Nia Sounds

During our need to live stream classes rather than dancing in person, due to music copy right laws, we are required to only use music available at Nia TV.

Here’s the selection of fabulous music from NiaSounds we have permission to use. Enjoy these super songs and playlists during this “LIVE Stream Nia” period.

Special thanks to Mark Froussard at StudioNia Santa Fe for compiling this “menu”.

Partial Routines and Songs:

Alive: ”Snakeroot", "Always Waiting", "Quero Saber", "Moon and Sun", "Deeper (Into Places", "Miracles", "Hymn"

Aya: ”Healing Senses", "Give A Little Bit More", "Rhythm Is", "Universalfemalebreathchoir"

Beyond "Pirates", "Without Warning", "Ciew Mawele"

Cadence: "New York City", "Brasilero", "Brief Encounter", "Deeper", "Weaving"

Earthsong: ”Dreams At Dusk", "Saracen", "Boogaloop", "Coming Down", "Visions"

Humanity: "Things You Don't Have To Do", "Qalanderi", "Welcome to the Journey", "Loftism"

Passion: "Come To Me", "Souvenir", "A Bright Future", "Kyoto Drink

Sanjana: “Sanjana,” "Signs", "Am I The One", "Minimba"

Full Routines:

Awake

Bailando

Beast

Beautiful

Bring It Butterfly

Cell-ebrate

Deep Dive

Dragon

Feeling

FloorPlay

Flow

Global Unity

Go

Grateful

Ignite

Joy

Life

Pulse

Ride

Rise

Sacred

Selfless

Soul

Source

Wild

ZOOM Classes, Courses, Calls

We are excited to add some ZOOM classes, courses and calls to compliment the FaceBook LIVE classes at www.facebook.com/groups/helenterry.

Please email helen@somaranch.com if you are interested, particularly if you are not on facebook (where we are providing regular updates).

Zoom connections will include:

• Coffee “Happy Hour” Chats

• Prepare for your next Nia Training

• How to deliver simple Kata Nia classes

• How to craft your ultimate Nia experience

• How to apply Nia from the dance floor to dancing through life.

• Personalized coaching (group and/or individual)

New Fruit Trees!

Thank you to “The Browns” (Laura and Jerry) for donating fruit trees. Helen and Joe successfully planted them in perfect weather at Soma Ranch. We’re naming trees at Soma Ranch! welcome “Laura” the lime tree, “Jerry” the lemon tree and the Browns get to choose what to name the Tangerine... maybe Covid? Corona?

LIVE Stream Classes PAY-RECEIVE-SUPPORT

How are you this global “pause”? Keeping track of time has been a big challenge here and we’re stunned to realize this is the 5th week of on-Line classes due to the pandemic. All retreats and rentals at Soma Ranch have come to a halt. 90% of our bookings requested full refunds. Good news is NIA TRAININGS ARE ON!! (whether local or virtual we are finding a way to make these happen!)

Joe’s keeping busy getting the ranch things done we don’t usually have time for. Helen’s teaching 10 classes a week at www.facebook.com/groups/helenterry. The community (local and global) has been incredibly supportive, shifting to LIVE Stream classes.

We are about to add some ZOOM classes, courses and calls. Please email helen@somaranch.com if you’re interested, particularly if you are not on facebook (where we are providing regular updates)

We’re amazed, and thankful, for the ability to shift and shape according to the present conditions and play creatively, even though we don’t know what’s going to happen. Something Helen and Joe do well is make the best out of whatever the circumstances! Helen (and her Mum LOL) is super grateful to be sleeping better than usual!

Joe and Helen feel very strongly about offering open classes to all; to support fellow teachers and provide service to everybody. This is why all classes are offered on an “honor/donation” basis; Participants have the choice to “PAY their local teacher, RECEIVE the class as a gift or SUPPORT Soma Ranch (pay here or @iLoveSoma Venmo)”

If you're in need, we hope you take advantage of the LIVE stream options and attend as many classes as possible as our guest. If you are able, we thank you for contributing to the class (either your local teacher or Helen). 

Thank everybody who comes to dance, what a “global tribe/family” we are!

Week 1: March 23 - 29

• Margaret M Wittenberg

• Leslie Appleby

• Jenny Leavitt

• Anita Christensen

• Janet Hollander

• Sharon Kohli

• Tamara Janser

• Luisa Armida

• Karen (KK) Taylor

• Luisa Armida

• Pamela Boysen

• Jenny Leavitt

• Maris Lyons

• Jeni Halliday

• Marci Rubin

• Shelley Moira Rheams

• Vanessa Lowe

• Tracy Maphies

• Hananda Whittingham

• Elizabeth Winter

Week 2: March 30 - April 5

• Lori Hepp

• Anita Christensen

• Geri Timmins

• Nancy Harris

• Janine Quirk

• Joanna Richison

• Jodie A Smith

• Candi Glenn

• Teresa Gwynne

• Darlene Parker

• Kathleen Williamson

• Andree Mondor

• Karen Morrow

• Veronica Kathukya

• Lennie Olbrycht

• Vicki Oleskey

• Sue Korthauer

• Nicole O'Bryan

• Sonja Groskopf

• Jenny Leavitt

• Teresa A D'Angelo

Week 3: April 6 - 12

• Pamela Boysen

• Valinda Wetmore

• Steven J Alldredge

• Sally Hansen Bowen

• Manal Aldabbagh

• Soter Sarolta

• Holly McKinney

• Jasmine Lok

• Sara Vatore

• Caroline Kilbourne

• Michal Tamuz

• Genae Lamb

• Kim Brand

• Kathy McElroy

• Susan Michie

• Holly J Curtis

• Clare Willis

• Anita Stark

• Jackie Lyles

• Emily Mockett

• Vicci Kane

• Cathy Ferris

Special Thanks to:

Emily who paid Tanya for classes

Kathy who paid Jule for classes

Tanya who sent the sweetest thank you note!

Katia who paid Tamara for classes.

Tamara who sent a sweet message of gratitude for her studio rent being covered this month.

Marilyn Mars for offering me the gift of “Clutter Clearing and Organization” ~ Lord knows I need this! ;-)

Please let us know if you paid another teacher, or received a gift, so we can thank you too :-)

Welcome Zephyr

Welcome Zephyr a Clydesdale Gypsy Vanner Cross, and new arrival at Soma Ranch. The Local Conroe YMCA closed down and with very short notice all 30+ horses had to find new homes. His owner Lauren pops out to be with him about every other day. She was connected to us by long time Nia participant and teacher at Soma Ranch, Glen Graves. Small world, close family, great tribe!

New Arrival at Soma Ranch

We had a great time creating this DRAMATIC intro to Zephyr, the new arrival at Soma Ranch.

in case you missed the credits, here's a screen shot. Please note ChaCha is the costume designer and Phelps executive producer.

Live Stream Classes

Nia’s catchphrase is “Through Movement We Find Health”. In such a time as this, getting up and moving on a daily basis is most important. Helen, Joe and Soma Ranch are here to help! 

Please enjoy daily classes with Helen Terry via Live Stream, and invite your friends. EveryBody is welcome. 

We have a private group of 500+ people from around the around the globe all dancing together, flowing hearts, leaving comments, supporting each other. The community outreach and connection has been amazing.

Helen teaches from the Soma Ranch Deck by the pool. We bring you sunshine, waterfall sounds, birds singing and lots of joy to the experience.

Payment is not expected. If you have the resources and usually take classes with a local teacher, please pay them, otherwise you can pay via venmo (Helen-Terry-2) or as usual (BELOW). THE CHOICE IS YOURS, Enjoy a FREE Class if it warms your heart.

We’re enjoying delightful chats after class via a ZOOM Call, the number is 6254952665

NiaTV.fit is also an excellent option with 24/7 Nia Routines and a 30 day free offer.

Soma Class Rates

from $20.00

• $20 | 1 class

• $75 | 5 class pass (3 month expiration) ($15 per class)

• $130 | 10 class pass (3 month expiration) ($13 per class)

• $99 | 30 Day Journey, 30 Classes, ALL 8am + 10am ($3.30 per class)

• $75 | Day Retreat(click for more Info)

• $25 | Lunch or Dinner

• $96 | 60 min massage

• $145 | 90 min massage

30 Day Challenge Benefits:

1. unlimited 10am + 8am Nia Classes for 30 days

2. bring a “new to the journey” friend to class for a month

3. enjoy before and after class conversations and nuggets

4. receive automatic 24HR replays via email

Soma Ranch Classes:

Select Soma Ranch Classes $20 | Drop In $75 | 5 class pass $130 | 10 class pass $75 | Day Retreat $30 | Lunch or Dinner $30 | Sauna $96 | 60 Min Massage $145 | 90 Min Massage

Buy NOW

Special Event Dallas

Special thanks to all who contributed to a most successful event in Dallas at the Oak Cliff Aikikai Dojo.

Producers Theresa and Kathy, Host/Studio Owner Hazel,  Pamela Miller with Zakti for the delicious tea and amazing community promotion, particularly with Megan/Katy (Fort Worth) and Jule (Dallas)

What a beautiful evening! It was a JOY dancing with our Nia sisters from Ft. Worth, North Dallas, Frisco, Plano, Rockwall, Oak Cliff and Houston. Here’s a fun montage of our 4 mudras from class. (Ground, Heart, Pray, Joy)

Special Event Fort Worth

What a wonderful joy to reconnect with the Nia Fort Worth tribe at the beautiful URBAN YOGA studio. Great to see so many familiar faces of participants from Nia trainings with Helen and frequent guests at Soma Ranch retreats.

Katy Hobbs (bottom left in photo) took Helen’s 6th Nia white belt over 20 years ago, she and Megan (bottom right in photo) have hosted fabulous retreats, for their local teachers and participants, at Soma Ranch.

We look forward to their return to retreat in October this year!

AfroCelt Further InTo Time Experience

Super excited to be sharing this special event. Saturday, March 7, 2020, 7:30 - 8:45pm. Adapted from an original Nia routine “SkyDancing” by Carlos Aya Rosas, the AfroCelt Experience leads us through a journey of discovery, with the Core and Extremities (Legs and Arms). We explore:

• Gift of Travel ~ Legs

• Gift of expression ~ Arms

• Gift of connection ~ Core

With the intent to feel fully, and systemically, connected to the entire body (like connecting all the dots) by the end of class.

An Album like “Further in Time”, with a band like Afro Celt Sound System, creates a fun, fabulous and expansive sound back drop from which to choreograph moves to, the result being a magical experience.

Sliding scale $5 - 50. All funds go to St Jude, our Soma Charity for 2020.

Click here to learn more about the music…

Dance for Human Trafficking Awareness at Rockets Game

Wonderful to celebrate this memory. I look back and think "what was I thinking!" and "how did I ever pull that off" we ended up buying 140 tickets to a Houston Rockets Basketball game and in return received the opportunity to dance the "One Billion Rising" song to bring awareness to abuse and human trafficking.

There were many practices at Studio NiaMoves , Soma Ranch and our home in Spring. Liliana (my daughter) even provided practice sessions for me when I was out of town, friends came together, new folks came to know our studio and Nia, what an amazing experience it was.

Now I'm thinking "how can we do something like this again!" let me know....

Gratitude for a Great Beginning

This year has been wonderful and a whirlwind all at the same time! I’m about to step into my 4th Week of Nia training/coaching this year (Nia White Belt at Soma, Nia Brown Belt in Budapest, Coaching Retreat for Nia Brown Belts at Soma and now Nia Green Belt at Soma). Writing out my achievements so far helps me lighten up with regards my feelings around my ever growing to do list.

Sometimes I feel I do life in “Nia Land” with much more ease than “Real Life”. The opportunity to submerse into the practice of Nia, connecting with lovely like minded people from around the world, dancing, laughing, seeing I’m making a difference, enjoy witnessing the joy and progress of attendees, what’s not to love?!

I do my best to practice “Dancing Through Life”, a principle in Nia, where there is no separation between the joy we experience in class and the joy we experience in life. With a Nia practice ideally all experiences become delicious pleasure, living in our body, consciously dancing though life and practicing our life as art.

How fabulous it is to experience life with focused attention. We know from Aikido, energy follows attention. I love how Nia Training retreats are fabulous focused embodied experiences.

Nia Courses most often provide incredible life changing transformation for those who attend.

Leading Nia Training retreats bring an amazing surge of energy and deep satisfaction. Whether I’m teaching, on the dance floor or serving someone in our community, I feel deeply honored and love the experience.

During the Green Belt I’ll be teaching daily at Soma for a week, 10am every day and 5pm on Sunday (Lauren Dangle)

The Nia Green Team will be co-leading jams. These 5pm team taught classes are a fabulous way to taste many personalities, enjoy the unique teaching style of each Nia Teacher and be part of a lovely local community.

I’m teaching in Fort Worth Friday, Feb 28, and Dallas Sunday, March 1. (Sandwiched between being in Oklahoma to Celebrate Jeni Hallidays 60th Birthday. An extra special bonus is my former business partner, Kristie Bryant will join me for the celebration and a Saturday night sleep over!

We have several fabulous retreats coming up, including the Writers NEST Retreat in March and Blue Electric Storm Retreat in July. Now is a great time to sign up and SAVE. You can then relax and begin to forward to an amazingly fun and rewarding time at Soma Ranch. Research has shown this alone (planning something to look forward to) is exceedingly good for your health and longevity!

FYI with so much happening we have shifted the Men of Nia retreat to 2021, dates TBC.

Nia Time ~ a most romantic, sexy, personal movement experience

“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?

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

I Love to Muck About

Something I LOVE about the process of creating embodied choreography is really mucking about.

Turning up the music on my head phones LOUD! Playing the song on repeat, over and over again (hearing my daughter’s childlike voice in my ahead saying “again! again!” as she would when she was little, joyfully playing with something “in a loop” like she never wanted it to end),.

I’ll run for miles, playing with how to pace my stride to the rhythm of the music. Meanwhile, I’ll explore expressive arm and hand movements with the beat, melody, harmony and meaning of the words. This random, unabashed, self engrossed play, whilst running in public places, is likely to the point of looking very weird to anyone passing by!

In the privacy of my own body-mind experience, I feel as if I can do absolutely no wrong. These special moments in time feel radically healthy, restorative, freeing, liberating, self-confidence building and joyFULL.

Today, I filmed a rough first draft after running to the song “we can do better” by Stuart, for about 40 minutes, (10 plays!). I love the delicious details like

• the precision of the percussion in the intro of the song,

• how Stuart provides a fun pattern of 3 then 2 then 1 (or none?) in the lead up to the 3 choruses “we can do better”,

• fun to observe how the middle section “solo” could be a freeDance Yet it also fits into the predictable Verse (storytelling) section.

• I’m amused at how Stuarts T shirt design (one hand print on chest) keeps coming up in my clicks... (movement music matches - we call in Nia “the accidental click”. fun fun fun.

Curious to hear the song?

Check out Stuart.FM

Receive FREE DOWNLOAD of “We can do Better”

Now I want to craft adding kicks somewhere somehow. I also have a ridiculously crazy creative idea about something to do when filming this “for real” shhhh it’s a secret for now.

Can you tell i’m jazzed?!

This is likely the first of several posts where I share my process. I hope it at least amuses you and hopefully inspires you to go get your head phones on and get lost in a good song.

Here’s the first 2 VERY rough explorations. These light, singing along, having fun, “loose” mucking about movement moments are how the embodied process begin. There’s a funny moment on the lower (without music) clip. I was so in the experience I dropped one of my ear buds and am so thankful it didn’t fall in the lake! TBC

Nia Green Belt Week at Soma Ranch

This Thursday we begin our next Nia Teacher training week; The Nia Green Belt is the second level course and is designed to deepen your Nia practice, improve Nia technique and craft how to deliver with excellence.

Please come join in the fun, meet fabulous trainees and enjoy DAILY Nia classes!

Good news!!! Nia trainings = Many Public Nia Classes!

*Jam & Special Events are additional programs.

Consider providing a donation St Jude (the Soma Charity for 2020)

• Thursday, February 20 10:00am (Helen)

• Friday, February 21 10:00am (Helen)

• Friday, February 21 5:00pm (JAM)*

• Saturday, February 22 10:00am (Helen)

• Saturday, February 22 5:00pm (Special E)*

• Sunday, February 23 10:00am (Helen)

• Sunday, February 23 5:00pm (Special E)*

• Monday, February 24 10:00am (Helen)

• Monday, February 24, 5:00pm (Jam)*

• Tuesday, February 25 10:00am (Helen)

• Thursday, February 27 10:00am (Helen)

Anatomy For EveryBody with Holly

We are very fortunate at Soma Ranch to have guest trainers and instructors bless us with their wisdom and experience. This workshop series with Holly is no exception.

Holly Nastasi is offering a fabulous 3 part series of workshops on Anatomy at Soma Ranch. Take one, two or all three workshops. $45 for one session, $120 for all three.

This workshop is suitable for anyone who is curious to learn/know more about their body.

Click here for more details

Feel free to also contact (and register with) Holly directly at 505 699 0659, or pay at the door.

Happy Day at Soma Ranch

Thank you everybody who came to celebrate Helen’s birthday! What a fabulous dance and gathering we had together.

Cherished moments entwine with the wonderful realization of how many amazing friendships have been fostered from dancing Nia together.

5 people attending class have known Helen for more than 20 years!!

Let us know if you’d like to celebrate your birthday at Soma Ranch!! Class + Connection + Cake + Coffee = Super Soma Birthday Celebration.

Helen's Birthday Class & Cake

Things to celebrate at Soma include:

• being in our 11th year of business

• a blossoming local community

• a bumper beginning to 2020 with sold out trainings and retreats.

AND YES!! Helen’s birthday!

It’s become a tradition we have a special class and meet up afterwards on Helen’s birthday.

Soma Class Rates

from $20.00

Soma Ranch Classes:

Select Soma Ranch Classes $20 | Drop In $75 | 5 class pass $130 | 10 class pass $75 | Day Retreat $30 | Lunch or Dinner $30 | Sauna $96 | 60 Min Massage $145 | 90 Min Massage

Buy NOW

We’d love you to be part of this lovely celebration and opportunity to get to know our lovely community. Monday Feb 10, Class at 10am, Coffee, Tea and Cake at 11am.

Helen will be teaching either the Lauren Daigle experience or Nia Routine “Selfless”.

At 10am we take a vote and whichever choice gets the most votes is what we will choose to dance!

Regular Class rates apply. Cake and Coffee is FREE!!!

http://www.somaranch.com/special-events/helenbirthday

What did I do to deserve this?

A line I love, in the Lauren Daigle song “Love Like This”…

“what did I do to deserve love like this?”

On a daily basis I seem to tumble into at least one moment where I ask this question.

Nia trainings at Soma Ranch are more like infused constant streaming video of moments, again and again “what did I do to deserve a love this”, an amazing life like this? a wonderful practice like this?a great partner like this? an opportunity to make fabulous friends like this? to feel I’m making such a difference as this?

I have the blessing and wonder what did I do to deserve to be able to:

• witness rapid growth and development in amazing people, in only 7 days

• be part of a program that provides unique and super powerful healing

• have ridiculous fun and joy at my “JOB”

• have space and time, as I teach, to be me

• play with creativity + spontaneity on a daily basis

• “work” along side my love and life partner

• feel amazingly satisfied about my career and calling

Nia Team Fearless

Congratulations to 10 wild and wonderful upper Nia Belt teachers, who fearlessly stepped into their greatness, danced their socks off and taught with excellence, joy and grace.

6 years ago, Helen Terry invited a group of 8 upper belt Nia teachers to experience a unique retreat. Every day they enjoyed a Nia masterclass with Helen, taught in a JAM (team taught) class and received personalized feedback + coaching from Helen with regards their Nia technique, teaching style and communication skills.

Part of Helen’s philosophy is optimal learning happens best in a safe environment, where every member of the team feels relaxed, receives pleasure, feels included, is seen, understood, given attention and has lots of fun.

To create this environment the retreat includes plenty of breaks, field trips to explore Montgomery, daily naps, wonderful conversations around the dining table 3 meals a day. The sauna, hot tub, pool and option of massages certainly help invoke a healing and soothing environment, encouraging plenty of rest and excellent sleep!

The latest Nia routine “Ignite” was part of our theme and focus. With Helen teaching, the team exploring and by the end of the retreat several option of how to deliver the promise of Nia were developed including: How to simplify the moves, how to adapt the moves and how to bring new music in relationship with the moves.

The original team called themselves “Team Awesome”. At the end of the retreat one of the participants (Ray Wooten) said “same time next year?”. Helen asked Ray what he meant, he responded “I’m with you on this through Z!” and so the annual event became a tradition, with every year being a Team name of the next letter of the Alphabet.

so Far:

Team Awesome, Bold, C.A.R.E., Dream, ExtraOrdinary and now Team Fearless.

We came up with several fabulous versions and catch phrases:

“Fear Less, Love Move”

Team F.A.R.T. = “Fierce, Authenticity, Relational, Teamwork”

Queens (+King) of Heart, Team FART!

Every year the retreat is open to both brown and black belt Nia teachers. Limiting the numbers to 10 guests allows everybody to teach every day, to sit around one big table for every meal and be driven to field trips in 2 vehicles.

This year our field trips included walking the Labyrinth, hiking Sam Houston National Forest, picking grapefruits, visiting Chiller Bee (Fro Yo), enjoying Lake Conroe with the option of jumping/swimming in the lake! and a special luncheon at the Walden LakeFront Yacht Club with spontaneous dancing in the middle of the dining hall and later at the deck by the flag pole looking over the lake.

We “bookended” the retreat with Birthdays with Kellies Birthday on the 1st day and Emily’s on the last!

Thank you Aileen, Hananda, Erin, Kim, Mariah, Crystal (Pamela), Emily, Kellie, Darlene and (of course) Ray! You were each an integral part of an amazing whole; A team who came together, dug deep, shared wide, rose high, laughed large and shined brightly.

Next year team G****** we have Katie from the UK, Barbara and Nicola from Germany and Ray from San Antonio already registered. 6 places left, who would like to step in?