Whole-Body Movement with 200/700 - 2x today!

A double dose of Nia! I am teaching twice today – this morning at 10:45am at Community Fitness at 65^th Street subbing for Randee Fox and again at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District. Both classes will focus on whole body movement and using our over 200 bones and 700 muscles to stimulate creative movement.

Join me for an energetic class that includes soulful and tribal sounds from a variety of Nia routines.  Get ready to move from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.

The Five Elements

The focus of tonight's class is integrating the energies of the five elements into our dance: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Ether (Spirit). The intent is to stimulate creative movement while moving with the quality of these energies.

Photo from http://www.cinnabaracupuncture.com

Earth - Grounding energy, rooted, body folding or touching the Earth, feet, stability, low plane and palms to the Earth.

Air - Uplifting, raising energy up, imagination, imagery, light, eyes looking up, flexibility, high plane and palms up.


Fire - Passionate, dynamic, energy moving out, poking, sharp, strength, all planes and palms changing direction.


Water - Fluidity, undulating, mobility, soft, emotions, eyes follow hands, wrists and palm, and middle plane.


Ether/Spirit - Breathe, ever-present, fullness, mysterious, agility, all planes, and your unique essence/dance.

Join me tonight from 5:30pm - 6:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District as we transform the energy of the Nia routine, Butterfly, with these five elements.

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.