Posts Tagged ‘Debbie Rosas’
Posted by terrepruitt on October 7, 2010
There is a book about Nia. The Nia Technique Book authored by Debbie Rosas* and Carlos Rosas**. When I first thought of teaching Nia I bought it. I think I have said before that I thought Nia was a little too “woo-woo”. When I read the book it helped me see that Nia is based on the science and the design of the body. I often refer to my book. I have little tabs stuck on almost every page and that gets bothersome.
While the book has a table of contents it is sparse and it does not have an index. I always find myself searching and flipping and going back and forth in the pages because I can’t find what I want and I know it is there. Last week when planning the Nia Playshop I just flipped back and forth one too many times. So I created an index.I created an index of all the things I want to look up and arranged in alphabetically. I also arranged it so that there are subsections within the index. But then that seemed so long so I did an index with just the main sections and a separate index below of the subsections. So, yes, I have the index arranged three different ways so that you can have a choice on how to look at it. It’s on my site HelpYouWell.com.
One of the “bothers”, cat eating tabs.
If you would like a copy of the Excel format just let me know.
*now known as Debbie Rosas Stewart
**now known as Carlos AyaRosas
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, Debbie Stewart, design of the body, helpyouwell.com, Index, Nia, Nia Playshop, Nia Technique, Nia Technique Book | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 10, 2010
In my Nia class tomorrow the focus is going to be the second chakra. The routine I am doing has a lot of opportunity for us to focus on it. Chakras are areas of the body with specific energies. The second chakra is the sacral chakra, the hara, or the pelvic chakra. This chakra is located in the pelvis area.
The routine has a lot of hip movements; side to side, up and down, folding, circles, and just dancing them however the body senses the music. There are times when we might not be moving them at all but focusing on the area enables us to be aware of where we are directing its energy even when it is not in motion. While we are doing a rib isolation the hips stay still but they should be facing the front with the energy directed to the area in front of us.
This chakra is located in the first lumbar area so movement of it stimulates the spleen, bladder, lower back, sex organs, areas of the intestines, and all liquids in the body. The sacral chakra is also associated with emotions. According to The Nia Technique* “move this chakra to develop a strong connection between your male and female sexual energy and to stimulate your powers of creation.”
The color orange is associated with this chakra.
As with any focus the intent can be changed to whatever you would like. I think tomorrow we will start out with the intent of being aware of the sacral chakras energy and being aware of where we are focusing the energy of the hara.
*A book written by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, NKA Carlos AyaRosas
Posted in Chakras | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, chakra energy, chakras, class focus, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, hips, Nia class, Nia routine, pelivic chakra, sacral chakra, second chakra, sexual energy, The Nia Technique | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 13, 2010
This information is taken directly from The Nia Technique Book. Usually I use my own words from my own experiences and from what others have shared with me, I thought this time I would share with you a portion directly from the book. I am hoping that this information and the information that I have shared will interest you enough so that you will purchase the book for yourself.
—Classic Nia is for everyone—from neophyte to dancer to athlete.
—Classic Nia is a learning experience, with an emphasis on gaining new knowledge about your body and the best ways to move.
—In Classic Nia, it is reasonable and acceptable not to expect perfection in your movements.
—Classic Nia is noncompetitive, meaning you grow and change in your own time and in your own way.
—Classic Nia teaches you to play, have fun and express yourself.
—In Classic Nia teaches you to play, to have fun, and express yourself.
—In Classic Nia, you focus at least as much on your Body’s Way as you do on the Body’s Way.
This is information taken from pages 168 and 169 of the Nia Technique Book written by Debbie Rosas (presently Debbie Rosas Stewart) and Carlos Rosas (presently Carlos AyaRosas).
Please let me know if you have any questions. I love both questions and comments.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, classic athlete, classic dancer, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, Nia dancer, Nia movements, Nia teachers, Nia workout, The Nia Technique book | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 4, 2010
Nia White Belt Principle #5 – Awareness – Dancing Through Life
I have been avoiding this principle because it can be very complex. To me, all of Nia’s White Belt Principles can be complex because they can be applied strictly to the cardio workout that is one aspect of Nia, they can be applied to Nia as a practice—which translates into, they can be applied to life, or they can just be applied to life.
Debbie Rosas Stewart talked about Principle #5 in this month’s Nia Teleconference for EveryBODY. She kept it simple. In all the calls she talks for about 15 minutes then she takes questions for the last 15. The call is 30 minutes. I will share with you what she said, but I recommend you listen to the call when they have it up on the site. They record each call every month.
Since I like to keep my posts relatively short, I have realized that I can post short summaries of Nia information and re-visit the information in additional posts.
One of the first things she said is very true, and I would like you to think about it. She pointed out that we are often aware of pain whereas we are not aware of pleasure. If we have a sore body part, we are aware of it. It makes its presence known and we listen. I personally don’t think we always listen to what it needs, but that is topic of another post. But we certainly don’t always pay attention to pleasure.
With Nia we seek pleasure. We seek to move away from the pain and go towards the pleasure.
There are a few things we can do to assist with that. One way is to be aware. Be aware of what brings us pleasure. As we move throughout our day we can make our movements a dance. While we are “doing”, we can dance through life. As you are reading this and you shift in your chair, notice the movement of your hips, notice to tilt of your head, do it like a dance.
While you are not moving, while you are “not doing”. Notice the stillness in your body. Allow the stillness to bring calm, relaxation, a sort of meditation, if you will. Notice what it is you are touching. Not just touching with your hands, but with your entire body. Are you sitting on a chair? Are you leaning on a desk? Benefit from that touch and that “not doing”.
Life as art so notice the art around you. Notice the noises and allow them to filter in as sound. Breath in the sensation of life. Not talking about “art” that would be in a museum art, but just the beauty of the world. Whatever you find beautiful.
There is so much about Nia I always find myself saying, “Another thing . . . one thing . . . Nia this . . . and Nia that. . .” but really. Another thing about Nia is that it is kind. Nia believes that we receive what we need to receive. We are not expected to hear something and walk away knowing it all or knowing it perfectly. With that in mind, understand that this is what I heard. These are the notes I took. Please, I invite you to listen for yourself and glean from it what you need. Focus on what resonates with you. Take away something you can share.
My site shows Nia class schedule in San Jose and San Carlos. On Nia’s main site you can look up classes in your area. There are classes all over the world.
Touching and Being Touched / May 3, 2010 Teleconference call is the call I have summarized here.
Presently in your life, do you dance through it? Do you practice awareness? Do you notice life as art?
Posted in Nia, Nia White Belt Principles | Tagged: Awareness, Cardio classes, cardio workout classes, Dancing Through Life, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, Nia, Nia Awareness, Nia cardio class, Nia Classes, Nia Dance, Nia movements, Nia pleasure, Nia Principle #5, Nia San Carlos, Nia San Jose, Nia Teleconference, Nia White Belt, Nia White Belt Principle #5, Nia workout, San Carlos Nia, San Jose, San Jose Nia, workout classes | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 23, 2010
When we do a Nia routine we set a focus and an intent. In my classes I set a class focus and intent but participants are always welcome to set their own. To focus on whatever they need at that moment. I am not sure if I have mentioned it before on my blog, but a focus and an intent can greatly alter the Nia routine. Recently I subbed a Nia class for another Nia teacher, in a different part of San Jose. I had planned and practiced the routine I wanted to teach. I had a feeling that the teacher had taught it because it is a new routine and a lot of teachers tend to start teaching those right away. When I arrived I announced to the class that I would be teaching Sexi. A few of the women, voiced some concerns. They mentioned that their shoulders hurt. They said that it was the routine that made their shoulders hurt.
Well, there is so much to be said about that. Nia is designed specifically NOT to hurt. So it could be that their shoulders had been pushed too hard, but not by the routine. 🙂 It could be that their shoulders weren’t injured but were just sore. Sometimes soreness, because it is a form of “pain”, is perceived as pain that one needs to be concerned about because there is an injury instead of just the “pain” that comes with moving a body part that has not been moved in a long time or has been moved in a way it is not accustomed to. And that is just a FEW things that can be said. At the beginning of a class where there is other classes that follow and a group of people to be attended it is not always possible to give each individual personal attention required—as they would get from a personal training session. So what I suggested was for them to NOT move so vigorously.
Before we started, I gave them the option of changing the routine. I would have gladly done a different Nia routine in order for them to have a good time in their workout and to not be doing a routine they were tired of or a routine they felt injured them. But they said that it was ok, I could do Sexi. And I was so happy, because I knew it would be different. I advised them that even though we were going to do the same routine, we were going to use a different focus.
The original focus of Sexi is the spine. When the spine is mentioned one thing people might think of is the back. Even though this routine employs many movements to move the spine, with the focus being the spine one might be thinking “back”.
Well, I changed the focus to the front. The focus I set forth was actually the Fourth Chakra, the Heart Chakra. And I read out of the Nia Technique Book, as Debbie Rosas is always encouraging us to do. The book states that this energy center is affected most by the motions of your rib cage and chest. With that information it moved the physical focus to the front.
So we danced Sexi. We danced Sexi sexy. Oh yeah. With our focus being the heart chakra and the intention being to allow a connection with love, compassion, joy, and sorrow–we danced.
While we danced I reminded the group to be aware of their shoulders and to try NOT to move them in the way that caused the pain. Afterwards, the ones that had voiced concerns said they were glad that we did it. They were able to do the same routine, but change the focus and therefore changing the routine. I love that about Nia. Because the focus is different the same routine is different. Because I am different the routine is different. Because the moves are basically the same, but the focus is different they were able to get an entirely different workout. Just another wonderful aspect of Nia.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: dance, Dance Workout, Debbie Rosas, focus and intent, fourth chakra, heart chakra, joy, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, Nia Technique, Nia Technique Book, Nia workout, personal training, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Nia Workout, San Jose Personal training, San Jose Workout, Sexi, Sexy, workout classes | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 18, 2010
Nia thinks of the pelvis, chest, and head as the core of the body. Nia is not defining the core muscles or a core muscle group, Nia just includes these three body weights as the core of the body.
The core is Nia White Belt Principle #8.
Alignment of these three weights affects so many things; energy, bones, muscles, organs. If the alignment is not as it should be all of these things could be affected.
Movement can help properly align these three weights. Often times some areas of our bodies are stiff and/or tight and by moving our body as it was designed to be moved the stiffness gets worked out and the tightness goes away. Sometimes that is what is needed to assist in proper alignment. Other times it might be strengthening or just moving your body in a way it is not accustomed to move.
As an example of how we guide a body to alignment, we utilize the bow stance in Nia routines. A great exercise while in the bow stance is to move the pelvis in all directions. Moving the pelvis in all directions while in this stance allows for the body to gain or retain mobility. Mobility in the hips and the spine. Movement of the pelvis releases energy and muscle tension. This type of movement also requires strength in the torso and leads up to the chest and head. While circling or waving the hips the body falls on and off balance and the chest and head must be used to stay upright. All of this contributes to stability, flexibility, and strength.
We often dance our chest in Nia. We move our ribs to open them and keep the muscles in between mobile. We breath deep. We makes sounds. We use our chest to guide us in our workout, giving us a different way to move. This releases blocked energy.
Nia encourages movement of the head in our routines. We are often moving our head on its own or to lead us through a move. We employ our hands and our eyes to help us move our head. Not all cardio workout classes employ the use of the head and it seems as if a lot of people are just plain ol’ not used to moving their head. So caution is always recommended. Since moving the head stimulates two chakras it is sometimes very powerful and some people get dizzy until they are used to it.
When these three body weights are in alignment sense calm. When our body is strong yet flexible and capable of mobility it assist us in keep our body weights aligned correctly even when we move we feel confident and have a sense of wellness.
The Nia White Belt Manual* has over 15 pages addressing the pelvis, chest, and head. I think that means that there will be more posts regarding the core and/or its parts, because Nia has a lot of information that I can share about the core.
*The Nia White Belt Manual was created by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas as was Nia (the Nia Technique). All of this information is based off of information from their trainings and the White Belt Manual and the Nia Technique Book
Posted in Core Muscles, Nia | Tagged: Bow Stance, Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, chakras, core muscle group, Core Muscles, Debbie Rosas, flexibility, Nia, Nia and the Core, Nia routines, Nia Technique, Nia White Belt, Nia White Belt Manual, pelvis movement, Principle #8, strength, three body weights, White Belt | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 4, 2010
I always get questions about the Nia Routines. Are teachers given the routines? Do teachers make up their own routines? How many routines are there? And more. In this post I’ll just cover those three questions.
At the time of this writing there are 18 Nia routines showing on the teacher website for purchase. I know in the 26 years that Nia has been around there have been a lot more. I believe back when Nia started having routines, music rights and all that big business part of music was not an issue. Now, I think, that portion of life has affected Nia and the routines. I think they had to remove some from sale.
A routine is group of songs. I think 8 to 10 is the average, but it depends on the length of the songs. An average Nia workout class is about 55 minutes, give or take a few minutes. At the time of this post Carlos and Debbie were the creators of the routines.
As a teacher, we purchase a routine which includes a DVD disc, a music CD, and an information pamphlet. It is an amazing piece of educational material. This post is not about the fabulous package of material we receive or about learning the routine, it is just general information about Nia routines. But whenever I talk about the Nia routine packages I feel compelled to exclaim how wonderful they are. I will save the explanation of them for another post.
Teachers are encouraged to use their own creativity when leading a routine. Nia routines are very well thought out and put together. It is my understanding that with higher belt levels choreography is discussed, but with White Belts, Nia encourages them to use the routines that Nia has created. But at the same time we are encouraged to do the katas to different music than we are given.
With the encouragement of using our own creativity, I believe comes the impression that we can do things in Natural Time and to me, that means we can adjust routines. A kata might be less aerobic, but if we want to help make it more so we can add cha-cha-chas in place of a regular step, or just do fast side steps instead of a grapevine.
In addition to changing simple steps we are empowered with all of the different Movement Forms. When we employ the energies of the different movement forms they can change the routine dramatically.
I do mix up the katas from various routines to “create” new routines. To me this gives the participants a feeling of doing something new, yet at the same time they are moving to familiar patterns. Or once, I had an out of town friend attending my classes, after the first class, she admitted she couldn’t do turns. Well, if she were going to be my student for any length of time, you know I would put those in and work with her on them, but since she was only going to be in one more class, I put together katas that didn’t have turns so she would enjoy her workout more.
When I do mix it up, I make certain I adhere to the seven cycles of Nia. I also try to make it a well-rounded routine. I love it when I put something together and afterwards the class says, “Ahhh, I really liked that routine, what was it?”
I hope this helped to answer some of the questions about Nia routines. Please let me know if you have other question.
I am going to continue to you invite you, my reader to a Nia class. If you are ever visiting the San Jose/South Bay Area or you are local to me, please, come to one of mine :-). If you are not local, look up a class near you and try Nia in your area.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: aerobic class, aerobic exercise, Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, kata, Natural Time, Nia Belts, Nia choreography, Nia class, Nia Natural Time, Nia routines, Nia San Jose, Nia teachers, Nia White Belt, Nia workout, Nia workout class, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Workout, seven cycles of Nia, White Belt, workout class in San Jose | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 23, 2010
As you might now be aware Nia includes elements from three disciplines from three different arts. From the dance arts, we borrow from Duncan Dance. Duncan Dance was brought to us by Isadora Duncan. Isadora believed in the freedom movement. She did not care for the stucture of ballet opting for movement of a more natural flowing nature.
Duncan Dance, like Modern Dance, helps bring freedom to Nia. For me I think of “child-like” when I think of Duncan Dance in Nia. It encourages us to skip, run, do somersaults, jump, hop, giggle, growl, laugh out loud, kick balls, jump rope, catch a balloon, and just release our adult contraints and enjoy movement for the sheer joy of moving. We are not moving to get to one place or the other. We are not moving to build a muscle or burn calories, in this modality we are moving because it is fun. Because, like a child we have so much engergy inside we need to skip-run-jump-hop-hop-hop across the floor. Then, while we are having so much fun we will be moving our muscles and burning calories, but we don’t THINK about that. We imagine we are chasing a balloon and trying to catch it. We imagine that we are playing kick ball or blowing bubbles and chasing them, we imagine we are having fun and we end up having fun. We let out our inner child that gets tucked away during our normal busy day.
While infusing our workout with this energy one might notice their ankles joints and spine opening and moving more freely. With the “child mind” one might tend towards being more “open”; standing tall, reaching up, reaching out, and standing on tippy toes. With these movements come exercises in balance, while standing on tippy toes reaching for your red balloon you are not even going to notice that you are having to balance. With being more “open” physically it sometimes helps with being more open mentally, this can assist with releasing the stress and tension of the our adult lives.
The form also encourages spontaneity, like that of a child. With less stress and tension you might find yourself giving in to your inner child and you might find yourself racing across the floor. Nia encourages it!
I think with all of the different ideas, concepts, movements, and energies that are woven together to form Nia, there is something for everyBODY.
Please note: The photo is a portion of the “Nia Energy Type Questionnaire” in The Nia Technique, by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas.
Posted in Movement Forms of Nia, Nia | Tagged: ballet, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, Duncan Dance, exercise, Isadora Duncan, modern dance, Nia, Nia Energy Type, Nia exercise, Nia Technique, Nia workout, workout | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 21, 2010
With every Nia routine there is an original focus and intent. On the Nia DVD either Debbie or Carlos* explain the focus and intent that was originally intended for the routine. With the routine Sanjana Debbie explains the focus as being Dynamic Ease.
I remember Dynamic Ease as being Dynamic and Ease. It can either be a stretch as one might do in Yoga or could be the sensation of the muscle squeezing the bone as in an isometric contraction. When I do the routine with Dynamic Ease as the focus I often borrow Debbie’s words and explain it as: “the energy moving out as in flexibility or the energy packing against the bone as in strength”.
The way we play with this is that we do a lot of the moves with one quality then the other. So while we are moving arms upward we could be calling upon the dynamic energies of strength and really squeezing the bone with the muscle. And the next time we can move our arms up with a big stretch move the energy out. A punch could be done strong as if we were really punching something or could be done more like a stretch.
The ease is just moving in a relaxed yet ready type of way. When moving arms upward, as mentioned above, we can change the quality to a nice flowing easy movement. Or a “punch” could just be the arms moving away from the body in a soft motion. Its fun to play and try any exercise with the different energy qualities.
We can do the same moves all three ways. Practicing going back and forth between these qualities assists in both balancing the energy in the body and balancing the body itself. An isometric contraction calls upon big muscles and small muscles and the combination is what is used in balancing.
I believe that it helps with the flow of fluids and energy in the body. I know that it leaves me feeling very energetic. I did this routine with this focus twice this week, once for my San Jose class and once with my San Carlos class and both times I felt very great energy afterwards. In addition to the energy I feel it brings me, I think dynamic ease can serve to add another element of challenge to the Nia workout. Dynamic Ease is one of my favorite foci for this Nia routine.
*Debbie Rosas (Stewart) and Carlos Rosas (AyaRosas) the creators of Nia
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Stewart, Dynamis Ease, isometric contraction, muscle contraction, Nia DVD, Nia exercise, Nia routine, Nia workout, San Carlos Nia, San Carlos Nia class, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Workout, San Jose Workout class, San Jose Yoga, Sanjana | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 16, 2010
As you might now be aware Nia is a wonderful mix of elements from three different movement forms from three different arts. Martial Arts is one of the art forms. Aikido is one of the movement forms from the martial arts.
According to the Nia White Belt Manual that I received during my Nia White Belt Intensive Aikido was the martial art that Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas enjoyed the most. The spirit of it that was added to Nia was the translation of “the way of harmony”. Conflict is resolved lovingly. During the intensive I remember the idea was mentioned of using the opponents own weight and energy to take control of the situation. While in Nia we don’t have opponents or enter into competitions with each other, the example was intended to express the idea that a blending of energies makes it easy to move. Aikido in Nia is the notion of a peaceful warrior.
As with all of the art forms that have been studied in order to create Nia, it is ideas, concepts, and moves that have been integrated. All of the movement forms are understood to be something that takes practice and maybe even years of training. That is respected when we talk about forms being added to Nia.
Aikido brings grounded energy to Nia. We practice spiral swirling motion blending the energies outside with the energies inside. Focusing on our center, the hara, we practice grace. We also exercise our awareness and embrace the moment. We hone our skills of moving from lines into spirals and spirals into circles with the energy surrounding us.
Aikido somewhat reminds me of Nia itself, they are both a blending of energies and movements.
Posted in Movement Forms of Nia, Nia | Tagged: Aikido, Aikido energy, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, martial arts, Nia, Nia energy, Nia exercise, Nia Movement, peaceful warrior, spirit of Nia | Leave a Comment »
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