Nia is one part movement, one part awareness and a whole lot of fun. But don\'t call it Zumba!

1. BODY & S OU L
The 52 movements that comprise
Nia transcend boundaries of dance,
martial arts and healing.
A Fitness choreographed routines that are fun,
challenging and personally expressive.
says. Nia is a whole body experience that
tantalizes your muscles and stimulates
your senses and leaves you wanting more.
Potion “Nia is like chocolate,” says instructor
Nancy Hammet. “You just have to taste
it.” For many, though, it’s still virtually
You don’t even feel like you are exercising.
It is more about energizing areas that need
High on unknown and hasn’t caught on like the
latest fitness fad, Zumba. For instance,
to be awakened.
The benefits are tremendous. Nia
Emotion there’s only one professional Nia studio in
New Haven County, and it’s Hammet’s.
Sound Mind & Body is located in Milford
stimulates weight loss, strengthens
muscles, improves endurance — all while
relieving stress and providing a sense of
and offers Nia classes four times a week. calm.
Nia: One part movement, But be forewarned, you just might become
one part awareness and a Steeped in spirituality, Nia was first
addicted and leave your Zumba at the founded on the West Coast in 1983 by
whole lot of fun door. Nia is healthy life choice, Hammet then-husband-and-wife fitness team
says, and it’s here to stay. “It is the most Carlos and Debbie Rosas and has since
By Karen Pasacreta physically comprehensive workout spread across the globe. This body-
program I know of,” she says. mind-spirit discipline is now taught in
40 countries by more than 1,750 licensed
A re you ready to learn the secrets
of the pleasure principle? All you
have to do is let your inhibitions go
A Lifestyle Practice
We all need a little something to get us
teachers.
Originally an acronym for Neuromuscular
and dance. No experience required. Get through the day. Nia is the aphrodisiac Integrative Action, Nia incorporates a
your body moving to jazz, funk, Middle offering that special touch — just like combination of nine different movements:
Eastern chants and yes, even disco. It’s chocolate. And once you try it, you keep three dance, three martial arts, and three
all in an incredible exercise called Nia, a coming back for more. Like when Fairfield healing. All work to create fitness through
combination of modern dance, martial resident and former Nia instructor Pam dance with different dance routines. Like
arts and yoga that’s designed to make you Murphy had to quit to make time for yoga, Nia is practiced in bare feet, and
feel good. massage therapy training, she found begins with a warm up of exaggerated
And although all these disciplines may herself craving it. “I just had to have my arm and leg movements all designed to
seem like an odd combination, they are Nia,” Murphy recalls. “So I put it back in jump start your heart rate, loosen up your
blended into beautiful free-flowing arm, my life.” muscles, and promote flexibility. And like
leg and whole-body movements to create the martial arts it incorporates (t’ai chi,
Hammet says that happens often with Nia.
tae kwon do, aikido), instructors need to
“It is the work of body awareness,” she
30 May 2011

2. train for years earning degrees of belts in focused on passion and bringing joy to intelligent, therapeutic, expressive and
order to teach it. your life. “Are you ready to dance today?” fun! But even more, as a lifestyle program,
Presently a brown belt, Hammet began she said as she entered the carpeted room it offers infinite possibilities. Through
her training in 1999. A former dancer, she full of about ten students. For a full Nia, students discover the best in
has used Nia as a way to cope with muscle hour participants smiled and laughed as themselves.”
injuries she developed over the years they sweated to Hammet leading with And that’s why students are encouraged
from working out and sitting at a desk beautiful gestures at three different to go at their own pace, as low- or high-
as a former marketing professional. “Nia learning levels. impact as you need it to be. Nia routines
changed my life,” says Hammet, who Any inhibitions were left at the door with range from a low pace, which keeps your
gave up dance at a young age for a more this group, who weren’t afraid to let their legs on the ground, to picking it up by
practical job. “It allowed me to continue bodies feel and respond to the music. If lifting the legs slightly, to lifting them
with dance in my life.” It also helped heal you wanted to spin around, you spun. higher and adding a bounce in your step.
her injuries and get in touch with inner If you wanted to slide, you slid across A total of 52 movements are distributed
emotions — the kind that come when you the room. If you felt like popping into a among several routines. Some moves are
get older and realize you are not living up penguin dance, you popped. so recognizable you may even feel like you
to your dreams. Nia is about finding your “Nia is about enjoying your body and not are in a chorus line on a Broadway stage
balance. feeling bad about it like some gyms make auditioning for a show — without the
Sandy Giordano knows. Just last year you feel,” says Pam Murphy, who has been anxiety that comes with winning the part.
she lost her job and as an older female, practicing Nia for more than eight years. You are competing with yourself, pushing
she knew finding work would not be “It’s about rewarding yourself for feeling your body to be more coordinated,
easy. Depression set in. “Nia was a lot good.” stretching it a bit further, enduring just
cheaper than going to a psychiatrist,” says Again, the pleasure principle. The a little bit more. But only if it feels right
Giordano. “Nia is joyous. The music is sensation of pleasure is at the heart of that day. It’s a holistic philosophy with
healing.” every Nia practice and gives you access to the benefit being greater than the sum of
a deeper level of self-knowing. With Nia its parts.
Finding a Focus you find your inner voice, pull it out of “Your body is telling you what feels good
yourself, become vulnerable and reach for in the moment,” says Hammet. “We
Nancy Hammet begins her class with a
the highest level of confidence possible. believe in if it feels good, do it. No pain,
focus: passion, love, joy, self-expression —
these are only several of the Nia principles “Nia has it all,” says Hammet. “It is easily no gain doesn’t apply here.”
embodied. During a recent class, Hammet adaptable to every fitness level — it’s
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