Kathleen has just returned from a week-long certification intensive, and has brought Boulder City an innovative and increasingly popular alternative to bone crunching, deadly repetition, high impact aerobics: Nia.

Nia has been described as “The grace and spontaneity of dance, the power and explosiveness of martial arts, and the stillness and concentration of Yoga and Thai Chi. It is a unique mix of sound, motion and mindfulness. Sometimes cues are taken from teachers, other times through free dance and movement”.

The first time Kathleen experienced Nia was at a weekend Yoga workshop in Phoenix three years ago. “I fell in love with it. The way it made me feel. Like I was coming home to my body. It brought the joy of movement back and made me feel freer in my body. It’s like the work I do, it blends with the wisdom of the body,” said Kathleen, who has 18 years’ experience as a body worker and several years’ experience as a certified Yoga teacher.

Nia was developed in 1983 by Carlos and Debbie Rosas whose approach to movement involves the mindful integration of what they believe to be the four main ingredients for creating health, fitness and overall well-being: the integration of your body, mind, emotions, and spirit.

Nia routines combine contrasting movements like fluid stretches, martial arts-like poses and punches, and Yoga-like poses of concentration. Free movement is encouraged in Kathleen’s guided, hour-long Nia classes.

Call Still Point Center at 293-7545 for more information. www.stillpointcenter.com