Nia Provides ‘Something More’ in Dancer’s Life

“Roberta, you’ve got to do Nia! It’s all that you love and do, plus something more!” It was 1995. I was teaching at an exclusive fitness club for women in Toronto, Canada. Helen, one of my favorite Dance & Stretch class students, said those words to me. She had just returned from her third annual visit to the Rancho la Puerta resort in Mexico where she had taken Nia classes from Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, the founders of Nia. Each time she returned from a trip to do Nia at Rancho la Puerta, she raved about Nia to me. She finally got my attention when she described Nia as “something more”, something different than what we already taught at the fitness club.
I had been a modern dance performer and choreographer for 20 years and a fitness teacher for 10 years. I felt that I was doing a good enough job and couldn’t imagine what that “something more” could be. Helen brought me a Nia workout video called Jingo. I watched it. It had great Latin music and the moves were fun. I pulled out all my Latin tunes and created my own mock Nia class, then taught it to Helen and the Dance & Stretch class.
Afterward, I asked Helen, “How was it? How was my first Nia class?” She replied that it was very good, but there was still something missing, that there was something more. That was it. I had to know what the ‘something more’ was. I signed up for the next available Nia White Belt training in Portland, Oregon led by Debbie and Carlos.
September, 1995. I took the training specifically for the purpose of teaching. After all, I was already an experienced fitness teacher. The major thing I gained from the training was that Nia is held in the context of joy, your body’s way and healing through movement. None of my previous training and experience had focussed on those aspects. I was able to ascertain my personal strengths and weaknesses. I was motivated to learn more about martial arts and healing modalities, particularly yoga. I also got to take standard Nia classes with Debbie and Carlos. Their enthusiasm, their skill and their joy of movement were inspirational.
I watched Debbie walk into the room at the beginning of the first class, and I thought to myself, “I’ll have what she’s having”–power, grace, confidence and knowledge. I wanted to be able to offer that empowerment to others. Carlos guided me into my sensations to gain information and move in a variety of ways to begin healing my chronic neck pain. In the past I had combated pain as an enemy. Now I had tools to be kinder to my body and work with it to bring it to excellence. And yes, my neck still lets me know when I’m overdoing or stressing, and yes, I can find ways to heal it.
What was that ‘something more’? It took me a couple more years to really understand. Finally I knew. It was awareness, listening to my body and moving the way my body wanted to move, moving for pleasure. As a dancer I had been trained to do the steps and make the shapes at any cost. I was an expert at ignoring physical and emotional pain signals. I particularly enjoyed that Nia doesn’t make artificial demands on the body the way dancing does. The beauty of Nia became clear for me when I began to teach what I was sensing. I had to really be in my body and guide myself with awareness. I certainly did not want to guide others into a painful, mindless experience. I wanted to share the best that dance, movement, and I had to offer.
I knew I wanted to become a Trainer during my White Belt training. A trainer is someone who not only teaches students, but someone who can facilitate the Belt trainings, an awesome challenge, but one that I was prepared for. I would need to take the Blue, Brown and Black Belt trainings. I plunged into the process, took my Blue Belt training in Martha’s Vineyard, MA with Dani Riposo. It was delightful experience.
1998: My Brown Belt training with Debbie and Carlos in Portland was my most challenging experience, with moments of exquisite clarity regarding the blending of masculine and feminine energy.
1999: the required 13 months later. I took the Black Belt training, once again with Debbie and Carlos in Portland. It definitely helped me break habits with the exciting emphasis on creativity and transformation, and spontaneity.
Two years later, I achieved my dream to become a Trainer. Debbie and Carlos invited 25 people who had expressed clear intent to become trainers to a TRAINING FOR TRAINERS IN Portland, Oregon. The process and commitment was intense, and I was ready for it!
I continue to teach classes, and as a certified Trainer, I have brought over 100 people through the White Belt. Each White Belt group offers me new insights about Nia’s depth and richness. I don’t think of myself as the leader or the expert. I think of myself as another learner who has walked the path many, many times. Sometimes I feel like a ‘Mid-life Midwife’ when I see people rediscovering their creativity, vitality, their juiciness that has been directed into work and family for so long.
It would be wonderful for all my Nia students to take the White Belt training. I know they love Nia already and are reaping lots of benefits, and there is so much more available to them through the White Belt training. I want them, and everyone I know, to have it all!
Nia has helped me to appreciate movement in a whole new way. Now I know that everyone can dance and express their unique life experience. Dance is not just for “dancers”. We can all be artists and expressive movers. I love being in a room full of people ranging in age from 25 to 80, of different dance and fitness levels, all dancing together, sounding, groaning, laughing, and learning from each other.
And yes, Helen, you were so right when you said, “Roberta, you’ve got to do Nia! It’s all that you love and do, plus something more!”