Cause if teen quizzes and merch drops aren’t the heart of artistic wellness, what even is?

There’s this familiar moment for many performers.

You’re lying in bed, scrolling through your phone. Your rehearsal call isn’t until later in the day. Your gym bag is still packed by the door. And somewhere in the back of your mind, the question surfaces:
“Should I move my body today?”

On July 10, 2024, I launched a little dream into the world: the StretchiFlex.

Yesterday, we turned ONE. 🎉

And now I’m dreaming up year two!

If you’ve ever stared at your workout plan or yoga mat or even just the floor and thought, “Not today, Satan,” - this one’s for you.

Here’s a little secret that’s saved me (and many performers I know) from total inertia: The 5-Minute Rule.

You blink, and suddenly it’s 3pm. You’re still in socks, wrapped in a throw blanket, hovering somewhere between your second coffee and a reheated lunch. Maybe you’ve opened your laptop. Maybe you haven’t.

This isn’t a guilt trip.

Just a gentle nudge: you can still move. And it doesn’t have to be fancy.

Both Carolyn and Carli have written a ‘What’s In My Bag?’ blog, so I thought it was only fair that I confess the mess that I carry around on my person too. As a freelancer, a hobby-hopper and a generally creative person, I have a lot of random but necessary items in my bag(s)! Oftentimes, I carry 3 separate bags: one for my personal items, one for my exercise-related items, and one for my music-related items. Here is a list of items that you’ll usually find in my THREE bags!

Righto guys. I am INSPIRED. I am ITCHING. I am SO READY to chat. Let’s get into it.

It’s been a month of head-down-bum-up hard work buuuut, I have made it! And I absolutely adore the month of June. I hope you love it too. It’s usually when I have some time off planned. It’s just become cold enough to morph into my ugg-wearing self; we’re starting to light the fire at dusk; hot cups of morning coffee warm my cold winter hands during slow morning strolls around the neighbourhood; and I can trade those yummy summer ice creams for comforting warm winter pies…

Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: my attractor state is one of overstimulation, compulsive productivity and chaosssss 🎉 And I am about to give advice about mindfulness and meditating.

Given my natural inclination to regularly run myself into the ground through my many hobbies and short-lived, meaningless pursuits, it could actually be argued that my life may be the best testimonial of mindfulness? I’ve been practicing the art of mindfulness for a couple of months now, and it’s truly changed my approach to how I move through the world.

Founder of the StretchiFlex, creative producer, and performer - Carolyn talks about combining fitness with being an artist to help you move stronger and last longer on stage. Following on from our ‘get to know you’ last month with Caitlin, let’s get to know our owner a little better!

We haven’t done a get-to-know-us in a little while, so we thought that it would be super fun to do this week with five fun questions for our superstar trainer Caitlin - all about the intersection of performing arts and fitness.

Ciao signori e signore!

I don’t want to make you jealous, but I just spent the summer in Italy, and Mamma Mia! It was a dream.

Endurance is crucial for performing artists (particularly singers!) as you rely on stamina to maintain vocal strength, control, and flexibility throughout demanding performances. To help you build lasting endurance, dear singer, a combination of physical and vocal exercises are essential.

Here are our top 5 !!

We know that getting to the gym isn’t always at the top of a creative’s to do list because you already have a billion creative projects spilling out of your calendar on a daily basis. So here are our top 5 ways to stay active outdoors (because we know you’ve already tried out all the YouTube yoga and pilates classes). Let’s get some fresh air, people!

New year, new blog and today we are totally here for the science behind what we do.

Maybe you wouldn’t be able to put it into words, but you would know in your soul that creativity isn’t just an artistic instinct, it’s a powerful tool that can shape how your brain works. So, understanding the science behind creativity and its neurological benefits can help you become more creative AND improve your mental well-being. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. So, here’s a breakdown of how creativity impacts your brain (and the benefits it brings you along the way!).

As a creative who is trying to prioritise health and fitness, my schedule can feel so full. So combining the two; creativity and fitness, into an art form has been the most fulfilling hobby! There is nothing like the thrill of performing onstage. The lights and the fog, no sound but the music, the eye contact with the audience while you’re high on confidence and the magic of live performance. The room buzzes with excitement and the eye contact with your fellow performers on stage communicates that you both know how HIGH this high is…

Okay okay so it’s not even December yet but GUYS I am so excited for Christmas.

SO in order to be super prepped and stress-free come mid-December, here are some Christmas gift ideas for your Performer friends (or a sneaky link you can send to people for YOUR gift ideas) !!

Welcome to PART TWO of what’s in my bag!! Last week Carli went through her essentials for a show day/rehearsal day, and then her gym bag - today I’ll go through what I bring with me to set (as a Producer) and thennnnn what I bring with me to a Musical Theatre rehearsal (cause it’s fun and I miss rehearsals!).

What’s in my bag!! 2024 edition.

A little dot point list of what I have in my bag for a dance show or rehearsal (HELLO KATY PERRY x AFL PRE-GAME SHOW!!) and a list of what I have in my gym bag! Xx

Spring is springing, summer is coming, and we couldn’t be happier. What better way to celebrate than find some fun things that inspire you to be creative while reveling in this pre-Christmas season!

So here are SIX things you can do FOR FREE to find inspiration and spark some joy.

Today’s blog has some sugar (pumpkin recipe inspo), it has some spice (mobility exercises that’ll hit the spot!), and it has something nice (aka: my most favourite item this month!). I’m so glad you’re here to check out my inner thoughts. It’s always a bit of a wild ride. Let’s gooo.