JOY
Nia is a fusion movement practice that combines elements of dance, martial arts, healing and other therapeutic practices such as yoga. Nia embodies HOLISTIC fitness - it empowers people of all shapes, sizes and ages to safely and mindfully connect to, condition and self-heal not only their bodies, but also their minds, emotions and spirit.
At the core of this profound practice is pleasure. Nia teaches people how to get fit by following the path of pleasure and least resistance rather than pain, suffering and hard work. This is what makes it a long-lasting and sustainable movement practice. In Nia, we don't hurt the body or work against the body. Rather, we learn to inhabit our whole bodies. We listen to our bodies and the voices of sensation, and allow these to guide our movements.
Nia is practiced barefoot to a wide range of musical genres, and combines fun choreography with mindful movement and freedom. Because we encourage people to follow their unique body's way and to honour their personal fitness needs and abilities, each workout is as intense as the individual chooses to make it. Nia can be wild and sweaty, gentle and soothing, playful and liberating, or focused and powerful. A typical class includes a warm-up, sustained non-impact aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, creativity and freedance, floorplay and a cool down.
If you're looking for a way to move in your body that is joyful, inspired and transformative, I invite you to step in and have a taste....
I stepped into my first class with Debbie not knowing what to expect. Little did I know that three years later I would be sitting here writing this testimonial as a devoted student and now teacher of this practice. Debbie was the Big Bang teacher. Her delivery of Nia, her love and devotion to mastering the craft of teaching, her professionalism, her humour, the way she lived Nia both in and out of class, her obvious joy and delight in being with music, with movement....I wanted that! The explosion of that first encounter still echoes within me. Thank you for that Debbie - you altered the course of my life forever.
Mia Thayer, Brown Belt instructor
