“Time” is one of the the most sexy & personal Nia experiences I’ve ever created. The lyrics are very moving, romantic and surprisingly relevant to today. This Nia experience “Time” was created 24 years ago when my daughter, Liliana, was a baby.
The Story
I can picture Liliana in my little 2 seater Honda Del Sol car, in the passenger seat, in her car seat, looking up at me! She was less than a year old.. I used to click my fingers to stop Liliana from crying. It was one of my funniest, handy little tricks, used to distract my daughter. I could craftily shift her from tears to fascination with the simple click of my fingers!
One time, driving to class, with the Lionel Richie “Time” CD playing. A few clicks stopped my screaming crying child. Liliana began to play with her fingers, mushing them together to see if she could click them like her Mommy… And there, in the moment, Liliana clicked her fingers for the first time. I remember hearing the noise, looking down, seeing her beaming face, her eyes sparkling with joy, feeling joy as she communicated so clearly “look! yes! I did it! I clicked my fingers for the first time!”
I may have forgotten (or missed) my daughters first steps, first food, first many, and yet THIS is a most remarkable & memorable moment in time, something I feel I’ll remember forever.
On arriving at the Houston YMCA, Joe and I did our usual “Tuesday night relay takeover” where he’d get off work, wait in the Y parking lot to pick up Liliana as I dashed into teach class.
I put on the CD (yes 24 years ago we played CDs for class!) and began improvising “teaching on the fly” ~ teaching and creating the moves to music as I went along. In the first song I began in a closed stance (toes together and a little space between the heals) and began clicking my fingers from side to side. The movement was an instant match to the music, something in Nia we call the “accidental click”. My moment in the car with Liliana flashed before my eyes, I felt light and a warm glow through out my body let me know YES! this is the beginning of something fabulous.
The Music movement clicks
Whenever possible I create Nia experiences to follow the order of the tracks on the CD. Great to honor the artist and the order they choice for their collection of songs. The “Time” Nia Class playlist is an exception. Songs click better slightly shuffled. The addition of Light a Candle is the perfect ending to the experience.
Every song from the CD is utilized with the exception of “I hear your voice”. This song comes highly recommended for when you want a good cry over someone you miss. Other than that it simply feels too depressing for our heart warming, love story, Nia class experience!
Each song is both unique and very meaningful. They provide music movement clicks that guide me to a personal story. For example “To The Rhythm” includes “I don’t understand what’s going on in the world around me” this song was written 25 years ago, and yet it’s ridiculously relevant for today as it mentions “Recreating the same failures, Violence, Abuse, Murder, Injustice…….” “seems we are making the same mistakes over and over again and I don’t know why!” we go on and on!!
The classic song Lady (which out of the whole album you most likely will know) can be received as a beautiful love story, I imagine the words to be my body sharing a poem about it’s relationship with me…. A funny play with words and yet so true.
“we belong together”
Yes! it’s true! I’ve been in relationships with my body since before I was even born. And my body has spent more time with me than any other person on the planet!! My Body has been with me through all my times - the good, bad and ugly!! and
“you have made me such a fool”
I laugh at this line in the context of it being my body talking to me. For example, that time I was so nervous I had to keep running to the bathroom. And how about when I ate too much, drank too much, and I threw up, passed out or fell over - yes! made my body such a fool!!…
Stepping Out
Inspired by Embodiment Teacher Mark Walsh’s “Self Care Pose” YouTube clip (below), I introduced the pose into the final “Stepping Out” Cycle of the Nia class to the music of “light a candle”. Gently inviting participants to caress their body, to be held, to stay a little longer when they maybe feel they want to bolt was a magical self care moment. The lyrics in the song inspired me to guide them on a mediation while they shifted and then sustained the hug on the other side of their body.
“with your head bowed, softly hold you self in your arms, breath, be gentle and surrender into peace. Feel the warmth of your body and connect with your heart. Imagine lighting a candle. This candle is being lit for peace. Sense your desire for world peace and let the movement towards peace begin at home, here in your heart. Acknowledge true peace begins at home, here in your heart. Light a candle for your own personal peace, for self love, self care and self acceptance. Sense the radiance from your heart, imagine the ripples extending from your center. From your personal act of love on the quest for peace, feel love extending like tentacles from your heart center. Recognize anything in this moment that feels better. Notice anything in your body, on your mind, in your heart, anything unique, that feels better. Feeling better is a sign of self healing, in that when we heal we feel better. As you prepare to step out from class feel free to leave behind anything that no longer serves you well on the dance floor. Choose something special to take with you from this experience. And step into your greatness today, this is your time. All we know we have is now, make it a great day”
I encourage you to take a fun safe risk, download the CD, FreeDance to it, if you’re a Nia teacher, entertain teaching class with some simple Nia moves (at least when teaching your teddy bears!) Here’s the playlist:
Why choose this playlist and class today?
Valentines Day has gone and there is no need to isolate focusing on love for only one day a year! -I wanted todays class to be a reminder of how we can have a love affair every day, starting with our selves and practicing Body Love and Self Love.
I want to cherish my special relationship with Joe my husband every day. Dancing with line like “you’re my everything”, “you’re the closest thing to Heaven” help me feel my heart connection with my husband and my daughter.
it’s sexy - oh my! Lionel Richie is up there with Barry White and Keith Urban for me with regards sexy. What a great way to begin our week.