Posts Tagged ‘Nia in San Jose’
Posted by terrepruitt on September 9, 2014
I am not sure many websites have Site Maps any longer. Websites now-a-days are so full of bells and whistles not many have site maps. Not many just have a place where you can go to one page to see a list of everything that is on the site. I find sometimes when I am on a website, I am just going in circles trying to find the information I want and I think it would be nice if there was that one page . . . that site map . . . that showed me the list of pages so that I could click on the page I want instead of getting dizzy clicking around. I think I have a lot of information on my site so I know that one might get a little overwhelmed. I know that some of my pages repeat information on other pages. I do that because when I am on a website sometimes I don’t see the information if it is only on one page, but the more it is repeated the better chance that I will see it. But I do have a site map for my site. I have a lot of information so I wanted to have a list that people can look at in case they wanted an idea of what the whole site contained.
Since I teach at several different places and I have both a FIXED (on-going) schedule and one that changes all the time it can be a bit much for people to keep track of. In addition to my teaching schedule, I have information regarding Nia on the site because I want to educate people on the classes they can take from me. So, yeah, there is a lot on there. So here is what I have created to help.
What’s on www.HelpYouWell.com at a glance! The BOLD indicates the links you see at the left, the others are in the drop down menu if you put your mouse over the links at the left. And, you can just click the link from this site map.
Hopefully this helps people navigate the site. The site map is a list of all the pages on the site with hot links so you can click on the page you want to visit. What do you think? Do you ever get “lost” on a website? It seems as if you are just going in circles? Do you find many websites with site maps?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: dance exercise classes, gentle yoga, Group Ex, Group Exercise classes, Helen Terry, ia Class Cycles, Nia, Nia 5 Stages, Nia at the YMCA, Nia Belts, Nia Classes, Nia for the City of San Jose, Nia FreeDance, Nia in San Jose, Nia in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nia schedule of classes, San Jose Nia Clases, Site maps, teaching Nia, Terre Pruitt, The Nia Technique book, www.HelpYouWell.com, YMCA Silicon Valley Classes, Zumba | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 15, 2014
I teach Nia at Community Centers in San Jose. One of the things about community centers is they are for the community. During the summer that means that they are kid central. It is amazing all of the programs they have for kids during the summer. It is so great to see the centers doing so much to keep the kids learning and active during the summer. What a full community center sometimes translates to is regularly scheduled classes get shuffled around. I was given about six months notice for this summer’s shuffle. So our Nia class was prepared. I had been telling them since January. Then I put up a notice in June. So we were aware. It is a huge blessing that we just get moved to another room and not to a different time or cancelled altogether. I am grateful that we still get to have a class while all these summer camps and kid fun is going on. It is working out to be one week a month. Last month the room we were moved to had the portable mirrors in the closet so we were able to roll them out and use them. Today the closet was full of tables and chairs. The mirrors were nowhere to be found. The center is on what used to be a high school campus. So it is very large and spread out. I wasn’t certain that 25 minutes would be enough time to let someone know about the situation, find the mirrors, and move them all the way across the campus. So we did Nia without mirrors today, using the opportunity to focus inward.
I have done Nia without mirrors before. In fact I posted about it in my post Nia In The Mirror when I was teaching in San Carlos. That is one reason when I started working at the San Jose Community Centers I was so impressed with their portable mirrors. In fact I thought I did a post about them because they are sooooo cool. (Well, I don’t see one, so that will probably be my next post!)
In a Nia class the teacher stands with her/his back to the students. One way we connect with our students is eye contact in the mirror. A Nia teacher can turn and face the students. In fact, it is recommended at times to do so to change things up and to connect in another way to the students. We even practiced it in the Blue Belt Intensive. So it is up to the teacher to teach facing whichever way s/he wants. Generally though we face away from the students.
Facing away makes it easier for some people to follow since we are moving the same side of the body and going in the same direction as opposed to the mirror image as was (and possibly still is) done in Jazzercise. What I find is that I learn the routine SAYING it as if I am teaching with my back towards the students so for me to turn around I would be saying go left as I move left and we would not be dancing in mirror image. So to turn and face the students while we are doing a dance that moves front or back or laterally is a challenge for me. Especially when it is a new routine. And right now, I am somewhat learning a routine. In a routine there is usually a song or two where we are not moving left or right so we often face each other than. I was able to do that today, but some I did with my back to them.
I think dancing without a mirror every once in a while is a good thing. It helps the students dance with themselves. The moment I found out we didn’t have mirrors I knew our intent and focus. I set the focus to be the Conscious Personal Trainer, with the intent of being fully aware of and sensing your own body’s movements. Without the mirror to distract us I thought it would be a great opportunity to focus more on one’s own body. Without the mirror we don’t see ourselves nor the other people. Without a mirror the possibility to draw ones attention in and keep it in seems better.
So, of course, I was very happy when one of my students said that dancing without the mirrors made it different. It did allow her to focus more on her movements. She said she was less distracted with the other students. Yay! I like that it worked for her. I like that we were able to do it different, but we still danced and had fun. I am very blessed to have such great students that can just go with the flow and DO Nia! It is nice to have “no mirrors” give us the opportunity for something different.
When you take a lead-follow exercise class do you prefer the instructor FACE your or face away from you?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Conscious Personal Trainer, dance exercise, Dance Workout, focus and intent, Jazzercise, kids camps, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia dancing, Nia in San Jose, Nia students, Nia Teacher, portable mirrors, San Jose City Community Centers, San Jose Nia, summer camps | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 7, 2012
Well, Palo Alto seems to be as close to as to what I consider the South Bay as we have gotten since I have been attending Nia. I really want to have a Nia Jam in San Jose. I am going to work on that for 2013. The Nia Jam for San Francisco Bay Area Nia Association in the South Bay in 2012 was at a Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto. As I have described before, a Nia Jam is a Nia class only longer with multiple teachers. It is like a Nia class on steroids. A typical Nia class is 60 minutes, a Nia Jam is usually 90 minutes. In a Nia Jam there is a group of teachers who take turns teaching. As with all Nia classes the Nia Jam had a focus and an intent. The focus of this Nia Jam was Yin & Ying of Creative Play, with the intent of providing both a high energy experience and a quieter, more reflective experience as Nia can support either or both. I have to be honest, I didn’t get a quiet, reflective experience out of this jam. We were on fire! The energy was so high it was tangible. It was amazing!
I am so glad that the energy is always so high because I had taught my Saturday morning class in San Jose. Then I stayed at the studio and took a class, then I raced over to Palo Alto to teach at the Jam. The energy energized me!
There were six teachers who taught. It is so fun to dance and be led by a variety of teachers. It is a wonderful thing to be able to experience a song, a kata, that you know, in a different way. While usually the basics are there, there is often a little nuance that the teacher adds to the song. It could be just a sound that is not normally made, a word not usually spoken, or it could be the addition of a different step or the removal of a step, it could just be their way of cueing that makes it different. Whatever the difference it is so invigorating to do what you know a little differently. I also love doing the unknown. I don’t know all of the Nia routines and I love to get to dance katas I don’t know.
At the same time a Nia Jam is perfect for someone new to Nia because they get to dance with many different teachers and experience different styles. They also can witness the warmth of the Nia community. New participants can also enjoy the astronomical energy that is present at Nia Jams. They can also confirm that Nia students and Nia teachers do sweat as Nia is a moving grooving cardio dance exercise. They can corroborate what I have been sharing — a great workout does not have to be done extremely fast and hard it can be done with movements of the whole body.
Monday in class my students were still talking about the Nia Jam. It was THAT fun! It was THAT energizing. It was great! I know Nia is a great workout. I invite you to go to a class, one of mine (click for schedule) or one you find near you (click for worldwide listings), but I implore you to go to a Nia Jam. If there is one not far from you, go. You will enjoy it for all the reasons I mentioned above, for reasons I have not mentioned, and for reasons of your own. Nia Jams are always fun and the Nia Jam for the South Bay on the Peninsula did not disappoint!
For more pictures go to: http://www.helpyouwell.com/nia-jams.html
Posted in Nia | Tagged: cardio dance class, cardio exercise, Jewish Community Center, Nia, Nia class, Nia community, Nia experience, Nia focus, Nia in San Jose, Nia kata, Nia participants, Nia routine, Nia Song, Nia students, Nia teachers, Palo Alto Nia, pictures of Nia Jam, San Francisco Bay Area Nia Association, San Jose dance exercise, Saturday morning class, SF Bay Nia, South Bay Dance exercise, South Bay Nia Jam, who does Nia, www.HelpYouWell.com, Yin & Ying | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 14, 2010
Presently I live in San Jose and teach Nia Classes in San Jose. I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area all my life. When I was growing up I used to tell people I lived in Santa Clara and they had no idea where that was. So I would say, “San Jose?” and if I still received that look then I would say “San Francisco?” and most of the time I would then see a spark of recognition.
When the dot com boom happened that kind of helped put “Silicon Valley” on the map and is comprised of a few places most notable cities are Cupertino, Santa Clara, San Jose, and Mountain View. A lot more people had heard of Santa Clara and San Jose after that. We weren’t known only in the shadow of San Francisco any longer. It was nice to not have to go through the entire San Francisco Bay Area to explain where I lived.
Now I find myself in that same exact “place” with Nia. I tell people I teach Nia and I get a look back. Most have not hear of it. So we go through the, “Is it like Zumba?” and I want to say:
Yes, Nia is EXACTLY LIKE Zumba: we get a workout via dance,we exercise to music, we sweat, we have fun, we work our muscles, we shimmy, shake, and gyrate, oh, except we do it in bare feet, to a variety of music, participants are encouraged to do it as their bodies allow, and there is a body-mind connection.
But most often say: It is sort of like a Zumba class and sort of like a Jazzercise class in that we move to music. Nia is a cardio workout with no impact. It is fun and unique because Nia incorporates moves and concepts from nine different movement forms a few being Tai Chi, Jazz Dance, and Yoga.
When they hear that, then they ask, “So it is Yoga?” 🙂
I was just reminded of the explaining-where-I-lived portion of my childhood when I was with a group of Nia Teachers recently. Made me laugh when I thought about the going through the same type of thing when talking about Nia. Yay, at least I am in a familiar place. 😮
Posted in Nia | Tagged: cardio workout, Dance Workout, exercise class, Jazzercise, Jazzercise class, Nia Cupertino, Nia in San Jose, Nia Mountain View, Nia San Jose, Nia Santa Clara, San Francisco Bay Area Nia Classes, San Francisco classes, San Jose classes, San Jose Nia classes, San Jose Yoga, San Jose Zumba classes, Santa Clara Classes, Silicon Valley, Tai Chi, work out class, workout class, workout class San Jose, Yoga San Jose, Zumba class, Zumba classes, Zumba in San Jose | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 10, 2010
I like to cook. I like to go into the kitchen, have some ingredients, put them together and have something to eat. I like that. I think it is cool. But cooking is not like Nia in the sense that: Nia I like to do every day, cooking I do not. When I cook, I like to cook in a way that leaves us with leftovers. I know a lot of people that won’t eat leftovers and I kinda don’t understand that, but . . . to each their own. I LOVE leftovers. Some, like pasta, are even better the next day.
My husband doesn’t mind leftovers. That makes him really easy to cook for. But at the same time I don’t want him to have to eat the EXACT same thing a few nights in a row. So one thing I do to allow me to cook once but not leave us eating the EXACT same thing for a few days is I cook chicken in foil packets. Yup, just like those aluminum foil ladies on TV showed us.
This also enables me to get one more servings out our a “two serving” bag of chicken. (From Costco the boneless, skinless Foster Farm Chicken Breasts are packaged in twos—-hmmmmm . . . . ? . . . ) I separate the chicken onto foil pieces then I just put whatever seasonings, spices, fruit, sauces, veggies I want in each package. I have to label them because my husband is not a fan of teriyaki and I am. Plus he likes spicy hot and I don’t.
So then I cook them up and we have chicken for a few days. Even though it is chicken it is not that same flavor chicken every night. Then each night I can cook up different veggies, and either rice or pasta. Or we might throw the chicken in or on a tortilla, or maybe even on some bread. Either way it makes making dinner that night much easier and faster. I love it.
Come join me for a Nia class in San Jose and see why I like to do it every day. And here, share with me your thoughts on cooking every day or leftovers. Do you like leftovers? Do you cook every day?
Posted in Food | Tagged: chicken breasts, chicken packets, cooking, Costco, Foster Farm Chicken, leftover chicken, leftover pasta, leftovers, Nia, Nia class, Nia in San Jose, Nia San Jose, Nia San Jose class, San Jose Nia | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 22, 2010
Someone pointed me in the direction of this great map that indicates what fruits and vegetables are at the peak of the season in a particular state in a particular month. I need assistance with that because I have never learned that.
This month it is June. I’m in California. Not only am I in California, I am in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Bay Area. In the South Bay. I have said before that we are very fortunate here in the San Jose Area because we have great weather. The map does not give specific locations as to what grows where, but I was able to get some plums and apricots off of a friend’s tree(s) (They didn’t come off of the same tree).
I ate only one apricot. I will save the rest for my hubby because he likes them more than I do. It was very good. Very sweet and rich. The plums are in varying stages of ripeness. But so far all of the ones I have had are sweet and delicious. I had a couple for breakfast before my Nia class this morning.
I am thinking of different ways we can eat the plums. Besides just popping the entire thing in our mouths. Since even the ones that aren’t that ripe are sweet I was thinking I could cut some up and throw them in a green salad. No matter the ripeness I could put them in an aluminum foil package of chicken or pork and cook that. Mmmm. I think that I am going to do a lot more cooking with fruit this summer, just to try new things.
Do you cook with fruit? What fruits and vegetables are in peak season right now in your state?
Posted in Food, Fruit | Tagged: apricots, Bay Area, Bay Area Nia, california, cooking with fruit, foil cooking, Nia, Nia class, Nia in San Jose, peak season, plums, San Francisco Nia, San Jose Area, San Jose Nia class, South Bay, the San Francisco Bay Area | 17 Comments »
Terre Pruitt's Blog 