The Simple Pleasure of Dancing

The focus of tonight's class is the simple pleasure of dancing the whole body. The intent is to experience the ease that arises with simplicity. Yes, less is more. With each movement, discover how to move with simplicity and efficiency so that your dance becomes effortless and almost meditative.

Join me tonight in discovering the ease of moving with pleasure as your compass. Class from 6:30pm - 7:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.

The Joyful Dance of Transformation

This past weekend I started teaching songs from the Nia routine Butterfly. I have been working with this routine for months. I struggled to learn it. Since March, something wasn’t connecting for me with the routine. I would feel a combination of sadness and frustration when doing the moves and listening to the music. I found myself putting the routine away and nearly gave up on learning it.

A couple of weeks ago I felt compelled to pick it up again and it flowed through me. The movements came with ease. It was easy for me to visualize dancing my colorful big beautiful wings around the room. My body felt open, receptive and joyous.

I don’t know what changed or when but some big shift occurred that allowed me to receive Butterfly into my body, heart, mind and soul.

When I started teaching songs from Butterfly this week, I noticed that she appeared everywhere. It was as if she was asking me to embody her message. So I did some research…

Butterfly represents transformation, metamorphosis, change, freedom, beauty, spirit, transmutation and the dance of joy. She represents going within to come out whole again. She asks us to dance joyfully through changes in our lives and to savor the sweetness that comes.

From “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews:

“Butterflies appear to dance as they light upon flowers and such. They remind us not to take things quite so seriously in our lives. They awaken a sense of lightness and joy. They remind us that life is a dance, and dance, though powerful, is also a great pleasure. Butterflies can be reminders to get up and move, for if you can move you can dance. Dance brings the sweetness of life back.”

From “Power Animal Meditations” by Nicki Scully:

“Take an idea or concept of what you want to be and how you want to see yourself, then take this journey and go within. When you break out of your cocoon, you will have become that which you intended. The costume that the butterfly brings back from within the darkness and mystery of the cocoon is the beauty of the spirit of yourself in all your glory. The metamorphosis of the Butterfly is about the mystery of what happens when you go within to the darkness to manifest the beauty you were born to create.”

Butterfly is asking me to dance, to unfold into the changes in my life with grace and without resistance, to go within and transmute whatever darkness or shadow is holding me back, to break out of my cocoon and step into my glory…whatever that is. It got me thinking about what it is I want to manifest. My simple answer for now is that I want to manifest joy, healing and beauty in the world. In the present time, I have chosen Nia to help me share this vision and am receptive to what comes next.

This week, our class focus will be the joyful dance of transformation. The intent is to go within, connect with your deepest desire, transmute any barriers and unfold your wings of freedom so that you can pursue your hearts desire. Butterfly is here to joyfully and playfully guide us.

Experience the transformative energy of Butterfly anytime this week:

• Monday, August 15, 2011, 10:45am - 11:45am at Community Fitness 65th St Studio (for Randee Fox)
• Monday, August 15, 2011, 5:30pm - 6:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District
• Tuesday, August 16, 2011, 6:00pm - 7:00pm at the Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood (Tuesdays through August 30)
• Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 10:45am - 11:45am at Community Fitness 65th St Studio (for Jill Pagano)
• Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 5:30pm - 6:30pm at Community Fitness 65th St Studio
• Thursday, August 18, 2011, 6:30pm - 7:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford
• Sunday, August 21, 2011, 10:30am - 11:30am at Delilah's Belly Dance Studio in Fremont

The Five Sensations and the Art of Sensing

The focus of tonight's class is the Five Sensations and the Art of Sensing. The intent is to use sensation to learn about your body as it moves and become your own somatic teacher.

The Five Sensations, also knows as FAMSS, are:

Flexibility is the sensation of energy moving outward. It is free, open, elastic and expansive. It is the physical feeling of releasing power and is nurtured by opening your joints.

Agility is the sensation of starting and stopping the movement of energy. It is playful, stimulating and quick. It is cultivated and maintained by quickly starting and stopping a variety of movements.

Mobility is the sensation of energy in constant motion. It is fluid, constant, continuous, alive and free. Mobility is sensed as energy flowing in all directions using a variety of ranges of motion. It is cultivated and nurtured by opening and closing joints in a variety of ways without stopping.

Strength is the sensation of energy moving inward. It is concentrated, powerful, intense, internal and gripping. It is the sensation of containing and sustaining power.
Strength is sensed as a squeezing in or the packing of energy towards the bones.

Stability is the sensation of energy moving from center out all directions simultaneously. It is grounded, solid, calm, rooted, and connected to the earth. It is sensed as readiness for action - a relaxed and dynamic tension of harmony. Stability is nurtured by resting into stillness while seeking balance. It relies on relaxation, postural integration, and optimal alignment of the body.

Tonight we will activate each of the Five Sensations and attuning to the unique sensation of each we will learn to tweak our movements to heighten and sustain the sensations of pleasure and Joy.

Join me for class at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District.

Body Gratitude

The focus of tonight's class is Body Gratitude. The intent is to acknowledge and celebrate your body.

This focus was inspired by a line I read by Nia co-founder Debbie Rosas:

"Thank you, body, for the constant loving feedback you give to me, and for helping me to refine and tweak my movements so that I can move with greater ease, dynamic ease and improved function." - 

I practice body gratitude when I do my five stages and self-healing ritual every morning. I have found that this simple act of acknowledging and giving thanks to this body of mine has elevated my experience of pleasure of moving and being in my own body.
She knows I am listening and am more deeply attuned and she responds with magic.

I am inspired to bring this practice into my classic Nia class.

Join me tonight, 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford, for dancing gratitude.

Dancing with Scarves

I've got dance scarves. Who wants to play tonight? 

6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford. 

Let's make these babies fly!

You Can Dance

My favorite moment after class last night was when a woman who had never tried Nia before came up to me and exclaimed "I never knew I could move like that! I can dance!" She was beaming and her joy was infectious. I blurted out "Yes, girlfriend, you CAN!" And then we giggled.

This newly discovered dancing diva inspired tonight's class focus which is simply: to dance and have the time of your life doing it.

Here is a little cheesy musical inspiration:



Join me for tonight to discover or reconnect with your inner dancing diva. Class at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.

June 29 - July 4 schedule and special Day of IndepenDance class!

Hi everyone,

I am working on my July newsletter and will be sending it next week. In the meantime I wanted to make sure you are up to date on this week’s schedule since it is a holiday weekend!

Regular class schedule this week including:

• Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 5:30pm at Community Fitness 65th St. Studio ($12 drop-in)
• Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford
• Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 1:00pm at Community Fitness Roosevelt Studio ($12 drop-in)
• Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 10:30am at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont

NO class on Monday evening July 4, 2011, 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio…instead I am teaching a special class in the afternoon. Details below.

Please join me for a Special IndepenDance Day class on Monday, July 4, 2011, 1pm in Greenwood:

Date: Monday, July 4, 2011

Time: 1:00pm - 2:20pm (80 min class)

Where: Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood - 124 N 103rd Street, Seattle, Washington 98133

Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=124+N+103rd+Street,+Seattle,+Washington+98133+&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.901528,75.410156&z=16

Fee: $13

Class focus: The freedom and joy of FreeDance

Class description:

In this special class we will begin with a movement exploration of the five floor-based movements that make up the Nia 5 Stages. Knee pads will be provided. We will then experience an hour-long Nia class. Both parts of class will be done to music with the focus of FreeDance. We will be dancing to specific choreography and you will have an opportunity to explore your movements through a guided FreeDance. The intent of this special extended class is to discover your unique self-expression, experience freedom of movement, and to delve more deeply into your dance by using the stages of FreeDance.

Curious about the Nia 5 Stages, watch a short video demonstrating the five movements on my blog: http://everybodyloveyourbody.blogspot.com/2011/06/nia-5-stages-of-healing.html 

FreeDance was one of the most challenging aspects of Nia for me when I first started dancing back in 2003. It took time for me to let go and allow my body to move without fear of judgment or feeling awkward. I promise to guide you through the FreeDance songs with openness, love, and compassion. You will not experience any judgment in this class. Come play with me!

I am looking forward to dancing with you this week! Stay tuned for my July newsletter.

Happy IndepenDance day weekend :)

Jennifer

Joy of Movement and Dancing Together in Community

The focus of tonight's class is the Joy of movement and dancing together in community.

This will be my last class before I leave for vacation to NYC. Come dance your joyful self with me!

Class tonight Monday June 6 at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District.

*I will be back in Seattle with my regular teaching schedule on Monday, June 20th!

June 2011 Newsletter

Summer is on her way! It’s getting warmer, brighter and the time is ripe for dancing into the new season. My classes for the month of June will focus on Joy. The joy of movement, of entering a new season, of celebrating the lightest and brightest time of the year, and honoring the shining light and warmth of the sun.

I am also celebrating the joy of having a new community to dance with at Community Fitness! I am truly looking forward to building and growing my classes there. Even though you cannot use my class cards at Community Fitness, you can easily drop-in for $12 or purchase class cards or membership.

I will have a limited schedule for the month of June while I take make my annual pilgrimage to visit with my family in New York. I leave on June 9th and return on Sunday, June 19th. Once I return, I plan on teaching straight through the Summer! You are stuck with me :)

Below is my teaching schedule for the month of June:

• Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 5:30pm at Community Fitness 65th Street Studio
• Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford
• Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 1pm at Community Fitness – Roosevelt Studio
• Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 10:30am at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont
• Monday, June 6, 2011 at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District

My husband and I in front of the
New York Public Library (NYPL) in
Winter 2009. The NYPL is one of
our favorite places in NY.

I will be visiting my family in New York from June 9 – 19, 2011. I can barely contain my excitement to  see my two little nephews, my older niece and nephews, my 92-year old spunky grandmother and mother. I haven't seen them in over a year.

Schedule during my vacation:

• No Thursday classes on June 9th and 16th
• No Sunday classes on June 11th and 18th

• YES! There WILL be class on Monday, June 13, 2011. My dear friend and Nia sister Gretchen Musgrove will teach this 5:30pm class. Come to class on Monday June 13th!

Classes at Community Fitness will proceed as scheduled. Gretchen will be teaching both Wednesday 5:30pm classes at the 65th Street Studio while I am away: June 8th and 15th. My other dear friend and Nia sister Jackie Thai will be teaching on Saturday June 18th at 1pm at the Roosevelt Studio location. Community Fitness will provide a sub for my class on Saturday June 11th as well.

Both Gretchen and Jackie are amazing teachers! I wish I could be there to dance with them!

Post-vacation - June 20th - June 30, 2011:
Regular classes resume on Monday, June 20th! Join me for my first class back in June 20th. I plan on learning some new songs while in NY and can’t wait to dance with you when I get back.

Please do not stop dancing while I am away ☺  If I could dance with you via Skype I would! I will miss dancing with you! Dance, dance, dance through life with joy!

With heartfelt gratitude for your continued support,
Jennifer

Celebrate with a Double Dose of Nia

Today is a special day. It is my one year anniversary of when I did my Nia White Belt Intensive training to become a teacher. And 12 years ago today I met my husband. He has been my biggest fan and greatest support on my Nia journey and he is coming to dance with me at the Spring Jam this afternoon.

My heart is full. My spirit, body and mind are in a state of bliss. To celebrate, I am holding a free intro to Nia class this morning and teaching with 7 other amazing Nia instructors in the Nia Seattle Spring Jam. I can barely contain my excitement. I hope you will join us this afternoon!

The focus of this morning's free introduction to Nia class is principle number 1 of the white belt and the foundation of Nia: the Joy of Movement.

The Joy of Movement is not an emotional response but rather a physical sensation that is experienced through our body. It encourages us to embrace the body as it is and move in such a way as to create and sustain joy and pleasure.

"Joy is the primary sensation you should seek from all movement. If you momentarily lose joy, tweak your movement until joy again arises." from The Nia Technique book

Join me for this intro class from 10:30am - 11:30am at Delilah's Belly Dance Studio in Fremont.

Then, join us for the Nia Seattle Spring Jam where our focus will be on Unity!

Nia Spring Jam
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Theme: We R 1 -Promoting Unity Through Dance
When: Sunday, May 22, 2011 from 2pm – 4pm
Where: Mt Baker Community Club: 2811 Mt Rainier Dr S, Seattle, WA 98144 - Map
Fee: $20 at the door.
Questions: Contact Mollia Jensen at molliania@gmail.com

Jam Teachers include ME (yay!), Gretchen Musgrove, Susan Tate, Jena Hennessey, Jackie Thai, Sandra Caldwell (Nia Tacoma!), Wendy Chapman and jam juggling diva Mollia Jensen!

In times of chaos and uncertainty, when the world is shaken by earthquakes and demands for freedom are being shouted every where - that's a great time to get together and DANCE! NiaSeattle's annual spring jam is focusing on UNITY.

Bring your dancing feet and together we can help spread peace and unity one movement at a time.

In gratitude,
Jennifer

The Joy of Movement and Sunshine!

The beautiful Sandra Caldwell, Nia Tacoma

It’s Friday and the forecast calls for abundant sunshine and a high of 72 degrees.

What could be a better class focus than the Joy of Movement?

Joy is the heart, source and inspiration of Nia.

The Joy of Movement is the very first principle of the white belt and the foundation of Nia.

“Joy is different than enjoyment. It is a quality of aliveness. It is an attitude that stops resisting and embraces the reality of the body as it is, and move with the body in such a way to create further joy and pleasure. When you allow this seed of light to sprout in you…you have a context in which to place the dance of your life. Joy is not a technique or choreographic method. It is an attitude toward the body and toward life. It is a reflection of honesty, truth, and health.” 

 From The Nia Technique

Join me tonight in joyfully expressing your aliveness through your dance. Class at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District.

Nurturing through Upper Extremities

The focus of this morning’s class is the sensation of nurturing our bodies through our upper extremities. The intent is to explore, through movement and childlike curiosity, ways we can provide comfort, love, strength, joy and pleasure to our bodies using our arms, hands, and fingers.

We will experience strength through martial arts movements, pleasure and playfulness through the dance arts and comfort and ease through the healing arts.

As long as we choose it, all of the above will deliver joy and love.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who have give their loves to mothering children, students, peers, pets and the Earth.

Let’s dance! Nia Sunday morning 10:30am at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont.

Joy, Community, Birthdays, Sunshine and Celebration!

“To dance, put your hand on your heart and listen to the sound of your soul.”

- Eugene Louis Faccuito

The focus of this morning's class is Joy, Community and Celebration! I have put together a special playlist of songs for one of my students who just recently celebrated a milestone birthday. I selected some of her favorites and included other songs that are uplifting to help us celebrate both her birthday and the sunshine!

Join us in joyfully dancing our hearts out in celebration of community, friendship, birthdays and sunshine.

Class from 10:30am - 11:30am at Open Flight Studio in the University District.

Here is one of Heidi's favorites:

The Joy of Movement

The very first principle of the Nia white belt is the Joy of Movement.

Joy is the heart, source and inspiration of Nia.

Joy is different from enjoyment. It is a quality of aliveness. It is a conscious choice. It is an attitude of embracing the body as a source of pleasure.

We use the energy of "joy" as the seed that grows the branches of our dance and through the heart of our communication.

In Nia, we experience joy not as an emotion but as a physical sensation. Experiencing joy as a  physical sensation encourages us to embrace the body as it is and move in ways that produce joy and pleasure, tweaking any movements as necessary to increase or sustain pleasure.

We use the energy of "joy" as the seed that grows the branches of our dance and through the heart of our communication.

This morning we will celebrate our bodies by allowing joy to take the lead in our dance!

Class is from 10:30am-11:30am at Open Flight Studio. Address is 4205 University Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105 (walk upstairs - look for the door next to the Pho restaurant).

Come for the dance and then joyfully walk on up to the University District Farmers Market.

It's Friday! Wiggle It!

It's Friday night. Time to wiggle it! Yes, that's right, the focus of tonight's class is wiggling. The intent is to have fun. Enough said.

We'll be working with one my absolute favorite Nia routines: Sexi.

Here is one of my favorite songs from the routine and the one where we wiggle our bodies and get down and funky:



Join me for dancing for the pure fun and JOY of it tonight from 6pm - 7pm at Delilah's Belly Dance studio in Fremont.

Body and Sound Vibration

Last night we worked with physical vibration. This morning, our focus is on the effect music has on our bodies through sound vibration. The intent is to stimulate and motivate us to move creatively and expressively with the music.

“Sound is felt and perceived through the bones, organs, and skin as waves, as a sea of energy that engulfs the entire body. Sound and music induces systemic, whole body resonance as vibrations trigger chemical responses. As resonance reverberates, sound diffuses and is re-echoed throughout the body, sending vibrations that actually form geometric patterns of energy. It is this precise patterning that relaxes, stimulates, motivates or harmonizes.” - excerpt from Nia resources

I love listening deeply and intently to music – I listen for lyrics, voices, instruments, pitch, tone, timber, harmonics, rhythm, and to the subtle sounds created within and between the sounds. I listen and sense for where, in my body, I feel the music and what emotional energy it brings forth. There are so many layers to appreciate. This is true for our bodies and our dance as well. Even though we use our physical bodies when we dance, we can also invite our emotional, mental, spiritual and energetic bodies to participate. These layers create infinite levels of expression and in my opinion, bliss!

This morning, we will sense how the sound of the music echoes and sends vibrations throughout the body. We’ll be invited to move our bodies to enhance these vibrations and create spontaneous, harmonious and joyful movement.

Join me from 10:30am – 11:30am at the beautiful natural-light filled Open Flight Studio in the University District. Come dance and then check out the farmer’s market!

Good Vibrations

The focus of tonight’s class is physical vibration.

The intent is to experience whole-body relaxation.

We sense relaxation through through the art of practicing different types of movements that vibrate the physical body: quivering, shimmying, shaking, pulsing, rumbling, and sounding.

Let’s shake it up on Friday night!

Class is from 6pm – 7pm at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont.

Whole-Body Movement

The focus of tonight’s class is whole-body dance movement with the intent to experience passion, play, creativity, ease and joy.

I love that, in Nia, we move not only our bones, muscles and joints, but that we also move our spine, head, eyes, fingers, toes and our internal energy! I love that I can feel the energy rise from within and that my heart, mind, and soul are moved. From my experience, whole-body movement with Nia is not just the movement of the physical body but also of the emotional, energetic, psychological and spirit-body.

I read recently on a Nia colleagues website (http://www.nia-joyinmotion.com) the following:

“Nia is a living, holistic system that works with the body’s natural wisdom and intelligence. The goal is to move from rigidity to liberation; creating from the inside out. This allows your own emotions, feelings, and how you may experience the depth of music, to connect with your body as well as your spirit. Nia offers you the freedom to embrace your unique creativity, responses, self-inquiry, and free expression.”

Join me tonight for whole-body joyful movement that will not only work all of your extrinsic and intrinsic muscles but will also enliven your body, heart, mind and spirit.

Class from 6:30pm - 7:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.

Natural Movement

The focus of tonight’s class is natural movement with the intent of enjoying being in our bodies.

In every Nia class and as we move through life, we are encouraged to move our unique body’s way. This aspect of Nia will be especially emphasized during class tonight.

I invite you to move in a way that feels natural, pleasurable and invigorating and to your body. I invite you to move like a child with a spirit of playfulness and exploration.

Join me tonight at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District.

Hello Spring

The focus of tonight’s class is celebrating the arrival of Spring.

The Vernal Equinox signifies the passage of Winter into Spring. I love the idea of our dancing through this passage and of making this journey uniquely our own.

Spring represents rebirth, renewal, growth and new life. Spring can be a time to clean out the old (spring cleaning), plant seeds for the future and recommit or commit to goals old and new. Most of all, it’s a time of renewed, fresh and vibrant energy.

I read the following today on Joan Borysenko’s Facebook feed:
“The Vernal Equinox has arrived. Today hours of dark and light are in perfect balance. Stop for a time and be still, experiencing the ancient "heartrest" of full moon and equinox coinciding...nothing either waxing or waning...a portal to the heart of the Universe. May the rest we experience within be a tuning fork that brings the world around us into balance.”

Come join me in dancing through this portal with a restful and full heart and with open arms and hands ready to receive renewed energy. Class from 5pm – 6pm at the Civetta Dance in Greenwood.