Terre Pruitt's Blog

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

  • I teach yoga, Nia, and stretch online!

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Posts Tagged ‘Nia Teacher’

Messing Up Is Fun

Posted by terrepruitt on October 24, 2013

After Nia class once a month we meet for a visit.  We walk to a coffee house and get a beverage.  Some of us have coffee, some of us have tea, some of us have nothing, but that is not the point.  The point is that we visit.  It took almost two years for me to learn one of my students is a Naturopathic Doctor. As the teacher, often times I am busy with “teacher/business” duties.  I miss some of the interaction and conversations that my students have.  It is so fabulous to see friendships formed and conversations happen.  But I wanted to be in on some of the conversations and I wanted my students to be able to share with each other as a group.  I love when I can make a connection . . . when one person can meet the needs or desires of another.  So, so, so fulfilling.  It is difficult to learn about people while dancing . . . so an after-class visit is just the thing.  Students can share what they do and what is going on in their lives and we can get to know each other a bit off of the dance floor.  Also, I learn a lot of other things about my students and what they like about Nia.

I was sharing with one of my students something about the moves.  I was using a specific example and I said, “You know when I am talking about because you were giggling.”  And she said, “I was giggling because I messed up.”  She said after we did the move over and over and over she was still getting it wrong and so she was laughing.  She said messing up is one of her favorite parts of Nia.  I LOVE that.  I love that she “gets” that part of Nia.  Nia is not about doing it right.  Nia is about moving.  Nia understands that sometimes for so many reasons, you just don’t get it.  It could be a move you can normally do in your sleep but for some reason at that moment it is escaping you.  Instead of getting upset and frustrated with yourself and STOPPING, embrace the mistake and keep moving.  Use the opportunity to do the move in a totally different way.  If you are still able to move with the count, but the choreography is escaping you for the moment, move in a different way but with the same count.  If you are able to do the movement, but it is the count that you are having issues with, vary your speed even MORE.  Go faster or slower . . . what have you got to lose, not the count because you’ve already lost that!  Just IN JOY it, be in joy.  Have fun.

I love, love, love that my student loves messing up.  She embraces so much that is Nia.  She takes that as an opportunity to play.  To “be a kid again” and just not care.  You know how kids are — before they are taught differently — they just move and dance in their own way and they don’t care what opinion people have.  Also in the messing up and going with it, it is a lesson in letting go . . . . letting go of judgment, letting go of feeling you have to be perfect, letting go of making your body do something it is clearly not doing well – at the moment.  It is freeing to just move the best you can.

Now this is different from Nia Free Dance.  I mean Free Dance is where we are purposefully dancing to stimulate movement creativity, not dancing in a choreographed way.  Where we don’t think and we just move.  This, when you just can’t get a move and give into NOT getting it, is you dancing what you are capable at the moment in the choreography.  Get through it then join back in.  I would think you would keep trying to do it or continue with the modification you made, but it is not free dance.  It is more of a embrace-the-mess-up-and-have-fun kind of dance.

I was just very happy to hear that she was ok with messing up.  She was ok with allowing herself the freedom to not be perfect.  She was embracing and celebrating movement for Joy and not for moving exactly like the choreography.  She was having fun.  Awesome!

So do you enjoy messing up in a situation like an dance workout class?  Can you laugh it off and keep going?  Can you allow yourself to dance your way and get back on track when you are able?  Can you see the difference between this and Free Dance?

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Goodie Jar – Check In #34

Posted by terrepruitt on October 18, 2013

I forgot to post to my blog last night.  That is the second Thursday this month.  I got home from teaching my Nia class rather early since all I did afterwards was run in to pick up some spinach.  Then I got busy planning firming up the routine for my Gentle Yoga class, yet, I still didn’t work on the post.  As I was getting ready to leave I started typing one up.  When I got back from class I was interested in getting dinner on the table.  The evening just flew by.  I remembered I didn’t post at about 15 minutes AFTER midnight!  Oh well.

Here is my #34 Good Jar check in.  It is my hope that even though you are not commenting on the check-in you are still participating in recognizing and jotting down the Good Things.  There are only two and half more months to go.

I can’t wait to read them all at the end of the year.

So how is your jar going?

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For A Taller You

Posted by terrepruitt on August 27, 2013

There are a lot of things I like about yoga, one thing that I really like is that many of the asanas or poses are executed with a lengthening of the spine. In many poses the idea is to reach with the top of your head, or the crown of your head, in the opposite direction of your tailbone.  Often the cue is to reach with the crown of your head to the sky while reaching with your tailbone into the earth.  I feel as if the reaching and stretching in the opposite directions really help the body be taller.

While standing, sitting, bending the motion or action is to reach. Reach in opposite directions.  Create space in between each vertebra. While consciously stretching the backbone, you are pulling your shoulders back and down. Create a long neck by reaching. Push the shoulders away from the ears.  The ribs lift upwards, and off and away from the hips.

One motion or thought to help straighten and lengthen is to extend your sternum skyward.  This somewhat juts the chest out and the shoulder automatically go back and down.  With this as an image there might be some adjusting that needs to take place, but it can help move you in the right direction.   With the lengthening of the spine comes the separating of the ribs.  Allowing space in between each rib can sometimes help increase lung capacity.  If your lungs have more room to move in they might expand further.  This all lending to bigger, deeper breaths.

In the Gentle Yoga class I am currently teaching I am continually reminding the students to lengthen their spine.  I, myself, have a habit of scrunching.  I think I have mentioned this before.  I both scrunch my shoulders up to my ears and round my back.  I liken my posture to that of a spoon.  So it is very easy for me to fall into that even while I am leading a class because I begin to shift my concentration.  So the reminder is for all of us.  A reminder is nice because then you can check to make certain you are doing all the things involved in lengthening the spine.  Although sometimes I feel a bit repetitive, I think it is worth it.  In addition to myself I usually see at least one participant make an adjustment.

In Nia while we might not always be lengthening and reaching with our spine throughout an entire routine there is often at least a moment.  If not in one of the dances itself in the cool down or the floorplay.  I often include imaging space in between each vertebra as we sit or bend over in a stretch.  The Nia routing might not include yoga poses by the idea of it is included.  Part of the yoga inclusion “is the conscious alignment of bones and joints”*  While lengthening the spine we are lining up the bones and the joints.  Our posture is intact.

I really enjoy the growing taller sensation that yoga can offer through a variety of asanas where we are reaching and lengthening.  To me it makes for a taller me.

Do you sense you are taller after doing yoga?  Do you sense your spine is more straight after yoga?  Do you do a pose that really has you feeling you are taller after?

*The Nia Technique, page 276.  A yoga focus.

Posted in Nia, Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments »

Sugar Is Awesome

Posted by terrepruitt on August 1, 2013

So last Christmas my sister-in-law gave my hubby and I wonderful book.  But she gave ME some sugar scrub.  It was lemon-mint.  I thought that was a great idea.  I had always wanted to do that with essential oils.  Well, as you might be able to imagine there are a ton of sugar scrub recipes out there and on the internet.  So if you are here looking at mine —- THANKS!  Some of the scrubs I have had have been a little too oily for me, so I was going for a less oily one.  To me the scurb-y part of the sugar is what you want.  The essential oil for a little therapy.  The oil can be a moisturizer but it doesn’t have to be a lot.  So I futzed with a few of the recipes I found on-line.  I actually made my first batch months ago and this is when I am getting around to posting about the scrubs.  So I don’t remember where I got the recipes that I futzed with and I don’t remember what I did the first time.  But here is my latest recipe for a nice sugar scrub.

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, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle YogaSugar Scrub

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil)
30 drops pure peppermint oil
15 drops Ylang Ylang
20 drops tea tree
juice of half of a lemon
zest from a lemon

Put the sugar in a bowl then pour some of the oil in.  Don’t use it all at first.  Stir and stir until it is well combined.  Then half of the peppermint.  Mix well.  Then add the remaining drops of peppermint.  Mix well.  Add more olive oil.  Mix well.  Add the Ylang Ylang.  Mix.  Add the tea tree, then mix.  Add only as much of the olive oil as you want.  You may even want more oil.  But add then mix.  It tends to LOOK like it is not enough but then as you stir is mixes in and the sugar gets saturated.  So pour and mix.  When you are done adding all the oil you want, then add the lemon juice.  Then add the lemon zest.  Mix, mix, mix.

__________________________________________________________

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, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle YogaI have canning jars which really make a nice presentation, but they start to rust in the shower/bath.  Plus you have the band AND lid to deal with.  It is kind of a pain in the shower.  So I was looking for a pretty flip top jar, but then I realized that the little hinge would probably rust.  So finally I settled on something that is not as pretty, but I think it is much more functional.  Just a regular plastic container.  One lid to deal with, easy on, easy off.  No screwing and unscrewing involved.  No metal to rust.

Again, maybe not as pretty, but I think it will be better in the end, because rust isn’t pretty either.

I chose a peppermint essential oil because it has an invigorating effect, so I thought that would be good for morning showers.  Ylang ylang is for stress relief, which many people would appreciate.  Tea Tree Oil helps stimulate the immune system. It is known to fight bacteria, fungi, and viruses.  To me that is perfect in a scrub.  Since I teach Nia which is a barefoot cardio dance, I think of scrubs as being primarily for my feet.  So a scrub that invigorate, relieves stress, AND fights bacteria and fungi —- is GREAT.

I hope you like it.  Of course you can use an essential oil you like.  What oil will you use?

Posted in Essential Oils, Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Happy Nia Share

Posted by terrepruitt on July 30, 2013

I have been teaching Nia for over four and half years.  I have students that are Nia teachers.  I have students who have taken the training but are not teachers.  The Nia Intensives are open to people who do not intend to teach.  So I have people in my classes who have experienced the training, but this is the first time that I have people who are taking the Nia White Belt Training because I introduced them to Nia.  Well, one for certain, she did not know about it until she had taken my class and the other one I think didn’t know about it until she came to one of my Nia classes.  Now this is not me saying I am so great that I have inspired two individuals to take the intensive, this is me saying, “Yay!” to the power of Nia.  It is fun cardio dance exercise class . . . but if you want to take the intensive it is a lot more.

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, Zumba, PiYoI am so excited.  I have not had a chance to talk to my student much.  She just returned and we have yet to meet so I can get the scoop, but she did express awe.  She is in my Tuesday morning class.  The Tuesday before she left for her training she was so kind she said that she was bringing a laptop and she would be able to send me some e-mails and we could communicate the week she was in the training.  I told her no we would not.  I told her that she is going to be so full she will not be able to e-mail.  For me, while I was in the intensive, any time that I was not actually IN the training, I was either trying to absorb it and remember and think about all that I had just heard or I was do a little bit of socializing.  The training is intense.  I have mentioned before.  It is not so physically intense that you feel as if you are at military boot camp, but it is physical.  There is a lot of moving.  I did send her an e-mail during the week and she said she was too tired to respond.  I laughed.  It is a lot.

Usually there is a Nia class at 7:00 in the morning or so.  And when I was in the training we were not required to go to them all, but why not?  So the day starts with movement at 7:00 am.  Then there is lectures and movement and all of it together.  And – something else I’ve said before – not everything you hear is a new concept or a new idea, but the way it is presented or tied into Nia and/or movement makes it seem new in the sense that your brain and your body want to examine it.  Learning can be exhausting.  Intensives are about 50 hours.  The day usually ends about 7:00 pm after an evening Nia class.  I know I said most of this just this past November when I took my blue belt.  But I am just so excited to have two students becoming Nia White Belts I wanted to share.  I want to shout it out!

The brief moments I did get to speak to my student she expressed exactly what one expects after a training.  She was happy and grateful and just full of new things.  She was amazed to see how much anatomy is part of the Nia training.  One of the co-founders wanted to be a doctor so she is very interesting in anatomy.  Plus knowing how the body is designed helps know how to create choreography that will allow the body to have a wonderful sensation while moving.  Nia is amazing.

I really just wanted to share my joy that one of my students took the next step in the amazing journey that is Nia.  She was very kind and as a thank you for introducing her to Nia, she brought me these lovely gladioli.

If you are interested in taking a class from me see my website www.HelpYouWell.com.  If you are anywhere else in the world and you want to see if there is a class near you see http://www.nianow.com/find/classes and if you want to learn about Nia trainings see  http://www.nianow.com/training

Well, what are you waiting for?

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Nia Jam Was Jammin’

Posted by terrepruitt on July 27, 2013

Today we had a Nia Jam.  I would have written about it right after and posted it, if I hadn’t of had theater tickets.  There is a little theater in San Jose that I love (Click here for City Lights Theater) and tonight they were doing the Rocky Horror Picture Show and — wow!  The singers/actors were all amazing, but wait, I digress, must be the time warp!  The Nia Jam was at Stanford, the awesome Nancy Hoebelheinrich orchestrated it all—as usual.  The focus was sound and movement.  There were seven teachers.  This was a unique Nia Jam because they decided to tie in some Kivo, which is “An Empowerment Practice that activates Voice and Body so you can do the Work you came to do.”  The creator of it is also a Nia Teacher.  You can learn more about it here.  I really go to the Nia Jams to fill my Body, Mind, Emotional Self, and my spirit with Nia.  I always have a great time.  I love that I get to both teach and be a student.  I am not a student enough so I really enjoy my time being a Nia student.  I learn a lot as a student.  I know I have shared on my blog before that I often want to just stop dancing and take notes.  Often times the pearls used are ones I would love to use in my class.  Today there were a few dances I would love to bring to my students.  Nia Jams are such a good time.

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, Zumba, PiYo

(The white box is someone who requested to not be in the photos . . . some photos were taken before the request was made)

Nia Jams are jammed packed with energy.  With so many teachers leading so many different dances it is just one big cosmic burst of energy.  I do think that adding the other modality changed the tone and energy a bit, but everyone loved it and had great time.  The weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area and particularly Stanford — where the Nia Jam was held — was fantastic.  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, Zumba, PiYoOne whole wall of the space where we get to dance is doors so it is open and lovely.  There are huge fans on the ceiling and several time during the hour and half that we danced, I sensed the air the fans were moving around the room and I was grateful.  It was a beautiful day.

I will continue to shout from the rooftops that if you ever have a chance to go to a Nia Jam — go.  I don’t just mean ones that I am a part of or ones that are in my area, I mean ANY Nia Jam.  I KNOW that ALL of them are infused with the same HIGH energy and fantastic music so I know that any one you attend would give you a GREAT taste of what Nia is.

This month also happens to be the 30th Anniversary of Nia so it was very fitting that we had a Nia Jam this month.

Thank you, Nia Teachers and Nia students for coming to the Jam and making it jamming.

What song would you love to hear at a Jam to get you moving with all you have?

(I will have more pictures from the Nia Jam on www.HelpYouWell.com shortly, so check it out!  Thanks!)

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Relief From Too Hot To Sleep

Posted by terrepruitt on July 2, 2013

I am so grateful that all of the Nia classes I teach are in air conditioning because it is has been really hot the last few days and the weather predictions for the next few days are just as hot if not hotter.  I know that a lot of areas get hotter than us, but we usually don’t have such hot weather.  Since the San Francisco Bay Area doesn’t always get into the triple digits it is not uncommon for people to NOT have air conditioning.  We don’t have air conditioning.  Usually with the few days of heat that we do get it is ok.  Our traditional — and wonderful, I might add — weather patterns consist of cooled off nights even when the days are blistering.  But sometimes or when the days of heat drag onto six or seven days in a row, it just doesn’t seem to cool off and it makes sleeping difficult.  I often see posts on Facebook and tweets on Twitter about how people can’t sleep because it is too hot.  When it has been too hot for me to sleep it is usually immediately.  As in when I go to bed it is too hot for me to fall asleep.  I have a little method of cooling down that at least allows me to sleep.  I wanted to share it in hopes that it might allow you, if you are too hot, a few hours of sleep.

Even if this is not new to you or sounds elementary, it might help someone.  I know when I mentioned it to someone once they said, “Oh, I never thought of that.”  So — hey, it might help.

So what you do before you go to bed is take a cold shower.  As cold as you can stand.  Now I don’t know what it is about showers, but the other day I got into take a shower and even though the weather was really hot I started taking a warm shower, then I realized that it was really hot and I should try a cool shower at least.  So when I say take a cold shower, I really mean COLD.  As in jump-in-the-pool-stop-your-breathe type of cold.  Now if you are actually taking a shower than I supposed that would be long enough, but if you are just in there to cool down stay as long as you can to actually get cool maybe even chilled.  Once you are done don’t dry off all the way.  Yeah, that is the big part of this.  First cool your body down.  Drop your temperature as low as you can in cool/cold water then don’t dry off.  Then set a fan up to blow on you while you are in bed.  Then go to bed, wet hair, damp body, and all.

Part of the sleep process is lowering your body temperature so when it is hot outside and your body can’t cool down it makes it difficult to sleep.  But if you HELP your body’s natural sleep process by cooling your body down you are a step closer to sleep.  The fan is an added bonus to help keep you cool.  Of course have the air blowing on you however you prefer.  I don’t like it on my face and I don’t care for it on my back so often I just have it on my feet, either in a constant rush or the breezy kind.

So this is a simple procedure that might assist you in getting to sleep.  For many people once they are asleep they can stay asleep, but if you wake up because it is too hot at least you got a few hours (hopefully) in.  You could always repeat the process if you’d like.  Usually it helps me get through the night.

What do you think?

Sweet dreams.

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Goodie Jar – Check In #21

Posted by terrepruitt on June 21, 2013

Goodie Jar check in day!  How is it going for you?

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, Zumba, Santa CruzI just got back from teaching a Nia class in Santa Cruz.  The space that the class is held is so lovely.  I wish I could teach there all the time.  And as I was teaching I noticed a spot in the floor that was a little different from the rest and it called my attention to the wonderful floor.

It is a wonderful floor and I know this, but that particular spot made me aware AT THAT MOMENT that the floor is heaven.  Not all dance floors are made the same and this one at the Tannery is FABULOUS.  I was so happy I was available to teach at the last minute (sort of) for the regular teacher who found herself needing to rest.

Then on the way home I got an over due haircut.  It might be a tad short.  You know how it is difficult to tell sometimes what is up until you “do” your hair yourself.  So we will see.  But either way it will grow.

So that is my Goodie Jar – Check in #21 Friday, how about you?  What are you doing today?  Anything that you can add to your good thing jar?

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Fun With Wax

Posted by terrepruitt on June 13, 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 have been teaching Nia in San Jose for four and a half years.  I have been teaching Nia in the same studio in Willow Glen.  I drive down Lincoln about twice a week.  There are many stores and businesses on the street.  There are also many pedestrians.  For those of you that don’t know, Lincoln Avenue is very pretty.  They have trees and bushes and flowers . . . very nice landscaping, however, the lovely foliage HIDES the pedestrians and those flashing lights (the ones that flash to call attention to pedestrians crossing the street).  So you have to really pay attention.  Sometimes people just dart out from the bushes.  I am always concentrating on the pedestrians so I don’t notice all the stores that come and go.  When I do walk down the street I am always amazed at a new shop that has popped up or one that has closed.  One of the new ones is Glow.  It is a build-a-candle candle shop.  When I first saw it I was so excited.  I kept squealing with each new thing I saw as I walked through.  There are colors and fragrances and little trinkets you can add to the candle.  I couldn’t wait to go!

This week I have my niece visiting and I thought it would be fun for us to go make a candle.  It is something we can do and visit at the same time.  Plus it is creative and then we will have a candle to show for it.  First you choose your mold.  What size and shape you want.  Then you choose your colors, any pips, and if you want any trinkets.  Then you choose the scent you want to have.  Then you set about putting it all together.

The pips are plastic pieces that you stick to the side of the mold.  They have all different kinds of pips: butterflies, birds, flowers, stars, guitars, martini glasses, crosses, letters, lipstick, dresses, shoes, you name it, they probably have it.  After you stick the pips to the side, then you break up the sheets of wax.  You get to choose from a variety of colors.  Once the candle is poured and set, the pips show through on the sides of the candle.

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, ZumbaWhen you are done filling the mold with the pieces the shop keep pours hot melted wax into the mold over the broken pieces.  Then it sets.  The store keep puts a wick in it and polishes it and you have a cool candle that you made.

There is “studio fee” of $9.95 and then the cost of the candle which is determined by the size and shape you choose.  All pips are included as well as the poured wax and fragrance.  The little charms and other things are priced per piece and the costs vary from less than a dollar all the way to at least $4.00.  I believe there might be ones that cost more than $4.00 but that was the one I saw.

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, ZumbaThe day we went back to pick up our candle we were being helped by the assistant manager, Laura, and she was a wealth of information.  She shared some tips and tricks that my niece and I wished we had been privy to the day before when we were making our candles.  But now we know and we are anxious to go back again to make more candles.

The experience is not an inexpensive one, but as I said, it is an EXPERIENCE.  It is an activity.  It is a fun thing to do with people who you want to be with.  Once you pay the studio fee you can buy as many candles as you want to make.  So it could be a great way to kick out some gifts for Christmas.  Pay the studio fee then make a few candles.  Do it with friends and you have a great time.  I think an activity that results in a wonderful smelling candle makes for a great day.  My niece and I had a great time.

I thought it was great fun to build a candle.  I also thought is was pretty exciting to wait for the candle to be ready for pick up the next day.  I really love this activity and can’t wait to go back.  The candles we made, while not perfect, look pretty nice, smell great, and burn well.  This was definitely a fun time with wax.

Do you like candles?  What color candle would you make?

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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, Zumba

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, Zumba

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, Zumba

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

Nia Routine Training Packages

Posted by terrepruitt on June 4, 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 have written a series of three posts describing what is contained in a Nia Routine Training Package.  I was reminded by a comment on one of recent posts about Nia Routines (Nia Routines I’ve Learned) that in 2010 I stated I would explain more about what we receive on a teacher routine DVD.  Because the package put together by Nia Technique is so packed with information and learning material, my explanation took up three posts to summarize all that you receive in a Nia Routine Training Packages for Teachers.  This post is just a quick summary and “map” so to speak of the three posts.  I hope all of this information helps you understand that “with love, we [Nia Technique] have carefully crafted this ‘body of work'[meaning each routine] to offer you an in-depth body, mind, emotions, spirit experience.”**  They do that so that we may pass on music, movement, and magic to our students.

When I RECENTLY mentioned I would write up a description I didn’t realize it would take so long and so many posts.  But back in 2010, I must have known on some level that it would be more than one post because it has taken me three years to do it!

Nia’s Routine Training Packages for Teachers consists of a Music CD, a DVD, and a pamphlet.

The first post – Nia Technique’s Outstanding Routine DVDs – explains the CD, the components of the DVD, and two of the components on the DVD, the Focus and Move the Move

The second post – DVDs Nia Teachers Learn From, Nia Technique’s Outstanding Routine DVDs (Part 2) – explains the last three components on the DVD.  DVD Components: Learn the Move, Energize the Move, and the music.

The third post – Nia’s Routine Pamphlets, Nia Technique’s Outstanding Routine DVDs (Part 3) –  explains the pamphlet.

Each post while a full post in itself still only briefly describes things.  I could write so much more and do many more posts, but I think I summarized it well enough to give you an idea of the training.  I hope that those of you that are interested in teaching have a good idea of what type of training you get when learning a routine.  If you are fortunate enough to live near Nia Headquarters in Portland, OR then you know that they often have workshops and things to even further your education regarding routines.  Sometime in my basic area they have immersions where two days are spent learning a routine.  We all learn differently and I am convinced that no matter how you learn, with all the different ways available to learn a routine there has to be something that will do it for you.

There is an annual license renewal required to teach Nia.  The fee includes four Nia Routines.  You get to choose the routines you want.  For more information see:  Nia Livelihood Membership for Body + Life Education

If you have any questions please ask.  If you are a Nia teacher or one that receives these wonderful training gems and you want to add anything please do.

**this is copied from the back of the CD/DVD holder.  It is just a portion of the paragraph.

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