Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

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Posts Tagged ‘Nia class’

Fourth Day Of Our Month Of Planking

Posted by terrepruitt on March 4, 2013

Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday.  I have a Nia class to teach in the morning.  I might even add this in!  Ooohh!  That would be good.  No, that would be great, huh?  I could get my plank in during my Nia class.  Ha, ha, ha.  I might just do that.  I might also forget because I am doing a new routine and so adding something in might slip my mind!  I will be back to let you know.

In the meantime, how about you?  Planked today?

Posted in Planking | Tagged: , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Dinner Desperation

Posted by terrepruitt on March 2, 2013

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaFor those of you that cook dinner every night you might understand what I am about to say, “Cooking dinner is difficult.”  Ok, more accurately coming up with ideas of what to cook for dinner is difficult.  I actually have it very easy because my husband would be fine eating the same thing all week then switching to something else the next week.  As long as it was not a vegetarian dish three days in a row.  But I am not happy with that.  As you know if you have read any of my posts about food, I love left overs because they keep me from having to cook or at least keep me from having to start from scratch.  The other night I was really at a loss as to what to prepare for dinner.  It was a Wednesday so I really should have been thinking in terms of cooking for Wednesday so that I could have enough left over for Thursday when I have a late Nia class.  But I couldn’t think “two nights” I just wanted to get through the one night and use the portion of a piece of chicken I had from the night before.  I came up with something that I didn’t even think about being enough for leftovers but it was.  It carried us through two nights.  Asparagus, beans, rice, and chicken.

Another thing you might know about me if you have a read a few of my posts, I LOVE asparagus.  I mean, love, love, love, love.  Once I was asked what food I would want to have given to me free every day and I said asparagus.  But even though I love it, I won’t buy it when it is $8.99 a pound.  I don’t even like to buy it when it is $4.99 a pound.  I might buy it when it is $2.99 a pound, but I like the $1.99 range.  But knowing how much I love it my hubby bought me some recently.  I didn’t ask how much it was.  I just had five pounds of asparagus to eat.  🙂

I often use three servings of meat to make four servings of dinner.  Usually my husband has a serving and I have a good portion of one.  The next night I will use the third serving along with my smaller portion to make another meal.  Well on this night I was using just my left over portion because we had only cooked two servings the night before.  So to me it would be a vegetarian-ish dish.  As it would have way more veggies than meat.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaSo here is my “recipe”

Asparagus, beans, rice, and chicken

—1 tablespoon olive oil
—1/2 of an onion, chopped
—asparagus (2.25 pounds) chopped
—2 teaspoons minced garlic
—1 3/4 cup cooked rice
—2 tablespoons of butter
—3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
—1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans/chickpeas, drained and rinsed
—3/4th of a LARGE chicken breast, cooked and chopped
—Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
—Garlic Salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil and the chopped onion.  Add the asparagus.  Cook only slightly (because the rice takes a while to heat up).  Sprinkle garlic over asparagus.  Stirring it and allowing it to cook.  Add the rice breaking it up and letting it get soft.  Use the butter to help the rice get moist (might need to use a bit of liquid too).  And the cumin.  When the rice is soft, add the can of garbanzo beans.  Then add the chopped up chicken.  Add pepper and garlic salt to taste.

Since asparagus doesn’t take that long to cook and everything else is ok to eat as is, it is really the rice that needs the most amount of time.  If you are using freshly cooked rice then this would take minutes.  As a note the chicken I used had been seasoned when cooked the night before so that is something to keep in mind when flavoring your dish.

For me it is the beans and the cumin that is “new”.  I have done dishes like this before using other meat.  I think this would also be good with left over pork.

I was thinking of the Red Beans and Rice recipe when I did this, using the beans and the cumin.

We liked it.  What do you think?  Sound easy?  Sound like something you would like?

Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Goodie Jar – Check In #5

Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2013

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaI 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Crossover Ideas

Posted by terrepruitt on February 12, 2013

If you’ve read a post or two of mine you know there are many things I love about Nia.  I think that Nia is a great workout, but I also think that a lot of the ideas, principles, values, and “things” can be used in everyday life.  That is one reason why I share so many things about Nia here.  I am working to get Nia out there so people know what it is, but I understand not everyone likes to do dance exercise as their type of workout, but there is a lot of Nia that can be applied to every day.  Nia has a lot of ideas that can be applied to more than just the original place you hear it.  For instance in the Nia White Belt, the manual states:

“New Ways – It Can Be a Stretch!

Some of this information may shake up your reality.  Nia may disrupt your normal methods of doing, being and communicating.  We do not intend to create disharmony or fear.  We have no desire to aggressively challenge who you are, what you believe in, or what you stand for.  The information we share with you is intended to assist you, inspire you, and to celebrate human potential.”

The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual March 2001, V3, page 1-5

I love that.  I love that when taking a Nia intensive it is explained that you might come across new things.  You might be shown a different way or something new, but they are not out to change you into what they believe, but to allow you to see something in a new way.  All that is really asked of you is to have an open mind, heart, and body.  It is even suggested not to examine or think about stuff too much.  The belief is that you will get what you need when you need it.  That is a great relief too because there is so much information it really takes the pressure off when it is understood that you will not get it all or remember it all upon first being exposed.

What is so tremendous is that this same information, this same philosophy can be brought into a Nia class.  If you have never done Nia before the first time can be a surprise.  It can surprise your senses, your body, your mind, your spirit.  It can leave some people feeling a little unsure.  I mean not every exercise class has you parting clouds, swimming in water, stepping in goo, and prancing like a pony.  Some of this type of stuff can shake up someone’s reality.  This type of movement might completely disrupt what they think of as normal methods of exercise.  They might not be able to “get into” prancing like a pony.  Prancing might not fit into their idea of exercise.  But I know that if they have an openness of mind they will wake up the next day and realize that ponies get in a good work out.  The “normal” methods of being might not have them pulsing their pelvis, shimmying their shoulders, or doing a sexy hip bump.  Nia doesn’t want to make people uncomfortable with these things, but this type of movement is “normal” for the body by design.  These moves aren’t meant to challenge you or what you believe in, they are meant to allow you to move your body as it was designed to move.

With the fun movements and ideas included in a Nia class it can easily inspire your and allow you to celebrate the human potential—to celebrate your body’s potential.  This can kind of go along with my last post about spirit.  It could be your spirit that lets you just let loose and gyrate those hips without fear.  The idea here is to come to a Nia class with an open mind.  Don’t let they way you’ve been taught exercise should be to keep you from experiencing something new.  Don’t let fear of something unknown and/or different scare you off.  Don’t think that just because it is unknown to you or different that the goal is to change you into something you are not.  Just come and let your body move and let IT tell you what it thinks of Nia.

This week (February 10 through February 16, 2013) I am teaching EIGHT Nia classes.  If you are local it would be GREAT to see you in at least one.  They are at all different times on different days in many different places (most in San Jose, one in Santa Cruz).  I bet there is one that would work for you: http://www.helpyouwell.com  Also, in case you are not local or one of the eight doesn’t work for you check out Nianow.com.  There are classes all over the world!  Dare to dance?

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Don’t Be Afraid Of Spirit

Posted by terrepruitt on February 9, 2013

Recently a Nia student came up to me after a Nia class to ask me a question.  She said that she had talked to another woman about attending a Nia class but the woman didn’t want to because we said “Om!”  My student asked me if Nia was religious.  I shared with her what happened in the Nia White Belt Intensive I attended and my thoughts on it.  What happened in the Nia White Belt Intensive I attended in December 2008, was Carlos Rosas asked one of the intensive participants what was in Nia.  Her answer was “God.”  Carlos said, “NO!  There is no God in Nia!”  I don’t know Carlos’ religious beliefs, if he has any, or how he feels about God or religion, but I think he was saying that there is no religion in Nia.  It is not associated with any type of religion.  It is meant for everyBODY and everyone and people of all faiths and all belief systems can participate and enjoy Nia.  It truly is based on the design of the body.  It is not based on ANY religion or God.

I personally feel that if you have God or any belief system in you then you will bring Him/it into whatever it is you are doing.  But that is not a reflection on the event or activity.  With any belief if you believe it you are going to carry it with you.  So if you believe in God, Gods, Buddha, Allah, or whatever that will come with you into Nia.  But Nia has none of that as a part of it.  What Nia DOES have as a part of it is spirit.  But that should not be confused with any type of religious spirit or supernatural spirit.  Wiki states:  “The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning ‘breath'”.  And an online dictionary says:  “The vital principle or animating force within living beings.”  Yet some people often think of spirit as religious, as in the Holy Spirit, or otherworldly, as in ghostly spirits.

Because of that conversation I had with one of my students I had been thinking of this and in a class I said, “Let your spirit out.”  And I noticed a few students stiffen.  And I continued on, saying, “That is not to be meant religious or supernatural, I mean spirit as in ‘your school spirit’, when people say ‘show some school spirit no one gets all wiggy’.  It’s like that.  THAT type of spirit.”  And I saw people relax.  I saw some say, “Oh.”  And then I saw some spirit.

I think of spirit as a passion or your inner child.  It is the part of you that wants to slide down the banister, run up the down escalator, balance on a curb, jump in the puddles, take your shoes off and slide in stocking feet across the length of the mall, or say “WAAAAHOOOOO!”  It is the breath that we often hold in.  If your beliefs have your spirit saying or doing something in class then that is fine, but that is not to say that your beliefs are a part of Nia, that is a part of YOU that you bring to Nia.

The type of spirit you would have with school spirit, class spirit, and/or team spirit that is the spirit Nia calls upon and what Nia invites to be released in a Nia class.  Let your inner essence dance and be free, don’t be afraid . . . . . . let go.

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Observe, Listen, Guide

Posted by terrepruitt on February 2, 2013

This is Nia Blue Belt Principle #12, Observe, Listen, Guide, Co-Creating Movement.  This is something that we can do as part of the practice of Nia.  This is something we can do in a live Nia class or even while doing a Nia DVD.  Observe the teacher, listen-observe ourselves, then guide our own bodies to match what the teacher is doing.  So watch and follow.  Then really pay attention to what it is you are doing.  Sometimes we might think we are doing the same thing but we are not.  Then guide yourself to match what the teacher is doing.  It does not have to be rushed.  The moves do not have to match right away.

All of it is done with X-Ray Anatomy which is principle #10 of the Nia White Belt.  X-Ray Anatomy does not mean we have X-ray vision, but it does mean that we see the way the body moves.  We look at the body and observe the movement of the bones.  As we dance and observe the teacher we see the placement of the bones.  We see the vertical and the horizontal.  We see the different planes.

Then, with X-Ray Anatomy, we listen to our own bodies.  We acknowledge where our bones are.  We notice the alignment.  We pay attention to the structure.  We monitor our vertical and horizontal.  We discover how our bodies do the move.  We witness it.  We can stay here until we are ready to guide ourselves to match the teacher.  If we are playing with the principle in a live class it is recommended to speak with the teacher beforehand so that they understand that we might not move onto the move they are doing until we are ready.  It is also a good idea to stand in the back of the class so as not to distract the other students.  Most people will move on to the next move, following the teacher, within one or two repetitions, but with practicing, play with, and the dancing of Nia Blue Belt Principle #12, Observe, Listen, Guide an entire sequence of moves could possibly be “missed” while in the “listening” stage.

Then when you are ready — no rush — you move onto matching the teacher.  Have your bones and your angles match hers/his.  Have your alignment match, your vertical and horizontal match.

This also works as a teacher observing the student.  We can observe the student.  We can watch the way they are doing a move.  Then we listen to our body.  We pay attention to how we are doing it.  Then without rushing we can model our student’s move.  It is a way of Co-Creating Movement.  The practice of this principle also entails Nia Blue Belt Principle #6, because there is going to be some Split, Ellipt, Blend with this.  But the order would be more of an Ellipt, Split, Blend.  We would be ellipting onto the teacher or student to observe.  Then splitting into self to listen.  Then blending in the guide portion.

This is another interesting aspect of the practice of Nia.  This is another way that Nia is unique.  We Co-Create Movement to dance with our students.  With music as our main guide we have all these principles to play with.

Can you see how the practice of Observe, Listen, Guide is a way to Co-Create Movement in a class?

Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Goodie Jar

Posted by terrepruitt on January 29, 2013

As the New Year approached and very shortly there after, I started seeing pictures of jars with paper inside posted on Facebook.  The idea was simple, write down something good that happened and put it in the jar, at the end of the year read it, and be reminded of all the good things that happened to you during the year.  Even though I loved the idea and I wanted to do it, I got caught up in other things and I forgot about it.  Just this past week a friend posted a picture of her jar saying, “Do you remember this?”  And I hadn’t.  I had completely forgotten.  I want to do that.  I want a “good thing jar”.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaFirst of all I don’t have a jar.  So I am going to use a pitcher that I love, but hardly use.  This way, I will be using something that I love and it will be pretty.  Second, I don’t remember how often one is supposed to put something in the jar.  Was there a rule?  Was there a timeframe?  I THINK it was “whenever” something good happened.  I like that but I also want to make sure something gets in the pitcher.  I am going to impose an at-least-once-a-week rule.  It is not that good things don’t happen daily, I just think that life gets busy and I might not write something everyday but I want to make certain I do it at least once a week.  I also don’t think there was a guideline on what “good” means.  So for myself I am going to define it a bit.  I am going to keep track of things that make me smile and the memory of which will make me smile.  It does not have to be a significant thing, something say “to write home about”, but I want it to be something where I can say, “Oh yeah, I remember that.  That was great!”  Another thing I thought of, which I think might add to the experience is to date the note so I can remember better as I am reading about all the good stuff.

I love when I make deals with you and we have check-ins.  Even though this is just a feel good kind of thing, I know that sometimes projects — even fun ones — get pushed aside and/or forgotten altogether when time is short, so I thought I would do a weekly check-in.

If you want to join me you can just post a comment on the post.  I am going to do it on Fridays.  My first check in will be Friday, February 1, 2013.

I have my first paper already in my pitcher.  Of course is has to do with Nia and teaching another class for the City of San Jose.

Then on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, I will read about all the good stuff that happened throughout the year. I will be reminded of the things big and small.  I am sure I will get warm fuzzies.  I think this is a fabulous way to end a year and go into a new one.

What do you think?  Is this a project you would like to join?  Are you going to–join me?

Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

We’re Going To Do What?

Posted by terrepruitt on January 26, 2013

I know I have mentioned before that I teach Nia as a substitute Group Exercise teacher for the City of San Jose.  What that means is when a teacher can’t teach a class s/he will send out a message saying that a substitute is needed.  In order to give our clients/students what they want we work to keep the substituted class close to what the original class is.  If a Boot Camp teacher needs a substitute the first choice to have instead would not be yoga.  Or vice versa.  As you can imagine, when someone plans on going to a class and shows up and it is not what was expected it can take a little wind out of someones sails.  Sometimes in order to keep the class from being cancelled a different format will be allowed, but that is rare.  Usually someone is able to step in with a similar format.  It is a real challenge when people have not even heard of the type of dance exercise that you are going to do in substitution for their normal class.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaIt seems like with many people the first time they hear of something they are a little resistant.  To me this is understandable.  It seems like a natural thing to shy away from something that is unfamiliar.  And as I said, it really can be disheartening when you are looking forward to a specific thing/type of workout and you walk in and find it to be a class of something you have never heard of.  I don’t take it personal when people decide not to stay or leave in the middle of class.  I’ve learned a long time ago that Nia is for everyBODY it is just not for everyone.  It can be a HUGE step for some people.  It can be a huge switch in thinking and moving and a lot of things, I understand.   So when someone comes in not knowing what they are in for and completely embraces it — I love it.  I find myself thinking, “YES!”  I admire the person and their openness.

I have been teaching a class where I am listening to the music, dancing, cueing, sensing, and looking out into the room and as my eyes survey the students I will see someone who is completely new to Nia and utterly unfamiliar with it, dancing with all of their body, mind, and spirit.  It is so amazing.  For someone to come in and not having even heard of Nia before the class to just embrace something so fully–it is so wonderful.  That is one of the best moments ever.  The challenge for me is to keep going myself.  There are times when I just want to stop and watch because it is such a beautiful thing to see someone dance with all of their heart.  It is as if they are glowing and all of a sudden they are all I can see.  It is so incredible.

I appreciate the people who say, “I’m open to anything.”  Or even, “What the heck?  I am here.  I might as well try it.”  But it is really amazing to look out and see the ones that are just INTO it.  In a Nia class where people come to DO Nia, it is typical to see people dancing with everything they have, but to see it in a class that is usually not Nia . . . . ahhhhhhh!

I felt like sharing this today.  Thank you for letting me share a bit of joy with you.  Today has been a GREAT day.  Nothing spectacular or even note worthy has happen but there has been a lot of laughing and any day with a lot of laughing is a great day.  Don’t you think?

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Music, Movement, Magic, Nia Blue Belt Principle #11

Posted by terrepruitt on January 24, 2013

Regular reader?  Familiar with Nia?  Then you know that Nia has different levels and that they use belt colors to distinguish between.  White, Blue, Brown, and Black.  Each belt has thirteen principles (except Green Belt*).  The trainings for the levels are called intensives and the intensives can be attended by people who just want a to explore self growth and/or learn how the body is connected to many things.  If you are a new reader and/or not familiar with Nia . . . . there you have it.  In November 2011 I took the Nia Blue Belt Training and I am using my blog to make notes on it.  It is taking me some time to get through the principles, but I am jotting down my thoughts that come to me as I thumb through my notes.  My intent is to continue to work and play with the 13 Nia Blue Belt Principles after my initial posts and come back to some of them and share some more.  The principles can be deep because they are very rich.  So like many things they have layers and the layers can be peeled back to expose more and more.  This post is about Nia Blue Belt Principle #11, Music, Movement, Magic – Manifesting the Ultimmmate Nia Experience.  Yes, ultimate is spelled with three m’s, representing music, movement, magic.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaOne of the ways we learn to bring this to class is to use objective and subjective descriptions.  We can do this for many things.  We can do this when stating the class focus and intent.  We can do this when leading the class through a move.  We can do this when talking about music.  The following are examples:

Focus and Intent:

Objective  –  Today we are going to focus on the rhomboid muscles.  These are muscles in your upper back that assist with shoulder blade movement.  They pull your shoulders back and down.

Subjective  –  I like pay special attention to my rhomboids so I feel as if I am standing upright and not hunched over.  I feel they need extra love.  We can give them that during class with the intent to stand tall.

Move:

Objective  – Pull your shoulder blades down.

Subjective  – I feel as if my shoulder blades are in my back pockets!

Music:

Objective  – This music was part of an Oscar Winning Score.

Subjective  – This music makes me want to close my eyes and ride the peaceful notes to happy.

This objective and subjective way of looking at things is a key to Nia.  It can be compared to THE Body’s Way and Your Body’s Way.  There is a way the body was designed to move — objective.  There is a way that YOUR body, and my body moves — subjective.  There are specific ways to do the Nia 52 Moves — objective.  There is a way that each individual Nia participant does the Nia 52 Moves — subjective.  All of this helps to create the “magic” that is part of Nia.

The Music is the core.  We dance to the music.  The Movement is what we do.  We move.  We dance.  We play.  The Magic is what we bring, which with all of it put together there is resulting magic.

This is just a tiny portion of Nia Blue Belt Principle #11, just off the top of my head.  There is much, much more to Music, Movement, Magic – Manifesting the Ultimmmate Nia Experience and I look forward to delving into it more.

Have you experience the Nia Music, Movement, and Magic yet for yourself?

*Green Belt is specifically for Nia teachers.

Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Floorplay

Posted by terrepruitt on January 22, 2013

One of Nia’s magic toys!  Floorplay.  This is where we actually get on the floor and play.  The most common comment I receive from people about floorplay is, “I don’t like to get down on the floor because I can’t get up.”  And sadly that is the most important reason one SHOULD get on the floor is so that they can LEARN to get up.  Even though most often with Floorplay we stay ON the floor, there is a time when we do get up.  Floorplay is both Nia Class Cycle #6 and the Nia Blue Belt Principle #10.  The tagline or second part of the principle is Movement on the Floor.

Floorplay can bring up all kinds of fun stuff.  It can bring up memories of infancy.  With the scooting, the crawling, the getting up to walk, and the falling.  It can bring up memories of childhood.  Children often play on the floor.  They do somersaults and gymnastic moves.  They drive their cars around and roll and play.  It is a fact of life that most adults lose their playful connection to the floor.  Watch a group of children when they are told in a room to go play.  The first thing most of them do is get down on the floor.  They go to their knees and start to play.  Most adults I know don’t ever think of the floor as a place to be.

Floorplay allows us to reconnect to the earth.  It allows us to reconnect to the ground.  It allows us to sense gravity and the strength and energy of the earth.  There is a pull that we can play with.  There is the sense of falling that we can use.

Floorplay is a way to explore.  It is a safe place and a safe time to move and sense the body.  Sometimes the floor can assist in a particular movement.  The gravity can work to enable additional flexibility.  It is truly a place of wonder to let go and move.  Rolling around, letting limbs fall to the earth, pushing and pulling, stretching and yawning . . . . floorplay is a magical toy in the Nia toy box.  It is a powerful time in the Nia workout for body, mind, and spirit.

Floorplay in a Nia class can be a choreographed cycle or a FreeDance.  Either way it is an important time to explore both The Body’s Way and Your Body’s Way.  It is an opportunity to play with movement and to progress to your ideal.  Even when the routine being done in class has choreographed Floorplay participants are free to do their own FreeDance.  I often encourage my Nia students to do a “body check” asking their body what desires attention.  If they want they are free to do what they need in order to give their body what it needs.

Because most Nia routines include this cycle.  It is recommended that Nia participants bring a mat to class in case they are more comfortable moving on a mat.  A mat sometimes is exactly what is needed to ensure bone comfort and let the student move more freely on the floor.  Most places I teach in San Jose have mats, sometimes there are just a few.

The Nia Blue Belt reminds us that being on the floor is not just about static postures and stretches, it is truly about movement on the floor.  That is why this cycle is called Floorplay and with the Blue Belt lens, the way we look at things, we are reminded to play and have fun.  We are encouraged to use all of Nia’s 5 Sensations along with gravity and the energy from the earth to connect to the vertical, horizontal, and spiral and to connect with our bodies in a dance on the floor that we call Floorplay.

So when is the last time you got on the floor and rolled around?  When is the last time you got on the floor and played?  What is stopping you?

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