KAPA‘A — Twice a week, a group of dance rebels lead by the creative mind and body of a French woman take over the dance floor and just follow what their bodies crave: To dance on its own terms. French
KAPA‘A — Twice a week, a group of dance rebels lead by the creative mind and body of a French woman take over the dance floor and just follow what their bodies crave: To dance on its own terms.
French native and long-time Kaua‘i resident Isabelle Fisher, along with husband Rod Fisher and friend Eana Rose, opened Golden Lotus Studio in Kapa‘a in April 2011, and since then they have provided the community with a unique space to teach, learn and practice all kinds of alternative creative expressions.
And it is exactly one of those alternative expressions, Nia dance, that Fisher teaches at Golden Lotus.
“I love to dance, I love to move and Nia is designed to follow my body’s way,” she said. “It is for any age or any condition. It’s really amazing and goes beyond movement; it becomes a path, which I’m passionate about.”
Nia dance, Fisher said, allows people to move their bodies the way it is intended to, giving participants more grounding, strength, flexibility, muscle toning, energy release, stability and opportunities for creativity.
Nia dance is a mixture of exercise and dance based on the body’s way of moving and on the joy of movement itself. It combines many styles of dancing, stretching and even martial arts, according to Fisher.
Dancers take their shoes off and just follow Fisher’s lead through an entire hour of “groovy music” and a fun workout. All that is needed is an open mind.
Nia was founded by Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas, who soon after meeting in 1982 formed a professional relationship that led to the new concept of fitness. Fisher said they observed what worked better for the body, as opposed to high-impact aerobics, and combined several techniques to create Nia. The process took 13 years, according to the official Nia website.
Nia dance classes are Monday at 10 a.m. and Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. Golden Lotus is located at 4-941A Kuhio Hwy., at the end of an alley next to Kapa‘a’s Kaua‘i Pasta.
Visit www.nianow.com for more information on Nia. Visit www.goldenlotuskauai.org or call Fisher at 823-9810 for more information.
