How do I adapt movements in Nia class to fit my body? What if I have an injury or a condition that I’m healing?
White Belt Principle #7, The Three Planes and Three Intensity Levels, offers us an important way to personalize our movement choices. The intensity levels give us a map of how we can adjust our movements to fit the moment. They show us how to find and sustain the joy of movement, bringing health and healing to the body, in Nia class and while dancing through life.
Learn the sensation of each of the three intensity levels in your own body.
Because the levels exist on a relative scale, everybody can move at all three levels, no matter what their physical state. Like our own personal volume control knob with settings at low, middle and high, the levels allow us to explore and move in our body’s full available range.
Fall in love with the sensation and the benefits of each level. Each level nourishes the body in unique ways. No one level is more or less important. Regardless of fitness level, Nia encourages everyone to explore all three intensity levels.
Level 1: Movements are simple and less intense. Movements may be smaller, slower, closer to center, internal, intimate, grounded or simplified. Like a microscope, Level 1 can travel infinitely inside the body. Level 1 teaches us subtlety, center and depth.
Level 1 is where we go to rejuvenate, heal, find our energy, our center and our ground. We spend time at Level 1 when we are healing. We return to Level 1 from Level 2 or 3 to rejuvenate.
Level 2: Movements are somewhat larger, faster and more complex than Level 1. Level 2 teaches us the middle way. Level 2 is always equidistant between your Level 1 and your Level 3. This develops a continuum of choices and of sensitivity within the nervous system.
Level 2 is where we go when we want to sustain a higher level of energy, paying attention to detail, yet adding intensity and complexity. We return to Level 2 from Level 3 to find center.
Level 3: Level 3 is where we seek our edge. Level 3 is the most challenging and most complex. Here we approach, but do not cross over, our own personal edge — whatever that may be — regarding range of motion, flexibility, strength, speed, height, depth, complexity, variety, emotional expression, style, vocalization and energetics. Level 3 is a place we visit; it is not meant to be sustained.
Level 3 teaches us to maximize our experience with a movement in the moment, yet stay connected to the center and ground we established in level 1.
Find the sensation of your breath at each level. Learn the sensation of each of the three intensity levels in your own body. Become intimate with your body’s way.
A balanced body is one that can do all levels with ease, grace and passion.
1 response so far ↓
1 Sharry // Jan 10, 2009 at 7:16 am
I love your clear explanation of the levels -charts are good – and your words help my mental body. Of course what helps the most is being reminded (or remembering) to sense each level in the body as I dance. Lately I’ve been playing with doing level one with my feet, so I can do level 2 or 3 with my upper body/emotional body. For example, not doing a turn (that I’m able to do) so I can really feel the rhythm of the music and go higher energy on a clap.
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