Thanksgiving Nia Benefit for Noel House

On Thanksgiving morning Gretchen Musgrove and I held our second annual Nia benefit class for Noel House, a shelter for homeless women in Seattle. It was the perfect start to our day of gratitude: dancing in service and sisterhood. More than 20 dancers came to dance and support Noel House. Together, in the spirit of celebrating gratitude, service and sisterhood, we danced and raised over $300 for Noel House.

Before stepping onto the dance floor we asked each dancer to write a piece of paper two words of gratitude: one for self and one for another.

This was our playlist:
To Mend - Bluetech, Lynx, Janove from the Nia routine Cadence
Sun Is Shining – ReUnited from the Nia routine Vibe
Souk Rok 5- Ranu Raraku from the Nia routine Cadence
Free - Illumine from the Nia routine Velvet
Drumming Up a Storm - Bob Holroyd from the Nia routine AO
Sometimes - Kaskade from the Nia routine Cadence
Just Say Yes - Snow Patrol
Dark Waters - Bob Holroyd from the Nia routine AO
In These Arms; A Song For All Beings - Jennifer Berezan
Ordinary Miracle - Sarah McLachlan

Scott Musgrove, Gretchen’s wonderful husband, quietly captured the class with his camera. Below is a beautiful slideshow Gretchen created that includes these photos and images of many of the gratitude papers written by the dancers:

 

Thank you all for coming out to dance with us and support Noel House. We are grateful for your presence in our lives.

Nia Benefit Class

Nia Benefit Class on Thanksgiving Day  

 

 

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Where: The Civetta Dance Space  

124 N 103rd St., Seattle, WA 98133 

Cost: $15

Please RSVP: gretchen.blissfulfitness@gmail.com

Join me and Gretchen Musgrove for a special Nia class on Thanksgiving Day to benefit Noel House, a shelter for homeless women in Seattle. Start your Thanksgiving day off with an hour of dance in the spirit of gratitude, service and sisterhood. Forward this announcement to friends who might appreciate a new twist on tradition!

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.

Celebrating and Honoring the Earth on Earth Day 2011

The focus of this tonight's class is celebrating the energy of Earth on Earth Day. The intent is to honor and express gratitude, through dance, for our Earth Mother.

Image from americanmeditation.org

I found the following Native American prayer giving thanks to the Earth from the book “Partnering with Nature: The Wild Path to Reconnecting with the Earth” by Catriona MacGregor:

“Great and Eternal Mystery of Life, Creator of All Things,

I give thanks for the beauty You put in every single one of

Your creations.

I am grateful that You did not fail in making every 
stone, plant, creature, and human being 
a perfect and whole part of 
the Sacred Hoop.

I am grateful that You have allowed me to see 
the strength and beauty 
of All My Relations.

My humble request is that all the Children of Earth 
will learn to see the same perfection 
in themselves.

May none of Your human children doubt or question 
Your wisdom, grace, and sense of wholeness 
in giving all of Creation 
a right to be living extensions of 
Your perfect love.”

Join me for an hour of devotional dance expressing our thanks to the Earth. Class tonight, Friday, April 22nd, Earth Day, from 6pm – 7pm at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont.