Designed to improve the body’s strength, agility, flexibility, mobility and stability, Nia helps students work from a place of dynamic control and balance. People of all fitness levels, body types, ages and abilities can find themselves enjoying this whole body exercise. Through organic, joyful movement, it encourages students to develop a deeper relationship with their body, mind and their spirit.
A hybrid of East meets West, Nia offers a Yin and Yang of fitness—combining moves that are soft and fluid with those which are powerful and direct. Students may experience the explosive precision of tae kwon do and the calming, grounding effects of tai chi in a single session. This dynamic approach benefits the nervous system, keeps students alert, flexible, and agile, while adding fun and movement variety to every class. The use of diverse music (e.g., world beat, techno, tribal, pop) awakens and enlivens the emotions, while guided imagery used in class—moving like water, rooting like a tree, pushing clouds apart—engages the imagination.

Modern dance, Duncan dance, and Jazz moves make up the Dance Arts component of Nia. Modern dance lends Nia the body’s ability to play with balance and make abstract shapes. Duncan dance inspires free-spirited, graceful whole-body movement. The Jazz component of Nia invites spontaneous expression and theatrical spunk.

The healing arts, including yoga, Feldenkrais and Alexander Technique, are also integral to Nia. Yoga inspires breathing consciously, opening, lengthening and seeking balance by sensing bone and joint alignment. Feldenkrais reminds students to connect to body sensations, in motion and in stillness. Alexander Technique offers alignment, awareness and relaxed movement.

Elements from three martial art modalities are incorporated into Nia, including tae kwon do, tai chi and aikido. Tae kwon do encourages students to practice precision with organic skill. “The slow dance,” tai chi offers students grounded, meditative movement. Harmonious spirals and continuity are aikido’s gift to Nia.

In addition to ongoing energizing and healing classes, Nia is used in myriad special applications and populations to empower all kinds of people, including classes with active older adults, people in recovery, for children, those with impaired systems or injuries, as cross training for athletes, and many others. To find out if Nia is for you, put on some upbeat music and try these moves yourself!
Dancing through life with Nia for a decade, Maureen Jablinske invites you to visit her classes at

Mbody and to treat yourself to Nia’s dynamic co-creators, Debbie and Carlos Rosas, in early October. To find out more, visit www.mbody.net, www.nia-nia.com, or call 800-762-5762.

Back to New Life Journal..