Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering. ~ Steve Maraboli
Never In A Thousand Years…
When I decided to take an intensive Nia white belt course it was clear to me that this was merely another outlet for self-development. Never in a thousand years did I see myself actually teaching Nia!
One evening not long ago my eldest daughter joined my Nia class. I was blown away by what she had to say:
It was strange. Suddenly I saw you in a different light. You practice (Nia) all the time at home. Aba has commented on this in the past and I, as well as everyone else, agree with him that there has been definite improvement in your movement, your grace. Without warning, however, today I saw you in a completely different light! It was like: wow! Where are those moves coming from?! I looked at you and thought there is no way that I will be able to duplicate those moves! I thoroughly enjoyed watching you move and just wanted to sit down and watch.
Nia embodies the joy of movement and is the natural synthesis of movement, nutrition and “the courage to dare” (Naked Nutrition ‘n’ Nia). Nia is delightful movement set to the sounds of rich and diverse music, a fusion of dance arts, martial arts and healing arts. Nia is an authentic multi-sensory experience and a journey to self-healing and empowerment, mind body and soul alike.
Allow me to break away from accepted convention…
You CAN dance!
On the dance floor I always felt completely out of my element. I was hesitant to venture out if the dance was any more than Israeli folk dancing or other dances with fixed choreography. As my luck would have it, my partner’s “dance intelligence” was even less than mine. Our “time cards” were clocked full of flowers; our “dance cards” remained empty, a constant state of “sitting this one out”.
Step In
At the beginning of each Nia class we symbolically "Step In" and take a few steps forward leaving all distractions and worries behind on the sidelines.
As a rule, I do not like to sit on the sidelines. I always disliked watching sports from the sidelines. Why watch? I would rather be playing!
I longed to learn ballroom dancing together with hubby. Almost ten years ago I surprised him on his birthday with an exclusive package of dance lessons. Sometimes my audacity surprises even me! I outdid myself big time! Couch potato days of yesteryear (pre-biking times) was always a challenging time to buy gifts (don’t need anything, don’t want anything). I unabashedly decided to give him a gift that I wanted. I hoped that ultimately it would be a present which we would both enjoy.
In retrospect, I can safely say that this decision opened the door for change. We are not the same people that we were and it is not because of the changing landscapes on our heads… Without a doubt, dance enhanced our connection to one another. Dance, as it sharpened and enhanced our senses, added a heightened level of intimacy and sensuality to our relationship. It wasn’t just on a between him and her level either. There was a change in our interpersonal relationships on all levels. We are more open, happier and more involved socially – not to mention that we dare to step on the dance floor…
The gift of dance was definitely a mutually beneficial one. For me the experience was especially volatile and challenging: would the general be able to follow another’s lead?! Ultimately dance was liberating beyond imagination but it came at a price. The challenge of giving total control to another was daunting to say the least. It took a long time and much practice before I was finally able to let my guard down.
Dance as Therapy?
It is just dance. What is all of the fuss about?
Dance moves us far from our comfort zone and leaves us exposed and bare.
Exposed.
I can recall the child in me. A sweet memory of that six year old child comes to mind. My girlfriend and I jumped in our birthday suits on my bed. Liberation: free movement, flowing and natural, falling up to defy gravity. Not a care in the world. We were not at all occupied with thoughts about what would happen if someone were to see us…
In today’s modern, sterile and cold word human touch is a scarce commodity. A huge chunk of our day is spent gazing into one screen or another. We barely glance at one another, let alone touch.
Dance can add much, not only to sculpt and strengthen our bodies, but to rebalance and reset ourselves back to center.
Dance not just as a hobby but as a tool to:
♦ Improve interpersonal skills
♦ Develop trust
♦ Enhance teamwork
♦ Foster maturity
♦ Bolster self confidence
♦ Advance executive function
♦ Improve focus
♦ Alter self-perception
♦ Gain self-control
In short, dance leaves its mark far past the dance floor! Some inspiring and fascinating applications in the works:
Ballroom dancing in elementary schools: amazing work with an eclectic mix of children
Here in Israel:
Let the numbers talk – frequent dancing can reduce the risk of dementia by a whopping 76%!
Dance to liberate movement, flexibility and control.
