Nia (fitness)

Practice What is Nia? Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that leads to health, wellness and fitness. It empowers people of all shapes and sizes by connecting the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Classes are taken barefoot to soul-stirring music in more than 45 countries. Trainings are designed for those seeking personal enrichment and professional development. Every experience can be adapted to individual needs and abilities. Step into your own joyful journey with Nia, and positively shape the way you feel, look, think and live.

How does Nia work? Nia draws from disciplines of the martial arts, dance arts and healing arts. Every class offers a unique combination of 52 moves that correspond with the main areas of the body: the base, the core and the upper extremities. Stiff beginners and highly fit athletes alike can adapt Nia to meet their needs by choosing from three intensity levels. Consecutive trainings collectively explore 52 principles for personal enrichment and professional development. Read testimonials from people of all ages, backgrounds and locations.

Why was Nia created? Nia’s purpose is to grow a worldwide community of healthy people who are empowered to do great things. We believe every person can discover, explore, unleash and enhance their individual potential to live a fulfilling and meaningful life – by engaging their senses and listening to their bodies. With the right tools and education, we can increase our confidence and happiness. We can become connected to others to shape a consciousness that extends beyond our own. Together we will unearth possibilities never before imagined.

Nia (previously Non-Impact Aerobics, Neuromuscular Integrative Action) is a physical conditioning program based on a premise that movement is a pathway for self-discovery and personal transformation. Nia is intended to deliver cardiovascular aerobic exercise and whole-body conditioning. Nia was created in California 1983 by Debbie Rosas (now Debbie Rosas Stewart) and Carlos Rosas (now Carlos AyaRosas).

Nia is considered a body-mind-spirit exercise like yoga by Inner IDEA http://www.inneridea.com/about-us. Inner IDEA is part of IDEA Health and Fitness Association.

As a movement form, Nia Technique is based on 52 moves (and lots of variations) that integrate movement modalities from dance, martial arts, and healing practices. Nia blends nine movement forms:

Martial Arts	Dance Arts	Healing Arts
t'ai chi	Jazz dance	Feldenkrais method
Tae Kwon Do	Modern dance	Alexander Technique
Aikido	Duncan Dance	Yoga

Nia classes are choreographed and accompanied by a wide variety of music styles "ecclesiastical choral arrangements to technofunk"[1]. Nia is a non-impact form of aerobic dance that is practiced barefoot.

Nia has its headquarters in Portland, Oregon.

References

www.NiaNow.com

External links

• NIA: fitness meets improv. Dance Magazine, Jan, 2005 by Shayna Samuels
• Find Fitness Bliss With NIA, WebMD