An Invitation to SoulCollage Happy Hour March 14th at Anita's Studio

Awareness of Upper Arm Bone ~ Sensing Direction ~ March Focus

Awareness of Upper Arm Bone

 

Sensing Direction

A healthy upper arm bone is sensed as hanging,

free to swing, turn, swivel and fluidly rotate in many directions

while smoothly moving through space at various speeds. 

In the Month of March,

we will learn what it means to

sense relaxed holding,

to sense core support from underneath,to sense expression of power and grace,

ALL through dynamic ease.

MAC workshop 

Tuesday, March 4th, 8 am Studio 3, $8

followed by 9 am NIA Class 

(see MAC for full schedule of NIA and Floor Play classes)

or 

Anita's Studio

NIA Classes

Wed and Fri 

9am-10:15 am

Valentines Day, Loving Yoga and a Potluck at Anita's Studio

I have been asked to create a special event on Valentines Day. 

Please join solo or as a couple. 

This day can feel odd for many 

who are solo and even those who are in a significant other relationship.

Let's soothe OURSELVES and ease our EXPECTATIONS 

of what LOVE should be. 

Spend this evening in relationship with our own selves 

in a guided loving yoga experience followed by a potluck with friends.

I will provide the loving space, soothing, safe yoga and a pot of soup.  

Bring something to drink (alchohol or non-alchohol) and a salad.

Time 6:15 - 7:45 pm yoga

7:45 - 9:45 pm potluck

$30 per Couple or $15 solo

RSVP by 2/11 and If you already have ~ thank you!

With Love,

Anita

I have 4 spaces left

MORE NIA AND SOULCOLLAGE DATES

Hello Everyone,

In January, Kathy and I offered this lovely, soulful play shop 

and I am still sweetly floating from the day.

We have been asked to offer it again before we move to the

Happy SoulCollage Hour and the 2nd workshop in the Series ~ Dance and Connect.

Join us if you missed the 1st worshop or if you attended the January workshop please encourage your

loved ones to INDULGE on Feb 22nd, 9am -2pm at Anita's Studio.

This is a lovely event to have a play day with a friend or to connect with lovely women

just like you!

We will NIA Soul Dance for 75 minutes

eat a healthy lunch lovingly prepared by Kathy and I,

and create your dazzling SoulCollage cards.

With Love,

Anita

Anita's Studio

Mark you Calendars for more SoulCollage (requires the first NIA and SoulCollage Workshop)

Happy Hour SoulCollage ~ and evening of card creating 3/7 6:30-9pm 

Dance and Connect to Your Inner Wisdom ~ Your larger life theme! ~ 4/26 9am - 2pm

More info to come on these workshops!

Sense Freedom within the Shoulder Joint

A healthy shoulder joint must coordinate your shoulder blade muscles, chest muscles, rotator cuff, and the upper arm muscles. 

Having body literacy of the shoulder joint is critical to upper body comfort.  

In order for your shoulder girdle to be in comfort your shoulder joint must have 4 healthy articulation points: 

Sternoclavicular joint, Scapulothoracic joint, Acromioclavicular joint and the Glenohumeral joint.

Join Anita at the MAC on 

Tues, Feb 4th @ 8 am in Studio 3

$8

We will unravel the mysteries of the shoulder joint

using X-Ray anatomy and practice movements that

keep the shoulder joint healthy, stable and mobile.

2014 is the year of Self Care!

The Shoulder Joint will be our February class focus at 

THE MAC

and

Anita's Studio 

I look forward to seeing you!

Anita

NIA and SoulCollage ~ 2nd offering for 2014

Special class this week and schedule for Anita's NIA

Hello NIA dancers at Anita's Classes and the MAC Club …

I will be out of town on Fri 1/31-Sun 2/2 for a sister's weekend ~ so excited! 

I will not have class:

Fri 1/31 @ Anita's Studio

Sun 2/2 @ The MAC 

I am proposing that I hold a special class:

Mon 1/27    9 -10:15am     @     Anita's Studio

for those of you who want that extra day of "Joy of Movement".  

Please let me know if you are interested in this Mondays "Joy of Movement" 

NIA Class at my studio by replying YES to this email.  

All other classes are AS scheduled at my Studio and at the MAC.

With Love,

Anita

Classes at Anita's Studio are $12 and parking is free

Shoulder Girdle ~ Sensing Your Wings

Set Your Wings Free

and 

F   L  Y

"When you have tension anywhere in your body you can’t fly. 

You can’t even stand up straight, 

breathe deeply, 

or for that matter, 

feel really good." Debbie Rosas

Discover how to release tension in your body

through your shoulder girdle.

We will visualize, walk, dance, take off and soar with our wings!

Bring your Sensation Scientist!

Workshop and Classes at the MAC

Jan 7th, Tues, 8am, Studio 3

$8

Regular Classes 

NIA

Mon 7am

Tues/Thurs 9:00

Sun10:00

FloorPlay

Tues/Thurs 8:30 am

Sun 9:30 am

Anita' Studio

Wed and Fri

9-10:15 am

contact for address

With Love,

Anita 

NIA and SoulCollage Workshop Jan 18th! EARLYBIRD $75

Oooh! It's cold outside ~ Come and Dance!

Oooh it's cold outside!

Warm up those joints

Come and Dance NIA

at Anita's Classes 

Tomorrow ~ Fri

9-10:15 am

Love 

Anita

Awareness of the Head: Sensing Up

"In Nia, 

we perceive the head as the place where energy is directed; 

the chest where energy is exchanged; 

and the pelvis where energy is contained."(Debbie Rosas)

Join me in opening up to movement of your head.

"Over time, you will be able to tolerate larger amounts of energy moving in your head and neck and through the vestibular system. 

You’ll be able to turn, spin, and move up and down from the floor 

and at different speeds without getting dizzy. 

You’ll also be able to change directions quickly without feeling nausea or fear." (Debbie Rosas)

We will release tension and move up!

Come prepared to move with intention.

AWARENESS OF THE HEAD

December Focus

Anita's Classes

Wed and Fri

9-10:15 am

MAC Club 

December Focus

Awareness of Head Workshop Dec 3rd 8-9am

My Best

Anita Stark

NIA Black Belt Facilitator

Dancing Gratitude

We will have class 

Wed and Fri of Thanksgiving week at Anita's Classes

9am -10:15 am

and on Thanksgiving Day 

at the MAC Club 8:30 - 10:00 am

Dancing in the bliss of sunshine!

Love

Anita

Awareness of the Spine ~ Workshop and OCT Class Focus

Yes, I have scoliosis AND I have a healthy spine  

~thanks to The NIA Technique~

 and my on-going quest to find comfort and pleasure in moving my spine.

NIA has helped me realize that regardless of how my bones are shaped,

my body is designed to move and feel shapes and space.

I choose NIA daily as my movement meditation and 

to not ignore misalignments 

but to sense through movement what a healthy spine feels like

so that I maintain heathy nerves, muscles and joints.

Join me in "X-raying" our spines with NIA dance

and recognizing the many NIA movement approaches 

for keeping your spine in tip-top shape. 

Anita's Classes

Wed and Fri

9 am - 10:15 am

Or join me for a MAC workshop

AWARENESS OF THE SPINE

Oct 8th, Tues, 8 am - 9 am

THE MAC, Studio 3

And classes at the MAC Mon, T/Th and Sun

My Best

Anita Stark

NIA Black Belt Facilitator

Anita's Classes ~ Starting on Time 9 am - 10:15 am

Hello Lovely Dancers,

Today the fall light in the dojo was brilliant and the dancing was divine.  Thank you all so much for dancing at Anita's Classes.

From this day forward we will begin class at 9 am. 

The dojo opens at 8:45 am.  

If you come late ~ that is OK ~ 

come in and go through the Cycles that you may have missed on your own

There are 7 cycles to your class.  Cycles take into consideration that you are never the same on any two days, or, for that matter, from moment to moment. The seven cycles remain the same, however the Nia experience changes continuously based on the focus, music, moves and class intent.

Cycle 1: Set the Focus and Intent – What You Place Your Attention On

The focus is what you place your attention on. The intent is your desired outcome. The first 3-5 minute cycle is designed to share both objective and subjective information that will enhance your awareness and experience in class.

Cycle 2: Step In – Create the Space to Workout

Stepping In is the act of leaving behind distractions. Stepping In stimulates the body, mind, emotions, and spirit connection by helping you create space to workout. Activate your sensory awareness as the starting point for all body-centered action. 

Cycle 3: Warm Up – Prepare Your Heart, Lungs, and 13 Joints

Warm-up by consciously activating the flow of energy through your heart, lungs and thirteen primary joints. Warming-up increases body heat and respiration, and initiates your movement through all three planes: low, middle, and high. 

Cycle 4: Get Moving – Energize the Moves to Reach a Peak

Get Moving is the action of using increased ranges of motion, speed and intensity to condition the heart, lungs, muscles and joints. Activate your cardiovascular system using speed and shorter and longer splashes of intensity. Move more dynamically through space and the three planes of movement: low, middle and high. 

Cycle 5: Cool Down – Calm, Harmonize, and Re-center

Cool Down by decreasing your intensity level, slowing your speed and allowing your heart rate to cool down. Activate your Conscious Personal Trainer to stretch, re-center, reflect, and prepare to move your body towards the floor.

Cycle 6: Floorplay – Fitness on the Floor

Floorplay uses the elements of play, gravity, the floor, space, time and sound to condition the body with FAMSS–flexibility, agility, mobility, strength and stability. Take advantage of the heat and pliability generated from your previous movements; this allows you to stretch and open your joints more fully. In Floorplay, use your body as free weight to condition your muscles and joints. 

Cycle 7: Step Out – Transition Into Your Next Activity                                                                                                                                  Step Out by transitioning into your next activity with an awareness of the fitness and self-healing benefits you have received from your movement. Stepping out is a physical action you take to symbolize the end of every class,  creating a container for movement to carry with you throughout your life.  

Cycles from the NIA White Belt

I hope to see more of you in classes.  Let's continue to create joyful community together:) 

Love 

Anita

Wed and Fri are back at Anita's Classes

Now that Fall is arriving, I am back into the swing of dancing 6 days a week.  You can join me at the MAC or my Home Studio.
At my home studio classes are once again Wed and Fri 9 -10:15 am.
Look forward to seeing you soon!

Anita's Classes Summer Schedule

Hello Darling Dancers,

Thank you all for your schedule input.  Our lives are full and our desires are many ~ but our bodies can only attempt to do so much in one Oregon summer!

Through August 30th I will teach only on Wednesdays from 9-10:15 am at my home studio.

Here are the Wednesdays that I will teach:

6/26 Wed

7/3 Wed

7/10 Wed

7/17 Wed 

7/24 Wed 

8/7 Wed

8/14 Wed

8/21 Wed

8/28 Wed

Beginning on Sept 4th, I will return joyfully to teaching on Wed and Fri morning from 9 am - 10:15 am.

I hope to see many of you throughout the summer.  T

The classes in the summer will be $12 per class.  You are welcome to pay in advance or pay as you come to dance!

See you Wed morning.  Bring a friend to class anytime!

This week we finish up the knees and next week we start with the thigh bones ~ mmmm sexy!

Anita

Awareness of Knees Tips!

This morning I completed the "Awareness of Knees" workshop at the MAC and had a magical turnout.  I thought I would share a few simple tips from the workshop! Love this body of work ~ thank you Debbie Rosas! Here you go:

A nice image of the bones forming the knee to keep in mind while using this powerful hinge joint.  Print and put it somewhere so you can understand your knee movement. My image  is currently  taped up on my kitchen refrigerator.

Using the 3 stages of learning ~ Look, Listen and Imagine ~ to help you to become aware of the design and function of YOUR knees.

3 Simple techniques from today's workshop to practice to help you feel the sensation of healthy knees:

1.  Become aware of the healthy knees by softening the knees to feel the joint space rather than protecting the knees and locking the knees. Go to your hip and ankle joints and find mobility and stability ~ hese two joints have a great deal of mobility and space and stability.  Imagine yours knees being "supported" by the ankle and knee joints.  Then you can relax the knees just like your elbow joint.

2. Stand, Walk, Sit with feet hip width apart and parallel.  If your feet are turned out or turned in without intention then the hip is pointing forward but the foot is turned out or in.  This leaves the knee torquing to balance out the two directions of the foot and hip creating strain on the knee joint, ligaments and tendons.  This is a simple technique and a process of re-learning and re-leasing from habitual movement.  Be Parallel and Hip Width Apart. Look at your feet when you are standing, walking and sitting ~ look.  Then look/listen in the direction your feet are pointing while you are standing, walking and sitting ~ listen.  Look, listen, imagine your feet on two tracks like a train or cross county ski's ~ imagine.  

3. Wag your tail.  If you cannot wag your tail then your knees are locked, which leads to stiff knees, which leads to tight ankles. Wag your tail, unlock your knees and feel the space under your femur, behind your patella and above the tibia.  Look, Listen, Imagine.

My goal as a NIA Facilitator and Educator is to help you move comfortably in your body!

Springtime Dancing with the Knees

Yes, Yes, Yes

It is Raining Outside

and 

the Sun is Out

Perfect for Rainbows.

Springtime Dancing!

See you at Anita's Studio

Wed and Fri ~ 9 am - 10:15 am

Focus on Knees ~ Opening and Closing

or at the MAC

June 4th workshop at 8 am on Knees

Photo from Kahneeta Memorial Weekend at 5:16 am Sunrise Monday Morning Hike to the Top!!!!

Dancin' Shinbones

Seriously now ~ we will be dancing the Shinbones through the month of May in Anita's NIA Classes at the Home Studio and at the MAC Club.  MAC workshop also on 5/7, Tues @ 8 am ~ Awareness of Shinbones ~ Sensing Vertical Precision. 

May Focus ~ Awareness of Shinbones

Awareness of Shinbones

Sensing Vertical Precision

Through the month of May at the MAC and Anita's Studio 

we will explore the shinbones which are nested in the lower leg 

and provide vertical precision, stability and strength to our upper leg.   

Unhealthy shinbones lead to a feeling 

of unsteadiness or immobility in the ankle, knee and hip.  

Learn simple techniques to keep 

the shin bones healthy, mobile and stable from the ground up.

Anita's Studio

Every Wed & Fri morning

9:00 - 10 :15 am

MAC Schedule

NIA ~ Mon 7 am, Tues/Thurs 9 am, Sun 10 am

Floorplay ~ Tues/Thurs 8:30 am, Sun 9:30 am

MAC Workshop ~ Awareness of Shinbones

Tues, May 7th, 8-9 am, 

Studio 3  Cost: $8  NIA 57  

Anita Stark, NIA Black Belt Facilitator and Educator