Posts Tagged ‘Nia San Jose’
Posted by terrepruitt on June 14, 2013
So this week has been an easy one to have good things to put in the jar. The biggest thing, of course, is the visit from my niece. She was here all week long and as she mentioned last night, it went pretty fast. I had been so nervous she would be bored, but she is pretty easy going and mellow so we managed fine.
She came with me to all my Nia classes and she even participated. We made candles at Glow in Willow Glen and spent one morning delivering lunch to my hubby. It was a nice week. Short.
Our weather in San Jose has been FANTASTIC — all week long. Nothing beats the weather in the San Francisco Bay Area, especially in the South Bay. It is awesome.
As I am typing I keep thinking of Good Things to put in my goodie jar. Ha! Maybe that is another way to help think of good things. Start writing about your week and see what comes up. I bet there will be at least ONE good thing!
So how many things were you able to put in your Good Things Jar this week?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: candle making, Glow, good things jar, Goodie Jar Check In #20, making candles in Willow Glen, Nia in the South Bay, Nia in Willow Glen, Nia San Jose, niece, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, San Jose Nia, South Bay Nia | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 13, 2013
I have been teaching Nia in San Jose for four and a half years. I have been teaching Nia in the same studio in Willow Glen. I drive down Lincoln about twice a week. There are many stores and businesses on the street. There are also many pedestrians. For those of you that don’t know, Lincoln Avenue is very pretty. They have trees and bushes and flowers . . . very nice landscaping, however, the lovely foliage HIDES the pedestrians and those flashing lights (the ones that flash to call attention to pedestrians crossing the street). So you have to really pay attention. Sometimes people just dart out from the bushes. I am always concentrating on the pedestrians so I don’t notice all the stores that come and go. When I do walk down the street I am always amazed at a new shop that has popped up or one that has closed. One of the new ones is Glow. It is a build-a-candle candle shop. When I first saw it I was so excited. I kept squealing with each new thing I saw as I walked through. There are colors and fragrances and little trinkets you can add to the candle. I couldn’t wait to go!
This week I have my niece visiting and I thought it would be fun for us to go make a candle. It is something we can do and visit at the same time. Plus it is creative and then we will have a candle to show for it. First you choose your mold. What size and shape you want. Then you choose your colors, any pips, and if you want any trinkets. Then you choose the scent you want to have. Then you set about putting it all together.
The pips are plastic pieces that you stick to the side of the mold. They have all different kinds of pips: butterflies, birds, flowers, stars, guitars, martini glasses, crosses, letters, lipstick, dresses, shoes, you name it, they probably have it. After you stick the pips to the side, then you break up the sheets of wax. You get to choose from a variety of colors. Once the candle is poured and set, the pips show through on the sides of the candle.
When you are done filling the mold with the pieces the shop keep pours hot melted wax into the mold over the broken pieces. Then it sets. The store keep puts a wick in it and polishes it and you have a cool candle that you made.
There is “studio fee” of $9.95 and then the cost of the candle which is determined by the size and shape you choose. All pips are included as well as the poured wax and fragrance. The little charms and other things are priced per piece and the costs vary from less than a dollar all the way to at least $4.00. I believe there might be ones that cost more than $4.00 but that was the one I saw.
The day we went back to pick up our candle we were being helped by the assistant manager, Laura, and she was a wealth of information. She shared some tips and tricks that my niece and I wished we had been privy to the day before when we were making our candles. But now we know and we are anxious to go back again to make more candles.
The experience is not an inexpensive one, but as I said, it is an EXPERIENCE. It is an activity. It is a fun thing to do with people who you want to be with. Once you pay the studio fee you can buy as many candles as you want to make. So it could be a great way to kick out some gifts for Christmas. Pay the studio fee then make a few candles. Do it with friends and you have a great time. I think an activity that results in a wonderful smelling candle makes for a great day. My niece and I had a great time.
I thought it was great fun to build a candle. I also thought is was pretty exciting to wait for the candle to be ready for pick up the next day. I really love this activity and can’t wait to go back. The candles we made, while not perfect, look pretty nice, smell great, and burn well. This was definitely a fun time with wax.
Do you like candles? What color candle would you make?
.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: candle shop, candles, do-it-yourself candles, fun activity, fun thing to do in San Jose, fun with wax, Glow, Lincoln Avenue Business, Nia Classes, Nia San Jose, Nia Teacher, pips, San Jose Nia, teaching Nia, Willow Glen Business, Willow Glen Workout | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 25, 2013
So I am not always a big fan of salsa. I am not always feeling the love for tomatoes and I am NEVER feeling the love for the hot spicy of most salsa. Most of the time I will just “wet” my chip in the salsa. Since tomatoes aren’t something I really like I don’t usually like Pico De Gallo. Recently I saw a pico de gallo recipe with cucumbers in it. Yes, I know there are a lot of different types of salsa and chunky “salsas”. You can make what people call salsa out of anything now a days, just like you can make “aioli” out of anything even though aioli is “traditional sauce made of garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and egg yolks” and salsa and pico de gallo are traditionally made with tomatoes. This was a tomato pico de gallo but it has cucumbers in it. I thought that would be cool. I saved the recipe with a plan to make it later.
Then one day, the day I was detoured by that little produce store on my way home from Nia Class in San Jose, where I bought my broccoli, I bought some tomatoes too. I was thinking I would make that pico de gallo. I knew I had cucumber and cilantro. Well, as sometimes happens, I didn’t get around to making it right away. I ended up using the cucumber I had for salads.
Of course, by the time I got some cucumber and decided to make the pico de gallo my cilantro was a bag of mush. That stuff goes fast and it was the bottom shelf so I hadn’t seen how bad off it was. So I ended up not having cilantro. But I had fennel. I thought I could try a “pico de gallo” with fennel tops. Not a traditional pico de gallo anyway because it has cucumbers in it.
Since it was not going to have any cilantro and fennel is not very strong I put in a lot of onions! A LOT. For me . . . too many. I think it made it too hot. But my husband liked it. The original recipe can be found here.
I made it like this:
2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
4 T finely chopped cucumber
2 T fresh fennel tops
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Squeeze of 1/2 fresh lemon
I pressed the garlic in a garlic press, then combined all the ingredients. I let it chill for a few hours.
My husband liked it. But he is really easy to cook for because he likes pretty much everything. But he said it was good. I think the onions carried it. I am not sure the fennel was strong enough to add that much of a flavor. But I know it was very different than pico de gallo with cilantro.
The next day there was some left over and I added avocados to it. I didn’t even taste it because I don’t like guacamole, but my hubby enjoyed it.
I might actually try this again with the actual fennel BULB! I really like fennel! And I LOVE the idea of cucumbers in pico de gallo!
***(Added June 19, 2013) According to Wiki: “In Mexican cuisine, pico de gallo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpiko ðe ˈɣaʎo], literally rooster’s beak), also called salsa fresca”***
What do you put in you pico de gallo? Do you make chunky salsa?
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: broccoli, chips and salsa, chunky salsa, cilantro, Cucumbers And Fennel, fennel bulb, garlic, Nia, Nia class, Nia San Jose, pico de gallo, Rooster's Beak, Salsa, San Jose Nia, Tomatoes | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 28, 2013
Wow. I just noticed that there are only three days (if you include today) left of the multiple planks. Three planks a day every day for 30 days. I missed three days. Well, I have three days left to make sure I get all three in.
This morning I took a yoga class at the studio where I teach Nia twice a week. This week is Bay Area Dance Week and so the class I took was free. It was nice to get my mat out and do some poses. I don’t use my mat at home, I just do it on the carpet.
There are a lot of free classes this week so you might want to check it out. You can see a schedule of free classes in my post, Free Nia, Zumba, Belly Dance, Yoga, and More.
So I am going to go do my three planks. Have you done yours yet?
Posted in Planking | Tagged: Bay Area Dance Week, dance studio, Free Belly Dance, Free classes, Free Nia, Free Zumba, Multiple planks in a day challenge, Nia, Nia San Jose, planking, planks, San Jose Nia, Yoga, Zumba | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 27, 2013
You might have gathered from my posts that I am not a fan of beans. Beans are great for fiber and protein, but I just don’t like them all that much. I was sometimes ok with garbanzo beans/chickpeas, but that was it. I didn’t like any other type of bean, but I went to a friend’s house and she had this yummy two bean salad. So I decided that I am ok with red kidney beans and garbanzo beans in this salad. Then I came across a recipe that had kidney beans it in and I decided to use half kidney beans and half garbanzo beans. This recipe is one of my husband’s and mine favorites. I also like roasted garbanzo beans. Recently I was in the area – after teaching a Nia class as a sub in south San Jose - of a store that I have been hearing a lot about. It is called Sprouts. The name is “Sprouts Farmers Market: Healthy, Natural & Organic Grocery Stores”, which I don’t really understand, as it is NOT a farmer’s market and not everything is natural nor organic. They have the produce section kind of set up like you might imagine a market on an actual farm in that nothing is in nice neat rows and it seems kinda hodgey-podgely put together . . . but that is it. Their organic section of fruits and vegetables was no larger than the one at my “regular” grocery store. But whatever, I digress (WHAT? ME? NO!) . . . my post is actually about that fact that I bought some dried garbanzo beans.
When I first discovered the Red Beans and Rice recipe my friend and I were talking about dried beans and we wondered if we could buy dried garbanzo beans. Later she reported back that she had seen some in the store. I had asked my chef friend about them and she gave me some advice on how to process them. And of course I forgot what she said. But anyway . . . I finally was in a store that had them when I remembered to look. So I bought some.
When you look up how to process dried beans on the internet you will probably come across two different methods. There is the long soak and then the quick soak. My idea was to do both and then report the results on my blog in one post. But funny as it sounds, I have not had time — more accurately, I have not made time — to do the quick soak method. I know, you would think that would be the easiest and fastest one to do. But to me it was much easier to throw the beans in a bowl and let them soak for 13 hours and 45 minutes. I’ve read they should soak for at least 4 hours. Mine just turned into 13 hours plus.
Since I have not yet gotten around to doing the quick soak method I will report on what I found with the long soak method and then when I do the other one I will post about that.
The “long soak” method has no cooking involved. I was interested in not cooking the beans. Everything I read said that they double in size. I don’t recall that happening. NOTHING I read told me they would pop! I kept hearing this odd sound and wondering what it was. If you have a pet you might do as I do and the first thing I do when I hear something unfamiliar is I blame my pet and find her first to see if she was responsible. But when I heard the pop she was right next to me. So, I kept thinking it was coming from outside. Finally it dawned on me that it might be the beans and I stood by the bowl until I heard one!
I had decided to split the bag in between the two methods. So I got a huge bowl and put half of my beans in it. Then I filled it with water. I did this at 11:00 am on a Friday. I changed the water twice. I rinsed the beans both times. My report is that beans themselves have gas. My kitchen smelled gassy the whole time the beans were soaking. I kept lighting a candle. I drained the beans at 12:45 pm on Saturday. I decided I was going to roast them. So I drained them to let them start to dry out.
I roasted them. They were gorgeous. I like them because they seem less “mushy” than the canned beans. And for me “mushy” is part of the reason I don’t like beans. So I really liked this dried/soaking method. I left the beans in the oven a tad bit too long. I was doing too many things at once and when I took them out to check them I forgot to put the timer on when I put them back in. I realized my error when I smelled burning beans. So . . . . they are ok, but not as I would have liked them.
The verdict in regards to soaking beans is good. I am going to do that. I have a feeling that soaking them will turn out to be easier than the quick soak method. We will see.
The questions I have been thinking about though is . . . . the canned beans I buy say “Organic” whereas the dried ones I bought did not. So really which are better? I will look for organic dried beans, but I am not sure where to find them. I know I didn’t see them at the “Farmers Market” that claims to have healthy, natural, and organic food. 
Well, at least I didn’t see a sign that claimed the dried beans were organic.
Do you used canned beans or dried?
Posted in Food | Tagged: bean salad, chickpeas, dried beans, exercise classes, farmers markets, Garbanzo beans, healthy, Natural & organic grocery store, Nia, Nia San Jose, quick soak beans, Red Beans and Rice, red kidney beans, San Jose Nia, soaking beans, South San Jose, Sprouts | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 25, 2013
Every year the studio in San Jose where I teach Nia Class on Monday mornings and Wednesday mornings participates in the celebration of National Dance week. This year the “week” is actually ten days, from Friday, April 26, 2013 through Sunday, May 5, 2013. This is the 15th year of Bay Area Dance Week, and the 32nd year in which there has been a National Dance Week coalition. BayAreaDance.org states:
“National Dance Week was founded in 1981 to increase awareness of dance and its contributions to our national culture. The first Bay Area Dance Week (BADW) festival grew out of a public dialogue in 1998, when dance artists, administrators, and organizations came together to explore how best to spotlight Bay Area dance during National Dance Week.“
The studio I rent from rents to different instructors who teach a variety of fitness classes and dances. Each instructor can choose to participate in Bay Area Dance Week, by offering free classes.
Bay Area Dance Week at the studio in San Jose starts Saturday, April 27th.
Saturday, April 27, 2013:
12:00 noon – 1:15 pm: Bellydance Essentials – Courtney
Sunday, April 28, 2013:
9:00 am – 10:15 am: Morning Flow Yoga – Eme
Monday, April 29, 2013:
9:00 am – 10:00 am: Nia – Terre (free to NEW Students)
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Zumba – Lili
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Egyptian Bellydance. All Levels – Hala
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Egyptian Bellydance Technique. Int/Adv – Hala
Tuesday, April 30, 2013:
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: Drills & Performance Skills – Michelle
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Bellydance Level 1 (4.27.13 changed) Fan Veil Choreography – Natika
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Tribal Fusion Technique & Choreography – Natika
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm: Turkish Bellydance – Natika
Wednesday, May 1, 2013:
9:00 am – 10:00 am: Nia – Terre (free to NEW Students)
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Bellydance – Setareh
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Hala Dance Company Rehearsal – Hala
Friday, May 3, 2013:
8:00 pm – 9:15 pm: Bellydance Cardio and Combos – Jill
Saturday, May 4, 2013:
9:30 am – 10:30 am: Bellydance Basics – Amanda
10:30 am – 12 noon: Bellydance and Beyond – Amanda
12 noon – 1:15 pm: Bellydance Essentials – Courtney
Sunday, May 5, 2013:
10:30 am – 11:30 am: The Art of Bellydance – Jizan
In regards to classes at the studio, classes not listed are not open to free drop-ins.
This is the schedule at the time of the writing. Sometimes things change so it is always good to check with the studio and/or instructor to verify class times and participation.
Remember it is National Dance Week so there are free classes all over the United States. I bet there is a class that you have always wanted to take, but have not yet got around to it. So check with the instructor of that class or call the venue to see if they are offering free classes.
The San Francisco Bay Area is beginning the week with a celebration dance on Friday in Union Square Park in San Francisco at noon. The closing event is a Planetary Dance led by Anna Halprin on Sunday, May 5th at 2:00 in Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. You can check for free classes in the Bay Area at BayAreaDance.org. But even if it is not listed on the site check in with the person teaching it or the place it is being taught. They might be participating but maybe didn’t get on the site. So don’t be shy get out and dance.
What classes, in ADDITION to Nia, are you going to take?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Anna Halprin, BADW, Bay Area Dance Week, BayAreaDance.org, Belly Dance, Bellydance, dance classes, Egyptian Bellydance, Fan Veil Choreography, fitness classes, Free classes, Free San Jose Classes, Hala Dance Company, National Dance Week, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia San Jose, Planetary Dance, San Francisco, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, San Jose Nia, San Jose Zumba, SF Bay Nia, Studio in San Jose, Tribal Fusion, Turkish Bellydance, Yoga, Zumba | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 23, 2013
Whether you do Nia, Zumba, yoga, Pilates, country western dance, motor-cycle race, play tennis, or just about anything there are the “Gods” or celebrities of the practice/dance/sport. Often the “Gods” or gurus are the masters or the top teachers, but sometimes it is the CREATOR himself/herself. That is when the event is really rockin’. That is when the events sell out or get so crowded it is crazy. Well, Nia is going through a lot of changes and they have been working for a couple of years training the top instructors to move up even further to become top trainers. The male of the male-female combo that created Nia, Carlos AyaRosas (FKA Carlos Rosas) retired a bit ago, so that left the female creator to continue on. She is coming to the San Francisco Bay Area . . . . . which is a rather large area. She is going to be in the North Bay, the East Bay, and the Peninsula. And it is going to be rockin’. She and a top trainer are going to be here.
April 2013
Debbie Rosas is the (co-)creator of Nia. Kevin VerEecke is a Nia Trainer. They are going to be in the San Francisco Bay Area in the beginning of April (2013). They are going to have seven classes. It is going to be incredible. Every thing has its superstars, its celebrities and these are ours. It is really exciting.
I took my Nia White Belt Intensive at the Nia Headquarters in Portland. The trainers doing the intensive were Debbie and Carlos. Plus they were here for a “Spirit of Nia” tour within the last four years. So I have met them both. I have never met Kevin.
I am excited that Debbie and Kevin will be here sharing the Nia experience. The classes that they are going to be doing are 52 Moves classes. While we have a basic set of 52 Moves we don’t typically do all 52 in every Nia Routine. We do many, but not usually all. In these classes they are going to lead us through all 52 Moves. There are going to be seven chances to check it out.
The first class that will be held will be with Keven VerEecke only in San Rafael. Then Friday’s classes, Saturday’s Classes, and Sunday’s Classes will be both Debbie and Kevin.
The flyer indicates that all classes will have a different playlist. I guess for some people that is important. I know Nia enough to know that all seven classes could be the same EXACT playlist yet all seven classes could be totally different. That is the beauty of Nia. And with two masters leading the dance it wouldn’t matter. BUT . . . the flyer does indicate all classes will have different play lists.
I hope you will take this opportunity. Nia is always fun, but when you have the creator up in front of a room full of people who are there to dance, move, and have fun there is no way you can experience anything but MAGIC.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 52 Nia Moves, Bay Area, Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, celebrities, country western dance, dance, Debbie Rosas, Kevin VerEecke, master teachers, motor-cycle race, Nia, Nia Dance, Nia Headquarters, Nia instructors, Nia Intensives, Nia routines, Nia San Jose, Nia teachers, Pilates, play tennis, Practice, San Francisco Bay Area, sport, Yoga, Zumba | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 16, 2013
My last post was about how I have two late Nia classes in San Jose so I use my “Time Bake” feature on my oven. I think something that would be GREAT to put in the oven to have ready when I get home is the Rantings of an Amateur Chef’s Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes. I made these this week for the first time and I don’t think I will make potatoes any other way again.
Basically you boil the little red potatoes in salted water. Then you drain them and let them cool. Then you smash each one individually only so much as to make them a bit flat, but not so much they break apart and end up mashed. Then you put them on a pan that is covered in aluminum foil AND parchment paper. Oil and salt each potato and bake them.
I only used 8 potatoes. The recipe instructions include placing the potatoes on a towel to dry and covering the potato with a towel for smashing, but I am not sure that is necessary. I did it that way because I was thinking the towel helps soak up some of that water and less water makes for a crispier potato. Plus I usually follow instructions when trying a recipe for the first time. I will try it without the towel next time because I don’t need the extra laundry. I will let you know if the towel is imperative.
The initial cooking time (boiling) was longer for me and I didn’t turn it to simmer. “Simmer” on my stove is almost off so I left it a little below medium and boiled them for about 40 minutes. I used the foil and the parchment paper as per the recipe. But my potatoes took a bit longer than 30 to 40 minutes. BUT . . . . I also put asparagus on my pan. The pan I was using is so large it takes up an entire rack in my oven and I didn’t want to put another pan on the rack above or below, so I decided my asparagus and potatoes could share a pan. They both came out GREAT. But the potatoes needed a few more minutes than the asparagus.
I was so excited to eat the piping hot crispy gems that I forgot to take a picture of them once fully cooked. Not taking a picture was due to my excitement AND the fact that we were already eating the rest of dinner and so I was in a rush to get them from pan to plate! But they were delicious.
The smashed potatoes would be a perfect thing to put in the oven on Time Bake. But . . . . maybe not, huh? Parchment paper. That stuff kind of freaks me out in the first place. I mean it is PAPER in the oven. I don’t know that I would want that baking with me not home . . . . .
If you like potatoes these little smashed potatoes are GREAT.
Do you like potatoes? Can you imagine these little crispy nuggets on your plate?
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: Amateur Chef, Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes, Nia, Nia at night in San Jose, Nia class, Nia San Jose, oven baked potatoes, parchment paper, roasted vegetables, San Jose Nia, Smashed potatoes, The Foodie Smash | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 7, 2013
At the present time I am fortunate enough to be holding Nia classes at four different locations in San Jose. Each location allows me to meet different people. At one of the locations I have been teaching for four years and some of my students have been coming to my classes that long. At three of my locations I am a new teacher and Nia is new. Most of the people are new to me. It is exciting to met new people and discover new relationships. There is the relationships between my students and me and there is the relationship between Nia and the students. One of my students told me after one class that she loved the part of Nia where we compare things to nature. The specific example she stated was “tickling the clouds”. She said that the mention of nature in Nia reminded her of one of her favorite poets, Mary Oliver. She asked me if I had heard of Mary Oliver or if I was familiar with her. I said no. I also said that I would look her up. Well, the following week, my student came into class and handed me a copy of two poems. As soon as she held out the paper, I remembered that I had said I would look up the poet and that I had forgotten. I gratefully took the paper without reading the poems because class was about to start. After our class there is another class so I did not stop at that time to read the poem either. It was not until today I picked up the paper to read the poem. On the second line I realized I HAD heard this before and I laughed. This very poem or at least a portion of it is in the Nia White Belt Manual.
I thought it was funny that my student related Mary Oliver’s work to Nia and obviously so did the creators of Nia, Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, because they put this poem in the manual. Only the first few lines are in the manual, but I recognized it right away.
The lines are:
“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”
From Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese poem.
That portion of the poem is at the very beginning of the section which is Principle #1, The Joy of Movement. The last line of that section really struck me.
I want to continue to share with my students that a Nia class is not just about learning the moves and doing a routine. It is about doing what the body loves. It is about their relationship to their body. It is about their relationship to Nia. To me that is why we do a routine over and over. That is also HOW we do a routine over and over and not get bored with it. If we move and let our body do what it loves then it is moving in a different way. Once we have done a routine a few times we can play. We can move lower . . . if that it what the body loves . . . we can move higher . . . if that is what a body loves . . . all the time moving in the general pattern of the routine. It is when we are not in tune or when we cannot let go, that the routine is tiring or boring. If we are only moving the way it was choreographed and not putting our spirit into the moves it is as if we are walking through a desert on our knees. Suffering through a workout. UGH! Repenting for the cream we had in our coffee, the workout we missed yesterday, or the cookie we had at lunch.
I used to do a different routine every class. I thought people would get bored with the same routine. But then I realized that the more I knew the music and the choreography the more fun I had and the more playful I could be. I asked my class and they said they liked the fact that after doing the routine a few times they, too, could be less concerned with the choreography and more aware of their own spirit, dance, and play. So it is a relationship with Nia and the body that we are building and experiencing in a Nia class, we are not just learning a routine, we are not just moving through choreography.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately as I work on a routine schedule, playing with it to see what works. I want to ensure my students don’t get bored, yet I want them to build a relationship with Nia. I want them to be able to dance and play with the routines.
I love that my student shared her thoughts with me. To me that is me being able to witness her budding relationship with Nia. I love that because of my thoughts about repeatedly doing a routine, I was able to look at this poem and relate it to that. Like many things I might look at it sometime from now and have it relate to something else. My relationship with it might change, just as my relationship with my students and with Nia will change and grow. That is the nature of it all.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, Joy of Movement, Mary Olive, Nature, Nia, Nia choreography, Nia classes in San Jose, Nia experience, Nia locations, Nia Music, Nia relationships, Nia routines, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia Teacher, Nia White Belt, poems, poets, Principle #1 of Nia White Belt, San Jose Nia classes, tickle the clouds, Wild Geese | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2013
I wanted to share one of the good things I put in my jar. It actually happened last week so I could have included it in my Goodie Jar – Check In #4, but I was so excited about the wrapping paper idea I got carried away with that. Anyway, last Thursday was Valentine’s Day and it was my second Nia class at the new time at one of the places I teach for the city of San Jose. I did not have one person in my class. Even though I don’t take it personally I still am usually a little sad when that happens, but this was a cause for a note in my goodie pitcher.
You might be wondering why I would think no one showing up for my class is a good thing, well, as I said it was Valentine’s Day and I was happy because no one being with ME meant that they ALL have SOMEONE to be with! Whenever I think of that I cannot wipe the smile off my face! HOW GREAT IS IT THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE SOMEONE TO LOVE?????? I am not even talking about romantic love. I know some people like to be with their friends, their kids, their parents . . . . WHO is not the issue . . . . LOVE is the thing! They were all too busy with a loved one to be with me. I’m good with that. I am better than good with that. I LOVE that.
So that is one of the things in my goodie jar! It is a GREAT thing that my students have someone to love!
Oh! That is another good thing for MY jar . . . . I have someone to love . . . . how about you? Are you adding things to your good things jar?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: check in #4, check in #5, City of San Jose, good things jar, Goodie Jar, love is great, loved one, Nia, Nia class, Nia San Jose, romantic love, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, Valentine's Day | 2 Comments »
