Strangechord

One thing that’s helping to preserve my sanity this hectic school term is the Nia class that Jeremy and I are taking every MWF late afternoons. Nia stands for Neuromuscular Integrative Action and is best described as a cross between free-expression dance, martial arts (like tai-chi) and yoga and is done in bare feet. It was developed by Carlos and Debbie Rosas, who live and teach here in Portland, but we don’t take it with them because their Nia studio’s classes are three times more expensive than the ones we’re in. There are over 1000 certified instructors, and I’m as pleased with the current instructor as I was with the one I had at PCC two years ago.

If you’re looking for a highly aerobic and entirely freeing, fun and creative excercise class, I highly recommend Nia - there are classes all over. It’s completely appropriate for women, men, old & young, and at any fitness level. Jeremy really likes it because he can tell it’s working all the little muscles and increasing his flexibility and “flow”. There’s no way I can ever go back to more conventional workout classes with their mechanical movement after something as integrating as this. The degree to which I am calm in my mind and strong in my body in the face of all the work I’m doing is due in large part to these classes.