Emile Feldenzer, RMP

05/14/2020

hey folks, in the wake of governor hogan announcing the first phase of reopening the state, i want to make it clear that i'm not planning to reopen anytime soon. given the probability of a second wave, i think it's quite likely that i won't be practicing massage for the rest of 2020. the safety of myself, my clients, my housemates, and my community is my top priority.

i had to step back from my goal of keeping this social media page updated because it was too difficult to even think about anything massage-related. i love this work and it wasn't just a source of money to me, it was something that brought meaning and purpose to my life. i needed to take time to mourn the loss of the old normal and remember who i am outside my role as a massage therapist.

still, i want to share my skills and knowledge in a way that makes sense for this moment. i'm very interested in the idea of teaching folks how to give massage to people in their quarantine bubble, without hurting their own bodies and without having to have any special fancy massage furniture. sometime in the next couple weeks, i'd like to livestream a massage demo for you! i'll probably start out with foot and calf massage, because that's what i always beg my partner for when i'm stressed 😂. it'll be free for everyone to watch so keep an eye out for the facebook event!

thanks for reading! i wish you all many moments of peace and joy in the midst of this crisis.

--emile🌼🌷

03/18/2020

hi folks,

it's beyond time to let you know that i will not be providing massages for at least the next 2 weeks, if not longer, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. my most recent client was last thursday, i stopped taking mobile appointments at the hotels over the weekend, and since then i've just been taking everything in, checking on loved ones, and thinking about how to word this post. i love doing bodywork and i wish i could continue offering it to the community during this very anxious and uncertain time; however, given the virulence of this virus and its long incubation time, the only way i can ensure i do no harm is by shutting down my practice completely for the time being.

i still have a couple of paychecks to look forward to from gigs i worked in february, and i am fortunate enough to have family and friends who can support me financially and emotionally. i can expect to have a steady supply of food, meds, and hormones, and for that i am deeply grateful.

however, as you may know, one of my main streams of income is doing chair massage for events, and most of my gigs for april/ may have been cancelled at this point. i'm also not able to apply for unemployment as an independent contractor/ self-employed person. if you are financially unaffected by this crisis and would like to help make sure i have work post-quarantine, consider buying a gift certificate or booking yourself an appointment 4 weeks or more in advance. it'll make a nice treat for you or a loved one after being cooped up inside for so long!

for those of you who are financially impacted (which is most of my friends and clients), i want to help you out as well. food service workers, bartenders, freelance artists, entertainment workers, gym/ spa/ theater employees, fellow massage therapists, and anyone else who's been laid off for at least the rest of March--you can book for 50% off my usual rate, or arrange a barter with me (to reiterate, though, must be *4 weeks or more in advance*).

i'm hoping to use some of this down-time to revamp my social media presence (without getting too hypnotized by the Facebook feed). this could look like:

💫more anatomy art!
💫posting resources about physical/ mental wellness, especially LGBTQI-focused ones
💫video content demonstrating massage techniques for self and others (any requests?)

in all likelihood, though, i will also be spending a lot of time resting, reflecting, trying new recipes, reading Ursula K. Le Guin novels, playing with the cat, gardening, cleaning, and other such domestic bliss. i encourage you all to lean into whatever practices of self- and community-care you can safely engage in, and to let go of any lingering shame about your lack of productivity. compassion is great for yr immune system!! we're all in this together and secretly, we have been all along.

holding you all in the light,
--emile

02/01/2020

thrilled to adorn my massage space with this piece by Jamie Grace Alexander (aka the ethereal ms. proxy)! their art is up at Waller Gallery as part of the Catch>Release>Activate show, be sure to check it out if you get a chance. i also recommend following her wonderful project Gender Museum!

do you have art/ goods/ services/ skills that you'd like to trade for a massage? send me a message and we'll figure something out!

01/15/2020

something i've been meaning to do for a while is come up with a list of all the places i did chair massage (as a solo practitioner, not counting independent contractor gigs) in 2019! i've learned so much from everyone i've worked with and met so many brilliant, kind people in the process. gratitude to all the event organizers and venues that made space for me, gratitude to everyone that helped me build connections and confidence. i'm so lucky to be doing this work! here it goes:

2/2-- PMS Art Market 2 @ Metro Gallery

3/17--Punk Rock Flea Market @ Ottobar

3/23--Trans Women's Self Care Day @ Jacques Journey Center

3/30--Trans Visibility Community Festival @ NoMa (DC)

4/11--Brittany's memorial @ 2640 Space

5/19--Baltimore Record Bazaar Spring Show @ Ynot Lot

6/1 and 6/2--Charles Village Festival @ Charles Street (feat. Dvar Tarot)

7/15--The Divine Gathering @ Creative Labs

7/16--Father's Day Baltimore Jazz Fest @ St. John's Episcopal Church

7/21--PMS Art Market 3 @ Metro Gallery

7/27--Jazz on 25th Street

8/31---CM.BALL @ The Bambou

9/15--Abell Street Fair @ Abell Avenue

9/21--Maryland Trans Resilience Conference @ Lord Baltimore Hotel

9/22--Baltimore Record Bazaar Fall Show @ Peabody Heights Brewery

10/5--Mushroom City Art Festival @ Carrie Murray Nature Center

10/19--PMS Art Market 4 @ The Downtown Cultural Arts Center

11/24--Itineris Holiday Bazaar @ Itineris Foundation

12/1--Baltimore Record Bazaar Holiday Show @ Peabody Heights Brewery

12/8--Miracle on 36th Street Holiday Market @ CO-BALT Workspace

12/14--Trans Craft Fair @ Charm City Meadworks

12/17--International Day to End Violence Against S*x Workers @ 2640 Space

12/21--Charles Village Flea Market @ Peabody Heights Brewery

12/18/2019

Charles Village Flea Market 12/21 will likely be the last event i work in 2019! gift certificates for your loved ones, chair massage for you, and tons of local vendors to finish off your holiday shopping list.

12/18/2019

thankful for everyone who came out to 2640 space tonight! i'm so glad i was able to share my work, collect some donations for SWOP, and watch the incredible lineup of performances. s*x workers are truly so creative, insightful, and important to our community 💖

12/08/2019

i'm at the holiday market on 1014 36th street till 8 tonight! stop by after the Christmas parade for a relaxing treat :)

12/07/2019

follow Tyler's tarot page and get yourself a reading from her! her weekly shabbat readings always have something to teach me 💖

WEEKLY SHABBAT READING: PARSHAT VAYETZEI

Shabbat shalom! What a parsha we have this week! We meet so many key players in the history of the Jewish people. Jacob leaves for Haran and has the prophetic dream we've come to know as Jacob's ladder. He says "MaNorah HaMakom Hazeh,"or, "How amazing is this place!" He comes into the servitude of Lavan, who, maybe in giving him his due, tricks him into marrying Leah instead of Rachel, and forces him to work for seven more years to marry Rachel. Jacob uses sympathetic magic to separate from Lavan We meet four of our matriarchs, Rachel, Leah, Bilah, and Zilpah, who birth eleven of our twelve tribes. These are some tough mamas! The cards wanna talk to you about all this and more!

Erev: Eight of Pentacles/Day: Nine of Cups/Havdallah: Knight of Cups

1) Isn't it weird that we got a work card on an evening of rest? How much work does Jacob have to do before things are settled? Make sure you have everything in line and the takhles (bottom line) taken care of before you rest, then let things take care of themselves. Your dreams and desires might be working overtime this week! Pay attention to any dreams about love and romance specifically

2) If you, like Jacob, are using magic to separate from someone who is controlling you, b'ezrat hashem, you'll get your wish! This calls for some celebration and provides an opportunity to redirect the energy that person was taking from you into things you love.

3) Rachel, Leah, Bilah, and Zilpah do the heavy lifting of childbirth and raising in this parsha. They held inside of them the potential of our entire lineage. Rachel was barren, too, and then conceived through supernatural means. So called "non-traditional" families are a lot older than we're lead to believe. Show some love and appreciation for the mother figures in your life!

That's all I have for you today! I'll see you for the full moon! Wishing you rest, joy, and insight this weekend!

12/05/2019

more chair massage events are around the corner!

i'll be at Miracle on 36th St. Winter Holiday Market + Mayors Xmas Parade offering my usual chair massage rate:

❄️$5 for 5 minutes
❄️$8 for 10 minutes
❄️$12 for 15 minutes
❄️$15 for 20 minutes

there will be massage gift certificates available for purchase as well! gift your loved one a session of 30 minutes or more and get a 30% discount on your next massage 🎁

i'm also excited to be participating in the healing space at International Day to End Violence Against S*x Workers - D17! i will be offering pay-what-you-can chair massage in the space, with all donations going to SWOP Baltimore. s*x worker-led activism is beautiful and necessary, and i'm grateful for this opportunity to support a cause & organization i believe in 🕯✨🌹

12/01/2019

ill be at Peabody Heights Brewery, LLC for BRB (Balt.Record.Bazaar) Holiday Show until 5 this evening! come for the fun tunes and great bargains, stick around for a chair massage and maybe even pick up a gift certificate for a loved one who needs some relaxation! hope to see you around 🎶🎵📀💿🍻💆💫

11/20/2019

hey everyone, sorry for the lack of posting lately! 🍁autumn🍁 is winding down and that means fun holiday pop-ups/bazaars/craft fairs are right around the corner! you can receive a chair massage from me at any of these upcoming events:

11/24: 2019 Itineris Holiday Bazaar: Call for Vendors and Participants!

12/1: BRB (Balt.Record.Bazaar) Holiday Show

12/8: Miracle on 36th St. Winter Holiday Market + Mayors Xmas Parade

i'll also be selling 🎁gift certificates🎁 for massage sessions! these will be for massages at my home studio only; if your recipient needs me to come to their home or a different location to do the massage, an additional travel fee will be charged depending on the distance. to sweeten the deal, everyone who buys a gift certificate also gets a 30% discount on the next session they book for themselves!

wishing you all peace, comfort, and rest,
--emile ☃️