Nia: Following a spiritual path to fitness

By Ellen Mahoney

      "We must explore ourselves through the gift of a body. We must open to life within us and sense, unearthing the treasures we have forgotten and  awakening our remembering of what it feels like to be free." - Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas

      If an energetic, spiritual sweat appeals to you, Nia might be your ticket to fitness. Nia (nee'-uh), an acronym for Neuromuscular Integrative Action, is a holistic exercise regimen devoted to physical fitness and creative and emotional expression. Unlike typical forms of aerobic exercise, Nia aims at engaging not only the body, but also the mind and spirit.

      And if that doesn't appeal to you, the high-energy, elegantly choreographed moves of Nia certainly will. Reminiscent of the lithe gymnastics in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Nia speaks to the dancer in all of us-especially fitness enthusiasts who are looking for something other than the up-down movements of step classes, or the intense, staccato moves of kickboxing.

      I'll never forget my first Nia experience. It was class time and I stood barefoot with rows of other students in front of the instructor and an enormous wall of mirrors. For a moment, I pondered my extensive to-do list and all the life stuff on my reality plate. Then the instructor turned up the music, and something changed.

      As the music filled the room, the instructor began to move like a graceful dancer. I watched carefully and began to follow. At first I was a bit hesitant, but I soon began to fall into step and move to the beat with everyone. I loved it immediately.

      As I danced, I was only slightly aware of the others in the room. And before I knew it, a rousing 60 minutes had passed, and I was more exhilarated than I'd ever been after an "exercise" routine. Most of all, I was sure of one thing-I had just lost myself in the magic of music and movement.

      Nia was founded by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas of Portland , Oregon more than 20 years ago. The acronym originally stood for "non-impact aerobics," but the term didn't capture the essence of what these two long-time fitness instructors wanted to design: A dynamic, kinesthetic exercise routine that would foster a relationship between fitness and overall wellness.

      "We created Nia because we were looking for a way to give students more than a cardiovascular workout in one hour," says Carlos. "We wanted to create a program that would heal and strengthen without compromising or injuring the body, and one that would condition and create positive results in people's bodies, minds, emotions and spirit."

      One important element of Nia is that, unlike aerobics or other forms of exercise, it's done barefoot. "Once we took off our shoes, we realized how cut off we had been from sensation," says Debbie. "And once we started moving, not exercising, we discovered how little we really knew about moving. These two motivating factors created a goal of developing a program with choreography safe enough to be performed in bare feet."

      Many people who want to work out on a regular basis enjoy Nia because of the lively, inspirational music used during routines and the upbeat, dance-like sequences that sometimes have a surreal quality. This may all sound complicated, but for the most part, newcomers to Nia are able to follow along and participate for the entire hour's worth of physical fitness. In addition, classes offer three different levels for every movement, with level one being the least intense.

      Nia was designed to stimulate the flow of energy throughout the body. In developing the routines, Debbie and Carlos wove together different movements, concepts and theories from Eastern and Western cultures. Specifically, the Nia routines draw from three areas: The dance arts (modern and ethnic), the martial arts and the healing arts. Nia participants may not know it, but when they move and sway across the room, they're using movements from disciplines such as yoga, tai chi, tae kwon do and aikido, as well as dance moves like the jazz square, the grapevine, and the cha cha. And once you're lost in the routine, it all blends seamlessly, effortlessly, into a graceful, holistic dance unlike any other exercise program.

      Nia also relies heavily on imagery and expression such as beating an invisible drum with your hands, swinging swords (a la "Crouching Tiger"), painting rainbows or chopping wood. Instructors often call out metaphorical chants such as, "Release yourself to the earth," "Reach for the stars," "Sweep the clouds with your fingertips," or "Feel a long, beautiful tail swaying behind you as you move." In addition to the follow-the-instructor portions of the class, there's also what's called free dance (one or more five to 10 minute intervals) where students make up their own dances, often closing their eyes and independently moving to the music. The goal is to enhance creativity, expression, and fluidity while moving to a wide variety of inspirational, eclectic music ranging from Celtic and world beat to pop, oldies and jazz.

      Like many fitness programs, Nia is structured with a warm-up, an invigorating workout, and then a cool down. Class members face the instructor who stands at the front of an open studio area with a mike and sound system. Most people wear yoga-type clothing-loose pants, tank tops or T-shirts-but many Nia instructors encourage their students to be more creative in their choice of attire. It's not uncommon to find Nia participants swirling around the room in flowing skirts or velvet tops.

       The Nia program is designed to benefit the body with traditional cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, strength and balance, and it also incorporates healing on the level of mind and spirit, with stress reduction, emotional release, centering and grounding, endurance and relaxation. There's also a great deal of emphasis on being mindful of the body and establishing a stable, centered position within the pelvic area, as well as the legs, knees, ankles, and feet.

      Nia is accredited by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and is offered by fitness and health practitioners throughout the United States , Germany , Sweden , New Zealand , Mexico , and Canada . You can find classes in most fitness and health clubs, as well as some martial arts and wellness centers, college physical education and dance departments.

 

Resources, local and beyond

To find out more about Nia, try the following:

. The Fitness Instinct by Peg Jordan (Rodale, 1999)

. Mind, Body, Fitness for Dummies by Therese Iknoian (IDG Books Worldwide, 2001)

. Non-Impact Aerobics by Debbie and Carlos Rosas with Katherine Martin (Villard Books, 1987)

. A Woman's Book of Power by Karen Andes (Berkeley Publishing Group, 1998)

. www.bodytrends.com

. www.mindbodyconnection.net

. www.nia-nia.com (comprehensive website with numerous Nia links)