Learning about your body and yourself is essential for personal growth and transformation. Use this page and its links to educate yourself whenever it inspires you!

This section is updated regularly and complements the articles from Nianow.com
http://www.nianow.com/stories/2010-course-of-study

Nia Training in belts (White, Green, Blue, Brown or Black) and other Nia Intensive courses: These training courses are designed to help you deepen your personal practice and understanding of the Nia technique. Please follow link to find out more:
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FOCUS OF THIS MONTH NIA COURSE WITH ISABELLE:  March - April 2011

NIA PRINCIPLE 5: AWARENESS

From the moment you open your eyes and get out of bed to the moment you go back to sleep, every action and gesture can be a conscious act of pleasure.

DANCING THROUGH LIFE

While most exercise programs end when you leave the gym, this is when Nia really begins. The fact is, we live most of our lives outside the gym. One of the most important philosophies we teach in Nia is Dancing Through Life. This means carrying all the healthy movement choices we practice in Nia classes into each moment of our day.

In Nia, dancing is not solely reserved for when music is playing; it is any movement our bodies make. Ultimately, dancing is not even something we “do” - it is what we are! The dance of life is not confined to any specific place or time. It requires the largest possible stage: life itself.
The fundamental practice of Dancing Through Life is simply paying attention to the moments of “doing” throughout your day and sensing each movement as a dance.

Dancing Through Life is movement as pleasure. It is Nia’s prescription for enjoying life in a human body. It actively integrates healthy movements into every aspect of living, from mundane activities to the sublime. Dancing Through Life includes washing dishes, mowing the lawn, taking a test, making love. It is not about what you do, but how you feel when you do it - and your awareness of the sensations of life in a body.

As you learn to Dance Through Life, your awareness will naturally grow. You will become aware of your breath surging in and out of the stillness between breaths. Awareness is one of the greatest gifts of living in a body. It is also a tool, one that empowers you to improve the way you move, to choose pleasure over pain; to live The Body’s Way.
The conscious awareness that comes from Dancing Through Life teaches us to let go of the unconscious impulses that often rule our lives. We stop “sleepwalking” through our short stay on this earth and begin to wake up. Instead of being driven by habits, we begin to turn our responses into conscious, intentional actions.

So how do you begin to Dance Through Life? Simply put: You choose to be alive in your body, rather than divorced from it. When you make this choice, you connect not just to your body, but to the entirety of your existence and to the earth itself, upon which your life is unfolding.

As you become more in tune with the sensations of your body, mind, emotions and spirit, you will experience the sensation of union among these four basic elements. We refer to this union as the “nexus of cooperation.” Cooperation is more than just an abstract reference; it is an actual, physical sensation, difficult to describe, but unmistakable once you’ve experienced it. It is, to some extent, similar to the feeling of comfort and confidence that people experience when they are “in the zone,” or in a state of “flow.”

When you begin applying Nia techniques to live in whole-being cooperation, your body will naturally guide you toward balance, awareness, healthy movement and inspiration. Your body itself will show you how to dance through life and reclaim the perfection that is within you every moment.

Just as our attitudes affect our bodies, our bodies influence our attitudes. When your body becomes fully alive and aware, you begin to discover mental and emotional strengths you may never have tapped into before. This self-awareness brings a powerful sense of ease, even in the most dynamic of movements and moments.

Growing into a higher physical and mental state of awareness is an ongoing practice. It involves consciously integrating Nia techniques into your
everyday life - and the rewards for this work can be astonishing. With dedication, you will be able to achieve the state of connected physical grace, or “body wisdom,” that leads to your highest physical, mental and emotional functioning. If you work with Nia consistently and efficiently, this achievement will not only be possible, it will be virtually inevitable.

Previous course focus:
Nia principle #4: “Free Dance”... Stimulating movement creativity.

FreeDance is one of the underlying foundations for
exploring the body and self through Nia. It ignites your
desire to learn more about who you are – and who you
can be – by encouraging you to move differently, listen
to music more intimately and deeply connect to your
emotions. The eight stages of FreeDance provide a safe
environment where you are encouraged to be yourself,
feeding your mind and body’s appetite for discovery,
expression, spontaneity and improvisation.
FreeDance develops an expanded movement
vocabulary for creative, body-centered choreography. It
provides the space to develop an intimate relationship
with music and your own authentic movement.
Witnessing yourself in FreeDance helps you break
through old habits by releasing limitations and fears.
FreeDance emerged spontaneously. Our bodies seemed
to move and dance all by themselves, seduced by the
sounds we heard and sensed. The music called us to
reach, shake, extend, and pause, inviting us to move
without controlling our expression. The experience of
dancing without manipulating or censoring our dance
gave us more energy. Our bodies felt lighter.
FreeDance helped us to move in ways we never had
before; it expanded our expression vocabulary to
include gesture, mime, stillness, shapes, attitudes,
personality, archetype, character, play, and more.

Previous Focus:
Nia Principle #1: “The Joy of Movement”...Tapping into Universal Joy

“Allow yourself to trust joy and embrace it. You will find that you dance with everything.”
Emerson
The Joy of Movement is different than personal enjoyment. It is what we call Universal
Joy, which is sensed as a unique quality of aliveness. It is an attitude that stops resisting
and embraces the reality of what is. It involves moving with the body in such a way as
to create more joy and pleasure, sustaining Joy as the context, the background, in which
the contents, or foreground, of your life and dance arises. When you allow this seed of
light to sprout in you, when you feel held, connected and supported by pleasure you
have a context in which to place the dance of your life. Focus on the details of your life
and dance and step into the sensation of The Joy of Movement.
In Nia we use a daily focus to pay attention. We focus on one thing to become body
aware. A focus is designed to expand your experience and teach you something. A
focus is used to enhance benefits. Use these focus tips to stimulate and awaken in you,
the sensation of The Joy of Movement.

Focus On
• Using your voice as you move

• Using your fingers and hands to
  express emotions

• Leading your head movements by
  using your eyes to look and see

• Using all 13 joints to move
  energy

• Integrating the 9 Movement
  form energies into your dance
  and life

• Moving in your own Natural
  Time Way

• Using Imagination to stimulate
  an interactive and moving conversation
  with your body

• Tapping into the voice of the
  Body Sensation

My Classes

Saturdays 11:00am - 12.30.am (Once a month)

Rochdale - True Serenity, Centre for Holistic Excellence, Blue Pit Mill, Queensway, Castleton, Rochdale, OL11 2PG

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Fridays 11:00am - 12.30am

Todmorden - Dawn Chapman Dance School, St John Ambulance Hall, Victoria Road, Todmorden, OL14 5LP

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Wednesdays 8:00pm - 9.30pm

Littleborough Cricket Club - off Calderbrook road - Littleborough - Lancashire

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Wednesdays 10:00am - 11.30am

Hebden Bridge - Waterside Gym, Valley Road (opposite the medical centre)

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Mondays 6.15pm - 7.20pm

Hebden Bridge - Hope baptist Church - New rd (entrance on cheetham st at the back) - HX7 8EU

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My Events

Thursday 17th March 2011

7.00pm - 9.00pm (Doors open at 6.45pm)

Richmond Hall - Trafford suite - Lomax st - Rochdale - OL12 0JR

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?cid=3322023932546612523&q=Richmond+Hall+Function+Rooms,+Rochdale&hl=en&sll=53.622677,-2.153695&sspn=0.013916,0.011033&ie=UTF8&ll=53.630873,-2.173018&spn=0,0&z=15

How about Dancing knowing that…you would be supporting sick children!
This is exactly what we will be doing on 17th March in Rochdale at our “DANCE TO GIVE” massive charity event.

100% in aid of Rochdale’s Childrens Community Team

—- Supporting Children with Life Limiting Long Conditions—-

The Rochdale children’s community team is based at Rochdale’s infirmary and supports children (and their families)with Life limiting long conditions such as all type of cancer and other devastating conditions…Families in a situation that no one wishes!
ALL the proceeds will go to the charity.

Ticket: £5

Nia Dance – “Love Your Body, Love Your Life”
Nia is a movement form for ALL: all ages, all fitness level, all sizes, all state of health and all personalities. Done barefoot to diverse and inspiring music, Nia is a transformational movement practice that teaches you to be more JOYFUL, EXPRESSIVE and ALIVE.
Nia is holistic, engaging your body, mind, emotions and spirit.…and most of all Nia is FUN!

“I am hoping that some of the staff from the charity will be taking part.
I intend for this event to be nothing less than inspiring, empowering and healing for all, using our bodies and the JOY of movement to create miracles!
Tell everyone to wear comfortable clothes, of their favourite colour, shape and texture…(optional: using scarves, skirts and belts to dress it up) –
Nia is about feeling your best as you move!
Also tell everyone to bring a bottle of water. The bar will be open at 9pm after the session for people to stay and mingle.
My heart and my Happy Feet can’t wait to be there and share with you and your friends what promises to be a meaningful and Joyful Unique experience.

Dancing through Life with Isabelle Walker

For tickets contact:          
HEART2HEART4LIFE LTD -  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  -    http://www.heart2heart4life.co.uk
Tel:+44(0)77 88 62 63 63   -  Dry Dock Mill, New Road, Dearnley, Littleborough OL15 8LX England

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