Learning Natural Movements for Health

The Thirteen Principles of Nia (a 13 part series)
Principle Two: Natural Time and the Movement Forms

"All of your Nia movements are done in your own personal, natural sense of time and include movements and energy from nine clasisic forms." - from the fitness book "The Nia Technique"

Commentary by Julia Desmond,Certified Nia Instructor

Principle Two of Nia contains two different yet interconnected parts. The first is Natural Time and the second is the Movement Forms that influenced the development of Nia.

Natural Time is the concept of honoring the rhythms of nature as opposed to following the current calendar and clock that run most of our lives. Moving in Natural Time is about staying true to yourself. It is a tool to help you get in touch with your body's natural rhythm and the reason for the teacher reminding you to dance in your own way. Once embodied by the student, Natural Time results in the participant dancing their body which in turn leads to feelings of fun and satisfaction during and after a class.


In Nia we use a total of 9 movement forms which fall into 3 categories – Martial Arts, Dance Arts and Healing Arts. Nia incorporates the essence of these various art forms rather than attempting to teach the students how to correctly perform these arts. Nia can change the energy and focus of a single movement by changing the Art Form influencing the movement.

Martial Arts:

Tai Chi – The Slow Dance: Inspired bare foot dancing, heel lead, and mindfulness

Tai Kwon Do – The Dance of Precision: Inspired passion, whole body strength, and voice

Aikido - Harmonious Spherical Motion: Inspired the integration of internal and external energy and the use of spirals


Dance Arts:

Jazz – Fun, Showmanship and Expression - Inspired playfulness, softened the martial arts an added Fun to the technique

Duncan Dance – Spirited, Honest Movement – Inspired natural movement, use of imagery and spontaneity

Modern Dance – Playing With Balance, Shapes and Space – Inspired improvisation, use of balance and creative expression


Healing Arts:

Feldenkrais – The Conscious Feeling of Movement – Inspired slow movement, sensory awareness and the knowledge that the body can be retrained to function more efficiently

Alexander Technique – Movement From the Top: Inspired incorporation of the head in movement and directing the body up and out

Yoga – The Conscious Dance of Alignment: Inspired alignment of the bones, flexibility and breath


Principle 2, Natural Time and the Movement forms, is the foundation of Nia. This principle guides all of our movement and when the two aspects are merged in our bodies we experience the Joy of Movement (Principle 1). The class feels "natural" and we have fun!

Commentary by Allison Frederick, Nia Studio owner/operator


In order to keep up with the rest of the people in exercise classes, most of us feel compelled to carefully study the teacher's technique and copy it perfectly. I know that I sometimes feel flustered if I am not in sync with my fellow exercisers and it isn't unusual to see me facing right when the rest of the room is to their left. Nia exercises are helpful in strengthening a connection between what your ears hear; your brain processes, and then what the brain commands your body to do. This is the foundation of mind/body exercises and scientists tout the benefits of mind/body fitness and activities like dancing and martial arts, which help keep our brains vibrant and ward of deterioration diseases like Alzheimer's and other dementia.

Each Nia exercise builds on the foundation of the previous one. I find that one exercise elongates my spine even more or a following dance move reaches deeper into my hips, really working on any stiffness that lurks in my joints. Closely following a Nia routine will give you the most benefits out of the program because of how thoughtfully the moves are designed to build upon each other.

That being said, a primary tenet of Nia, however, is balance. Nia is like a loose, fluid structure. There is structure but the founders of Nia and Nia teachers encourage each person to find their own rhythm, their own pace, or their own level to exercise at. This is the idea behind Principle Number Two, "Natural Time."

Each of us probably has an area of the body that we feel we need to strengthen. We may have weak knees or, for me, tight muscles in my lower back. No matter how much I stretch, I can't seem to loosen my lower back muscles the way I would like. Every time there are lower back moves that help stretch or stabilize my back during Nia class, I slow down from the pace of the class and really focus on the exercise so that I can get the most out of that particular move. For some of us, Natural Time means speeding up a routine or moving our bodies in larger ways to burn more calories. For others, Natural Time may mean slowing down a move and giving oneself a chance to breathe deeply to help heal some troublesome areas.

“To stay connected to Natural Time, stay connected to sensation, an experience which isn’t governed by the clock!”
–Carlos Rosas, co-founder of The Nia Technique

If Nia sounds like something you would like to try, we invite you to take your first Nia class for free. Simply Click Here to receive your coupon. Our Nia fitness classes are offered in Castle Rock, Colorado. Feel free to call us at 303-522-4740 with any questions or visit http://www.niafitnessclasses.com/