Posts Tagged ‘Nia Los Gatos’
Posted by terrepruitt on January 8, 2011
On Wednesday after my Nia Class in San Jose I was talking to one of my students. Some how we ended up on a subject that had her telling me about a friend of hers who is blind but has no issue navigating the step that is not too far from her front entry way inside her home. She was explaining that people have no problem with it on the way in, but on the way out they forget about it and usually stumble on it when leaving the house. This led to many other tangents in our conversation but one thing it had me thinking about was sight/seeing and our focus.
I was thinking that the sighted people were focusing on the door on the way out of the house. For me, I imagined myself leaving her house, part of my focus on her and saying our goodbyes, then another part on the door—–but with the door a multitude of other things would come into my mind and into my focus. I would see the door and begin to think about my car, which would make me think about my drive, which would lead me to think about what I need to do on the way home, which (depending upon the hour of the day) might have me thinking about what to cook for dinner and if I needed to stop at the store on the way home—-all of which would make me trip. I would not be focused at all on my feet and on the step and I am sure that I would stumble into the door.
With that in mind I had a focus and an intent for my next Nia class which was the one in Los Gatos. The focus was Awareness, the intent was to connect to one’s body. While I have used awareness as a focus before, and I have probably even used the same intent before, and I have even invited the participants to close their eyes, this time I did it more frequently. With this routine there is a song where we are completely stationary so closing one’s eyes to allow for complete focus on one’s body is perfect. There is also a song where we turn and face different walls (in line dancing it would be called a four-wall dance). When we turn it often takes me and other people out of the line of sight which can often lead to one “having” to be aware of one’s own body.
To me one of the fundamentals of Nia is being in one’s body and dancing in your own body’s way, but I think that we often get distracted by the things we see. I know that while I teach sometimes I will get distracted because I see my hair sticking up or I see something else I should not be concentrating on. So I think that having Awareness, with the intent of connecting to the body and adding “eyes closed” to be a great tool. We did not dance the entire routine with our eyes closed, just when it was safe to do so, when our movements were not far from our spot and there was no chance of bumping into someone. Also, it was just an invitation to assist with the focus and intent it is not something that was required.
As the teacher I do not close my eyes as much as I would if I were the student because I am teaching and making certain that all is well in the class, but I know that the few times I did I was able to really embrace the focus and the intent.
What do you think? Do you think that if you close your eyes you can focus more on your body?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: body's way, dance class, focus and intent, four wall dance, fundamentals of Nia, line dancing, Los Gatos Nia, Nia, Nia class, Nia dancing, Nia fundamentals, Nia Los Gatos, Nia participant, Nia San Jose, Nia student, San Jose line dancing, San Jose Nia | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 1, 2011
So how was your New Year’s Day? Did you get to a Nia class? Do you think that the first day of the New Year dictates how the year will go for you? I was thinking about that today when I started to make something to eat. I went into our closet that we use as a pantry — we had ants. They were after a particular box of cereal. The entire closet had to be emptied out so that we could find out where they were coming from. I believe we live on an ant hill because every time it rains they get washed up. Anyway, I didn’t want to spend my entire New Year’s Day cleaning up after ants. I have other household chores that need to be done, but I am trying to rest my toe. So I thought for a moment, “Great. If this is any indication of how the year is going to go — oh my!” But then, my hubby jumped in to help.
He emptied the entire closet . . . . which was awesome because as you can imagine emptying a closet is just a lot of walking back and forth. As silly as it may sound (and it sounds pretty silly) I thought that it was pretty great that we had this project to do together. He seemed pretty happy to be helping and I was so glad to have the help.
So, I am thinking of two ideas:
The first day of the year is not really an indication of how the year is going to go. It is just a day and if was covered in ants, oh well, move on and make it a great year.
OR, the first day is an indication of how the year is going to go and spending the day working on a project – no matter that it wasn’t a fun one we would have chosen – with my hubby gives me an idea of what a great year this is going to be. I’ll get projects done and I’ll be with my hubby.
That leaves me with questions for you:
How was your New Year’s Day?
Do you think that the first day of the year might serve as a hint into how the year will go?
How is your year going to go?
NOTE: Please remember my Nia Class in Los Gatos has a new start time beginning Friday, January, 7, 2011 – the class is now at 10:30 am.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 2011, bad days, Happy New Year, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Nia Class, New Year, New Year's Day, Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 30, 2010
Tomorrow morning is my last Nia class of 2010, it will be in Los Gatos at 9:30 am. I mention this because I am ending 2010 with three classes a week. I mention that because someone was reminding me that the end of the year Holidays (Christmas, Bodhi Day, Winter Solstice, Advent, Yule, Pancha Ganapati, Hanukkah, Yalda, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, Hogmanay, and the New Year – just to name a few) are difficult for some because it is a time of reflection and sometimes dwelling on all that was not accomplished in the passing year and maybe even dwelling on 
some of one’s failures. Once when I was sharing with one of my Nia students all that I still had to learn just in regards to Nia, she reminded me of how far I had come. Instead of listing my goals and resolutions for the new year, I am going to share some of the things I did accomplish.
–completed my second year teaching Nia
–consistently taught Nia at least twice a week all year
–taught up to four classes in one week
–subbed several Nia classes
–taught classes at a Park and Recreation Center
–consistently posted to my blog
–penned at least 200 blog posts (I post on other blogs)
–witnessed an increase of number of participants in my Willow Glen Nia class
–paid studio rent with funds solely collected from teaching Nia
–taught at a few Nia Jams
–held a Nia workshop
–raised over $300 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society
–been married for 12 years
–went from two Nia classes a week to three classes a week
–started up a new Nia class in Los Gatos
While some of these may seem small or as if they didn’t require a lot of effort, that is not the point. The point of this post / exercise is to celebrate things no matter how big, how small, how easy, or how difficult. It is just a moment to do a Snoopy Dance because they are. It is a way to not dwell on all that has not been done or all that has yet to be done. It is just to say, “Aahhh.” and with that ahh turn my face towards the future and the excitement of what 2011 will hold.
So? What about you? What is on your list of things you did?
Happy New Year.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 2010, 2011, Boxing Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Happy New Year, Kwanzaa, Los Gatos Nia, Multiple Sclerosis Society, New Year, Nia, Nia class, Nia Jam, Nia Los Gatos, Nia sub, Nia Teacher, Nia workshop, Park and Recreation Center, Snoopy Dance, teaching Nia, time of reflection, Willow Glen Nia class, Winter Solstice, Yule | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 23, 2010
People that are interested in being “green”, remember this is the season of tremendous waste, so if you can reuse, recycle, and don’t waste.
In the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, American households generate 25% more waste. That’s about 1 million extra tons of trash each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That includes everything from food to wrapping paper, holiday decorations, packaging, and old cellphones and laptops that are unceremoniously dumped . . . .(copied directly from CNNMoney.com)
Be creative with your wrapping.
-Use newspaper
-Use the packing paper that came with the shipped gift.
Have the kids draw on it to make it special.
-Use some of the kids drawings.
From what I understand kids come home with a least ONE drawing everyday. Take a picture of it so you will have it forever, then pass it on to someone special. Use it to wrap gifts, or use it to cushion a gift.
You know I am a fan of shredding used gift wrapping paper to use as pretty packing in gift bags or boxes. Well this year I in additions to shredding that already used paper I just used it as packing paper. I just crumpled it and put it around the gift and cushioned the item with it. I thought of taking a picture to use in this post, but I didn’t want to take a chance the receiver (of the gift) would see.
One of my friends on FB said that when she sold the wrapping paper for the school fundraiser she actually used the swatched to wrap little gifts. I think that is an awesome reuse method.
My mother and I have a few cloth bags that we give back and forth. I laughed this year when I opened the box that holds my gift bags and found a note in one that said, “Give back to mom.” We will just keep it going back and forth until it can not long hold anything.
That can be both a fun and silly tradition as well as a “green” thing to do!
Then remember to save that wrapping paper and the bows you get this year to use for next year. If you are just going to shred the paper or use it for packing it doesn’t take up that much room. It can be folded.
Or use that wrapping paper to wrap some of those precious ornaments you just received.
Give a gift in a reusable shopping bag/tote. That is THREE gifts in one. You are giving a gift in a bag the receiver can use PLUS you are helping the environment. I count that as at least three.
What else? What do you do to help reduce the waste over this season? C’mon, share your ideas . . . we can always use more ideas on how to reuse!
Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: cell phones, CNNMoney, Core Fitness, Core Fitness Los Gatos, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, gift wrap, green, holiday decorations, laptops, Los Gatos Nia, Nia, Nia Los Gatos, recycling wrapping paper, small gym | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 9, 2010
I have to save up most of my “vertical” for my Nia classes right now. Even though I have injured/broke my toe I am still teaching my classes because Nia really is about the individual moving in his or her own way. But I still need to rest it as much as possible. Even though I am “letting go” of doing a few things this season, I am still trying to make it look “Christmasy” in the house. Since I was moving a lot today I was trying to come up with an easy dinner. Also, since I need to rest my foot my hubby has been cleaning the kitchen every night. So needing a quick easy dinner AND trying to use as few dishes that need hand washing as possible, AND trying not make a mess I was not thrilled with the thought of the mess that preparing broccoli makes.
I am going to admit that I have been making less broccoli than I think we should eat because I do not like to deal with the mess it makes. I usually just cut it in the sink so I can just rinse all the little particles down the drain, but I didn’t even want to stand that long. So I realized that I could just cut it while it was in the bag. YAY!!! No broccoli mess. No little particles all over the place.
Ok, I know this is a silly thing, but I thought it was a good idea. Saved me a lot of time. Since I am short on time that I can be ‘doing’, both this quick post and the quick tip are part of doing what I have to do in order to get to resting my foot in order to be ready for my Nia class in Los Gatos tomorrow.
Do you have any quick tips about dealing with broccoli?
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: broccoli, broccoli mess, broccoli particles, broccoli tip, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Nia Class, Nia class, Nia Classes, Nia Los Gatos, Nia Teacher | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 27, 2010
This Thanksgiving, I was blessed with two different Thanksgiving dinners. On Thanksgiving we went to my in-laws in the San Jose area. Then after I taught my Nia class in Los Gatos on Friday, we went to another family members and had ANOTHER Thanksgiving dinner. What do you do with your leftover turkey meat?
If I am lucky enough to get any (my mother-in-law gave us a huge bag full—yay!), I usually make turkey sandwiches, but they are usually pretty plain. Bread, cheese, mayo, and lettuce. Well, that is for my hubby, I usually have cheese OR mayo. What about you? Do you make sandwiches out of your leftover turkey? How? Toasted whole wheat? A dinner roll? Do you use all the fixins? The cranberries and everything? What about avacado?
Do you make turkey chili? A turkey salad? Or turkey salad . . . . .like chicken or tuna salad but with turkey instead. If you have enough left over you can make a multitude of things and never really eat the same thing over again.
I am seeing information that turkey is a super food. Ya know, that “super food” stuff, but it is in a lot of the websites so it must be considered one of those foods.
Here is an idea of what you are getting when you eat your turkey. Either right after it is cooked or when it is remade into a new meal.
A portion of turkey about the size of a deck of cards is as follows:
–Breast with skin has 194 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 29 grams of protein
–Breast without skin has 161 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 30 grams of protein
–Leg with skin has 213 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 28 grams of protein
–Dark meat with skin has 232 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 27 grams of protein
–Dark meat with skin has 232 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 27 grams of protein
–Dark meat without skin has 192 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 28 grams of protein
From http://urbanext.illinois.edu/turkey/nutrition.cfm
I am just about to make myself a plate of leftovers, but I would still love to hear what you do with yours leftovers. Do tell!
Posted in Food | Tagged: dark meat, Los Gatos Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, super food, Thanksgiving dinner, turkey chili, Turkey dinner, turkey leftovers, turkey meat, turkey protein, turkey sandwich, white meat | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 23, 2010
For many of us, Thanksgiving is almost here, at least in the United States. For many, Thanksgiving is about food. Turkey dinner. I am not saying that giving thanks is not done, I am just saying that sometimes dinner is a very high priority. With the holidays is seems as if there people give themselves permission to over eat. Sometimes it is not even conscious. Eating is such a social thing sometimes we could be doing it and not even really be aware. So in order to help ensure that it is really only the turkey that is stuffed this season remember all of the party eating ideas that you have heard.
—Drink a lot of water.
This will help keep you full and hydrated. Plus if you always have a full glass people will not ask you if you want a cocktail which typically is a high calorie drink.
–Position yourself away from the appetizers.
This can minimize the talking, grazing, listening, grazing, laughing situation that sometimes results in standing right next to a table full of finger foods.
–If you are hungry BEFORE the event, eat.
Eat something really filling and healthy. The idea is that you will be full when you get to your destination and be less likely to graze at the appetizer table or fill up on unhealthy choices.
–Give yourself extra incentive to stay away from the holiday cocktails, by being the designated driver.
Then you can easily say, “No, thanks, I’m driving.” And not have to fight off that well-meaning bartender that loves to make certain everyone is having a great time (with a drink)!
–Fill your plate with salad and greens.
Then barely use the salad dressing. This will help keep you plate too full for a lot of the higher calorie items and help keep you full.
–Don’t fill you plate with vegetables that are in a casserole, cream, or covered in sauce.
The other ingredients in the casserole, the cream, and/or the sauce will make that veggie more calories.
–Take a bit of everything you want from the beginning.
Don’t fall into the “oh my plate is too full, I’ll go back for it”. Just take enough of everything to allow you a taste without planning on going back. Often times we are full but since we said we were going to go back and get something because we didn’t try everything, we do. We go back for that one thing and often times end up getting additional things because they were good. So we end up with even MORE than we had planned.
–Scope out the food before you start filling your plate.
You know what I am talking about. You’ve done it, you’ve heard other people say it, “Oh, I wouldn’t have gotten so much of the xxx, if I’d had known there was yyyy.” So if you have a buffet style meal, walk the line. See what there is make a plan. If it is a sit down where things are passed, you can still see what is being served before you take a huge helping of one thing.
–Be mindful.
Be aware of what you are eating AND drinking. If you really want that pie a la mode, then maybe a small spoonful of mashed potatoes will do ya, instead of the heaping spoonful. Also, being mindful has to do with your individual health goals.
Maybe you aren’t a calorie counter, but you do work to avoid the Transfat . . . so that means you might opt for the ice cream or plain pie instead of the low-calorie non-dairy whipped topping. Just because it is the holidays and we are celebrating doesn’t mean we have to throw away our good eating habits. Enjoy, but do it consciously. Don’t end up stuffed like the turkey.
FYI: I will be having my regularly scheduled Nia classes. Wednesday at 9:30 am in Willow Glen (day before Thanksgiving) and Friday at 9:30 am in Los Gatos (day after Thanksgiving). —Thanksgiving 2010
Posted in Food | Tagged: cocktail party, designated driver, dinner buffet, dinner party, grazing, Los Gatos Nia, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia Los Gatos, Nia Willow Glen, party tips, pie a la mode, social eating, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving 2010, Thanksgiving dinner, Thanksgiving Nia Classes, transfat, Turkey dinner, Willow Glen Nia | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 11, 2009
The focus for the most recent Nia Jam was the 52 Nia Moves. We were to pick songs in which we could highlight one or more of the 52 Nia moves. So we moved a lot because we all wanted to really highlight the moves. The idea was to pick one song that highlighted the move then pick another song that contained the same move that you could play with. There was a couple of us that picked two songs with different moves so we highlighted more moves instead. I think it worked out fine.
Movements Highlighted included:
~Pelvic Circle
~Spinal Roll
~Heel Lead & Ball of Foot
~Closed Stance, Open Stance, “A” Stance, and Sumo Stance,
~Front Kick, Side Kick, and Back kicks
~Releve
~Lateral Traveling
~Shimmy
~Blocks
~Undulation
~Wrist & Hand movements
We do not do all 52 Nia moves in every workout (unless we are doing the 52 Nia Move routine), but we do cover a lot of them. The moves are not necessarily new moves, some are quite common and you will be familiar with them. Some you could be familiar with, but not familiar with DOING, but that is part of the fun. Come to a class and see. I have classes in San Jose and Los Gatos.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 52 Nia Moves, blocks, Fifty two Nia Moves, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Workout, Nia class, Nia Jam, Nia Los Gatos, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, shimmy, stances | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 30, 2009
In Nia (TM) our movement is for Joy. “Joy is not a technique or a choreographic method. It is an attitude toward the body and toward life. Joy is not just for when things in like are going well. It is an open accepting energy that accepts whatever comes its way.” (1) This is Universal Joy.
So we choose during our workouts to sense Joy and to seek the Joy of Movement. Throughout our routine we seek to sustain that Universal Joy. If we are able, we actually increase it. When we lose it or if we are doing a move that causes it to faulter, we tweak.
I think these can be applied to life. That is what I love about Nia. We have all these thoughts and ideas that we apply to our workouts, but they aren’t necessarily new and they can applied to life.
When you are doing something that gives you joy don’t you want to keep doing it? When you have joy don’t you want to increase it? When you start to lose it don’t you do something to tweak it and bring it back?
That is what we do throughout our work out. We are using our bodies to seek the sensation of Joy and if we find it and we can increase it, we do. If we start to lose it we can tweak it. Our workouts are about one’s own body and how it feels. So while you are following the teacher you are also paying close attention to yourself and making sure that you are sensing the Joy of Movement.
This is one of the things that makes Nia such a different workout. We are actually “sustaining, increasing, and tweaking” the entire time. Universal Joy. Allowing our bodies to move for pure pleasure. Doesn’t that sound like something you want to do?
(I have added an Evening class to my schedule. Teaching in San Jose (Willow Glen) three times a week; two AM classes and one evening class. Teaching at a member only club in Los Gatos in the evening once a week. Check out my Nia Class schedule on my site, HelpYouWell.com)
(1) From The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual March 2001, V3 page 2-4
Posted in Nia | Tagged: joy, Joy of Movement, Los Gatos Club, Los Gatos Nia, Nia, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, Nia Technique, pleasure, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, Universal Joy, White Belt, Willow Glen Nia, Willow Glen Workout, workout | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 21, 2009
This morning as I was trying to figure out what to write about, it dawned on me that I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching about being true to myself.
I was trying to decide what to write. I want to write stuff that people will read. I am worried about people not reading it. I am worried that they won’t like it. I am worried that I am not following my own self initiated schedule of healthful on Tuesdays and Saturdays with Thursdays less in that realm. Because of all my worries I couldn’t think of what to write, I felt as if my thoughts were twisted like the most twisty Yoga pose. Then it hit me, my real intent of all of this, my blog is somewhat like a mini resume.
When people ask me about their resume or they share that they are confused because they don’t know what to put on it because they hear this and they hear that, I ALWAYS tell them to follow their heart and write a resume they would like. Some of who they are needs to be in that resume because they want to be happy at their new job. The person that is going to hire them and the place where they will fit the best will be the person that likes the resume at the company that accepts it. So if you put a little of yourself in it, then it should all work out.
So with my social media stuff I need to think the same way. I am tweeting so people will see me, and learn from me and want to train and workout with me. When I retweet something, it is something I like, so that is showing a little bit of me. Twitter is different for everyone, we all have different reasons for being there, so if you don’t like the tweets you are seeing don’t follow. I follow to learn and network, so I won’t follow you if I see tweets I don’t like. That is Twitter.
For me Facebook is more personal. I am not “friending” everyone because I like to be less business-y there. Although I do post a lot of stuff about Nia, that is just because I am practicing it and I like the way it makes me feel so I want to share with others. And I am growing my garden of Nia flowers so I tend to repost their information so that others can see what people think about Nia and maybe come try it for themselves.
With my blog I have a few goals. I want to share about events that happen in my areas, Los Gatos, San Jose (Willow Glen, Berryessa) and around, I want to entertain a bit, and I want to help people learn, but I don’t need to be all scientific as I first thought. Every time I go to write a blog with a bunch of interesting facts, I find a bunch of other sites with a bunch of interesting facts. I think that people can go to those sites if they want the science and the statistics. I will keep it simple. And you will either like it or you won’t, but I think if you like it then you will enjoy my classes and enjoy training with me.
My point is that I need to stop worrying and just start doing so that we can get on with it. I need to be me so you can see who I am and then say, “Yeah, I would like to go to her class.” So, whew . . . what a relief, now I just have to remember to actually practice what I preach. You are welcome to remind me.
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: Facebook, healthful, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Tuesday classes, Nia, Nia Berryessa, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, Nia Willow Glen, Practice, San Jose, San Jose Nia, San Jose Tuesday classes, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, schedule of classes, social media, Tuesday classes, Twitter, Willow Glen Nia, Willow Glen Tuesday classes, Willow Glen Yoga, Yoga | 8 Comments »
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