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The sedentary nature of her profession exacerbated the arthritis. “When I started Nia,” she says, “my hips and pelvic area felt frozen from years of sitting at a desk. I love to dance and walk for exercise, but Nia gave me the structure to explore movements I was not familiar with. For example, I began to use my upper body and arms in new ways.”

When she started to do Nia, her arthritic symptoms began to improve dramatically. Her hips regained most of their former flexibility, and her entire body became more toned. She now says, “I do not experience any arthritic pain in my hips.”

Even though she was receiving tangible physical benefits, her primary motivation to continue came from the fact that Nia was simply fun. “I immediately knew this was the class for me,” she notes. “I loved the music. I had taken aerobics classes before and had been very turned off by the music the instructors had selected. I love to dance, and the possibility that I could dance and have such a fun workout thrilled me. I also liked my Nia teacher, Jamie. She was so comfortable in her body that I mistakenly thought she was a dancer by background and training.

“I’ve noticed that I can come to a Nia class feeling a little down, and within the hour my entire mood shifts. My body comes alive and is filled with energy and joy. I feel such a great physical release. My spirit soars with the rhythms of the different musical cultures of the world. I also love the integration of the various martial arts and yoga.”