in gratitude, by Jeanne Carter

To me The Joy of Movement comes to full light when I am totally in the zone of dancing. I sometimes get so lost in dance that I totally forget who or where I am and experience Joy and life in the moment. This happens for me most often when I am having the pleasure of dancing with others. Dancing at the many Jams with my sister Nia St Louis teachers and friends brings a huge surge of Joy.

This past year has offered incredible opportunities to dance with many new wonderful people. Last January the Delectable Denise Medved, Black Belt and international trainer, came to introduce Nia to the Illinois community of Edwardsville. She showed us dancing and taught us Ageless Grace. People from all over the Midwest came and joined us in the dance and the learning. It was a spectacular opening.  In February I danced with Carlos Rosas and 40 other people in Chicago when I audited a White Belt session. Tracy Stamper and Robin Bach have both permitted the rest of us to be with their Beautiful Black Belt Boogie to dance and learn in different master classes and workshops. Tracy taught us the “beginning of cueing between 3 and 6” and jumped in many times to cover when our masters were stuck in traffic. Robin gave us “creating our own routine”, “organic strength training” and “learning how to teach the routine Mandala”. The gifts they have offered us include the true development of the Nia St Louis group and ongoing continuing education opportunities.

In July the wild and whimsical Winalee Zeeb gathered us to dance and learn the routine Opal. In addition to learning how to teach Opal we were able to be with her for several master classes. I must say that incredibly, I was able to teach Opal the next day after her training. I was so in the zone that night I kicked my own butt. Sally Burgess, Reneigh DeBoer and I were fortunate to get to dance by the Aegean Sea in Greece with people from all over the world! We danced morning and evening for an entire week! Our accommodations were the beautiful Rosey’s Little Village on Agistri Island.  Speaking of being in the zone, for my birthday in November I was able to take Blue Belt training at Nia Headquarters and dance with both Carlos Rosas and Debbie Rosas at different classes. Along with about 50 of their trainees and students!!!!!!

And the icing on my cake came with Nia Headquarters’ release of Unplugged, a routine to live drumming that’s available to the public. I had the Joy of dancing with my students at the YMCA and at St Alexius Hospital.Nia has taught me to find the Joy in all movements and opened up the door for that Joy to be keenly available when I get to dance with others. Nia St Louis has bought me the comradery of others who are seeking the same Joy. Hope that I get to dance with you this year. :- )