Hands as Sensory Messengers

The focus of tonight’s class is our hands. The intent is to consciously direct the flow of energy through our bodies and our dance.

We use our hands to sense, touch, feel, explore the space around us, to express emotion, and direct energy throughout our bodies.

By intentionally and energetically using our hands in Nia, we engage more of our arms and upper body thus gaining greater muscle definition, flexibility, and strength without the use of weights.

I love to dance with my hands. I enjoy the sensation of wiggling my fingers, playing with palms directions, rotating and flexing my wrists and fingers and making spirals with my arms using my hands. Most of all I adore the sensation of touch. I am grateful that my hands allow me to experience the delicious sensation of soft fabrics, a warm clean smooth floor, water, leaves, skin, a soft teddy bear, a piece of fruit, a cotton ball, etc. I could go on and on.

Below is an excerpt from the Nia student handout on the hands:
http://nianow.com/sites/nianow.com/files/downloads/NiaEH_Hands.pdf?download=1

“Like the feet, your hands are the only other body parts that are constantly and physically in touch with the world around you. As sensory messengers, your hands are a great resource for connecting and conditioning your whole body. The hands, which include ten fingers, palms, and inner and outer arches, together with the joints of your wrists, two forearms, elbow joints, and upper arm bones, are all a part of the upper extremities you use to creatively express yourself.

Unique to the hand is a thumb, which makes it possible for you to grab, hold, catch, grasp, throw, push, pull, tear, caress, wipe, juggle, toss, plant, build things, and make love. You keep the hands healthy by using them based on their design.

A fanlike structure, the palms of your hands are designed to fully open and close, moving with mobility and flexibility in strong, stable and agile ways. Tentaclelike, your fingers are designed to wiggle, bend and extend. When used individually, fingers can direct energy to increase flexibility, strength, and balance. Each finger connects you to a specific emotional energy. By integrating the hands into your movement, you greatly reduce the build up of stress that can occur in the neck and shoulders when the hands are allowed to dangle and be carried by the trunk.

Integrate your hands in everything you do to sense dynamic ease, moving from the core and balancing the top, bottom, left and right sides of your body.”

Join me tonight for an energetic exploration with our hands. Class from 6:30pm - 7:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.