Cultivating Infinite Movement with 200/700

The focus of tonight’s routine is 200/700. That's 200 bones and just about 700 muscles. The intent is to cultivate infinite movement variety. We are going to play with every bone and muscle. The invitation of this routine is to notice your movement habits and break them by “tweaking” each movement until you feel new sensations. Get ready to get creative!

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


As a teaser, this is my absolute favorite song from the routine I am working with tonight, Canta. I can resist getting up to dance when I hear it. We won’t be spinning but wouldn’t it be fun if we did?

Nia is to Exercise What Holistic Medicine is to Healthcare

I discovered this article today. It captures Nia beautifully, especially for those who haven't experienced it yet. My favorite quote from the article is: "Nia is to exercise what holistic medicine is to healthcare. Through movement we find health." Well put!

This article was originally posted on this website: http://sassyhongkong.com/sassy-guest-blogger-tracey-fenner-tell-us-about-nia/ 

Sassy Guest Blogger: Tracey Fenner tell us about Nia

July 8, 2010

Today, our guest blogger, Tracey Fenner (founder of Nia Hong Kong) tells us about Nia, which is an expressive body-mind movement and lifestyle practice. Nia is now available in Hong Kong thanks to Tracey who is a Certified Nia Blue Belt Instructor and we can’t wait to check out one of her classes. Check out Tracey in action (she is in the red pants and white tank) on You Tube – so neat! 

Nia is an expressive body-mind movement and lifestyle practice, integrating fitness and health and it creatively blends movements, concepts and philosophies from both Eastern and Western traditions. Founded on the concept that there is a dancer, martial artist, and highly aware person within each, this neuromuscular integrative action melds various concepts together.

Combining classic movement forms, it encompasses three arts, martial, healing, and dance to create a synergy unmatched by any isolated technique. Revolutionizing the world of fitness and well being, it replaces punishment with pleasure and advocates doing things the easy way. Nia builds internal and external strength including strengthening bones, joints, muscles & breathing, cardiovascular conditioning, improved muscle tone, flexibility, weight management, relaxation and stress reduction. Nia is to exercise what holistic medicine is to healthcare. Through movement we find health.

Nia is normally practiced in hour-long classes but the true depth of the work lies in a rich body of education, which for many develops into a powerful life practice. With a philosophy rooted in “The Joy of Movement,” Nia teaches people of all lifestyles to use the sensation of Pleasure as a map toward physical, mental and emotional health. If it feels good, keep doing it, if it hurts stop! Nia is danced in bare feet and provides three levels of intensity in every movement, a variety in range of motion, and endless user-friendly choreographic movement choices.

Nia blends nine movement forms taking the energy essence of each. The nine forms are: Martial Arts (Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido); Dance Arts (Jazz, Duncan, Modern) and Healing Arts (Yoga, Feldenkrais, the Alexander Technique). Playing with these forms helps to unblock impediments of energy flow in the body. In Systemic Movement, Nia opens up to moving as a unit and increases your sensitivity to moving as a whole. Creating awareness within how you connect parts, energetically connecting limbs to the core, spine and breath.

Nia and has been established for over 26 years with 100,000 of students being taught by more than 2,500 Licensed Teachers in 42 countries worldwide. Nia is safe and bursts boundaries of age, gender and fitness levels, delivering a fun, effective and life changing practice for all walks of life. Discover Nia for yourself today. For more details on classes, workshops, retreats currently being staged in Hong Kong and around Asia please visit www.niahongkong.com.

December 2010 Newsletter and New Years News

News Class Updates and New Classes Quick Links My Website My Blog Facebook

Everybody, Love Your Body December 2010 Greetings! First, I want to thank you all for your support this year as I transitioned from being a devoted Nia student to a passionate Nia teacher. I love to teach and doubly love to dance with and learn from each of you. Your support, encouragement and feedback continue to enrich my learning and practice. I feel so lucky to be your friend, teacher, and student. I have some exciting changes to announce. I am adding two new classes to my schedule starting in January 2011 and my Friday evening class will be moved to 6pm in Fremont. With my new schedule, I will be teaching five days per week. I am most excited about teaching at two new studios that are run by wonderful women that are passionate about movement. My Friday evening classes at Open Flight Studio end on Friday, December 17th. One of the studio partners has requested the space on an ongoing basis which resulted in the cancellation of my class. I will be teaching on both Friday Decembers 24 and 31 from 9:30am - 10:30am at the Dance Space in Greenwood. Come celebrate Christmas Eve and New Years Eve with me. I will continue to teach at Open Flight Studio on Monday evenings at 5:30pm. My Nia colleague, Jeanna Wheeler, will continue to teach at the studio on Saturday mornings at 10:15am. She will continue to honor a class card you have with me at her Saturday class. I am also excited to announce that Jeanna is adding additional classes to her schedule in January at Skin Deep Studio: Mondays and Wednesdays at 9am. Her full schedule is here. Starting in January, I will be teaching on Friday evenings at Delilah's Belly Dance Studio (Visionary Dance Productions) in Fremont. The studio is truly stunning and they offer a variety of belly dance classes. I am looking forward to trying the "Shimmy Madness" class! Delilah has created a space that I can only describe as sacred. And she is a remarkable woman devoted to dance, community and the empowerment of women. On January 13th I begin teaching at a brand new studio opening in Wallingford. The studio, Fresh Fitness and Dance, promises to be a health and wellness oasis with a community-based feel. They will offer a variety of  both traditional and non-traditional classes and programs. The open house is tentatively schedule for January 9, 2011. I will send an update as soon as the details are available. As I reflect on 2010, the one phrase that came to mind was the focus of the very first routine I taught. The focus of Sanjana was Dynamic Ease. I've learned to find the blissful resting place in my dance and am learning to move more efficiently and with a sense of relaxation. This comes in handy as I learn new routines and delve more deeply into choreography. But the one principle of Nia that has resonated most for me this year is the Joy of Movement. I've never been happier. Thank you for allow me to share my Joy with you! May you dance into the new year with Joy and Dynamic Ease. With warmth, Jennifer Lucero-Earle Everybody, Love Your Body: Nia with Jennifer Below is my class schedule for the rest of the year and the coming year. You can find more information about these classes on my blog. I now have gift certificates available. If you want to give the gift of Nia, let me know. I can customize a gift certificate for you. January Special: I am offering a 10-class card for $80 with a 3-month expiration. December Class Schedule Mondays: 5:30pm - 6:30pm at Open Flight Studio *No changes to schedule. Teaching straight through the month. Fridays: 12/10 and 12/17 5:30pm - 6:30pm at Open Flight Studio Fridays: 12/24 and 12/31 9:30am - 10:30am at the Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood Sundays: Gentle Nia and Nia 5 Stages Combined Class 5:00pm - 6:00pm at the Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood *No changes to schedule. Class is on for 12/26 and 1/2! January Class Schedule Mondays: 5:30pm - 6:30pm at Open Flight Studio 4205 University Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105 Thursdays: (NEW starting 1/13) 6:30pm - 7:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford NEW studio: 4430 Corliss Ave N., Seattle, WA 98103 *Right off of N 45th Street between N 45th and N 44th St. Fridays: (NEW Time and Location starting 1/7) 6:00pm - 7:00pm at Delilah's Belly Dance Studio (Visionary Belly Dance Productions) in Fremont 4128 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103 Saturdays: (NEW starting 1/15) 11:00am - 12:00pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford NEW studio: 4430 Corliss Ave N., Seattle, WA 98103 *Right off of N 45th Street between N 45th and N 44th St. Sundays: Gentle Nia and Nia 5 Stages Combined Class 5:00pm - 6:00pm at the Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood I leave you with this photo of my new Friday evening Nia home. Classes start January 7th. See you there! Delilah's Belly Dance Studio in Fremont

The Simple Act of Breathing

"...the simple act of breathing requires no special effort, and similarly no effort is required to become connected with spirit. The body is already an inspired organism, and every moment, from your first breath to your last, is an opportunity to breathe in life's joy and fullness. Inspiration not only includes both breath and spirit, then, but is actually the meeting point at which the two merge; and the unification that takes place in you takes place automatically, unconsciously, effortlessly and inevitably."

- Joseph Heller, founder of Hakomi Therapy

I love this quote on the power of the breath and the body as an "inspired organism." When I teach, I always remind my students to stay connected to their breath. I read somewhere in one of my Nia materials that "Our breath is the elixir of life, a healing tool.  It can give us a sensation of a more relaxed space within our body." For me, breathing not only helps me tap into a space of relaxation, it paves the way for deeper, more playful and creative movement. In consciously breathing through a movement, I spend less time in my head and more time sensing deep into my body and overall somatic experience. The more connected I am to my body, the more I engage in movement and experience greater pleasure and joy.

Try this, raise your elbow as if offering something to the space. First, do this movement without consciously focusing on your breath. Second, do it with your breath. Raise you elbow on the inhale and extend the elbow out on the exhale. Which one produced greater pleasure? Were you inspired to make the movement more creative? 

In line with the above, there was a great story on NPR yesterday, December 6th, about the power of the breath on our health and well-being.

Here is one quote from the article:

"As it turns out, deep breathing is not only relaxing, it's been scientifically proven to affect the heart, the brain, digestion, the immune system — and maybe even the expression of genes."

To read more, go to the NPR article: Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever

Sense, Witness and Adapt with X-Ray Anatomy

The focus of tonight’s class is X-Ray anatomy with the intent to tap into movement variety to create new neuromuscular pathways.

X-Ray anatomy is 10th of the 13 Principles of the Nia White Belt. The goal of this principle is to teach us to see, observe and sense our body alignment using structural anatomy and sensory awareness. To make this happen, we use our eyes, imagination, and intuition to see and perceive the activity occurring beneath our skin. We sense into what is going on with our bones, ligament, and muscles and tweak our movements to create new and different movements that may produce improvements in alignment as well as increased pleasure.

To bring X-Ray Anatomy into your body and life:

Sense
The moment you wake up, become consciously aware of sensation. Go about your day and track the sensations of pain and pleasure. Choose pleasure by consciously placing your bones in alignments that feel good. Listen to the voice of pleasure, which tells you, "This is good. This is a healthy choice - keep doing what you're doing."

Witness
Throughout the day, notice what you are doing with your posture when you feel comfort and pleasurable sensations—notice the alignment of your bones and joints. Pay attention to any level of slight, moderate and acute sensations that feel bad or uncomfortable, and then proactively say "no" to pain. The moment you sense pain and discomfort, shift your bone and/or joint alignment until the sensation of pleasure returns.

Adapt
Play with altering what you normally do throughout the day, while focusing on the desire to feel better. Move your bones and joints in ways that tighten or release your muscles, until you feel more comfort and pleasure in your movement. Remember: Comfort and pleasure are the voices that tell you when your actions are right for you.

Sense, Witness and Adapt: Keep these three things in mind each day, and I promise you will notice wonderful changes in your body and life!

Learn more about Cultivating Comfort with X-Ray Anatomy
By: Debbie Rosas, Nia co-founder

Join me for class tonight at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District as we practice self-awareness during movement and listen to the voice of our body to consciously create new ways of moving.

Voice of the Connective Tissue

The focus of tonight’s Gentle Nia and Nia 5 Stages combined class is on the connective tissue and transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is the conversion of one substance into another. In Nia, we identify it as the space and what occurs between things. When you substantiate two movements, there is seamlessness. The movement is continuous.

Connective tissue, the largest tissue of the body, shows us that everything in the body is meant to be connected, not isolated components. It provides not only support, but also the transportation of signals, nutrients, gases and wastes throughout the body. Connective tissue is the stuff in between that transmits information. The type of connective tissue we will primarily focus on tonight is the fascia – a web-like sweater that provides support by encasing bones, muscles, organs, ligaments, and tendons. We will play with seamlessly connecting one movement to the next.

Voice of the Connective Tissue*
My job is to connect and support in adaptive ways. I am a fibrous fabric sheet that assists you in moving elegantly. Elastic in nature, I control the multi-directional wave of energy flowing along your bones and through your muscles. I transmit movement through your whole body. I support your entire skeleton and make it possible for your bones to float and rest. I vary in design based on the number and density of my fibers. I can be hard, soft, elastic or rigid. In bone, I am hard.

On the surface of muscle, I am heavy. When I embrace and enfold muscle tissue, you know me as your myofascia. You can find me anywhere in the body. I’m even under your skin. Your structure could not function without me.

I lose my flexibility when you become sedentary or when your alignment causes one part of your body to continuously do more than it is designed to do. Keep me healthy by moving in dynamic, functional ways that improve whole body integration.

A reflection of my health can be seen in your body as your shape and contour changes. Constant tension in your body causes me to stiffen, limiting your ability to lengthen and move freely. If you don’t move me, I become thick and bind parts of your body. This limits your whole body’s interaction and mobility. Moving connective tissue with Dynamic Ease and Systemic Sensation keeps my support elastic. I change in response to movement.

Visualize me as an organized, but irregular spider web, the score upon which the musical notes of your movements are written to create a symphony of bone, muscle, and organ system sounds whose tones resonate fluidity, balance and harmony.

Class begins at 5:00pm at the Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood.  Come experience seamless systemic movement.

*From www.Nianow.com

Canta Debut!

I will be teaching a brand new routine tonight called "Canta."

Tonight we will be playing with the energy of Aikido. In Aikido, we use spirals, circular movements, our breath, the hara (moving from our center), and we extend our energy into space with ease instead of force.

Aikido means; "Ai" to meet, "Ki" spirit, and "Do" the way. In other words, Aikido is the way of harmony. It is the way of the peaceful warrior.

According to George Leonard, an Aikido master that the Nia co-founders encountered as they learned this movement modality: Aikido is best understood through the word G-R-A-C-E.

G - ground before you move.
R - relax to efficiently and effectively respond.
A - awareness is the way to perceive everything in order to make a decision and take action.
C - center, touch your center, find it, stay with it and listen to it.
E - energy, use chi energy to direct your attention; energy follows attention.

Join me at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in dancing the dance of the peaceful warrior(ess') with GRACE.