Meet Wendy! Wendy is originally from Calgary and has been living here in Penticton for 18 years. She enjoys taking in everything that Penticton has to offer! She loves being a part of the community and sharing her passion for Bellydance with others.
Where are you from and how long have you lived in Penticton?
I grew up in Calgary and have been in the Okanagan for 18 years.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
Whoever I am with, at the moment!
Describe yourself in one word.
Action.
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
I’m pretty happy where I am. I’ve got too many exciting things going on to be lured away anywhere “right this moment”.
What is your favourite activity in Penticton?
Doing everything we do at the studio is my daily draw to Penticton! Performing, assisting others with shows, I like being a part of all the events in our community. There’s so much to do and see here, we are very lucky.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
If I have to relive it all over again…I was teaching yoga class…Cheysa was still breastfeeding, so I’d pump at work all day and take it home for the next day’s supply. I got busy talking with people before class and didn’t pump before starting. We were doing a pose face down on the mat and after demonstrating (and I should interject that I have no idea how I was even functioning, my body was such a mess….lol) and I got up and there were two wet spots on the mat. I looked down and I was leaking all over the place. Let’s just say it wasn’t a colour that hid wetness.
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Touring in India was amazing. 8 cities, 17 shows, 25 days. We performed on dirt floors in orphanages in Bodhgaya, taught and performed in a private school in Dharamshala, performed at a rooftop hotel party in Jaipur, for thousands at a festival in Varanasi, danced on the Bollywood Film House sets in Mumbai…we saw so much through dance. Extremes of events, organization, and people. The inspiring part was experiencing how dance creates a level playing field. It didn’t matter how diverse the people were, after shows, everyone was the same. Same love, same warm-heartedness. All the labels were dropped once art was the connection.
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
Playing in our backyard in Calgary growing up. My Dad would be playing badminton with me. We had a huge tree and tire swings and all that stuff. One winter he thought it would be cool to turn the yard into a skating rink. Flooded the whole thing, it was amazing. Never had grass again. Just a dirt yard every year from then on...lol. We were always outside.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
John and I founded the Get Bent Active Arts Society for this purpose. It’s been running for 11 years now and the board gets stronger every year. There are three programs,
1). The Esteem team, which guides youth to create workshops on social issues that they are passionate about, then present those workshops to grade 6-9 students.
2). Scholarships. There are two lucky Get Bent dancers that benefit each year, but there is not a set limit on community-wide scholarships. Just last month they awarded a program scholarship to a violin player, an exchange student who was really passionate about a private program.
3). Dance trips - These are performances that Get Bent dancers do in schools throughout the province, linked to the Esteem Team. They present, teach and talk Bellydance in schools. How it can be so beneficial for self-esteem, confidence and body image.
John and I have been quite strategic in setting up the business to provide a sizable amount of community volunteering as well. This includes both John and I, the team and even more, all the students.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
Stop factory farming for animals and animal products. On so many levels, this could be so positive.
Where would you sneak away to in Penticton to spend some time alone?
I really like Theos. I’ve gone there at various important times of my life and sat tucked away in a corner, enjoyed great food and thought things out, or just enjoyed that no one could find me and I got to get some work done.
What do you think makes Penticton great?
The people, our events and our community spirit. The arts community here is fantastic, it’s such a rich place. It’s such a great city. The folks that step up to run the city, truly do their best and while people will always complain, we have a packed city full of events, local businesses that thrive and great care options for our ageing population.
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
1- Performing at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary
2- Leave a legacy in the Bellydance world
3- A month-long retreat
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I love prison movies, books, documentaries...anything. I've read Papillon so many times. I would love to go to Alcatraz. It's all so fascinating to me.
How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
My general Facebook page is Wendy Goudie. My dance facebook page and Instagram are both @WendyaGoudie
What is the name of your business/organization?
Get Bent Yoga and Dance
Why did you get into/start this business?
I want to leave a mark in the world of Bellydance. I think what is both historical and current in the art form are both relevant and need to be maintained, but I want to create a youth culture in the art that will carry it forward in new ways. With Yoga, there are so many people hurting in their daily life and often it’s simply due to lack of knowledge to care for one’s body. It’s possible to be strong and healthy and recover from injuries quickly and so many people don’t experience this. Yoga is an incredible tool for people to live their best life.
What has been your biggest struggle either at work or in life?
Surviving and then recovering from giving birth to our daughter. It’s rough knowing natural selection had you both marked. It was just a mess on every level. I had a good 2 years of postpartum depression. I remember sitting at home feeling like this huge black cloud had enveloped me and no one could see it, and no one could understand it, I couldn’t explain it to anyone and I was all alone. It was horrible. I look back and still have no idea how I functioned. The fact that I could still teach and appear happy in public made me feel even worse like I was such a fake. I’m so thankful one of my best friends arranged and took me to a therapist in Kelowna. Regular visits for a long time finally made a difference. It was a very challenging thing to dig myself out of. After that recovery then came the studio struggle. Things tend to go very badly when you lose all ability to participate in your business. We’re blessed to have a few key people that seemed to see what was going on and trusted we’d pull through. The whole thing has been a very long, very hard road. John seriously is the husband of the universe just for sticking it out.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I’d certainly prepare for a baby differently! As far as general life, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m happy with who I’ve been, who I am and who I’m becoming. It’s all learning, all the time!
What do you always find yourself saying?
Shoulders down…lol Actually it’s “chest up, shoulders down”, but without the yoga context, it might raise eyebrows.
Tell us your best piece of life advice.
I’ve always said I’d rather shoot for 400% and fail miserably ending at 120% instead of playing it safe and shooting for 80% and surpassing the goal achieving to 85%. Forward movement is what makes the difference, so the perception of success or failure doesn’t really matter.
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
This was a really tough question...lol. I immediately thought "My Dad" so then I booked a day off, covered classes and he and I have planned a day coming up. I really don't know. Richard Branson maybe?
Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
It’s our community, we all benefit when one of us experiences success.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
I’m sure it hasn’t happened yet! Staying married through the traumas we’ve had is certainly an accomplishment. Seeing the Vancouver branch of Get Bent (run by Elaina Collis) finally take off is very cool. Being recognized as a dancer in India was very cool. People recognized us from TV in different cities and would stop us on the streets. It was interesting how fast and far it spread. That whole trip was a huge deal professionally and personally. I’m always happy with the impact our programs have on people, teen girls in particular. They aren’t necessarily something we’ll see for many years if we see it all. Playing a role in the foundation of people’s lives is a big deal. We’ll never know the choices that weren’t made because of Get Bent’s influence. Those are the important things, that's why we do what we do.
Give someone you think that deserves it a shout out and explain why!
My husband John. He’s always behind the scenes. He does so much, very few people really understand the level of his contribution. I’m always in the front, on the stage, in the public, but I really believe he works even more than me, and his end of the business doesn’t seem quite as exciting. He’s really the backbone of the studio.
My choice for the PentictonNow In Focus spotlight is:
Julia Cannings - McKay
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In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition of the people, businesses, and organizations that help make our city great. Thank you, Penticton!
