NIA®

NIA®
INSTRUCTOR: KIRSTEN BARTEL

WHAT IS Nia® ?

A dance based, mind-body movement practice that helps people of all fitness levels to improve flexibility, agility, mobility, strength, and stability. This class uses a blend of 52 moves and 9 movement forms choreographed to diverse music typically done without shoes.

2025 WINTER TERM SESSION 1

• Wednesdays
• January 8 to February 26 (8 classes)
• 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• $72

2025 WINTER TERM SESSION 2

• Wednesdays
• March 5 to April 23 (6 classes)
• No class on March 26 & April 2
• 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• $54

KIRSTEN BARTEL

Kirsten first discovered Nia® in her early 30s after years of no fitness practice and was overwhelmed by the toll that stress and poor nutrition had on her body.  She didn’t know what she was looking for but, after hearing Nia® described as “kind of like dancing”, she felt motivated to try out a class.  Used to taking aerobics classes in running shoes, it felt strange (and a bit scary) to move barefoot on the floor but she learned that Nia® is a whole-body fitness practice that engages all the muscles, including the ones in the feet, and that sensing the surface underfoot is a great way to build balance and strength.

Over the many years, this potent blend of 52 moves, and 9 movement forms inspired by the dance, martial, and healing arts, and choreographed to diverse music has enabled Kirsten to find joy in movement, on and off the dance floor, as well as given her a creative outlet to help her heal from stress.  Nia® routines focus on increasing the body’s flexibility, mobility, agility, strength, and stability, and the diverse music and creative choreography bring an attitude of fun and play!

The techniques found in Nia® of using The Body’s Way to move, and using sensation to guide how intense one wants to move, have truly made this a feel-good fitness practice suitable for all fitness abilities and age ranges.  Kirsten found Nia® so effective in helping her heal that she felt pulled to share this fusion movement practice in the belief that other people would like to dance through life too.  In 2011, she was certified to teach Nia® and has spent more than a decade sharing the joy of movement on various dance floors in Edmonton.  She invites you to join her and discover why ‘nothing feels better than movement’!