Nia Black Belt Training

Ann Christiansen

“For me, Nia is an exhilarating culmination of the joys I have pursued throughout my life – movement, music, healing, world cultures, and connecting to humanity. Nia has given me the opportunity to fulfill my life’s purpose as a Sacred Athlete and guide to healing. As a Nia teacher and trainer, I inspire people all over the world to enhance their life experience with Music, Movement, and Magic. Nia invites everybody to love and accept themselves fully, and to develop their full potential.” - Ann Christiansen

My path to becoming a Nia trainer can be traced back to my early passion for swimming. Growing up on the west coast of Sweden, I spent entire days playing in the ocean, enjoying a sense of comfort and delight in my body and oneness with the world. My dedication to swimming opened doors to travel, adventure, and deep appreciation for athleticism and the human body. In 1984 I had the honor of swimming in the Los Angeles Olympic Games and in the European & World Championships. In 1998 I became a World Champion in masters swimming in the 400 and 800 freestyle, and in the 400 IM.

Following the 1984 Olympics, I enjoyed a modeling career that took me around the world to Paris, Milan, Zürich, Hamburg and Tokyo where I lived for five years, from 1987-1992. There I taught swimming, wrote four books on swimming techniques and hosted a weekly TV show.

After returning to Europe, I began to study applied kinesiology, massage therapy and alternative healing techniques covering subjects like sound therapy, 7-Chi.keys, chakra balancing, and nutritional kinesiology to mention a few. I also had a ten-year career as a physical therapist, serving on the staff of the Swedish National Swim Team between 1996-1997.

Little did I know that my Olympic swimming career and subsequent study of kinesiology, physiology, and energy healing would all be excellent preparation for my first encounter with Nia! I experienced my first Nia class in 1997 and though I did not know what to expect, I immediately sensed a fusion of all of my learning and interests up to that point. The intelligence and depth with which The Nia Technique connects body, mind, emotions and spirit felt amazing. I knew I wanted to dive in.

The following year I experienced the life-changing Nia White Belt Intensive, and immediately began teaching. My vision was to share and grow Nia in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and throughout Europe. Though I had no previous experience leading group activities of this kind, I was excited to guide people in a class where they could be seduced by the music, and to experience physical fitness with emotional expression. The beauty of Nia is that it conditions your whole being – not just your body.

In 2001 I received my Nia Black Belt, and in 2003 I became a Nia Trainer. I am now certified to teach all five belt levels of the Nia educational system: White, Green, Blue, Brown and Black. In 2008 the Nia co-founders, Debbie Rosas and Carlos Aya Rosas selected me as the first Nia Teacher of the Year.In 2013 the first All Star Sacred Athlete Award. 

Ann currently shares the magic of Nia with communities worldwide, offering Nia Intensive Trainings and classes in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, South Africa, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, UK, Italy, Australia, and Bahrain.

"Nia inspires me to continue on a personal journey of self-discovery, self actualization and healing. For me, learning is one of the most exciting journeys and being in a body is one of the most poetic and romantic experiences. I thrive on educating, motivating and inspiring people to fall in love with themselves and their bodies. To me, life is my art and my body is the canvas."  – Debbie Rosas

Dedicated lifelong to self-healing and self-mastery, Debbie Rosas has been a pioneer and leader in the body-mind fitness industry since 1976. Her extensive exploration of dance, martial arts, fine arts, music, therapy and healing work inspired and developed into the creation of the internationally acclaimed body-mind fitness program and lifestyle company, Nia Technique, Inc. Debbie’s work also includes the writing and production of Nia® educational materials and lifestyle products, such as music, DVDs and the NiaWear™clothing line. Together with creative partner Carlos Rosas, Debbie has co-authored two books, Non-Impact Aerobics and The Nia Technique™, as well as the “Holistic Fitness” section of the AFAA Instructor Training Manual. 

Nia brings concepts and forms from Eastern and Western practices into mainstream fitness classes and has been instrumental in the evolution of the fitness industry, opening doors to more esoteric disciplines such as Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. Today, Nia Technique, Inc. is a thriving business supporting approximately 2,200 Licensed Nia Teachers across 38 countries.

In constant exploration of Nia's philosophy, The Body’s Way, Debbie continues to develop educational curriculum to facilitate optimal health and wellbeing. In addition to the Nia body of work, she has played a key role in developing programs for doctors at The Naturopathic School of Medicine, women, teen departments at Shriner’s Hospital and arthritis and autism departments at Oregon Health and Sciences University. Adored by the press, Debbie and Nia have been featured in over 850 publications and numerous television shows worldwide. Debbie served on the Mind•Body Committee for the IDEA Health and Fitness Association and has presented at IDEA World and Inner IDEA Fitness Conventions, IRSA, The Northwest Fitness Summit, The National Wellness Conference, Whole Life Expo, International Spa and Fitness Association, Science and Consciousness Convention, Sound Healers Convention, Mind Body Convention, OHSU, Fireman’s Fund and at Lucas Films.

Debbie currently travels worldwide, offering workshops, Master Classes, Nia Training and Licensing to communities across the globe, stopping regularly to teach and train in Portland, Oregon, home of StudioNia and Nia International Headquarters.

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