Archive for the ‘Nia’ Category
Posted by terrepruitt on December 11, 2012
Nia Blue Belt Principle #3 – Awareness, Insight, Clarity – Pearls and the Realms, is an exciting principle. I found it really exciting because there are things that Nia teachers are supposed to do in Nia class that I really wanted to learn to do better. There is a particular way we are supposed to teach or more accurately there is a tool that we have available to us to use while we teach. The “tool” is called a pearl. When I go to other Nia classes I often find myself wanting to stop moving and just write down what the other teachers are saying. I often find their verbiage, their wording for something to be just what the move is about and so I want to use that in my class. Since I don’t REALLY want to stop dancing I repeat it in my head while I am dancing and sometimes I can even convince myself that I will remember what they said. Sometimes I do remember and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I have a vague recollection that leads to a pearl of my own that works out fine. These pearls are what we use to enhance the class. They are words that allow the participant to connect to a move, the music, a feeling, a sensation, almost anything . . . . and this in turn allows for a better experience. Part of the Nia Blue Belt Principle #3 – Awareness, Insight, Clarity, was a lesson on how to come up with pearls. It was insight into where they can come from.
As a reminder, in these first posts about the Nia Blue Belt Principles I am just writing quick about what I initially got out of it. I am just sharing and getting it down in print as a tool to help processes it. This principle has a lot more to it than just assist with what to say and how to describe things in a Nia class. As I said the principle is Awareness, Insight, Clarity, with a tag line of Pearls and the Realms. And it is the pearls that I have been longing to learn more about. So that is what I gleaned most about this principle. As I go back and read the manual I am sure I will even get more. As I continue to teach even more will be revealed.
Have I mentioned before that the manual is 276 pages? Yeah. It is intense. It is a lot of information. It is amazing.
Anyway . . . this principle gives us the place that the pearls come from. It helps categorize them. In knowing where they come from it is easier to allow them to come. In the categories or realms a Nia teacher can decide to utilize pears from all realms. To me this can help balance a class.An example of pearls we could use for each realm in a class would be:
Everybody sense your ankle. This would be from the physical realm.
Everybody feel lonely. This would be from the emotional realm.
Everybody imagine you are a dog. This would be from the mental realm.
Everybody wiggle and jiggle. This would be from the spirit realm.
I was so excited to learn the different type of pearls. Part of my excitement came from confirming pearls don’t have to be physical and part of it came from realizing I did use pearls more than I thought. I thought I used them a lot less, so it was nice to learn I use them, I just didn’t know it.
So the pearl portion of Nia Blue Belt Principle #3 – Awareness, Insight, Clarity was a great eye-opening. And, of course, you really can’t have the pearls without awareness, insight, and clarity, right? I didn’t explain that here, but it’s true. This post jumped right to the middle. I may or may not do a post explaining about the first part. I really think I should leave somethings for you to learn when you do your Blue Belt Intensive. 😉
Do you get excited when you think you are not doing something you are supposed to be doing but you find out you are doing it?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: emotional realm, mental realm, Nia Blue Belt Principle #3, Nia class, Nia Intensive, Nia manual, Nia participants, Nia pearls, Nia teachers, physical realm, realms, spirit realm | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 8, 2012
Off the top of my head, Nia’s Blue Belt Principle #2 – The Power of Two makes me think of Nia’s Energy Allies or the more commonly known four agreements. The tag line for this principle is Communication. The details involve a transmitter and a receiver. So to me it is a perfect connection to the energy allies. To me to be a clear transmitter one must speak with impeccability. One must stay on task of what the idea is that is being communicated. It is the job of the transmitter to be clear so that the receiver can understand what is being conveyed. To add to that the transmitter doesn’t assume the receiver knows what is being said, another reason to be impeccable. To be a pure receiver, the receiver shouldn’t be assuming they know what the transmitter is saying. The receiver shouldn’t be making up stories in his/her head as the transmitter is speaking. The receiver should be quietly listening, with no inner dialog happening. Also there is the added mission of not taking anything personally. This can be more easily accomplished if the third person — the one in the receiver’s head — is quiet. Both the transmitter and the receiver always strive to do their best. That is how I connect Nia’s Energy Allies to Nia’s Blue Belt Principle #2.
Since communication can be thought of as the exchange of energy between two, this principle and its details can easily be applied to everyday life. The exchange of energy can be between people or things. The exchange is a giving and a receiving. It does not have to be verbal, the exchange, the communication, could be a touch, a gesture, or any of the other ways things are communicated. So you might be able to see how within the scope of life it can be applied to more than just communicating with another person.
As a Nia teacher we can apply it to our Nia practice. There is a transmitter and a receiver with our bodies’ movements. There is a transmitter and a receiver with the music. There is a transmitter and a receiver with a Nia routine and the choreography. There is definitely a transmitter and a receiver in a Nia class and the transmitter is not always the teacher.
With the principle being The POWER of TWO, I can’t help but connect it the Nia Energy Allies when thinking of the communication between people. My connecting probably stems from the fact that I truly feel I need to strengthen my relationship with all FOUR allies in order to allow the POWER of two to shine through.
This is just my immediate thoughts on Nia’s Blue Belt Principle #2. As I live with it longer and read the manual and process it, I am certain I will come up with more. My relationship with will become stronger. Nia has a “craft” for working with this principle, but I am still determining my relationship with that idea. We will see if a post ever becomes of their idea.
Are you familiar with Nina’s Energy Allies (or the four agreements)? Can you see how they can be instrumental in communication? Can you see how the Allies could assist in making two powerful?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: Four Agreements, inner dialog happening, Nia choreography, Nia class, Nia Practice, Nia routine, Nia Teacher, Nia's Blue Belt Principle #2, Nia's Energy Allies, NiaNow.com, receiver, speak with impeccability, The Power of Two, transmitter | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 4, 2012
I posted about me having attended a Nia Blue Belt Intensive in the beginning of November. I am still processing that. I am reading the manual here and there. I am thinking about the principles. I think a lot about Principle #1 – The Joy of Being In Relationship. I think I understand it and then I feel I don’t. I think I got it, then I lose it. One day last week I was walking up my stairs and as my foot landed on the last step I thought, “I got it! I know why I think I don’t understand it!” I even replied to a comment on my blog from a Nia Black Belt that I would be writing more about it. At that point I thought I had it. What I decided as I was walking up the stairs is that I feel as if the principle is elusive to me because I am looking for something new. I have been told a new principle so I am looking to experience something new. But my trek up my stairs had me thinking that I AM in relationship with and I have been. As I was walking up my stairs something was aching (I can’t remember whether it was my hip or my knee) and as I was taking steps I was listening to my knee. I was checking in with my knee. We were in an exchange. Both my knee and I decided that it was not truly my knee that was the issue, but my foot. But I was in relationship with. I was not just sensing, as I picture The Joy of Movement (Nia White Belt Principle #1), I was in the Joy of Being In Relationship. It was an exchange, it was relationship with.
With The Joy of Movement there is the tweaking, sustaining, and increasing all for sensation. With Nia Blue Belt Principle #1 – The Joy of Being In Relationship the tweaking, sustaining, and increasing is for relationship. I think that ever since I injured a toe on my right foot I have been in relationship with, but I have never really thought of it like that. I am discovering the joy portion. I feel as if I am practiced at this principle in regards to my body. It is different “others” that I am eager to connect with.
Now that I feel that I have a better idea of it, I can practice it on “others”. It is not something entirely new that I couldn’t grasp, it was something I had a hold of already. In my first post about the Nia Blue Belt Principles I stated that it was new, but now I see it is not. Now I can just apply it elsewhere. The other principles can help with principle #1. The principles are not necessary things that have to be worked on individually. In fact they probably all work better together. And as I have stated the principles are not necessarily new (to me) ideas. The way they are applied to Nia could be new to me. We will see. It is all a very exciting process!
So . . . here I am sharing about Nia and processing it out loud on my blog. ANY thoughts and comments are welcome. Especially information from Nia Blue Belt Graduates.
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: increasing, Nia Black Belt, Nia Blue Belt Graduates, Nia Blue Belt Intensive, Nia Blue Belt Principle, Nia manual, Nia principles, Nia White Belt Principle #1, sensation, sustaining, the joy of being in relationship, the joy of movement, tweaking | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 27, 2012
The Nia Blue Belt has 13 principles as does the Nia White Belt, Nia Brown Belt, and Nia Black Belt. The principles for the Blue Belt were created to layer onto or weave through the Nia White Belt Principles. The 13 Nia Blue Belt Principles are:
1. The Joy of Being In Relationship
2. The Power of Two
3. Awareness, Insight, Clarity
4. Developmental Anatomy
5. The Power of Three
6. Split, Ellipt, Blend
7. Nia Class Format
8. The Power of Silence & Sound
9. Form and Freedom
10. FloorPlay
11. Music, Movement, Magic
12. Observe, Listen, Guide
13. Vertical Routines
Even though I have been introduced to 13 new principles, I can still work with the 13 Nia White Belt Principles. I still have a lot I can learn through them. Nia actually made practicing them easy by creating the Blue Belt principles to weave into the White Belt Principles. The Nia White Belt Principle #1 is The Joy of Movement. 
When Nia creates the principles they create catch phrases and other things to help explain what the principle is about and help people remember the principle and what it is about. One of the things they use as a tool is a triad with words or phrases. The triad for principle #1 in the Nia White Belt is the same as the triad for principle #1 in the Nia Blue Belt. The triad is choose, sensation, and universal joy.
The Nia Blue Belt Principle #1, The Joy of Being In Relationship, the catch phrase is “with”, so you choose, sense the sensation, experience universal joy. You are in relationship with all three in addition to “the other” you are in relationship with. The “other” does not have to be a person, it can be a movement, a body part, a person, a thought, an idea . . . . anything. As an example, you can be in relationship with your hips as they move when you walk. You are not just aware of them, but you are in relationship with. There is communication going on. It is not just you moving them, you are listening, sensing, aware . . . in relationship with. They move and you receive information from them. Maybe you sense them tilting forward. Why? What is that the result of? Can you move them so they are not tilting forward? You ask. They say yes. You move in a way that adjust them. You move on. Energy and information going back and forth between you and “the other”. This is applied to dancing Nia. This is applied to teaching Nia. This is applied to everything. This is applied to life. We choose. We sense. We have the opportunity to experience Universal Joy. We have the opportunity to be in relationship with.
So this is a new idea for me. This is how I am perceiving it today. This is how I am understanding it today. I welcome others who have taken the Blue Belt Intensive to comment. I believe this principle is one of the things that takes practice. It is something that can be played with and experienced. And I actually feel as if my relationship with this principle changes. So, yeah, there will probably more on this as I explore the Joy of Being In Relationship With!
Do you somewhat understand how you can be in relationship with?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: 13 principles, Awareness, Blend, Clarity, Developmental Anatomy, Ellipt, floorplay, Form and Freedom, Insight, Joy of Movement, Magic, movement, Music, Nia Black Belt, Nia Blue Belt, Nia Brown Belt, Nia class, Nia Class Format, Nia Intensive, Nia relationship, Nia training, Nia White Belt, Split, the joy of being in relationship, Vertical Routines | 7 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 15, 2012
I recently participated in the intensive that is the second level of training in the Nia practice. Nia trainings are called intensives which is a great thing because it gives you an idea of what the training will be like —– INTENSE! The second level is Blue Belt. Nia borrows from other practices and uses belts and colors to signify levels. The levels are White, Blue, Brown, and Black. There is a Green for teachers that can be taken at anytime after white. Part of the reason the trainings are intense is that they are over 50 hours of instruction. The instruction includes lectures, dancing, participatory exercises, and workout classes. Each level of the practice has its own focus, intent, and principles (except Green). The Blue Belt focus is Communication, Relationship, and Intimacy. While the concentration is on how these things relate to Nia it is probably easy to imagine how lessons involving these three things can be related to everyday life. Since the training CAN be related to life outside of teaching Nia there are many people who take the intensives with no intent of teaching. You might also be able to imagine how the focus can apply to many things in relation to Nia. One way is how a Nia teacher communicates with a class, the teacher’s relationship with the choreography, and intimacy to the music. This is just one little facet of the focus. I am sharing it to give you an idea of what the focus of “Communication, Relationship, and Intimacy” means.
The intent of the focus is to energize personal connection through self-discovery and communication by following The Body’s Way. Since Nia is a body based practice we do our learning through the body. As I mentioned in my I’m Blue, But No Tears Here post we were shown how to use the Nia 5 Stages or the Developmental Anatomy to answer questions about what stage we are in when learning something new. Very amazing. This is the part that I need to practice — really listening to my body and believing what it is telling me. The believing part will take examination time . . . I’ll have to really figure out why my body says I am in one stage where I might THINK I am in another. I might think I am in the beginning stage, embryonic, but my body might say I am in the crawling stage. For me this means I need to pay attention to the details of what I actually know and what I still need to learn. I could know 11 out of 15 things, but since the 15th thing seems to be so big to me, I might think I am just beginning whereas it turns out I know over 73%. All part of the communication, relationship, and intimacy!
Also this training has familiar things you might have heard of in other trainings, for instance: pay attention to what you sense, feel, think, and have within you then communicate accordingly. I know that this type of idea has been taught in corporate trainings as an effective way to communicate. A Nia related example would be: Knowing the choreography and really know how to do the 52 moves, then having an intimate relationship with the music which will allow you to clearly communicate to the Nia participants.
I can almost talk myself into circles because it is all relates so well and ties in together and just connects. The more I type the more things I think of so I really have to concentrate on just a tiny portion so my sharing does not get so confusing. I am trying to share to clarify. I want you to want more. I want to understand that in addition to a great workout, Nia has stellar training and continued education.
Can you see how Communication, Relationship, and Intimacy is important for a teacher?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: Blue Belt Focus, communication, Developmental Anatomy, Green Belt, Intimacy, Nia 5 Stages, Nia choreography, Nia class, Nia Intensive, Nia Music, Nia Practice, Nia Teacher, Nia trainings, Nia workout, Relationship, the body's way | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 13, 2012
Last week I cancelled my Monday and Wednesday Nia class and got a substitute for my Tuesday Nia class with the City of San Jose. I decided to take the next level of Nia training. I was a White Belt, now I am a Blue Belt. Nia calls their trainings intensive. I cannot assume to know why, but I am glad they do. They are very intense. The training is part lecture and part moving. The moving can be dancing or types of exercises to further the learning process. People tend to learn better when they are doing, so there is a lot of doing. In my rough calculations it was about 53 hours of instruction, including the Master Classes. It was Saturday through Friday. It was exhausting. It was energizing. It was incredible. As I have mentioned before and I will continue to mention Nia is a cardio dance exercise. Come to a class. Move. Have fun. Sweat. Get your workout in. But Nia is also a practice. I compare it to yoga in that a person can go into a yoga class and work out and do the exercise and then leave and not give it a second though. Or they could give it a second thought. They could take on some of the aspects of yoga, they could practice breathing and/or meditating or anything else that might be attached to their yoga class on a deeper level. That is what a person can do with Nia too. So some people take the intensives for self-growth with no intention of teaching at all. Even if they are not planning on teaching or are not currently doing so, the training is just as intense.
Each belt level has its own focus and intent. Blue Belt focus is Communication, Relationship and Intimacy with the intent to energize personal connection through self-discovery and communication by following The Body’s Way. Sounds like a lot. Ok, it IS a lot. LOL!
In addition to a focus and intent, each belt level (aside from Green) has its own set of principles. With the Blue Belt, the principles were made to layer onto or over the White Belt Principles. Some of the information is very close to being the same, but with a little more added to it. It is very interesting the way Nia does things. It is very amazing the training they come up with and the delivery of it.
In this training we were shown many things, one was an enlightened way to use the Nia 5 Stages or the Developmental Anatomy to measure all types of things and where we might be in a process. It is a pretty cool tool. It is part of the Body’s Way.
I am 100% positive I will have more posts regarding the Blue Belt Intensive, the Blue Belt Principles, and my thoughts on it all. I am still processing it right now. My mind is racing with thoughts, ideas, things I learned, things I didn’t learn, just a lot of things. There is so much that I want to share. There is also a lot I don’t want to share. Nia is not a secret society by any means. There are no secrets to the intensives, in fact most of the information is things that have been around for as long as I can remember. The information is stuff you have probably heard before. It is just the WAY they deliver it. And the way it is connected to the body that is somewhat unique. If I decide not to share something or talk vaguely about some things it is because I don’t want to ruin the surprise of some things for those of you that will be taking the Blue Belt. Since the Blue Belt Principles are layered onto the White Belt Principles I will probably write more post about them too. And we will see what comes up. I have chosen to participate in Nia as a practice. For now, I will revel in Blue!
Is there something that you have in your life you consider a practice?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: 13 principles, Blue Belt Principles, cardio dance, cardio dance exercise, cardio dance exercise classes, City of San Jose Nia Classes, dance exercise, Developmental Anatomy, focus and intent, Master classes, Nia 5 Stages, Nia Blue Belt, Nia dancing, Nia exercise, Nia Intensives, Nia Practice, Nia training, Nia White Belt, TBW, White Belt Principles, Yoga, Yoga Practice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 18, 2012
I teach a Nia Class for the city of San Jose. The city has it set up pretty cool in that instructors can have a day and a time at a specific community center that we can call “my” class and we can also teach other people’s classes as a substitute. We have this forum where we post requests and needs. 
Many instructors have full time jobs and kids so they have other responsibilities that call them away from their regularly schedule class. Plus there is always a cold, a serious illness, or a bump/bruise or strain. This network of teachers allows us to live our lives and take care of ourselves when necessary. It also helps expose our community to different types of workouts and different teachers. I have shared before how at one point I was trying to make Nia be more like whatever it was I was subbing for. If you haven’t read that post, I am sure you might be able to imagine how that turned out. It made this Nia teacher very unhappy and I don’t think it was a great service for the attendees either. One of the reasons I applied for the job with the city was so that I could share Nia with the community. Recently I taught Nia as a substitute class for Zumba, and my thoughts on Zumba and agility were confirmed.
A few of the student came up afterwards to talk to me about Nia. Some shared how they like it because it was gentle yet allowed them to work up a sweat and get a great workout. One woman made me giddy because she said the same thing that I had just decided about Zumba. It took me a while to get to this conclusion and she jumped to it her very first time. She said that Nia is more complete. She said that she loves Zumba, she does it three times a week, but the moves are not completed. She said it was nice to be able to finish a move. Nia allows you to move through the entire range of motion, through the entire range of the joint. I loved that she was able to get that from one class. I also love and appreciate that she can like both, Nia and Zumba. They are both cardio dance exercise workouts, but they are different. Seeming to always have to explain the two together, I am always thinking about it and just recently reached the agility conclusion. I explained in one of my posts how I feel Zumba seems to only move in one sensation. Well, having gone to a training and experienced the Zumba Fitness Program I believe a Zumba class can move in all five, but it concentrates on agility and touches on the rest. But they are in there if you know to look for them.
So this student who was talking to me after class picked up on that fact that in Nia we move through all five sensations and Zumba focuses on one. This is not to say that is bad, this is just again pointing out how they are different. Also this is me sharing that it is not just other Nia teachers and my Nia students that think that, it is other people who are more familiar with Zumba than Nia. This is just a happy confirmation post sharing that I felt I got it right when I explained Nia and Zumba in that way. Yay.
Both Nia and Zumba are great fun. I encourage you to do whatever it is that will get you up and moving! If you decide what type of movement you want it can help you decide what you can do to get it.
Do you like to take different types of exercise classes? Do you like to just stick to one type of class?
Posted in Nia, Zumba | Tagged: agility, cardio dance, cardio workout, City of San Jose Nia Classes, dance exercise, Dance Workout, Nia class, Nia five sensations, Nia instructors, Nia network, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia teachers, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, Zumba, Zumba class, Zumba Fitness | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 9, 2012
As I have shared with you before, there are four different levels to Nia Training; White, Blue, Brown, Black. These are trainings anyone can take. Each level has its own focus, intent, and principles. You do not have to be interested in teaching. If you are interested in teaching and hold a current license there is an additional level, Green, that may be taken. The Green belt does not have its own principles because it focuses on teaching skills. I have been a White Belt since December 2008. In November 2012, I am going to be turning blue. The focus for the Blue Belt is Communication, Relationship and Intimacy with the intent to energize personal connection through self-discovery and communication by following The Body’s Way. I’m excited to see all that entails. I do know that when I stepped into my White Belt I had NO IDEA the type of training I would be receiving. I thought that I would spend 40 hours learning routines and learning how to teach. But that is not what it was. The White Belt is currently about (Focus) physical sensation with the intent to embody the foundation of Nia. Back in 2008 is was (focus) the physical body, the anatomy of the body, the Nia Technique, and the Nia moves. Which did not equate to learning routines. I can’t wait to see what the Blue Belt Intensive has in store.
Nia’s training is very intense. It is very deep. It is very detailed, well-thought out, well presented, and well documented. Recently a graduating Green Belt said it was “stellar”. That is a great description.
Per the main Nia website the description for the Blue Belt states:
“Blue Belt, the second level of Nia education, explores how to create healthy relationships through body-centered communication. This intensive introduces the next set of 13 Nia principles, which focus on the mental, emotional and spiritual realms of the body. While the White Belt curriculum focuses entirely on awareness of physical sensation, Blue Belt applies these skills to explore internal sensations as perceived through – but distinct from – physical sensations in the body.
Blue Belt Principle #1: The Joy of Being in Relationship, integrates the sensation of Joy with the awareness that Joy is something outside the self, which we can invite into our physical experience. As a result, we begin to deepen our ability to listen with clarity and sustain awareness of details outside our body.“
If you have never been to a Nia Intensive it is impossible to describe, but I know it will be wonderful. I know I will learn a lot. I know that it is what I need because it is happening, so I am going to do my best to keep my energy allies present along with having a beginner’s mind so that I am able to get all that I can out of it. You know that I will be sharing a lot when I get back. I am so excited to be changing from White to Blue. Just because I am moving to the next level doesn’t mean there won’t more posts about White Belt things, there is still a lot to share and learn about the White Belt, I will just have that much more to share!
Can I get a, “Woohoo Blue!”
**update: I forgot to clarify and tie in to my title, silly me! First I went Green as in drinking green smoothies and now I am going Blue. I have not yet taken the Nia Green Belt. I am hoping that there will be one in this area again. There has only been one.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 13 Nia principles, beginner's mind, Black Belt, Blue Belt, Brown Belt, communication, Energy Allies, focus and intent, Green Belt, https://terrepruitt.com/2010/03/30/energy-allies/, Nia Belt levels, Nia Blue Belt Intensive, Nia Intensive, Nia license, Nia Teacher, Nia training, Nia website, NiaNow.com, relationships, White Belt | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 11, 2012
I might have mentioned this about Nia before, but it came up again today so I am posting about it. If I posted about it before, I can’t find it. Nia is unique in many ways. One way that Nia is unique is that we don’t shy away from issues or situations. I have been instructed in other types of trainings to “always remain positive”. As an instructor “to leave your problems at the door”. I’ve been told it is the instructor’s job to create a positive atmosphere. And while, I understand that, and I believe it to a certain extent, there are times when other feelings and life situations can be acknowledged. Today is September 11th. It is the anniversary of a very horrific attack that has affected the entire world. 
Everyone has their own opinions and feelings about the attack, the results, the anniversaries, and all, but for many it can be a time of sorrow. Whether you knew someone who died in the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers or you just know that many things were taken away when those planes crashed into the towers, it is sad day to remember. With many exercise classes it would not be in keeping with the training to bring that memory into the class. I was teaching a new class today. It was only my second time at this new location and with these new students. I thought that maybe bringing something so “heavy” into the class (the second class!!) might not be the right thing to do. But it crossed my mind that this is Nia, and in keeping with what Nia is, I could do that, because dancing and moving to issues and life events is something that we do in Nia. We can dance our emotions, whether they are happy or sad. We can dance our sorrow or our joy. We can dance for people who have died or are in need of positive thoughts. We can dance for beloved pets that are no longer here. We can dance whatever we want. We can dance our hearts. We are not confined to being the “happy-up-beat-don’t-let-any-emotions-but-happy-show” type of exercise. And my heart, my heart really, really, really, wanted to remember. I wanted to remember all the lives that were lost in connection with the event. I wanted to remember what we all lost on that day. I wanted to remember what we still have. I wanted to remember, to honor, to grieve, to rejoice, to share, to sense, to feel . . . . . I wanted to do Nia.
So I took my concerns to my class and I asked them if it was ok with them that we dance a dance of remembrance. I explained to them how this is something unique to Nia, that we can dance anything. I suggested a focus of remembering with an intent of doing so in our own way with our own feelings, I suggested feelings of both sorrow and joy. Because as we all know it was tragic to have lost so many lives and so much freedom, but many did survive and many freedoms are still ours to enjoy. The students were free to dance their own version of remembering.
As I said, this is a new class with mostly new-to-Nia students, having such a vague and “non-physical” type of focus is something I usually do with people who are not new to Nia. I have found that many participants especially people new to Nia, appreciate having a physical or body related type of focus. By physical or body related type of focus I mean a body part/area (“Let’s focus on our feet with the intent of sensing our whole foot.”). But I also believe that people can do what they can do. So if a non-physical focus and intent works for the participant then they will be able to incorporate it into their workout. With a focus on something that affected everyone, even though it was non-physical, I sensed the participants could tap into the remembering that was significant to each as an individual.
I love that Nia allows for us to not only dance what we SENSE, but also what we feel when we feel the need to do so. Today, I felt the need to dance what I feel. I feel the need to honor the victims of September 11, 2001 — ALL of them, even the ones that are alive — because everyone was affected in some way and for some of us dancing is a great way to express it. Nia classes don’t always have to be about the “happy” we can dance what we need to dance at that moment.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: exercise class instructor, freedance, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia feelings, Nia focus and intent, Nia joy, Nia participants, Nia students, Nia workout | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 6, 2012
Another one of the 52 Moves of Nia is the “A” Stance. This is the stance where the position of the legs allows the body to look somewhat like the capital letter A. The legs are placed wider than hip distance apart, even wider than shoulder width. The legs are far enough apart and wide enough for them to appear to be as the bottom “legs” on a capital letter A. The feet are parallel, the upper body is relaxed. The Nia Technique Book states the benefits as: “Practicing “A” Stance improves hip flexibility and leg strength, which improves agility and mobility.”
I would like to add that it improves or at least allows the practice of balance. Not balancing on one leg which we do a lot in Nia, but balance between the body and the legs, balance between both legs, and balance between the legs and feet. Also balance of weight between the two feet. This is a stable and balanced stance. The weight is not on one foot more than the other. The weight is not on the front or the balls of the feet more than on the heels. This is a great stance to practice balance in. To allow the body to rest onto the whole foot.
Not only having the feet be parallel but even. If you were to stand at a line would your toes be even, both up to the line? I had noticed with myself for a while now that when I step into an “A” stance my right foot is ALWAYS slightly back from where my left foot is. I have been noticing this since I injured my foot in November of 2010. Just last week as I was teaching my regular Nia Class in Willow Glen, I noticed I stepped into “A” stance and my left foot was the tiniest bit back from the line on which my right foot landed (had there been a line). I thought that was funny. I giggled, but I hadn’t thought of it again until now. I don’t always think about my uneven landings until I have the opportunity to land in a stance where I see my feet several times in a routine. Then during the routine I focus on having my feet land even. There are times, of course in a dance where they don’t need to be or aren’t supposed to be even, but when doing a regular closed, open, A, or sumo stance I think the feet should be even. The “A” stance is a great stance to practice that because you can clearly see your feet and the pose is relaxed enough that there are not other things you might be thinking about. I feel the “A” Stance is a great way to practice balance.
As with all stances one way to practice the “A” stance is to simple stand in one place and move through the stances. Another way to practice is to walk and then stop in the “A” stance. Walking and stopping into an “A” Stance would be a great way to work on landing “even” — as I mentioned before. Walk, then stop, then look at your feet, notice the sensation in your hips, if your feet are even then that is the sensation you want to replicate, if not, then adjust your feet, notice the sensation in your hips and try to replicate it again as you step into “A” Stance.
The “A” Stance is just one of the six stances in the Nia 52 Moves.
What do you sense when standing in the “A” Stance? When you step into the “A” Stance do your feet land “even”?
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: 52 Moves of Nia, A Stance, balance of weight, closed stance, Nia 52 moves, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia in Willow Glen, Nia Practice, Nia Stances, open stance, Riding Stance, Sumo Stance, The Nia Technique book, Willow Glen Nia | Leave a Comment »
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