Upon recommendation for the easiest and most successful start in our relationship with our Tower Garden we have ordered Seedlings from www.livingtowerseedlings.com
Both Tower and Seeds will hopefully arrive by Friday and we hope to set up and seed by the end of the day :-)
I adore the passion restaurant owner John Mooney’s has about the concept of growing veggies aeroponically, on his New York roof top, to feed 80 a night at his “Roof to Table” Restaurant.
Click this lovely lettuce photo to be transported to the fabulous story shared on an ABC news report.
We’ve ordered a Tower Garden to begin growing our own vegetables. Tower Garden® simplifies traditional gardening, using a unique vertical garden system that makes it easy to grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables at home.
Click HERE for great facts and more information.
“Time” is the most sexy & personal routine I’ve ever created. The lyrics are very moving and romantic.
I created this routine when Liliana was young enough to be in a car seat that faced the back of the car, which means it’s about 17 years old! I used to click my fingers to stop Liliana from crying. It was one of my funniest, handy little trick to distract her from tears to fascination. One time, driving to class, I was listening to the Lionel Richie CD (my “routine work in progress” at the time), Liliana was playing (as usual) with her fingers, mushing them together to see if she could click them like her Mommy… and there, in that moment, Liliana clicked her fingers for the first time. I remember hearing the noise, looking down to see Liliana’s beaming face, her eyes sparkling with joy, communicating “look! yes! I did it! I clicked my fingers for the first time” it was a most remarkable moment in time that I think I’ll remember forever. I did the usual “relay takeover” with Joe in the parking lot of the YMCA and dashed into class.
I put on the CD and begun “teaching on the fly” ~ teaching class and creating the routine as I went along. In the first song I began in a closed stance and began clicking my fingers from side to side, the movement was an instant match to the music and the moment, something in Nia we call the “accidental click”.
I use every song from the CD with the exception of “I hear your voice” which I refuse to include in the mix. It’s a moving, heart felt song that I depressing ~ a good one to play when I want a good cry!
I find each of these songs very meaningful, there’s a click that connects with a personal story in every track. Maybe later I’ll fill in the gaps. For now I’m off to celebrate 20 years of marriage to Joe - it’s my wedding anniversary. I look forward to many more clicks…
Whenever I can I prefer to create routines to follow the order of the tracks on the CD. This routine is an exception, the songs click better slightly shuffled, Michael Buble is the perfect ending to the experience. I encourage to to take a fun safe risk, download the CD, freedance to it, entertain teaching class with some simple Nia moves (at least with your teddy bears!) Here’s the order:
Lionel Richie: CD Time
Closest Thing To Heaven 4:01 That’s The Way I Feel 3:07 Zoomin’ 4:23 Touch 5:08 Forever 6:13 Time 6:12 To The Rhythm 5:14Stay 4:10 Someday 4:23 Everytime 4:16 Lady 4:28
Feeling Good 3:57 Michael Bublé It’s Time
Why this routine today?
simple:
1. it’s the most personal - every song has a hidden story behind it about my relationship with Joe, lines like “you’re my everything”, “you’re the closest thing to Heaven”
2. it’s got history - I can think back on most “stages” of my marriage with Joe, (the good, the bad and the ugly) teaching this routine and the feelings I had. I have a sense of accomplishment playing the music and dancing to it today.
3. it’s sexy - oh my! Lionel Richie is up there with Barry White for me with regards sexy - and fortunately I still regard Joe as being top of my list when it comes to sexy :-)
Now off to enjoy our day, swim swim brum brum :-)
At 8am Sat we’re playing with the classic Nia routine Mantra, one of the first routines I ever learned, designed by Carlos Aya Rosas.
Focus: movement as mantra and a metaphor for self, community, life.
Beginning with sensing the belly (our core) notice how this “moma cell” can contract/extend, bend/lean, figure 8. The Belly is a substance with strength (resilience), elasticity (the ability to bounce back), and fluidity (go with the flow). After embodying the focus in the Belly we expand awareness to the belly of the 700 muscles in our body, then to each piece of connective tissue, the 7000+ cells. All the same mantra of movement.
We sense inward (Body, Belly, Muscles, Connective Tissue, Cell)
We can also sense outwards (Body, Self, Others, Class, Community, Global)
and realize it (and we) are one.
The Mantra, our lives, the community continues. We are strong, we bounce back, we go with the flow, we celebrate, there is much love.
I’m inspired by the words of David Foster Wallace, This Is Water
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”….
….the immediate point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
this first track is super for before and after class…
Glass Mantra 21:24 Silvia Nakkach Ah The Healing Voice
here’s the playlist for Nia Routine Mantra ~ it’s a classic :-)
Mantra (Organics) 4:43 Michael StearnsPower of Love 5:42 Celine Dion Father Figure 5:37 George Michael Turn The Page 6:07 Terrence Trent D’Arby SkinThieves 6:08 Moodswings Conga Te 3:35 CoublePlusGood Tied Up 6:11 Yello Fractal Zoom 6:24 Brian Eno When I Fall in love 4:20 Nat King Cole With This Love 3:39 Peter GabrialWith this Love - Choir 3:18 ChoirWall of Breath 2:29 Peter Gabriel
Fondly called “Flounce” this routine begins and ends with the same song. A fun way to deliver the promise. Notice how you feel in the song at the beginning of the routine, then notice how you feel at the end with the same song. In Nia we define Self Healing as any thing that feels better. If you notice anything feels better, recognize this as self healing and give body gratitude.
Focus: At the beginning of class I introduce the concept flow and bounce, how the body thrives on the dynamic ease. We physically get a sense of shifting our connective tissue by softly moving arms in the circle. We Step In with a question. Choose to step in with what will serve you best for class: flow or bounce.
Cycle 3 Warm Up: In the first song we play with rhythm and flow through the 13 joints, starting with one side, then the other, the whole body. The next few songs follow the choreography to AO, sometimes tight sometimes loose. In Slave Song, the peak of Cycle 4* Get Moving*, I play with the concept of bouncing a ball like playing basketball and acting as if we have high level skills :-). The songs progressively move into flounce (a combinations of flowing and bouncing). Lovers Rock is my favorite song, rich words, music and something magical comes through from flow, bounce and flow. My favorite song for choreography is Immigrant: simple bounce, flow and flounce moves that work forwards, back, lateral and diagonal travel in directions.
At the end of class we often Step Out with a 2 question quiz:
1. what do you choose to step out with to serve you in your day best, flow or bounce?
2. what do you choose to step out with to serve you well if you can choose flow, bounce OR flounce.
Sade Lovers Rock
By Your Side
4:35
Flow
4:34
King Of Sorrow
4:53
Somebody Already Broke My Heart
5:01
All About Our Love
2:41
Slave Song
4:14
The Sweetest Gift
2:19
Every Word
4:04
Immigrant
3:49
Lovers Rock
4:15
It’s Only Love That Gets You Through
3:54
By Your Side
4:35
A perfect European Staycation Experience 
Focus:
Intent:
| Best of Hotel Costes | ||
| Sympathique | 2:42 | Pink Martini |
| London in the Rain | 3:26 | Variety Lab) |
| L’amour | 4:09 | Rouge Rouge |
| Adore | 5:09 | I Cube |
| My Funny Valentine | 4:18 | Big Muff |
| Latazz | 4:45 | Funky Lowlives |
| Morento Feat, Celmentine | 5:11 | Stephan Pompougnac |
| Doctor Rockit | 6:40 | Cafe De Flore |
| Where I do Begin | 3:19 | Shirley Bassey |
| Surround me with your love | 4:51 | 311-Porter |
| Night over Manaus | 5:49 | Boozoo Bajou |
| One Night in Rio | 6:21 | Louise Austen |
| S.O.S. (The Sounds of Silence) | 2:57 | Trinity FM |
Invitation:
Enjoy:
Fabulous class this morning. Thanks to Megan for her patient and persistent request for Hotel Costes. I discovered surprising delight when revisiting Nia adapted “Walking on Clouds” routine this morning, after being left “on the shelf” for 5+ years. A participant recently asked “do you ever get low?”, ha ha yes! this morning for sure… I hadn’t slept well, my to do list is long, stress level high, I love my job and yet an occupational hazard of this is I fill my schedule and limit the time needed to catch up and spend valuable time with my family. Magic happens in a Nia class ~ things appear and disappear! This morning I arrived feeling low, tired and rather anti social. Without my commitment to teach class, I likely would have stayed in bed! Within 10 minutes my low disappeared and many delightful things had appeared.. Why and How does this happen? I’ve pondered a few points of my own and encourage you to share any others you’d like to add.
With a Nia community like NiaMoves, in Cycle 1, when setting the focus and intent of class, happy, smiling, faces provide an immediate pick me up and warm sense of community.
Then great music begins in Cycle 2 “Stepping in”, lifting spirits, the dance begins…
In Cycle 3 “Warm Up”, systemic body moves begin to match the music and magic happens.
We “Get Moving”, Cycle 4. Expression and intensity increase as endorphins kick in with a sense of community groove.
Cycle 5, we “Cool down” in a community circle, our safe and sacred space honors uniqueness and allows my creative spirit to play in to Floor Play, Cycle 6.
I relish the sense of connection to self, body, group, ground, music, movement and yes heavenly magic. I cherish friendships that have been cultivated for over 2 decades and feel supported.
Cycle 7 we “Step out” feeling glad to be alive. I appreciate those who choose to came to dance, honor my teachers, thank the space and am filled with gratitude for this medium called Nia. My body, mind, emotions and spirit are nourished. I feel better.
Thank you God for bringing all of this together like a well orchestrated concerto.
Consider Blue Electric Storm Retreat as an extension to this “StayCation Nia Experience”
We’ve completed our first Nia Brown Belt training at Soma Ranch.
Congratulations Nia Brown Belts. Thank you for visiting Soma Ranch. We delight in how our facility lends itself uniquely well to the work of energy and transformation. We appreciate all the wonderful things you brought to the experience.
I’m super in love with my latest Nia Routine “Rising”
It’s an adapted routine, based on the classic Nia routine Mantra, originally designed by Carlos Aya Rosas and one of the first routines I ever learned.
Focus: movement as mantra and a metaphor for self, community, life.
Beginning with sensing the belly (our core) notice how this “moma cell” can contract/extend, bend/lean, figure 8. The Belly is a substance with strength (resilience), elasticity (the ability to bounce back), and fluidity (go with the flow). After embodying the focus in the Belly we expand awareness to the belly of the 700 muscles in our body, then to each piece of connective tissue, the 7000+ cells. All the same mantra of movement.
We sense inward (Body, Belly, Muscles, Connective Tissue, Cell)
We can also sense outwards (Body, Self, Others, Class, Community, Global)
and realize it (and we) are one.
The Mantra, our lives, the community continues. We are strong, we bounce back, we go with the flow, we celebrate, there is much love.
I’m inspired by the words of David Foster Wallace, This Is Water
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”….
….the immediate point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
| Track | Length | Artist | Album |
| Lift The Wings | 2:04 | Bill Whelan | Riverdance |
| Feeling Good | 3:57 | Michael Bublé | It’s Time |
| Everybody | 3:30 | Ingrid Michaelso | Everybody |
| Rise | 7:37 | Herb Alpert | Rise |
| Rise | 4:21 | Samantha James | Birth |
| Rise Above Remix | 6:17 | Afro Celt | StaCCAto |
| Womans World | 3:44 | Heart Music | Trib to Cher |
| Rise Up | 5:58 | Karsh Kale | Broken English |
| You raise me up | 4:51 | Josh Groban | Closer |
| Raise It Up | 2:28 | The IMPACT Rep | August Rush |
| Long Time Sun | 4:00 | Snatam Kaur | Celebrate Peace |
| Holy Morn | 2:25 | Tina Malia | The Silent Awakening |
I’m back from a fabulous training in Japan.
My day began with glorious sunshine in Japan and ends with the same, home, in Houston.
After a 28 hour day, I’m ready for sleep in anticipation of some great dancing at NiaMoves at 8am in the morning.
Here’s somethings I do to be able to enjoy time and avoid jet lag
Thank you and congratulations to Kris Kerlin (and colleagues at The Center for Stress Management) for hosting a day retreat at Soma Ranch for the doctor’s group Symptom Management Consultants. www.palliativemedicine.us. They are a group of palliative care docs. Amazing women who take great care of many people. Super to witness them receiving some R&R and tools to help them manage their stress.
For more information about The Center for Stress Management check out their web page: www.center4stressmanagement.com.
Enjoy a 3 mile route near NiaMoves Studio, you can “Walk/Run/Ride” for Boston. Houston Heights is a lovely neighborhood, you can enjoy the peaceful, calm beauty of the homes, gardens and community. Could be a really fun activity to do with children.
Download a super free Ap called “Map My Run” to track the run, show progress of route, time, distance and speed as you go along. And once completed you can share your map on Facebook.
Please leave a comment below when you do the route. It will be lovely to track how many folks join us.
View Run Walk Ride for Boston, Houston Heights in a larger map
Click HERE for a full google map
You can park at NiaMoves, 508 Pecore, Houston, TX 77009 and make your way to the “start”
Begin at Bayland and North Blvd
Go North on North Blvd
Left Omar
Right Studewood
Right Merrill
Right North
Right Omar
Left Studewood
Left Baylor
Left Julian
Left Omar
Left Michaux
Left Baylor
Left Reagan
Left Highland
Right Watson
Right Omar
Left Northwood (one black to Merrill then U turn)
Left Omar (few strides then U turn)
Left Northwood
Left Bayland
Left Florence
Left Omar
Left Helen
Left Bayland
Left Beauchamp
Right W. Norma
Right Morrison
End at Baylor
Give a cheer for Boston and a prayer for families affected.
Tina Sabuco is celebrating her 12th Nia birthday. She LOVEs fun number combination songs, like Money from Pink Floyd. Tomorrow at 8am I’m teaching a routine that highlights some of the best “funky number songs” I know.
Like life, when it comes to music, everything doesn’t fit into predictable packages. The mastery of math in music is when the composer so skillfully weaves these “exceptions to the rules” the listen may not even know they are there! When it comes to dancing to these songs we are taken to another level, the challenge is to lead/move with ease with these “exceptional” numbers.
I tend to not like to follow rules, and often like the unexpected, I therefore LOVE this music, math, movement challenge.
Come play, sense the movement of your left and right brain and invoke a new level of neuroplasticity.
work in progress play list:
I invite suggestions/comments… what’s your favorite Funky Number?
| Track | Length | Artist | Album |
| Pour que tu | 4:16 | Céline Dion | French Album |
| Le Ballet | 4:24 | Céline Dion | French Album |
| Money | 6:22 | Pink Floyd | Dark Side of Moon |
| Big Lie Small World | 5:05 | Sting | Brand New Day |
| Bonny Swans | 7:21 | Loreena McKennitt | Mask & Mirror |
| Dark Night Of Soul | 6:45 | Loreena McKennitt | Mask & Mirror |
| Jogando Capoeira | 6:20 | Beatfanatic | Clarity |
| Prelude To The End | 0:21 | Sting | Brand New Day |
| Fill Her Up | 5:39 | Sting | Brand New Day |
| Womans World | 3:44 | Heart Music | Tribute Cher |
| Adagio | 5:11 | Safri Duo | Spine Susan |
| The Highwayman | 10:21 | Loreena McKennitt | Book Of Secrets |
…the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
Tonight I’m honored to lead a closing Nia class at Studio 206, Charlottesville. With Studio Owner Chris Friedman at the helm, this space has been a home for healing, dancing, connecting, training and more. The studio’s building is being sold and tonight we celebrate all that is and has been as we close the doors and this chapter.
The routine is influenced by the classic Nia routine Mantra.
Focus on movement as mantra and a metaphor for self, community, life.
Beginning with sensing the belly (our core) notice how this “moma cell” can contract/extend, bend/lean, figure 8. The Belly is a substance with strength (resilience), elasticity (the ability to bounce back), and fluidity (go with the flow). After embodying the focus in the Belly we expand awareness to the belly of the 700 muscles in our body, then to each piece of connective tissue, the 7000+ cells. All the same mantra of movement.
We sense inward (Body, Belly, Muscles, Connective Tissue, Cell)
We can also sense outwards (Body, Self, Others, Class, Community, Global)
and realize it (and we) are one.
The Mantra, our lives, the community continues. We are strong, we bounce back, we go with the flow, we celebrate, there is much love.
Personal note: as I step out to lead this event tonight, my deep wish is Chris Friedman witnesses, feels and is able to truly receive how much she is loved and appreciated. She’s a super leader, woman, mother and more, and has been a wonderful friend to me.
I’m inspired by the words of David Foster Wallace, This Is Water
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”….
….the immediate point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
| Track | Length | Artist | Voice of |
| It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday | 2:48 | Boyz II Men | Studio |
| Lift The Wings | 2:04 | Bill Whelan | Invitation |
| Feeling Good | 3:57 | Michael Bublé | Helen |
| Everybody | 3:30 | Ingrid Michaelson | Chris |
| Rise | 7:37 | Herb Alpert | Helen |
| Rise | 4:21 | Samantha James | Debbie |
| Rise Above [Remix] | 6:17 | Afro Celt Sound System | Friends |
| Tryin To Live My Life Without You | 3:46 | Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs | Spirit |
| You raise me up | 4:51 | Josh Groban | Community |
| Song to the Siren | 5:52 | Robert Plant | Carlos |
| Raise It Up | 2:28 | IMPACT Rep Theatre & JS Nash | Friends |
| Long Time Sun | 4:00 | Celebrate Peace | Chris |
| Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag | 2:08 | James Brown | Party |
I hope this inspires you as much as me. No matter what our beliefs/religion, surely there is a beautiful message to be received in Romans 12 ~ The Voice (VOICE)
12 Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God’s mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. 2 Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete……4 For in the same way that one body has so many different parts, each with different functions; 5 we, too—the many—are different parts that form one body in the Anointed One. Each one of us is joined with one another, and we become together what we could not be alone…..
9 Love others well, and don’t hide behind a mask; love authentically. Despise evil; pursue what is good as if your life depends on it. 10 Live in true devotion to one another, loving each other as sisters and brothers. Be first to honor others by putting them first. 11 Do not slack in your faithfulness and hard work. Let your spirit be on fire, bubbling up and boiling over, as you serve the Lord……
14 If people mistreat or malign you, bless them. Always speak blessings, not curses. 15 If some have cause to celebrate, join in the celebration. And if others are weeping, join in that as well. 16 Work toward unity, and live in harmony with one another. Avoid thinking you are better than others or wiser than the rest; instead, embrace common people and ordinary tasks. ] 21 Never let evil get the best of you; instead, overpower evil with the good.
As I celebrate 20 years of teaching Nia this year I am enjoying the opportunity to reflect on my journey and how Nia has developed since I stepped in 2 decades ago…
I am ON FIRE about bringing an old Nia routine (Mantra) “out of the vault”. It’s one of the first Nia routines I ever learned (about 20 years ago). Fun to revisit Carlos Aya Rosas on the video, young, slender, in a unitard! Something weird about seeing my teacher, on film 20 years ago and realizing he was younger then (when I began to learn from him) than I am now…
Here’s an invitation from Carlos:
Use the music to guide your choreography and to inspire you on a daily basis. When you have musical insight and clarity you’ll have freedom to shape and reshape your motions. I encourage you to tap into the musical currents of each song. Allow yourself to be transported into the realm of melodic spirals and rhythmic grounding. Remember that music resonates and there is always sound you’ve never heard, so listne carefully, with attention and passion, and do it frequently.
Music is a medium - Ride it!
Love, Carlos
Here’s the original play list:
| Track | Length | Artist | Routine |
| Mantra | 4:42 | ||
| The Power of Love | 5:40 | Celine Dion | |
| Father Figure | 5:35 | George Michael | |
| Turn The Page | 6:00 | ||
| Skinthieves | 6:08 | MoodSwings | MoodFood |
| Conga Te | 4:05 | ||
| Tied Up | 6:05 | ||
| Fractal Zoom | 6:24 | ||
| When I Fall In Love | 420 | ||
| With This Love | 3:20 | ||
| With This Love - Choir | 3:19 | ||
| Wall Of Breath | 2:25 | ||
Here’s the transcript for the beginning of the routine
Loving this new play list “Rising”
Thanks Yoga teacher, Elisabeth, Rise up! from Broken English by Karsh Kale.
it goes perfect after (thank you Susan Mc Culley) Afro Celt Rise Above.
Also thanks to Kitt Taylor for Tribute to Cher “Womens World” how have I not heard this song before? and Kira Hower for Ingrid Michaelson: Everybody
I have too many songs for one class,”All things new” will be the walking out song and likely one other will have to become the “play while folks arrive” song.. TBC
I’m open to other suggestions (leave comments below)
| Track | Length | Artist | Routine |
| Lift The Wings | 2:04 | Bill Whelan | Riverdance |
| Feeling Good | 3:57 | Michael Bublé | It’s Time |
| Bad Moon Rising | 2:20 | Creedence Clearwater Revival | Chronicle Vol1 |
| Phoenix Rising | 7:26 | Steve Winwood Rosanne | BES09 |
| Red Storm Rising | 4:02 | Douglas Spotted Eagle | Voices |
| Rise | 7:37 | Herb Alpert | Rise |
| Rise | 4:21 | Samantha | Birth |
| Womans World - Tribute to Cher | 3:44 | Heart Music | Womans World |
| Rise Above [Remix] | 6:17 | Afro Celt Sound System | StaCCAto |
| Rise Up | 5:58 | Karsh Kale | Broken English |
| Break The Chain | 4:32 | Tena Clark | One Bill Rising |
| Angela’s Lament | 4:39 | Thunderball | Scorpio Rising |
| You raise me up | 4:51 | Josh Groban | Closer |
| Raise It Up | 2:28 | The IMPACT Repertory Theatre | August Rush |
| All Things New | 5:42 | Steven Curtis Chapman | All Things New |
Folks request a Nia compilation for Saturday 8am Nia class at NiaMoves.
Fondly called “chocolate”, i.e. an assortment from different Nia Routines.. “Nia and Life is like a box of chocolates”
I’ve selected tracks from routines to spell the acronym HOLY EASTER.
We’ll see how it goes in the morning… Like GP, my neighbor, says: “Sometimes Chicken,Sometimes Feathers”
With 52 minutes I’m looking for the perfect song to end the experience.
| Track | Length | Artist | Routine |
| Things You Don’t… | 5:23 | Peter Malick | H umanity |
| Magic Carpet | 4:49 | Illumine | O pal |
| I Will Always Love… | 4:51 | Dolly P & Whitney H | L ove |
| Ubiquitous Mr Love | 6:17 | Dead Can Dance | Y ulunga |
| Return to Innocence | 4:15 | Enigma | E nigma 2 |
| Colossus | 6:44 | Afro Celt Volume 3 | A ftro Celt |
| Train In Vain | 4:44 | Annie Lennox | S anMedusa |
| To The Rhythm | 5:14 | Lionel Richie | T ime |
| Exilio | 5:40 | Thievery Corporation | E arthsong |
| Shine | 4:18 | Josh Seaman | R 1 |
Liliana helped photographer Bruce Thayer set up for our photo shoot tomorrow.
Here’s a taste of what is to come. This was snapped during test/practice once the equipment was set up.
