzy Skips (13:42)
Mmm.

really?

Yeah.

Yeah, it’s a hard

habit to break, right?

Helga (14:01)
Yeah,

but if I had watched the tutorial or if I had some guidance at the very beginning of not getting off too high up from the floor, and you guys forgive me, English is not my first language, so I say weird stuff, but you get the idea. But I didn’t know a number of things, and I ended up like a month after I had started jumping, I injured my ankle.

Dizzy Skips (14:11)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (14:25)
And then I think it’s, but then I started watching tutorials. That’s how I learned they were whole ropes with the, you know, the handles that would move better. And then I bought one of those and like, that makes it so much easier. And but I got injured quite a lot out of like sheer ignorance of, you know.

Dizzy Skips (14:41)
Mm-hmm.

Were

you like jumping too much or not warming up or doing back flips?

Helga (14:51)
I

was jumping on concrete. And I was just putting like, I was jumping in a way that I was so heavy. I think I was really having a lot of impact on my heels and ankles instead of my, you know, the front part of my foot.

Dizzy Skips (14:59)
Okay.

okay, sure.

Right.

Helga (15:13)
So I remember there was a video that I posted and right after I couldn’t jump for six weeks because I injured my… And when I watched, I was like, that’s why. That’s how you got hurt because sometimes when you’re jumping, you don’t feel it. But then next day, you just can’t move your ankle anymore. And you have to be careful because health care in the US is so expensive.

Dizzy Skips (15:32)
Yeah. Yeah.

Oh my God, it’s terrible, I know.

It’s so crazy that we have some of the best healthcare in the world, but it’s unattainable for so much of the country. It’s so hard to have health insurance if you don’t get it from your job or something like that. So, oh, go ahead. So when…

Helga (15:41)
like

Yes.

Exactly.

I know. Yeah, my… Go ahead. Go ahead.

Dizzy Skips (16:01)
So that took you out for like six weeks. It’s interesting because I think you’ve probably heard me say I did the same sort of thing where I injured myself and then I couldn’t jump for six weeks. And of course, during that time, all I wanted to do was jump and dance and I see videos of people like you and go, you know, what can I do? I should have been like working on rope skills at the time, but at the time I didn’t do so much of that.

So you picked up the rope because you were kind of isolated and you needed something to do and you thought, I’ll just, I’ll just try this again.

Helga (16:32)
Yes, because exercise is a big part of my life because it really helps me, you know, it helps me feel like to, you know, release tension. It helps me a lot with stress management. So I hadn’t signed up. I didn’t really know anything in town. I had just moved there. I just knew that it was an island. But I was like, I think I’m going to start working out at home. And I think the rope

Dizzy Skips (16:51)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (16:59)
is an idea and then I try a couple of, maybe I can do this, maybe I’m not entirely hopeless. And then it became fun and I started, one thing that the rope has done for me is because I am extremely self-conscious. I am so shy, it’s like, I don’t know how I’m here. But I think it’s because you make me feel so safe and so comfortable, But yeah, it’s…

Dizzy Skips (17:05)
Mm-hmm.

Well good. Good. You should be.

Helga (17:26)
And then I started recording videos and I was so self-conscious like, my gosh, I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think I can do this. But then I overcame like fears and insecurities and self-consciousness. then nowadays I just forget that my phone is recording. I’m just having fun. And I think that that is great, you know, that with time you become a different person with jump rope.

Dizzy Skips (17:46)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (17:52)
you know, it changes you if you let it.

Dizzy Skips (17:54)
Yeah.

I’m curious, Helga, was there something specific that helped you get over that self-consciousness? like, was it just time or did you have some epiphany?

Helga (18:04)
I think it was time and

in the beginning I only posted my videos to my private account. It’s just like people that I know for 34 years, like childhood friends, just my private account.

Dizzy Skips (18:14)
Okay.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Helga (18:23)
And they were so supportive. They were like, wow, that is so cool. I didn’t know you could do those things with a rope and all that is so cool and everything. And so they were so kind and so supportive that I feel like, hmm, that’s interesting. And some people, I think that was the best part. They’re like, oh, you motivated me to start exercising. That was like, ah, awesome. Yeah, that make me feel good. But then a friend told me.

Dizzy Skips (18:44)
Yeah, that’s great.

Helga (18:52)
Why don’t you create a public account?” I like, no way. No way. I’m not going to do that. But she says like, yeah, think more people could benefit from watching you do these things. And maybe they would feel inclined to start. So I think I created my public account maybe a year, two years, a year and a half ago, maybe. It took me a lot of courage.

Dizzy Skips (19:14)
Okay.

Yeah.

Helga (19:18)
A lot of courage.

Dizzy Skips (19:19)
So when you were doing it just with your private account, was your motivation mostly to kind of like track your progress

Helga (19:25)
I wanted

to inspire women my age to try something that could be transformative because you see, when you are like, I’m about to turn 53 and when you get to your 50s, know, it’s like some of us, there’s this existential crisis. know, your kids are grown, they are in college and things and you’re like…

Dizzy Skips (19:32)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (19:48)
you know, now you really have to find something in your life that it’s almost like…

you have to look within and see what do I want to do now, right? So I think I wanted to inspire other women my age to find something, to find their passion, to find, you know, motivation to exercise. And exercise for me, you won’t do it for long if it’s not fun. Like, you know, I can’t stand like a treadmill. Like I can’t do that.

Dizzy Skips (20:00)
Yeah, right.

Right.

It sucks. I’m not getting anywhere.

Helga (20:21)
No, I can’t. No.

And it’s just like the same thing like every day.

Dizzy Skips (20:28)
Yeah.

Helga (20:29)
I’m not like, you know, I don’t want to discourage anybody. It’s just me, for me personally, you know, it doesn’t work. So I wanted to tell women my age or just send this message that, you know, there’s so much that you can do. You know, once you turn 50, wow, it’s like there’s so much available to us, so much that you can do. can like, you know, like basically.

Dizzy Skips (20:34)
Right.

Hmm.

Helga (20:55)
be a version of you that you’re like, wow I like that. It makes me feel good, you know. So that’s what I wanted to do too. It’s just to inspire a little bit, if I could, other people to find something like that.

Dizzy Skips (20:59)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

That’s so

cool. Do you, you mentioned earlier about watching your videos or sort of being surprised that you could do some of that stuff. Do you still have that occurrence where like you make a video and you watch it and you, like I have this occurrence where it almost feels like an out of body experience sometimes. Like that dude is not the same dude I was a year ago or a year and a half ago. And I know what that dude’s been through, you know.

Helga (21:30)
Exactly.

Exactly.

Exactly, that’s exactly the feeling. have to… It does. It does. You know, it’s like, wow, no, absolutely. Yeah, I do. And I’m like, that’s why sometimes I have to watch my videos and I’m like…

Dizzy Skips (21:42)
Does it ever make you feel emotional? Yeah? Good, I’m not the only one.

Helga (21:55)
You made it. You made it. You went all the way to hell and back like so many times and you’re still here in spite of everything. Because I’ve been through a lot and you know, it’s I think it’s a testament to the human spirit and to the power of resiliency. You know, if you don’t give up, that’s why I really I write a lot in my post like don’t give up on yourself because what you see on the other side,

Dizzy Skips (21:56)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah.

Helga (22:24)
you don’t give up on yourself even in your darkest nights, you know, the other side is so promising, you know, it’s really cool. So I get emotional and I’m like, made it.

Dizzy Skips (22:30)
Yeah.

Yeah,

that’s a pretty special feeling. I remember times in my life, one time specifically where I was when I was in Washington and I worked at a small company that was a Dutch company and

Helga (22:39)
Yeah, because…

Dizzy Skips (22:49)
We had this little office in Gig Harbor, Washington, and it was basically me and one other guy who was in his 60s at the time and super nice guy. And we had both been through some similar challenges with like addiction and depression and stuff in our lives. And at one of my really low points, I just remember him saying, you know, just stick with it. Things will get better. And I remember thinking, I can’t, I can’t imagine that, but you know, maybe maybe he’s right. And so now sometimes when I look back at those videos, I’m like,

I know that time when I just didn’t imagine tomorrow. I couldn’t imagine ever smiling, you know? And look at that guy, he’s smiling and he’s skipping on a limestone bench like a fool and having fun at it, you know?

Helga (23:23)
I know.

and inspiring a ton of people because I feel so energized when I watch your videos like man he’s so in the page look at that look at the guy go wow

Dizzy Skips (23:31)
Bye.

Ha

Yeah, it’s

fun. So you mentioned that English isn’t your first language, Portuguese is your first language, correct? And you have not always been in the US. When did you move to the US?

Helga (23:49)
That’s right.

Back

in 2010. Yes, that’s when I emigrated.

Dizzy Skips (23:56)
Okay.

Okay. And did you know English at the time?

Helga (24:03)
I did, I did. I started learning, but it was English as a foreign language, right? I started, I think I was 14 when I started learning, but I’m still learning every day. You know, I make funny mistakes still, and when people find it hilarious, it’s all good. As long as I can bring a smile to somebody, that’s good. But yeah, it’s interesting.

Dizzy Skips (24:28)
Yeah.

Do you,

So when you started doing the rope stuff, were you also dancing at the time? I mean, I know you told the story of being four years old and a mortified tutu or whatever, but were you a dancer too?

Helga (24:46)
I never considered myself a dancer. I think my parents really wanted me to be in ballet. I wanted to do capoeira, which is like a martial art, but okay.

Dizzy Skips (25:01)
Yeah.

When you said martial arts earlier, I was going to ask, was it capoeira?

Helga (25:05)
I wish, I wish. This is something that if I had done capoeira, I would never have back problems. I would have the toughest back. I wouldn’t have herniated discs, stuff that I have today. But I did martial arts later on in life. You know, I think I was 21 around that. But when I was 10, my parents enrolled me in ballet and I was there for seven years.

Dizzy Skips (25:13)
Yeah, it’s a cool looking, yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Helga (25:28)
It was a struggle for me because I can’t memorize routines. It’s very hard for me. I can improvise a lot, but it’s a challenge.

Dizzy Skips (25:33)
Hmm.

Yeah, but teachers don’t like that

when they’re telling you to do this move.

Helga (25:39)
No, especially in ballet.

my goodness. I got in trouble many times because of that difficulty. for me, it’s like dancing, it’s self-expression. And it’s like you have a feeling and then that feeling is just like moves through your body and expresses itself through your body. if you have something that it’s like…

Dizzy Skips (25:45)
Yeah.

Right.

Helga (26:02)
You know, that move doesn’t match that emotion, I think. You know, one of the… I had so much fun with the track Bryce by Katy Perry. I was like, you know, those lyrics, they hit me hard. I’m like, yes, that’s the story of my life. And so when I was doing that, I was just really feeling it through me. You know, everything that I went through.

Dizzy Skips (26:02)
Prescribed, yeah.

Yeah, right.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (26:30)
And I went through extremely painful experiences. And so when I was doing that, I felt that it was so liberating. I felt that those emotions were kind of coursing through my body and were being transmuted somehow. So I love the rope. I really do. I think that if you let it, it will change you. It will help you heal. Right?

Dizzy Skips (26:44)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah. It’s kind of amazing that, you know, this thing that’s what less than a quarter of a pound and made of, you know, thread and plastic is, it can be so transformative or can do so many things for people physically, mentally and emotionally.

Helga (27:01)
Yeah.

Yeah,

I think you might start it as an exercise, with the time, like you start, like I remember the first time I was able to do a trick, I was like, wow, I had no idea I could do that. So sometimes it restores your belief in yourself because it has been chipped away by people and experiences, you know, like.

Dizzy Skips (27:26)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (27:32)
And so you’re like, wow, yeah, it is definitely. And it’s you can use your creativity as well, right? You can create different sequences and stuff. So it’s it’s it’s great. I love it. I totally lose track of time, you know, just like having so much fun, which was hard when I had my when I couldn’t jump for I still cannot jump much because what I notice of my back injury is that I can’t do things that I

Dizzy Skips (27:33)
Good confidence builder. Yeah.

Yeah.

Isn’t that great?

Helga (28:00)
I am just in one foot. If I have to, like I can’t jump, there are some footwork that you have to mostly bear your weight on one foot, one leg. when I do that, it kind of, yeah, so I noticed that.

Dizzy Skips (28:09)
Mm-hmm.

tweaks, yeah. Yeah. So like a boxer

step would hurt kind of or alternating footwork or is it more when you

Helga (28:20)
Yeah, are

the things that I used to like to do. I don’t know the names. I don’t know the name of anything except for the make-release. But there are things that I can’t do. But also what doesn’t help is that I’m very impatient. And what I did is one thing that helped my back a lot was acupuncture. I have this great acupuncturist here.

Dizzy Skips (28:28)
Yeah. Yeah, I’m not…

really?

Helga (28:45)
and the problem is I went to two treatments with her and my pain was gone, I kid you not. It was like I had no pain and I was like, ah, I’m healed. Let’s do a belly dance routine. Then I went and I truly like the relief was so major, right? And I was like…

Dizzy Skips (28:52)
Yeah?

That is amazing.

Yeah.

Helga (29:09)
What did Hiroko do? This was really magical. The relief was amazing. then next day I couldn’t get out of bed. Because she told me, how good is the process? You cannot just have a treatment and go back to doing those things right away. I did the belly dance jump rope routine.

Dizzy Skips (29:19)
really?

Mm-hmm.

Did you jump right away after your act?

okay.

Yeah. So you really worked out the spine there.

Helga (29:41)
tell me about it.

And I did, like I went to this in July, I got to the clinic and they put me on a wheelchair. I had a shot. I was crying. Like, you know, I couldn’t even stand to get the x-ray done. know, the x-ray guy was so kind to me because I was sobbing, you know, it’s like I’ll do it quickly. It’s like, please. But I had the shot that helped a lot. And then I was on steroids.

Dizzy Skips (30:05)
Yeah.

Helga (30:11)
I was on a muscle relaxant. Acupuncture helped me a lot. And other things that I did over time. I use Eastern medicine, Western medicine, that I could get my hands on. I think it really helped. It’s not that I’m 100 % now, but it’s way better than back in July when I literally could not.

Dizzy Skips (30:18)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah. So are you still doing the acupuncture?

Helga (30:40)
move. was hard.

No, not anymore because I can’t afford it at this point. But I did a few treatments with her and I wish I could. I wish I could have done the whole three months treatment. She is absolutely amazing. Wow.

Dizzy Skips (30:47)
Yeah.

Acupuncture. Yeah. People that are good at that energy

kind of work stuff, whether it’s acupuncture or Reiki or whatever, it’s…

Helga (31:03)
It’s amazing because you

see she placed a needle right here on my shoulder and I feel when she did that I feel exactly the spot on my tailbone that was injured. was like huh? Right? It was amazing and the bonus was that my insomnia was gone. I went there for back pain and she hit my soul and it was like what? Yeah, because you know in

Dizzy Skips (31:14)
That’s so crazy. How did you know to put it right there?

wow.

Helga (31:30)
I don’t know, I really am very grateful for her work. It helped me a lot.

Dizzy Skips (31:35)
So

when you are not skipping or dancing, what else do you do for fun? Bake oatmeal cookies?

Helga (31:43)
I don’t do much for fun because I don’t do a lot of, I don’t have a lot of free time. I have a little garden, I cultivate flowers and I like that because when you have a garden and you tend to, I live in an apartment, right, so just a little garden. Yeah, it’s a deck garden. But when you’re caring for your plants, I have a ton, see. have some inside as well.

Dizzy Skips (31:48)
Mm-hmm.

That garden.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (32:06)
But you’re in the moment, you know, because I tend to suffer from anxiety is one of my biggest challenges. I can get overwhelmed by anxiety, but when you’re tending to your garden or when you’re jumping rope, you’re in the present moment.

Dizzy Skips (32:08)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Helga (32:22)
you’re not in the past, not in the future, you’re at that moment. And so I think it helps me a lot. I still get anxious at times, but it got way better. And no, I don’t do much for fun really. I enjoy dancing a lot and now that I’m…

Dizzy Skips (32:26)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

You’re a Zumba instructor.

Helga (32:48)
I don’t know how because I can’t memorize a routine. I’m sorry. It’s just… Yes, I’ve always liked Zumba and here’s one thing about Zumba. So Zumba is a type of a workout that is dance-based and that was created by Beto Perez I think he’s from Columbia.

Dizzy Skips (32:57)
Can you explain what Zumba is?

Helga (33:11)
A long time ago, it’s been around. I started taking Zumba back in 2010. It’s been around for a long time. But what I really love about it is that it’s music from all over the world. As the spirit of union is us focusing not on our differences, but what binds us together. Like, you know, in a Zumba class, there’s hip hop, there’s salsa, merengue, there’s Brazilian funk, there’s everything.

Dizzy Skips (33:40)
Nice.

Helga (33:41)
I really like this blend of cultures and different dance moves and Zumba has helped me immensely. were times in my life, like had so many dark nights of the soul, I lost count, but there were times in my life in which I was facing really challenging situations. Everything around me was crumbling.

Dizzy Skips (33:44)
Sure.

Helga (34:00)
And I was exhausted and overwhelmed. But then I went to my Zumba class. I dragged myself to the Zumba class. But I felt so alive and there’s this spirit of joy and being uplifted. You’re there with a group of people dancing together. There’s this energy, you know, that takes over. And I noticed that when I was in a Zumba class.

Dizzy Skips (34:06)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Helga (34:25)
You know, was like all the struggles, all the worries, everything just stopped for a moment and I had that respite, you know. And then it put me in a better state of mind so that when I went back to the challenges I had to find a solution for, I was in such a better state of mind that I could find better solutions. It was like, why didn’t I think of that before? You know, sometimes you have to take that to have the possibility to step back.

Dizzy Skips (34:32)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Helga (34:52)
So, and to have something like that so when you go back you’ll have a different, you are in a different emotional state. So Zumba has done a lot for me. I stopped taking classes for a while and then I went back and I was on and off but it has helped me so much. know, when I’m there dancing it’s just like joy, you know.

Dizzy Skips (34:53)
Sure.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah. So

in a Zumba class that you instruct, you kind of stand up in front of the students and then you’re just kind of dancing and they’re following you or?

Helga (35:21)
So.

I’m about to start. I have a Zumba license. I’m about to start. I’m starting this week. So I have no idea what I’m going to do. It’s something that has been challenging for me because I have this difficulty in memorizing routines. And so I got my Zumba license back in November 2023 and I thought like, can’t do this.

Dizzy Skips (35:30)
Okay.

That’s exciting.

Helga (35:50)
there, I didn’t prepare a class. A Zumba class is going to have 12 to 13 songs approximately.

Dizzy Skips (35:53)
Mm-hmm.

so that’s

a decent length of class. Is that about, what, like an hour? Okay.

Helga (36:02)
One hour, yeah,

50 minutes to one hour.

Dizzy Skips (36:07)
It’s a good workout.

Helga (36:08)
It’s a great workout and you don’t notice You know, you’re doing this great ab upper body workout, but you don’t even notice for years just like, you know dancing like at a party but Yeah, it’s I was like my goodness. I can’t memorize a jump rope combo. I’m gonna do this but I struggled with self-confidence I I’m not a confident person at all, you know, this is something that I have to work on

Dizzy Skips (36:14)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

Helga (36:33)
I’ve been working on. So I decided to, okay, try to learn one choreo, try to learn one song. And I did. I was like, oh, okay. Try to learn. So I was trying to learn one song a week and I eventually got to 13 songs. Actually now I think I have 16 that I know how to do.

Dizzy Skips (36:34)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

That’s cool. are all of the, and pardon me, cause I just don’t have the experience with Zumba, but are you, is it prescriptive? like, does a song have a certain routine that goes with it or is?

Helga (37:00)
planning.

No, there are ideas you can adapt. Like what we do is like we have a subscription so they have a release like that are different we call ZIN. So they send us, you have access to the choreos and video and you have access to the licensed music so you can put up your playlist and it’s great because you have so much freedom.

Dizzy Skips (37:22)
Okay.

Helga (37:30)
to create your class. You choose the songs that you like and then you create a class. In my class, like the ones that I prepared that I’m starting to teach, I put a little bit of everything. I put a little bit of Brazilian funk, course. I put like Bollywood, hip hop, salsa, merengue, Afro beats, you know, I like that blend because, you know, there’s a little something for everybody there. But what you do is

Dizzy Skips (37:34)
Mm-hmm.

so cool.

Helga (37:56)
you have access to this library of videos and then you can watch and you can adapt you can use them as inspiration. Since I don’t have experience as an instructor I learned just the way they are. I watched the videos and I memorized how to do that and then I create my playlist, I download it and then it’s ready for class. But I cannot tell you what it is like to be an instructor because I’m going to start this week.

Dizzy Skips (38:00)
Okay.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Cool, so

Helga (38:24)
nervous wreck. my god.

Dizzy Skips (38:25)
we’ll have you back on in a while and we’ll check back in on this.

Helga (38:28)
Yeah, don’t, don’t, yeah, so me.

Dizzy Skips (38:31)
I was thinking

what we need is like an IV pole with an iPad on it that you just wheel in there so that I can watch the whole class and follow along from Minnesota.

Helga (38:40)
Yeah, yes, like maybe that way I won’t give up after first class. But yeah, but here’s the thing. I think at times you have to think, focus on the prize. It’s like the why, why you’re doing this. So why am I teaching this class? Because I have a dream.

Dizzy Skips (38:45)
Right, I’ll be there cheering you on.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (39:00)
And my dream is to create an environment in which everybody feels welcome. It’s a class that it doesn’t matter if you have a background in dance. It doesn’t matter if you ever try to dance. It doesn’t matter like everybody’s welcome, right? For all walks of life, it doesn’t really matter. So my dream is to create a safe space for everybody to be able to express themselves.

Dizzy Skips (39:15)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (39:26)
through movement and to achieve not only the physical health benefits but the mental health benefits. Because I know how movement can be something transformative. can really lift you up and it can put you back on track because life is not easy. There will be very hard times and when you have tools like that,

Dizzy Skips (39:38)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Yeah.

Helga (39:49)
you know, it helps you overcome challenges and then once you get to the other side you notice that you are a better version, you’re a better person than you were before so I’m like, wow, it was worth it, okay.

Dizzy Skips (39:52)
Sure.

Right. You get a little confidence

boost and…

Helga (40:03)
Yes,

and I was like what a cool thing would that be right in a class that that is no competition just collaboration everybody is a Meaningful part of the whole you know it’s like there’s no judgment. You know if you can’t

Dizzy Skips (40:12)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Helga (40:21)
Like, you know, if you’re in a class that you have to compete, that you have that pressure to perform, to like, look how cool I can dance, you know, like I’ve been a dancer for 20 years. That’s not the point. The point is, you know, I’ve been through hell and back and here I am doing something for myself, not giving up on myself, trying to rebuild my life, trying to, you know, trying to heal. So I’m here because I know this is going

Dizzy Skips (40:27)
Right.

Yeah.

Right.

Helga (40:48)
to be good for me and you know I will benefit from the joy and the safety of this environment. So that’s my dream is to build an environment in which everybody feels welcome, everybody feels accepted, everybody feels like a meaningful part of the whole and it doesn’t matter how you move. That’s what I dream of doing but since I have not

Dizzy Skips (40:49)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Helga (41:15)
started teaching yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to create that atmosphere.

Dizzy Skips (41:21)
I know you will. You’re

Helga (41:22)
I hope so, but thank you

Dizzy Skips (41:23)
great. Yeah.

Helga (41:24)
for your support. You that’s one thing that I really appreciate about you, that you’re so supportive, you Like, you go to and you promote other people, you promote their accounts, and you go there and you write this, you know, these comments, you know, it’s so supportive, so nice. I salute you for that. It’s really important.

Dizzy Skips (41:38)
Hmm.

Well, thank you. Well,

it’s one of those things. I’ve mentioned this before, but it takes so little time to be good to people. Right. And it’s so it’s one of those things that is a double whammy. Right. Like if I encourage somebody else, it makes me feel better. It makes them feel better. And there’s no downside to it. And it doesn’t you know, it’s just like we can. A rising tide raises all boats. Right.

Helga (42:00)
Exactly, you know it… Exactly, exactly.

I really like the metaphor of a candle lighting another candle, you you don’t lose anything by doing that. you know, I really like that. And I think that that’s why we’re here for.

Dizzy Skips (42:12)
Right? Yeah.

Yeah, it’s

Yeah,

it’s interesting too. In my last conversation, I think you saw that podcast with Sarah. I think one of the things that comes up is that you never actually know how many people’s candles you’re lighting, right? Like you go let your light shine and then I’ve had people contact me and say the most amazing flattering stuff. Like, hey, I saw you do this and it made me feel.

Helga (42:33)
Exactly. Yeah.

Dizzy Skips (42:43)
free or it made me feel like I could do that or whatever. And like, really? I’m just little old me, you know, like I just taped that so that I could see what a fool I look like down the road. But but you know, but yeah, I think you’ll do great. So I’m curious when you started like jumping and dancing, how long did it take you to sort of realize, hey, I’m I’m really getting mental health benefits out of this. It’s more than just the physical stuff. It’s that focus or it’s that confidence boost.

Helga (42:44)
Exactly, yeah, yeah, right, right, right,

Hey

I was…

I think it was right away, you know, it was like…

Dizzy Skips (43:13)
Yeah.

Helga (43:14)
Yeah, it’s just like my, I think the body talks to you, you know, somehow. And it’s just that we don’t listen. We are either just going through the motions or we are too busy, we too overwhelmed, but we’ve quieted down our minds. can, your body is always talking to you. And I didn’t listen to it a few times and I got hurt and then I couldn’t move for several months.

Dizzy Skips (43:34)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Helga (43:40)
The mental health benefits, are just like, I can’t, they are indescribable. It’s just like the amount, it’s beyond just the neuroscientific perspective of endorphins and endorphins and you know, growth hormones and everything. There’s these cognitive benefits, but for me, it’s just the way I feel, you know, no matter.

Dizzy Skips (43:51)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (44:03)
how I’m feeling if I’m dancing and creating and I’m letting myself move to the music. I don’t know, it’s just the way I feel after that, during that, right?

Dizzy Skips (44:08)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, during that, yeah. I love how

Sarah described the force field. Like you get the rope whipping around you and you feel like you’re in your bubble. I was like, yeah, me too. I was like, absolutely, Sarah.

Helga (44:18)
Yes, yes, I totally related to that. That was like, that’s totally

the same feeling. Exactly. Yeah.

Dizzy Skips (44:26)
Yeah.

And all the other stuff bounces off of that little force field. You know, I’m not thinking about the stress of work. I’m not thinking about money. I’m not thinking about other stuff. I’m like, I’m flowing and I’m having fun.

Helga (44:30)
Exactly.

Yes.

When she said that, was like, that’s exactly it. That’s right. That’s the way I feel. Sometimes it’s just hard to put into words. And so I thought that was really, really cool the way she said it.

Dizzy Skips (44:42)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, was a cool one.

So let me ask you some gear questions here. So you mentioned you started out with maybe a less than perfect rope. do you have, you’re probably not a rope hoarder like I am, but no, nobody is. I’m embarrassing. But like what kind of ropes do you use?

Helga (45:04)
You

No, you’re not it’s just like in my case is that I got injured so many times and I stopped jumping for so many you know for so much time that like I think I have three ropes at this point to have a beaded Rope I had one cross rope and one that I don’t even know what that is. It’s a PVC rope and

Dizzy Skips (45:28)
Mm-hmm. Do you have a go-to?

Helga (45:35)
I had this PVC rope that was very basic. Then I got one at Amazon that had better handles. And then I heard of Crossrope. So I really like the way that you can just change the rope with the… So I got that. And then I got a beaded rope. But the thing is I started backwards. I didn’t start with a beaded rope. But right now I have three basically. But I got injured.

Dizzy Skips (45:47)
Detach the hand, yep.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (46:00)
so many times. I started jumping August 2022. I probably stopped if you add everything all together. I didn’t jump for a year on and off because it was both my ankles, then was my groin, then there was my spine. So maybe that’s

Dizzy Skips (46:15)
Hmm. So do you have like a special

or warmup routine that you do now to kind of help avoid injury?

Helga (46:20)
No, it’s

like…

I don’t. What I do now is I do my Zumba workout before my jump rope. Because when you do Zumba, the warm up for Zumba, it’s really a great way to warm up. yeah, practice because then I can practice my routines. I can memorize the routines and then I’m ready for jumping after that. But I haven’t jumped much because I noticed that when I do it,

Dizzy Skips (46:34)
Okay.

Helga (46:49)
next

day, know, something hurts. And I don’t want to ever hurt like that before.

Dizzy Skips (46:51)
Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

I’ve noticed in some of your more recent reels, I call it rope dancing, right? Like, I mean, it’s not like you’re just skipping, you’re dancing, you’re moving, you’re doing EBs you’re swinging around.

Helga (46:59)
Yeah.

have no idea

what I’m doing.

Dizzy Skips (47:08)
I know what

you mean. Like, I can’t even, I don’t, it’s funny to me when people say, yeah, I was working on the elephant and then the toad and the frog and like, there’s a whole menagerie of animals and I have no idea what they all are, but, but yeah.

Helga (47:15)
Right.

Yeah,

I don’t know the names of things. That’s a handicap for me. I don’t know the names of the tricks and the footwork. But what I do is there are things that they just feel natural. Like there are things that I do with spinning that they just come to me and…

Dizzy Skips (47:38)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (47:40)
And this is a very liberating time for me because I just go with the flow normally in life and in work. think like a million times before I do anything, you know, very… But with the… It’s just, let’s try this. that feels cool. Let’s try it faster. this is fun. You know, so it’s a great like go with the flow practice. I really enjoy it, but I don’t know what it is. Most of what I’m doing…

Dizzy Skips (47:54)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, it’s not that important to label it really, is it?

Helga (48:08)
Yeah, it’s like most of what I’m doing is just at the moment, you know, and you notice that if I think about it, I’ll stop. Sometimes I’m going, if I think about it, I’ll stop for a minute and then, then I’ll go again. But if I stop to think, then everything comes to a halt. I really have to let myself go and, you know, yes.

Dizzy Skips (48:12)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Yeah, my brain gets me in trouble too. Yeah, the more I try and

analyze it, the right.

Helga (48:32)
Yeah, right. I think that’s

a cartoon I used to watch as a kid. There was this frog that could sing the opera, you know, and they remember that. And then they would put him on stage and he was just croaking, you know, exactly. I’m like that, you know, like I can do things, but as soon as you, you know, I have the pressure to perform, then everything crumbles.

Dizzy Skips (48:39)
I know who you’re talking about. Yeah.

Right? Ribbit. Ribbit. Yeah.

So is almost

all of your stuff just kind of improvised or have you, okay. like you do the mic release and stuff. How did you learn the tricks that you know? Was it mostly just watching people and trying it out or did you?

Helga (49:02)
Yes.

Yeah,

was you I think it was just watching tutorials and trying to learn from a few tips, you know like watching stuff that popped on my reel and just There’s another thing that the rope is great. It will teach you patience and persistence

Dizzy Skips (49:18)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, and dealing with Rope Welts, right?

Helga (49:30)
Oh

my goodness, tell me about it. That’s why nowadays, even if I can’t catch it right, I’m still like, wow, cool. Because it was so hard to get to the point that I can actually catch the rope. It took me a long time. I had to be very consistent in order to do it. It was not easy. But there’s a video that I posted that I’m like, I don’t think if I’ll ever be able to do that.

Dizzy Skips (49:55)
Yeah.

Helga (49:56)
The rope is not just a workout. It will help you, it will teach you how to be more patient. I need that more consistent, more disciplined, more like because you know that, for example, you try to learn a trick. Once you master it, you know how the process is going to unfold. So next time, like I’ve been there, if I keep at it, I’m gonna do it, right? And so I think it’s

Dizzy Skips (50:22)
Yeah, that’s a cool feeling.

Helga (50:25)
It is. And it’s just like, you know, it’s so good to have that because you apply it to other areas of your life. It gets you calmer in the face of challenges. like, hmm, okay, you know.

Dizzy Skips (50:33)
Yeah.

Yeah, my buddy Richard has pointed

that out a few times on the podcast, that some of the benefits that he’s got from jumping rope can apply to the rest of his life. Like just that one benefit of, if I show up and I keep working at it, I get better. It may take a little while, but things, you know, things get better. And I know I’ve mentioned like first time I saw, well, I think probably one of the first people I saw was Lauren.

Helga (50:46)
Yes.

Yes.

Dizzy Skips (50:59)
jumping and doing releases and this crazy footwork and stuff and it just all looked like magic to me. Like that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen and my god how do you do that? And my brain is saying yeah that’s not for you buddy you know like you’ll never be. But I didn’t listen to that shit you know. And I just went out and I was like all right well I’m gonna learn this footwork and I’m okay with looking awkward and stupid and

Helga (51:06)
Yeah.

Right.

Aww.

I’m glad.

man,

no, you look like you’re floating, you know? That’s one of the sometimes I’m just watching the videos like, how does he do that? It’s like, it’s so light, you’re so light on your feet, you know, and everything flows in a way that is so like, it’s like, wow, that is really cool. Yeah, your fingers.

Dizzy Skips (51:35)
Mm.

It’s my fuego’s baby, it’s my fuego’s.

You just got a pair of Fuego’s too, I know.

Helga (51:46)
Yeah, but I can’t, I’m not that light on my feet. That’s the Fuegos and some dizzy skills. Man, you are really amazing. I’m like, how can he move so lightly? Everything flows so beautifully. It’s really cool. So you inspire us. I’m so glad you never listened to that, that, you know, critic, because, you know, like you’re inspiring all of us.

Dizzy Skips (51:50)
Yeah.

Yeah, getting dizzy with it.

That’s so nice of you.

Yeah.

Oh, well, that’s

so nice of you. It’s so funny that I get pings from people who are like, hey, every time I see a bench, like I think of you and I want to get on the bench with a rope. And I’m like, right on. That’s so cool. And I’ve had people send me videos like, hey, I was on vacation. I found this rock and I’m skipping on the rock. It’s so amazing. I feel like it’s just a little old me doing my thing in the park and people are inspired by it. That’s awesome. Yeah.

Helga (52:20)
Yes, me too!

It’s so cool, isn’t it? Yeah.

And it’s awesome.

It’s awesome.

Dizzy Skips (52:41)
Yeah, one of the other things that I think about is, and I’ve mentioned this before too on the podcast, is that especially over the course of the summer when, you know, I live in Minnesota and so now it’s what? It’s just almost 5.30 PM and it’s dark outside and stuff. So in the summertime when it’s light, I go to the park and I spend as much time as I can. And I spent so much time just going and like…

doing my warmups and then getting on the bench and flowing. And I don’t know why I love those benches so much, but I do. But I did not work on skills like releases or, you know, specific, you know, like the EB or whatever. and I would see people who, you know, started jumping at the same time or after me or whatever, who were so good at these moves. And at first I would think like, should I be better? You know, like, should I, why am I so behind here? And I realized that, you know,

First of all, my journey’s my journey and it’s okay if I don’t know all of the tricks or stuff like that. But I realized that a lot of what I was doing was, it was stress relief. I’ve got things going on in my life that I wanted to, I wanted to feel like I was in that force field. And so I would go and I would do my warmups and I would flow. And what I found was, sort of interesting side effect is that I sort of found…

Helga (53:35)
Of course, yeah.

Dizzy Skips (53:55)
my flow in a way. know, like everybody sort of moves differently and stuff. And so I had people saying, hey, you’re doing it like dizzy or, you know, like referring to the way that I move. that’s, it’s simultaneously weird, but also cool. And now I’m happy that I didn’t just, you know, bust out and work on all these individual skills. And then I just sort of found my, you know, footwork voice.

Helga (54:07)
Yeah.

Yes, exactly. That’s exactly it. I’m glad too.

Dizzy Skips (54:21)
Yeah. So,

so you’re about to start Zumba classes. That’s great. So do you have like jump rope goals or dancing goals after that? You’ve already said like your big goal is to create a safe space for people to express themselves through dance and.

Helga (54:33)
Yeah, yes,

you know, think that, yes, my goal is not to give up.

I just want to keep going. I hope to recover fully. It’s like I’m doing way better. My goodness, I’m so relieved. I did a lot of things in order to help me heal, but now I’m doing way better. I still can sleep in only one position, so I have all this setup in my bed so I can… But fortunately, I didn’t need surgery, although

Dizzy Skips (54:45)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (55:04)
Here in my back, when you feel right here, it’s like there’s a golf ball protruding from my spine. But usually, yeah, the thing is I’ve…

Dizzy Skips (55:10)
Mmm, that cannot be comfortable.

Helga (55:15)
I’ve realized you really have to listen to your body. Sometimes you just have to take a break no matter how hard it is. But at the same time, what happened was I stopped jumping. I can’t do double unders or anything like that because I don’t even know if I’ll ever try to do that again because I’m afraid that will…

Dizzy Skips (55:23)
care.

Yeah, the impact on your back’s gotta be tough.

Helga (55:40)
But the whole thing led me to was to dance with the rope. So I’m like, I hadn’t tried that before, like to just not jump, but use the rope to dance with it. And I was like, man, this is so much fun. I love it. And I started creating these moves, you know, I don’t have no idea where they came from, but I started some of them I learned with tutorials. I started to see these tutorials in which they were jumpless. You didn’t have to jump to do this thing.

Dizzy Skips (55:56)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (56:07)
and I did the tango with it and I had so much fun. was like wow and I really like the possibility of doing all this kind of you know dance styles and everything and it’s fun it’s just fun you know it’s you think? It’s so good. Really?

Dizzy Skips (56:10)
Mm-hmm.

You’re so good at it too. I mean, I do, like seriously, you have some of my favorite videos on Instagram. Like a few of your, yeah, I mean, I love all of your videos, but

there are a few of them that you’ve done, like that Carmen one or the one that you mentioned earlier with the blue dress where it just unbelievable. Like.

Helga (56:35)
Thank you.

Dizzy Skips (56:40)
you would probably think I’m goofy if I told you how many times I’ve watched them. know, like, like I want to learn how to do that. And so I’m excited. Like we’ve, we’ve talked about doing a collaboration and, I think we’re both like not necessarily. Well, I have not done, you know, memorized a combo of somebody else or whatever. So there’s a certain amount of intimidation, you know, that to me, but, I think we’ll put something fun together and yeah.

Helga (56:43)
Ha ha!

That’s so kind. Yes. Let’s do it.

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah, I’ll be honored. My goodness. I can’t wait. That’s going to be so much fun. Yes, yes. Because I think the whole thing is like, you know, it’s…

Dizzy Skips (57:07)
Yeah, be fun. Yeah.

Helga (57:14)
I think the biggest lesson for me was to find out or discover things about myself. I had no idea. It really has been very beneficial in every way and it has helped me a lot. it’s something that not only I want to do but I want to share with other people somehow. Some dreams they just take longer to come to fruition. But I’m scared of teaching this class but I’m just going to go and see how.

Dizzy Skips (57:21)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (57:41)
Let’s see if I can create that environment that I want to. Let’s see. I’ll let you know.

Dizzy Skips (57:46)
I know you’ll do wonderful.

I’m sure you will do wonderful because you’re well, but you’re very talented and you’re a very positive person. And I think people will feel very comfortable in your class. And so I would take your Zumba class if I were nearby. Sometime I might just show up. That would be fun. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well.

Helga (57:49)
Thank you, you’re very kind.

I would love that, my goodness. that would make my day. That would make my day, sure.

Dizzy Skips (58:12)
sometime we’ll make it happen.

Helga (58:14)
Yes, let’s do that. Let’s do that.

Dizzy Skips (58:16)
Yeah.

So, one other question I was going to ask you is do you ever like when you’re jumping, do you, or dancing, do you ever get like frustrated or have trouble

Helga (58:26)
It depends. if I try to do something like… If I let myself go, no, because I just… It’s like you said, it’s almost like an out of body experience. If I let myself go, I’m listening to the song, I forget that it’s recording, then… But if I’m trying to make something happen, I will definitely get frustrated, you know, and I’m like, Because…

Dizzy Skips (58:34)
Yeah, you just flow.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Mm-hmm. But you’re not a rope thrower.

Helga (58:54)
No, not really, but it’s just like, I have just three ropes. If I do that and one gets damaged, I’ll get only two ropes. It’s not good. if I try to do something, I think the rope will say no.

Dizzy Skips (59:01)
I’ve got loads of ropes. I will send you ropes.

Helga (59:07)
The rope will put you back on tracks like, hey, Missy, you’re here to express yourself through movement, through music. You’re not here for technical perfection. Forget about it. Let go. Let your intellect, you know, put your intellect to the side because if I try to make something happen invariably, you know, I will trip. will, you know, I don’t know, things will happen that are very frustrating.

Dizzy Skips (59:09)
Mm. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, that’s cool.

Yeah.

Helga (59:34)
Most of the time I just laugh about it. I was like, how did I do that? You know, there was a time that my beaded rope burst. I used to have this little beaded rope and it burst in pieces. It like, pieces. It was with the mic release practice. was…

Dizzy Skips (59:37)
Yeah, that’s great.

my goodness, you must have been flying.

Hahaha

It’s a little more release than you wanted, right?

Helga (59:56)
Yeah,

yeah, I actually made the video of it, but I was like, yeah, guys, just like in life, sometimes things break and you have to put yourself back together.

Dizzy Skips (1:00:05)
That’s amazing.

Yeah, that is amazing. Well, I just, I’m so happy that you were able to come on and talk to me, Helga. This has just been so much fun. And I just think the world of you and can’t wait to see what you do with Zumba. And so I was going to mention also you have two separate accounts. You recently started a new account. You have @helgajumpstofitness and then your new account, which is more Zumba related is @helgainmotion.

Helga (1:00:08)
Yeah.

goodness.

Yes.

Yes,

yes, @helgainmotion was created for my students.

and for the community in general, but it’s just like things that I wanted to, because usually in the Zumba class, we’re really on the go and there are some conversations that I wanted to have that probably I won’t have time to have before or after class. So I created that account to share tutorials, basic safety tips, like, you know, my experience with Zumba. It was just an account created to spread the word and to share my experiences.

Dizzy Skips (1:01:04)
Mm-hmm.

Helga (1:01:07)
almost like a video journal for me. And so I like to look back and like, OK, that happened. It’s a step-by-step process because with teaching these classes, I’m having to go through a series of hurdles.

Dizzy Skips (1:01:10)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Helga (1:01:23)
like getting liability insurance and getting CPR because I need that, right, if I’m teaching. So there’s liability insurance and CPR certified, but this I wanted to do anyway. But there’s a certain number of steps that you have to complete in order to get that up and running. But the other thing that I wanted is to, you know, especially inspire other women my age and up that, you know, it’s always time. It’s always time.

Dizzy Skips (1:01:28)
Right?

Helga (1:01:49)
Become a Zumba structure at 53 years of age. Just like, don’t give up on your dreams. It’s always time. Just go for it. Just do it. Now is the time.

Dizzy Skips (1:01:52)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, yeah, now’s the time, right? Yeah,

that’s great. Well, thank you so much for talking to me, Helga. I just think the world of you, like I said, and I’m just so glad you could make the time to come on and chat.

Helga (1:02:11)
This was so much fun. Thank you. I really appreciate the invite and it was a pleasure to be here. I had so much fun. Thank you.

Dizzy Skips (1:02:18)
Yes, well,

we will do this again and I can’t wait till we can do a collaboration and then hopefully I can come to your Zumba class at some point and maybe we can do some dancing. Yeah, that would be great.

Helga (1:02:28)
Please do. I’ll be honored.

Thank you.