Posted by terrepruitt on December 20, 2012
WHOA! Five days until Christmas! Only 11 days left of our December 30 Minute Movement Challenge. We can all do it! I don’t have a Nia class to teach today so getting in my 30 minutes is on the top of my list! I’ll be back to check in.
Thank you for being here!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Christmas, December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Day #20, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, Nia, Nia class, Nia Teacher, teach Nia | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 19, 2012
Wednesday and day #19 of the December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, how are you doing? Still hanging in there I see. Love that you are here. So how is your 30 minutes going? I am teaching a Nia class this morning, but I will be back to check in!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Day #19, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, Nia, Nia class, Nia Teacher, teach Nia | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 18, 2012
The Nia Blue Belt Principle #6 is hilarious. Ok, the principle itself is not hilarious it is just funny – to me – that it identifies something and names it. But that is what some of the principles do for me. The principles identify something that we do in everyday life. Or they connect dance, Nia, teaching to something that is commonly known or done. This is one of the principles that we – you, me, everyone – do all the time. We – you, me, everyone – probably didn’t call it “Split, Ellipt, Blend” with a tagline of “Crafting With Attention”. Basically the principle itself (Split, Ellipt, Blend) refers to attention. As I was writing this post, I typed that the tagline in this case refers to teaching Nia, but then I realized that, while yes, the whole principle is designed to enhance our Nia practice and teaching, – as do many of the Nia principles – it can apply to everyday life. So what is Split, Ellipt, Blend?
Well, as I said it has to do with attention, so in an everyday situation you split off your attention from others and focus on yourself, you focus 100% on another, and you blend it so your attention is on both. So sometimes you might be doing something and completely focused on yourself and what you are doing. You might not even notice other people or other things around you. You are 100% concentrating. Then you hear a loud voice and it is someone, your boss, your spouse, your child, coming towards you. They have something to tell you. So you stop what you are doing and you are 100% focused on them. You are listening. Once you understand the situation and realize that it is not an emergency requiring you to stop what you are doing you go back to what you were doing yet you carry on a conversation with the person talking to you.
Split into self. Ellipt into others. Blend with.
This is something we do in class as Nia teachers. We might completely concentrate on ourselves. Waiting to receive a pearl. Thinking about the moves. Sensing our body. Then we might focus on the class. Giving all our attention to what they are doing and how they are doing it. Doing a Joy check. Asking for sounds. Then our attention could be on both. We could be receiving information from the class as well as ourselves. The “Crafting With Attention” is us being aware of the split, ellipt, and blend. And how we use it.
A few things I have mentioned before, but will repeat again, “other” does not necessarily have to be another person. You could be splitting, ellipting, and blending with your own body, with the music, with the movements, with many things. And . . . this is just barely a scratch on the surface of the principle. This is just the broad overview and it is what I understood it to be about. There is ALWAYS deeper to go in Nia and the Nia principles. And sometimes the more I do, the more I see it differently. Sometimes, not always. So keep that in mind when I post again about The Nia Blue Belt Principle #6: Split, Ellipt, Blend, Crafting With Attention. (For a list of Nia Blue Belt Principles see Terre’s post The Joy of Being In Relationship With The Nia Blue Belt Principles .
With that quick explanation, can you see how split, ellipt, blend applies to more than just a Nia Teacher teaching a class? With an awareness of it, can you see how you can use it in different ways?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: attention, Blend, dance, dance class, Ellipt, Nia Blue Belt, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia pearls, Nia principles, Nia Teacher, SEB, Split, teaching Nia, The Nia Blue Belt Principle #6 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 18, 2012
So today is Tuesday. On Tuesdays I have a Nia Class at 9:00 am for the City of San Jose. The community center is closed on Christmas Day. And I have not heard, but I am thinking it will be closed on New Year’s Day too! So for two weeks I will not have a Tuesday morning Nia class. (Sad face.) But there is class today so I am going to be back to check in after class and after I do my 30 minutes.
Hmmm . . . . maybe I can get the people that are going to miss Nia for two weeks to come over to my Nia Classes on Monday and Wednesday? Maybe offer a deal? $5.00 with a community card ID?
Yay you for being here to check in!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas celebration, City of San Jose, City of San Jose Community Center classes, class, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Tuesday morning Nia in San Jose | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 17, 2012
So today is Monday. On Mondays I have a Nia Class at 9:00 am. When I thought of this challenge part of my reason for doing it was to get me to do 30 minutes BEYOND my Nia Class. I have found that I like that but I don’t always seem to do a good job scheduling for that. Also, when I thought of this challenge, I had not yet agreed to be a substitute teacher for a city class on Monday nights.
With a Nia Class in the morning and a Nia Class at night. I use those two hours as my 30 minutes. 🙂 But I will be back to check in on your check ins!!!!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: city class, Day #17, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, Nia class, Nia Teacher, San Jose City, substitute teacher | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 16, 2012
It’s SUNDAY! It’s SUNDAY! Such a FUN day! Well, here is your chance to check in and let us know that you done did your 30 minutes. This somewhat the halfway point, but I have heard rumblings about keeping up the 30 minutes-a-day even past the challenge. Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Well, I will be back!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Day #16, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 15, 2012
Nia Blue Belt Principle #5 is The Power of Three. Tagline: Relationship. The Nia Blue Belt manual says, “The Power of Three is the model that we use for awareness of what we bring and what the other brings to the Relationship”. Oh yeah, totally interesting. Remember in our setting “the other” is not always another. It is not always a PERSON. It is whatever you are in relationship with. Just as with the Power of Two, there is Power in Three. The three is “self”, “relationship”, and “the other”. So this really is everyday life stuff. We all have relationships with others.
The principle — to me, in my quick review/regurgitation and in a nutshell and just scratching the surface — helps us see the self, the relationship, and the other. It explains that there are things we bring into a relationship, and there are needs that need to be met, and that there are agreements that self and other reach in order to have a relationship. Makes sense, right? As I said, everyday life stuff. We all have “stuff” we bring to a relationship and we all make agreements to be in the relationship. Most often than not there is no paper or even a discussion on the agreement, they just happen over time. You might have a friend that you call when you would like some cheering up. Your friend always is there to do that for you. You brought a need, your friend brought a “skill” there is an agreement in your relationship.
With Nia the principles most often apply to everyday and every day life, but also to a Nia Class, the Nia Practice, and to the body. So we can apply The Power of Three to a Nia Class. There is all three elements there; self, relationship, and other. There are things that self brings and things other brings and the result in a relationship. Now the interesting part is “the other”. In the case of a Nia Class “the other” could be the student or it could be the space itself (or anything . . . these are just two examples). It might be somewhat obvious that as a Nia Teacher there would be a student and a relationship between the two, and agreements made. But what about the space? I am not saying that a space is like a live creature, but we can still have a relationship. It can be “the other”.
I can be in a space for teaching Nia that is dark and damp and not very inviting. Since it is a space IT cannot change itself. That is what it brings: dark, damp, uninviting, and unchanging. I, on the other hand, can bring a better attitude about the space. I, myself, can be extra excited to be there and allow my excitement to fill the space and making it more inviting. I can bring lights and either a fan or a heater (depending upon the season/weather and reason for damp). The Power of Three is just that — POWER. With another person there can be assistance with the relationship because there can be agreements made and met on both sides, but my relationship with an “object” what I BRING to that relationship is up to me. But there is still Power. Because the three of us, me (self), how the space is used (relationship), the space (other) create the energy and the place that people will be coming into and working out in, I need to bring more to meet agreements in the “relationship”.
Think about that example. Sometimes in order bring Nia to more people Nia teachers don’t get to teach in the ideal settings so we have to bring more. While we have a choice not to teach in a space that is not great, once we decide to do it we have to “bring” more. And for me that is ok sometimes. It is ok to have to bring more when talking about a space, but sometimes it is not ok when talking about a relationship with another. But again, that is where the agreements come in. Each agrees to accept what each brings. Self, relationship, other . . . . The Power of Three; Relationship.
Please remember that this is off the top of my head. I plan on reading and studying and writing more on all the Blue Belt Principles. But can you see how there is Power Of Three? There is self, relationship and other? And that each person (or thing) brings something, then there are agreements in order to form a relationship?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: better attitude, Nia Blue Belt manual, Nia Blue Belt Principle #5, Nia class, Nia Practice, Nia principles, Nia Teacher Nia student, The Power of Three | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 15, 2012
Day fifteen! How is is going?
Remember, you are challenging yourself to do 30 minutes of exercise everyday this month. This is for YOU and no one else so if you miss a day that is ok, you can pick up the next day. Don’t stop with the entire challenge if you miss just one day it can happen, but just keep on going.
I bet if you are here you haven’t missed today! YAY! Let’s keep going! We are half way there!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Day #15, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 14, 2012
Fourteen days in. Do you believe it? I can’t. Writing every day makes it seem like a long time, but with Christmas around the corner it makes it seem like time is flying!!!
I have another Christmas celebration tonight! Yay! I love each and every celebration. The more the better!
How are you doing with your challenge? You are here so you must be rocking it!
Great!
I’ll be back with my 30 minutes done!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas celebration, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 13, 2012
I don’t know the Nia Blue Belt Principles by heart yet. I think I should, but I don’t. I will work on that. I was doing my 30 minutes for the December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, while I was doing it I was wondering if I could get ready to go teach the Nia class tonight, make a salad, straighten up the room, and write a blog all in the 30 minutes I had left before I had to leave. While I realized that was not possible I thought I could at least come up with a topic for my post. I thought about posting the fourth principle of the Nia Blue Belt, but I couldn’t remember what it is. At the end of my 30 minutes for the December 30 Minute Movement Challenge I did the Nia 5 Stages. As I was doing the Nia 5 Stages I thought I could post about them, then I thought not because I would want to spend more time writing about that. I decided to see what the Principle #4 is. When I saw it, I had to laugh out loud. Nia Blue Belt Principle #4 is Developmental Anatomy. The tagline is Reaching Your Ideal. I find this too funny. The reason it is funny is that the Developmental Anatomy used as a tool to assist in reaching your ideal is the Nia 5 Stages.
The Nia 5 Stages are the stages we go through in development. The stages are: Embryonic, Creeping, Crawling, Standing, and Walking. In the womb we are embryonic, we move with comfort through fluid, we are safe, comfortable, and warm. Once born most infants creep. Creeping is not crawling, but it is getting us around, but not very efficiently. At one point there is crawling. We are much more mobile and active. We see a lot more and often we go after it in this stage. Then there is that stage where we “stand”. The standing usually starts out with the help of something or someone. While in life this stage for a child involves a lot of sitting . . . get wobbly and fall on their butt, it does not in the Nia 5 Stages. The standing in the Nia 5 Stages is more of a low to the ground squat. Then there is the stage of walking. The Nia 5 Stages is actually a movement practice. It is based on science. It is a tool to help the body move more efficient. As I previously stated, I would love to do a more in-depth post or even posts on it, I will do that at a later time.
What Nia did for the Nia Blue Belt Principle #4 was allow us to use this movement, the practice of the Nia 5 Stages as a tool to reach our ideals. It is very interesting how Nia uses the body for this. If you have a goal in mind, the idea is to think about it and go to the body to find out where you are in reaching it. Again, to me, another brilliant connection made by Nia. It really makes sense to find out where you are in the stage of reaching your goal so you can work on what you need to work on to complete it. Are you in the embryonic stage of the goal? Maybe just thinking about it? Are you are far as the standing stage? Doing the movement to find out really helps the entire process. There is no triad for this principle as it uses the Nia 5 Stages pictographs. If you are at the point of taking the Nia Blue Belt you would be familiar with the 5 stages and the pictures so they work as the symbols for Nia Blue Belt Principle #4.
So, it was funny to me that I was thinking about posting about principle #4, but couldn’t remember what is was. Then I thought I would post about the Nia 5 Stages. And it turns out they are very much connected.
Do you see how there could be stages of a goal?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: Crawling, Creeping, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, Developmental Anatomy, Embryonic, Nia, Nia 5 Stages, Nia Blue Belt Principle #4, Nia class, Reaching Your Ideal, Standing, walking | 2 Comments »
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