by Kris Johnson

As I look back on my life journey from this distant vantage point, I realize that I came into this world with an intense, internally driven desire to move.  Sitting still has never been an option.  From the earliest moment, a message surfaced, informing me that moving my body just made me feel better.  Eventually, I discovered that all that nervous energy that continuously bounced around at excessive rates of speed inside my tiny body, could somehow be tamed and calmed by an inordinate amount of running, jumping, climbing, and biking.  The Joy of Movement was my friend and constant companion.

Seeking a way to perhaps channel some of that boundless energy into a more purposeful activity, my exhausted mother decided to enroll her hyperactive four year old daughter in dance lessons.   Immediately, I discovered that moving one's body to music and in precise patterns was infinitely more challenging and rewarding.  With more that 200 bones and 700 plus muscles in the body, the possibilities for creative movement were endless.  From these simple beginnings,  the journey into Joy began, for some 55 years later, I am still dancing and still enthralled with the pleasure created by the simple activity of moving.

As I matured and ventured out into the world, I began to explore other forms of movement.  Dance lessons led to high impact aerobics, step and spinning classes, pumping weights and any new fitness craze to hit the gym.  Increasingly intense workouts tightened my core, increased the strength in my biceps, enlarged my quads, and made me feel strong and powerful.  Yet somewhere in midst of this pursuit of the perfect body, there was this lingering feeling that something was missing.  I just wasn't enjoying the workouts as much as I had in the past---burnout was setting in.

Then one day, quite by accident, if there is such a thing, I came across an article on a new and different type of aerobic dance class called Nia and decided to give it a try.  In one short hour, I rediscovered the precious gift, long forgotten, that had been tucked away under hundreds of ab crunches.   Somewhere in the middle of this unusual dance class, sensations surfaced, reminding my body and mind how pleasurable it was to just set my spirit free to go in search of hidden joys.

The teacher spoke of dancing intrinsic muscles, of releasing emotions held deep inside.  She invited our fingers, elbows and knees to join the dance.  She informed the dancers that our bodies held an innate knowledge of just how it needed to move.  She cautioned us not to rely on her, as teacher, for every movement pattern, but instead to trust ourselves to move in ways that would honor our body and our spirit.  She introduced me to Freedance, the ultimate in joyful movement, and invited us to go within to discover what it meant to dance our own unique dance.  This amazing class stirred long hidden memories, allowing me to once again reconnect to the Joy of Movement, thereby changing my life in ways I could never have imagined.  I'd found my Joy.