As a naturalistic learner, my path of movement is intrinsically related to nature. My Nia path started while finishing up graduate school at the University of Western Ontario in 2006. Feeling a strong connection to the wilderness I observed on the outskirts of the city in London, I felt the relationship with my body and its place within the natural sights that I was surrounded with. I stepped into my first Nia class with an urge to shake off worries and to move. I felt a great sense of connectedness; like I was giving my body the opportunity to explore its own kinaesthetic comfort and joy. Nia combined three important things: my love for dance, my passion for understanding authentic movement and my need to engage in my life purpose. With Nia, I gave my body the opportunity to move authentically and organically and that brought me a great sense of amazement and bliss. I felt like a little girl again with the excitement I found originally on my ballet and dance trainings during my childhood and before I left those aside. I felt like I was reconnected to my true and original purpose in this lifetime which is to be a dancer and to share my learning with others.

I did my white belt training the year after in Toronto with Roberta Mohler and started teaching Nia at the YWCA in Parry Sound, the opportunity came to teach and move in a natural setting where I could explore my movement with nature. Lots of insights came from that experience. I began to journal my outdoor Nia experiences and my sharing with students. There was an added on therapeutic aspect to having some classes taught outdoors. I added on games and meditations to my teaching, it was a very insightful time for me.

Coming back to the city I temporarily taught in different studios and independently performed as an expressive dancer, it was the time to share my progress. After I was done graduate school, I then decided it was time further explore teaching in a natural setting. These periods of exploration, gave me an urge to reconnect to my roots and to go back to my country of birth, Peru. I was hired as an ESL teacher in a rural area north of Lima.

The Nia path in Peru so far has been to apply some Nia exercises to the classroom but more so, to engage in a further Nia training myself and to continue on to explore the connection of my body to nature. Surrounded by endless beaches, desserts and forests the bond to Nia has grown deeper and I have had a time to further my notion of movement and my purpose. I am thankful that Nia is here for me all the time showing me the transformational aspects of life and holding me together to receive and share laws of: wellbeing, hope, joy, bliss and infinity. This summer of 2011, I taught Nia in Parry Sound, Ontario again and right after, I went to Portland for my Blue Belt training.  I am currently in Lima, preparing to open a studio! Stay tuned! :)

Pd. My new profile pic is a courtesy of MopoArt! Aaaamazing :)