Nia | A sensory-based movement practice that leads to health, wellness and fitness

A lot is happening at StudioNia – the studio at Nia International Headquarters in Portland, Oregon. As part of the three-day kickoff event for a new ten-month program led by Debbie Rosas, this short movement break featuring aspiring Next Generation Trainers is a necessary pause in the midst of all the Nia excitment.

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How the demand for a more meaningful and complete approach to wellness is being met by a growing movement lifestyle practice

By: Nia
Published August 9, 2010

Nia is making it easier than ever to live a healthy, fulfilling life thanks to its Next Generation Trainer Program.... Read more

Unleashing Feeling, Healing and Expression with White Belt Principle 8

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published July 27, 2010

Jennifer Hicks, Nia Technique

When you watch a Nia class, it is clear every person is bringing something unique to the dance. Yes, the choreography is the same, yet each pelvis, chest and head seems to be dancing to a different drum. You see people expressing thoughts and feelings from a deep and empowering place – from the inside out. Everyone is dancing in their own way, in their body’s way.

When given the freedom to move and space to explore what feels pleasurable, a body will always move in The Body’s Way. As a teacher, knowing this gives me great confidence. If I ask my students to move and listen to their bodies – by always choosing pleasure and comfort – I can trust they will move safely and efficiently. I can trust ...

The Nia Technique, featured in "Moods Magazine," is credited with being an integral part of wellness plan for bipolar disorder and anorexia

By: Nia
Published July 8, 2010

Helen, Holly and Ann Square

In the Spring 2010 issue of Moods Magazine, Nia is described as a “mood stabilizer” by Speech-Language Pathologist Jennifer Hicks, who has bipolar disorder.

“I have learned to manage my bipolar disorder. Yes, I need medication and psychotherapy, but there’s more to my wellness plan. I use Nia — a fitness practice which not only offers me physical fitness, but also a lifestyle, and now a profession,” says Jennifer.

In addition to being a speech-language pathologist, Jennifer is a Nia Brown Belt. She teaches dynamic, free-spirited Nia classes in Toronto, Canada.

“My secret to maintaining stability in my l...

Upcoming Nia Green Belt Trainings with Helen Terry, Ann Christiansen and Holly Curtis Nastasi

By: Nia
Published July 1, 2010

Ten Nia Green Belt Trainings are now open for registration. Nia Trainer Helen Terry will be hosting four of these trainings at RanchONia, the new residential Nia training facility in Montgomery, Texas. The first is scheduled to begin August 1, 2010, and the second will start on November 7, 2010. The following two will take place next year beginning on February 19, 2011 and November 16, 2011. Helen will also be offering Green Belt Trainings in Sussex, UK on April 10th - 14th, 2011 and in Charlottesville, VA on October 9th - 13th, 2011. All Green Belt Trainings are five days in durat...

Riding the Wave of Principle 7: Three Planes of Movement and Intensity Levels

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published June 29, 2010

I'm lucky I do Nia; I get to enjoy my body and life in "peak" experiences every day. Nia has taught me how to engage with my body so that everything I do – how I move, think and feel – results in "peak experience" sensations that help me stay fit, healthy and well. Nia reminds me to live in my body consciously and to sense the experience of life: of my body, of love, of my self and the world I live in.

Nia's approach to science is based on the body, which is why we call it The Body's Way. This is a method of observing the natural design of the body and using it as a guide that illustrates the correct way to use our body the way it was designed to be used. When we follow T...

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Nia Co-Creator Debbie Rosas Stewart embarks on European tour to teach Nia classes and workshops internationally

By: Nia
Published June 23, 2010

Debbie & Carlos at Headquarters

Debbie Rosas Stewart is traveling to Stockholm, Amsterdam, London, Hamburg, Budapest, Paris and Rome to teach a series of Nia classes and workshops in July.

“After 26 years, I’m still thrilled to share Nia with people around the world. I marvel at how healthy and beautiful I feel, at the age of 60, from dancing in conscious, loving and creative ways,” says Debbie.

From July 2 – 3rd, Debbie will be in London, UK teaching at InterChange Studios. Then from July 10 – 11th, she will be in Hamburg, Germany at Kyodo Dojo. Her next stop is in Budapest, Hungary on July 13th at Montevideo Wellness. Debbie’s final two destinations – Paris, France and Rome, Italy – will cap off...

Brown Belt Training at Nia International Headquarters in Portland, Oregon

By: Nia
Published June 22, 2010

Nia continues to make a lasting impact on the way we feel and live with its Brown Belt Training this week. Led by Nia Co-Founders Debbie Rosas Stewart and Carlos AyaRosas, this seven-day training is the third level of education in a multi-level series.

"The Nia Brown Belt Training focuses specifically on teaching students to harness and direct energy within the body to create the life they've always wanted. We focus on 13 principles that explore energy as a physical, mental and emotional tool for personal and professional growth. This training is part of an integrated approach to helping athletes, gym-haters, mothers, fathers, and young adults alike develop loving relationships with their bo...

Nia's Answer to Stability—Naked Feet

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published June 2, 2010

I thought a lot about what to discuss for this month's focus, White Belt Principle 6: The Base of the Body. After much deliberation, I decided to talk about the feet and also to share part of Nia's history with information from our first book from 1987. This book introduced our crazy notion of working out in bare feet and eliminating the high-impact jumping and jogging of popular aerobics. It was all about stability and comfort – and it ultimately became the foundation of Nia movement.

Back then, our way of moving was not only unique, it was seen as a radical app...

Use Awareness to Create Your Life!

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published April 27, 2010

“What our lives are about is what awareness is.”
—Stanley Keleman

If you go to any self-help workshop, new age gathering, or transformational seminar, you will hear the word "awareness." Awareness is sold as something tangible, something you must acquire – something that will change your life if you do manage to get it. Awareness is often marketed as a kind of "snake-oil medicine" that can remedy all, a product that some of us on the truth-seeking path will do just about anything to get our hands on. Why? Because awareness is power. Awareness is exciting, stimulating, transformational and healing. Awareness has the power to rock your world into a...

Maria Skinner Teacher

The Body's Way in My Mother Tongue

By: Maria Skinner, Nia Black Belt Teacher
Published April 27, 2010

Guest Story

I just had to share this wonderful story from Maria Skinner, who wrote me to share yet another inspiring story about how Nia is bringing love, pleasure and health to people’s lives around the world.

Love,
Debbie

April 18, 2010

Hi Debbie,

I wanted to share this really cool experience I had last weekend.

I have been teaching Nia at the Lowell Hospital Bariatric Clinic since last May. Most of my students have either had the bariatric surgery or are awaiting it. Some of them are big people, some of them are have lost over 100 pounds. And they LOVE Nia. I learned last week that the Nia class has been the only exercise class...

FreeDance Your Passion

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published March 30, 2010

studionia event: karri winn 3x13 flyer

“When we know that the transmission of experience is somatic, we can see how to find our way back to a somatic reference. It brings another body into existence. This mimics creation. From our body’s deep desires, tissue consciousness grows. The body communicates it in stories we call myth."

—Stanley Keleman, Myth & the Body

I love so many things about Nia and one of my favorite practices is something we do called FreeDance. Unlike the structure of what many people imagine as "dance," FreeDance is rooted in freedom, providing you with a way to play with movement, music and emotion. The result, time and again, is the endless discovery of new ways to move your b...

Jeff Laugh Closeup

You Never Know the End of the Story

By: Jeff Stewart
Published March 30, 2010

From the CEO

I have just returned from a trip to Israel. My visit was to gain a better understanding of the country – its people, its culture. The primary function of Nia "The Business" is to support Nia teachers. I have long recognized that each market is unique, regardless of people's commonality to share their passion for Nia and their love of movement. Nia teachers all have similar goals and challenges but this commonality in no way provides a cookie-cutter path to success. Los Angeles and New York might as well be different countries, sharing little in terms of culture other than language. Put Fairfield, Iowa in the mix and it is easy to see the vast variety of dynamics faced by the well-intentioned Nia teacher. Nia is now...

3x13 Triptych: The Art of Sensation - A StudioNia Special Event

By: Karri Winn
Published March 30, 2010

Guest Story

The Art of Sensation, a three-part event, is a story about living into my greatness and  sharing my gifts with the world. It is an  expression of love - for my body, for the gift of life, for my beautiful  friends, my amazing teachers, Nia, my community,  my ancestors and the opportunity I have every day to learn about myself  by connecting to sensation.

This event is a triptych, a three-part experience that will be lived once in all time,  experienced as smells, sights,  sounds, tastes and movements through our bones, muscles, eyes and feet. In honor of the 40th anniversary of  Earth Day, this event benefits two amazing organizations,  World Pulse and Read more

CED White Belt Triad - Red

Music as My Muse

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published February 23, 2010

From the Founders

"Antonio Stradivari made some of his most beautiful violins from a pile of broken, waterlogged oars he found on the docks of Venice one day. Like the David hiding inside Michelangelo's rough block of marble, or the prophets and sibyls hiding behind the emptiness of wet, freshly prepared fresco walls, in Stradivari's imagination the form of the finished violin was tangibly present in the raw chunks of wood. The fulcrum of the transformation is the mind at play, having nothing to gain and nothing to lose, working and playing around the limits and resistances of the tools we hold in our hands." - Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman

I'd like to say I love music, but the truth is, it's not the music I love but the physical and em...

The Art of Listening

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published February 23, 2010

Just as listening is key to any human relationship, music is no different; we have a relationship with music. The more we learn to listen to it, the better we can communicate with anything--and for those of us of us who dance, the better we can dance.

Like another person, investing your total attention in music will deepen your relationship, making it possible to intimately know the unique personality of the "other," of the song. Each song is different; each has its own unique beat, instrumentation, structure and surprises. I can assure you, learning to listen to music with more than my ears, with my entire body, has made me a much better communicator with people.

The art of listening is the art of hearing; hear...

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RAW and the 8BC Music System

By: Debbie Rosas Stewart
Published February 23, 2010

RAW stands for the state of being in a Relaxed body, Alert mind and Waiting spirit. This is the practice we use to listen with full attention by creating a state of "no inner dialogue." In RAW, you are not distracted by thoughts, desires, likes or dislikes; you are in a place of internal silence--physically, psychologically and emotionally.

Relaxed refers to the body, either standing or sitting, with an upright spine. Your chakra centers are aligned and open. Relaxed is marked by an absence of tension in your body.

Alert refers to the mind and means that while your body is relaxed, your mind is not sleepy. Instead, your mind is alert--not preoccupied with thoughts or ...

By:
Published February 13, 2010

Creating A Sacred Livelihood Scroll

I am the voice of Creating a Sacred Livelihood. My universal wisdom comes from knowing that you and the body are a gift. I am coded to inspire and direct you – and your body – to do that which will fulfill you in deep and meaningful ways. You will find me when you connect to your spirit and when you listen to your heart, reminding you of what you are here to do. I am never far from you.

Creative and sacred, we are designed to manifest greatness in the world. Doing is of utmost importance, as “doing” in your life is how you discover the right path, your purpose. Listen to your desires. Feel them deep from within the core of your body. Recognize and acknowledge this ache as a call to manifest your gre...

Creating Your Sacred Livelihood Scroll

By: Nia
Published February 13, 2010

Use this scroll to help you explore and Create Your Sacred Livelihood.

The file is a PDF designed to be printed on both sides of a blank legal size (8 1/2" x 14") piece of paper.

Cleaning Out The Closet

By: Jeff Stewart | January 26, 2010

From the CEO

Hi all! I am feeling very humbled and at the same time thankful. The world feels to me as if it is very unsettled. Normal world issues seem to be larger and I am grateful that I am standing on the foundation of our Nia community. Our connectedness is grounding... Read more

Inventing The Rest of Our Lives

By: Debbie Rosas | December 21, 2009

From the Heart

"When it's over, I want to say I have been a bride married to amazement, I've been a bridegroom taking the world into my arms." — Mary Oliver

Creating our Sacred Livelihood

By: Jeff Stewart | December 21, 2009

From the CEO

WOW what a year! Not that I should be surprised; life at Nia is always exciting and ever evolving. I have a huge appreciation in my heart for all of you, for your continued support of Nia and for all you do to share the powerful and transformative medicine of... Read more

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Teacher of the Year 2009

By: Debbie Rosas | December 21, 2009

Years ago, futurist and author of the book Age Wave, Ken Dychtwald, claimed the future would be driven by “the most amazing women our country has ever seen.” He claimed these women would hold the most complex of lives

The Big Carlos Toast

By: | December 21, 2009