Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now

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  • Like somebody’s watching

    Day 31 of 52 Nia dance

    There’s this fun saying that we should dance like nobody’s watching. I like that idea as it suggests being in the body and feeling the music and not worrying about how I appear to others. But today, while dancing, I realized that I want to dance like I’m watching because, in fact, I am. I want to see my smiling face in the studio mirror. I want to laugh when I miss the step change I forgot was coming. I want to watch my hands moving in the air. I’ve learned through Nia to like what I see.

    Also, seeing enhances my feeling during dancing. I’m aware of my joy when I see myself smiling. I’m aware of my power when I see myself punching and kicking.

    It’s a surprise transformation. As we say in Nia, Thank you body.

  • Noticing changes

    Holly Nastasi in Bring It

    Day 30 of 52 Nia dance

    I wish there were some way to measure change over time, but since I didn’t note any specifics before I started this challenge, I can’t give concrete information, just anecdotal, about what seems to be different physically and mentally for me.

    Here’s how I think I’m different after 30 days of dancing every day.

    • Increased upper body strength. I notice this because it feels much easier to carry kayaks from storage to car rooftop to water and back.
    • More strength and mobility in my ankle joints, apparent in the way I’m able to move easily on tiptoes for some of the dance routines. It’s also easier for me to keep my heel high when doing anything involving the bow stance (which looks like a lunge, for any non-Nia folks).
    • Increased lung capacity. On morning walks in our hilly neighborhood, I never get winded.
    • Less anxious. This may just be a function of age, as fewer things rile me up here in the seventh decade of living. But I also feel like dancing permits a pretty great release of all kinds of energy. I always leave dance happy and that mood often lingers through the day.
    • Gained weight. I’ve added on three pounds in the past 30 days. I’m not sure why. The only thing I’ve noticed that’s different in my eating habits is that I’m craving sweets more than usual. I have medium self control around food, but this month candy has been calling my name. Is it because I’m being more physical? Is it because of the changing seasons? Don’t know. Because of the reduced anxiety, I’m not too worried about it. I have strategies for managing my weight.

    Looking forward to another three weeks of dancing to complete my challenge. Today I danced with Nia on Demand to Bring It with Holly Nastasi. I particularly enjoyed the full range of front, side and back kicks in the middle of the routine.

  • Imagination

    Artist Patricio González, from Pixabay

    Day 29 of 52 Nia dance

    The use of narrative with choreography sets Nia apart (in my experience) from other exercise practices. Today, for example, instructor Dael Parsons led us in Levity, which uses a marionette metaphor as a guide. What is it like to move as though strings are attached? It’s less flowy than yesterday’s Deep Dive, but giving agility/mobility energies more of a workout.

    Dael also gave us this lovely notion of being attached to a star, and the idea stayed with me as we were doing a longish balancing-on-one-foot movement. It seemed to help me stay centered longer.

    So far, daily dance practice has not been a challenge for me. I haven’t struggled to drag myself to the studio or the computer. There’s anticipation, then the pleasure of dancing, then the follow-up good feelings of having danced.

    Writing daily about the practice is the greater challenge that has required more self discipline. I included writing as part of my commitment because I thought it would help me reach my 52 days of dance goal. It might be the other way around. Daily dancing has enabled me to complete a daily writing practice.