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6Principle
The Base of the BodyThe Feet are the Hands That Touch the Earth
“Be strong then, and enter into your own body;
There you have a solid place for your feet.
Think about it carefully!
Don’t go off somewhere else!
Kabir says this: just throw away all thoughts
Or imaginary things,
And stand firm in that which you are.”
Kabir
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 2© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
IntroductionNia and the Feet
Back in the days of traditional aerobic exercise, we
wore shoes and jumped up and down. We jogged,
hopped and “fought” with gravity, creating little aches
and pains that often led to injury. In those days, we
rationalized that a little discomfort was simply part of
the fitness business – because at the time, there was no
other way.
Working out in bare feet turned out to be one of the
most profound choices we ever made. We discovered
the power in our feet, and ultimately, we discovered
our foundation: the earth. Being able to sense our bare
feet allowed us to ground, to center ourselves and move
gracefully, powerfully and efficiently. Shifting our body
weight, rather than dropping it, protected the tiny bones
in our feet, making them naturally strong and allowing
us to safely walk, run, jump and dance through life.
Our feet are our direct connection to the earth and
where balance in our whole body begins. In the
same light, our feet can also detect any imbalance in
our body. Ida Rolf, the creator of Rolfing®, teaches
that the feet tell an entire story. She tells us that to
develop a healthy and powerful posture, to have a
strong and agile body, the feet must first be structur-
ally aligned, which allows them to provide a firm,
sturdy and flexible foundation.
Like your hands, your feet are prehensile; they grasp,
clutch, support, reach out, touch and provide balance.
Like your hands, your feet receive and release energy
to and from your body. They are energy portals, subtle,
flexible suction cups that open to the earth. The arches
of your feet move chi, breathing energy in and out,
expanding and contracting like healthy lungs.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 3© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
Nia foot techniques are designed to benefit the entire
body from the ground up. Regular practice of the foot
and base moves increases balance, strength and defini-
tion, improves movement efficiency, cultivates energy
and develops high levels of body and self-awareness.
The moves Squish Walk, Rock Around the Clock, Whole
Foot, and Relevé are designed to build strong, agile feet
and ankles, creating a firm and flexible foundation.
Pay attention to your feet as you move. Listen to your
feet. Become attentive to your base. The more you
connect to your feet, the more power you can generate
– and thus the more you can express yourself through
dance! A weak connection to the earth is similar to
weak reception on your television: your picture is
unclear and sloppy, lacking integrity and form. A good
connection to the earth is like plugging directly into a
wall socket!
The arches of your feet are designed to provide your
entire body with strength, agility, stability and shock
absorption. Your outer (longitudinal) arch includes your
last two toes, which lift to establish balance. Your inner
arch, also longitudinal, includes your first three toes.
Like your hand, these toes give you more stability for
grounding and anchoring. The inner arch, along with
your big toe, composes your major support structure
and the flexible system that helps you maintain an
upright posture. In addition to your outer and inner
arches, a transverse arch runs across the front of your
foot, much like a suspension bridge. This arch acts as a
built-in shock absorber when you distribute weight over
the entire base of your foot.
Maintaining strength and flexibility in your ankles helps
prevent injuries, allowing you to dance freely and safely.
Your feet support the weight of your entire body, which
means your ankles must move freely and fluidly to pro-
vide balance, power and stability. When you walk, your
back foot flexes and bends across the ball of your foot
to propel you forward. Nia teaches you to lead with the
heel of the foot that steps forward; this is the way you
were designed to walk.
In the beginning, if you rarely take your shoes off, your
skin may be soft and sensitive and you may need to
wear a dance sandal or a soft-soled shoe to protect your
skin. Soon however, as learn to distribute your weight
and develop base strength and coordination, there will
be no match for the Joy of bare feet!
Nia and the Knees
Our aerobic education taught us to keep our knees over
our feet – and that was the extent of our awareness. We
never realized how the way we were using our knees was
limiting our true strength and movement potential.
Knees, like elbows, are not designed to support extreme
weight, but rather to transfer energy from one set of
bones to another. Like the hinges of a door, they func-
tion best when moving in a single plane, which requires
strength, intention and alignment. Ideally, the knee and
ankle joints are stacked over each other, both facing
the same direction. Wherever the foot points, the knee
should follow.
Your knee is a network of bones, muscles, ligaments, ten-
dons and connective tissue, which weave together to sup-
port the overall structure. Locking your knees, or pressing
them back, compresses the cartilaginous elements and
cuts off energy flow. When you lock your knees, you rely
on bones rather than muscles for support; you “stand” on
your bones. Over time, this creates a weakening in the
leg structure, which can result in muscle atrophy and loss
of power, stability and agility.
Pliable knees are key to developing strong, sturdy legs.
When your knee is engaged and aligned, movement feels
effortless and you experience a sensation of stability. If
the inseam of your foot is not firmly grounded, or you
collapse the arches of your feet, this causes your knee
and pelvis to rotate, putting stress on your knee and hip
joints. To avoid putting strain on your knees, consciously
seek the sensation of comfort from the ground up. Seek
comfort in all your base joints — your feet, ankles, knees
and hips. Over time, as these joints become more flex-
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 4© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
ible, your base agility and strength will improve. You will
be able to step out farther, sink deeper into your weight,
and move more quickly.
When sinking, look forward and keep your spine soft
and vertically aligned. Respect the cervical and lumbar
curves of your spine; avoid throwing your head and torso
forward, as this will tighten your lower back. Your joints
should remain open and relaxed, with your breath full
and easy. Use your breath to support fluidity in your
movement. To rise, push your feet into the earth. The feel-
ing of rising from the ground is similar to climbing stairs:
seek the sensation of one foot pushing down into a “step”
to rise to the next step. Keep your posture upright, your
arms and hands relaxed, and allow your feet and legs to
do the work.
The leg choreography of Nia is a simple yet highly effective
combination of steps, stances and kicks. It uses fun, creative
movements to strengthen your feet and legs, rather than
repetitive jogging and jumping. The patterns are intention-
ally simple, so they can be easily modified with your own
personal expression. Fluid, continual variation in the steps,
stances and kicks stimulates different muscles and intensi-
ties, moving energy in all directions.
Nia and the Legs
Your arm and leg are similarly designed: Your arm is an
appendage that extends your hand; your leg is an ap-
pendage that extends your foot. Your arm has an elbow;
your leg has a knee. Your arm has a shoulder; your leg
has a hip. Your entire body is a beautiful structure of mir-
roring form and function.
We used to think our legs ended where our front pockets
were sewn into our pants. In truth, the muscles of your
legs extend all the way to your waist. Your buttocks also
play a key role in moving your thighs. The largest bone in
your leg is the femur, the thighbone. It has a rounded end
that rests gently in a concave hip socket. Your thighbone
enables changes in leg position by moving within the
hip joint. Your hip, a ball-and-socket joint, is the stron-
gest joint in your body. Moving your thighbones while
keeping your pelvis stable, and moving your pelvis while
keeping your thighbones stable, are techniques we use
to develop strength and mobility in the hips. Healthy hip
joints are vital to fluidity and power in your legs. When
your hip joints move freely, your pelvis and thighbones
can work together to support you in any range of motion.
The largest bone in your leg is the femur, the thighbone.
It has a rounded end that rests gently in a concave hip
socket. Your thighbone enables changes in leg position by
moving within the hip joint. Your hip, a ball-and-socket
joint, is the strongest joint in your body. Moving your
thighbones while keeping your pelvis stable, and moving
your pelvis while keeping your thighbones stable, are
techniques we use to develop strength and mobility in
the hips. Healthy hip joints are vital to fluidity and power
in your legs. When your hip joints move freely, your
pelvis and thighbones can work together to support you
in any range of motion.
The psoas is also an important muscle in the base – some
even say it is the most important. While the psoas muscle
is not part of the leg, it plays a major role in coordinating
the upper and lower body. One end of the psoas muscle
inserts into your lower leg, while the other inserts fairly
high on your spine. This has a profound effect on your
core power and the overall health of your organs. To feel
grace, ease and fluidity in your movement, your psoas
muscles must be strong and flexible. Seek to open your
groin and lengthen your psoas muscles by paying atten-
tion to their sensations when you rise, sink, open and
close your body.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 5© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
Voice of
Body
To the physical part of you, I offer a foundation upon which
to evolve, a unique soul moving about in flesh and bone, in
the vessel of a divine body. I am your connection to earth.
Rise up through me, through the soles of your feet, out of
the tops of my pelvic girdle, floating high into your dreams
and desires. Stable, I am where you come for stillness.
Mobile, I energize you to move about freely as an upright
human being. Rest into me. Feel me give you power from
underneath and behind.
Mind
To the mental part of you, I offer a safe vessel, a reservoir
for surrendering into the consciousness of your human
form. I am the wisdom that calls for you to stop or go, to
move swiftly or slowly, to be still. Your every thought tick-
les the dendrites that keep me responsive, interactive with
your inner and outer worlds. My eyes look into the center
of the earth and all around you, from my 360-degree radial
energy center: your hara. I help you stand your ground, to
be strong and vulnerable. Sit, stand, run, jump, hop, skip,
open and close me and I smile with delight.
Emotions
To the emotional part of you, I flood you with confidence.
I love nothing more than the sensation of you stepping and
standing firmly, The Body’s Way. Listen to me and I will
guide you in making healthy choices that support your life
celebration. I protect the most vulnerable and powerful
parts of you. I house your sacral and sexual energy centers,
elements of your sacred form, designed to protect and
nurture you. Trust in me and I will guide you.
Spirit
To the spirit part of you, I offer the power and elegance of
the horse; the vision and flight of the eagle; the strength
and intelligence of the elephant. I remind you to find
balance between left and right, top and bottom, in and
out, male and female. I am solid fluidity, spinning you into
being through the embryonic, creeping, crawling, stand-
ing and walking stages all humanity has passed through,
time and time again. Stand tall, resting into me, and show
yourself to the world.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 6© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
ScienceObserve how rooting energy through your base affects
the posture of your entire body.
•Your feet receive information and send messages that
direct movement choices in your whole body.
•Healthy feet can move in all directions, which in-
creases hip, knee and ankle flexibility.
•By design, the body leads with the heel of the foot to
support movement from underneath and behind.
•Use your whole foot to develop intrinsic support.
•Observe how rotating your feet will affect different
leg muscles.
•Notice how shifting your weight can function as a
shock absorber for your knees and hips.
• Stepping with your foot in the same direction as your
knee supports the hinge-like design of your knee joint.
•Your leg bones extend deep into your waist.
•Your psoas muscle plays a major role in connecting
the upper and lower parts of your body.
•When your knee joints are unlocked, your leg
muscles and bones must remain actively engaged.
This naturally allows them to maintain strength and
stability, versus atrophying from lack of use.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 7© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
metatarsals tarsalsphalanges
fibula
tibia
patella
femur
metatarsals
calcaneum
tarsals
fibula
tibia
femur
tensor fascia lata
quadraceps
peroneus
anterior tibial
psoas
iliacus
satorius
adductors
piriformis
posterior tibialsoleus
gastrocnemius
hamstrings
gracilis
gluteus maximus
gluteus medius
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 8© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
The Base of the Body The Feet are the Hands That Touch the Earth
Recall1. What is the triad for Principle 6?
2. What is the catch phrase for Principle 6?
3. List the body parts Principle 6 refers to.
CraftThis principle introduces you to the technique of using your feet and legs as a powerful, dynamic and grounded founda-
tion for your whole body. The base of your body includes your feet, ankles, shinbones, knees, thighbones and hip joints.
All these parts work together to allow you to walk, run, push, shift, rise, sink, step, stand, kick and dance!
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 9© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
Base Joints
Foot Techniques•Heel Lead
•Whole Foot
•Ball of the Foot
•Relevé
•Rock Around the
Clock
•Squish Walk
•Duck Walk
•Toes In, Out,
Parallel
Steps•Sink and Pivot
Table Wipe
•Stepping Back onto
the Ball of Your Foot
•Cross Front
•Cross Behind
•Traveling in
Directions
•Lateral Traveling
•Cha-Cha-Cha
•Slow Clock
•Fast Clock
Stances•Closed Stance
•Open Stance
•“A” Stance
•Riding (Sumo)
Stance
•Bow Stance
•Cat Stance
Kicks•Front Kick
•Side Kick
•Back Kick
•Knee Sweep
The Base performs 27 of the 52 Moves: 8 Foot
Techniques, 9 Steps, 6 Stances and 4 Kicks.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 10© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
EmbodimentFor these exercises, refer to the book: The Nia Technique:
The High-Powered Energizing Workout that Gives You a
New Body and a New Life.**
Exercise 1: Read About the Base
Read pages 34 – 42 in the book, The Nia Technique**, to
become familiar with the anatomy of the base.
Exercise 2: Practice the Foot Techniques (8)
In your Nia book**, review the eight foot techniques of
the Nia 52 Moves. Pay close attention to each technique’s
practice tips and benefits. After reading about each
technique, practice it for at least one minute, until you
sense dynamic ease as you move. Repeat this process
regularly to refine your technique; make it part of your
life practice.
Heel Lead• Imagine your foot is 50 times its size
•Learn to place your heel consciously
•Move with the intent to feel a connection between
your feet, the ground and your whole body
Whole Foot• Imagine leaving an imprint of your foot in sand
•Learn to give your entire weight to your whole foot
•Move with the intent to ”arrive” and wait
Ball of the Foot• Imagine you are balancing in high heels
•Learn to plant the ball of your foot firmly and
press down
•Move with the intent to step directly onto your target
Relevé• Imagine your whole foot rolling over a rolling pin
•Learn to roll through your foot, from the heel
up onto the ball
•Move with the intent to rise without effort
Rock Around the Clock• Imagine balancing and rolling on top of a ball
•Learn to move and balance from the ground up
•Move with the intent to press the outside edges of
your feet into the earth
Squish Walk• Imagine squeezing juice out of an orange
•Learn to slow the action of your heel coming down
•Move with the intent to use the strength in your feet
Duck Walk• Imagine splashing water around in a puddle
•Learn to lift and lower the balls of your feet without
pushing from your knees or hips
•Move with the intent to lift and lower with the same
speed and strength
Toes In, Out, Parallel• Imagine your feet are windshield wipers
•Learn to rotate your thighbone at the hip joint
•Move with the intent to align your ankle, knee and
hip joints
Additional Tips for Practicing Foot Techniques •Your feet are one of the most important parts of
your body in which to develop awareness. Practice
consciously stepping onto different areas of your
foot and noticing how this affects the sensations in
your whole body.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 11© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
• Heel Lead is the foot technique Nia uses in most
traveling steps. Consciously keep the ball of your foot
and toes off the floor as you step, allowing your heel
to reach out. Once your heel lands, roll through your
entire foot.
• Whole Foot is a technique that uses the entire surface
of your foot to shift weight and rest, creating a solid
foundation to safely support your body weight. When
practicing Whole Foot, consciously place your entire
foot onto the earth, so your toes can relax and spread.
• To practice Ball of the Foot, distribute your body
weight across the entire width of the ball of your foot,
with your heel high and your toes relaxed and ex-
tended forward. Consciously step onto the ball of your
foot to play with balance and precision.
• Pay attention to the direction of your toes as you step.
When you change the direction of your foot, the
placement of your thighbone in your hip socket will
change. Varying the direction of your foot creates
healthy movement in your hip joint, keeping it active,
flexible and strong.
Exercise 3: Practice the Steps (9)
In your Nia book**, review the steps of the Nia 52
Moves. Pay close attention to each step’s practice tips
and benefits. After reading about each step, practice it
for at least one minute, until you sense dynamic ease as
you move. Repeat this process regularly to refine your
technique; make it part of your life practice.
Sink and Pivot Table Wipe• Imagine you are swiping dominos off a table
•Learn to pick up, rotate and consciously place the
back ball of your foot
•Move with the intent to firmly plant the back ball of
your foot
Stepping Back Onto the Ball of Your Foot• Imagine the ball of your foot is your whole foot
•Learn to keep your back thighbone vertical
•Move with the intent to land without wobbling
Cross Front• Imagine responding to someone calling your name
•Learn to use your feet to guide changes of direction
•Move with the intent to respond with your
whole body
Cross Behind• Imagine creating an “X” with your ankles
•Learn to keep your feet under your pelvis
•Move with the intent to maintain balance
Traveling in Directions• Imagine stepping through doorways
•Learn to anticipate and consciously change direction
•Move with the intent to respond with grace
Lateral Traveling• Imagine you are learning to ballroom dance
•Learn to place your feet strategically
•Move with the intent to be precise
Cha-Cha-Cha• Imagine you are on stage in front of a grand audience
•Learn to cha-cha-cha with your whole body
•Move with the intent to create excitement
Slow Clock• Imagine landing on the numbers of a clock
•Learn to consciously step out and back
•Move with the intent to be graceful
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 12© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
Fast Clock • Imagine stepping over a puddle
•Learn to use momentum effortlessly
•Move with the intent to land with precision
Additional Tips for Practicing Steps•Nia steps are easy on the joints, allowing you to
maintain whole body movement for longer periods
without fatigue.
•When patterned into sequences, Nia steps challenge
your agility and coordination, keeping your heart rate
up to condition your cardiovascular system, as well
as the muscles of your base and core.
•When practicing all Nia steps, keep your head over
your chest and your chest over your pelvis. This
develops healthy vertical alignment and takes stress
off your back.
•When stepping, keep one foot planted when the
other is up in the air.
•Steps should feel like ballroom dancing, as if your
whole body is gliding from one spot to another as
you shift your body weight.
•Push down through your feet, into the earth, to move
your body up. Push away from the earth, up into the
heavens.
•Consciously set your intention. Think about where
you want to go; about the direction, height and depth
you want to move in.
•Spring-load your joints to remain alert yet relaxed as
you practice your steps.
•Develop your skill in moving quickly and slowly,
varying your range of motion while seeking comfort
and pleasure in your base.
Exercise 4: Practice the Stances (6)
In your Nia book**, review the stances of the Nia 52
Moves. Pay close attention to each stance’s practice tips
and benefits. After reading about each stance, practice it
for at least one minute, until you sense dynamic ease. Re-
peat this process regularly to refine your technique; make
it part of your life practice.
Closed Stance• Imagine you are a deeply rooted tree
•Learn to rest into your base
•Stand with the intent to be powerful and still
Open Stance• Imagine you are standing on railroad tracks
•Learn to equalize balance between your left and
right sides
•Stand with the intent to be ready to move
“A” Stance• Imagine you are the letter “A”
•Learn to stand tall in a wide base
•Stand with the intent to claim the space
Riding (Sumo) Stance• Imagine riding a horse
•Learn to release your hip joints, relax your knees
and settle into your feet
•Stand with the intent to balance your left
and right sides
Bow Stance• Imagine your back leg is the bow of a bow-and-arrow
•Learn to remain stable on your front whole foot as
you draw your other leg back
•Stand with the intent to be still in your whole body
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 13© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
Cat Stance• Imagine you are poised to pounce
• Learn to balance by softening your hip and knee joints
• Stand with the intent to respond quickly
Additional Tips for Practicing Stances •Stances improve strength, stability, flexibility
and balance.
• Connect to the earth by keeping your feet planted on
the ground.
• In a stance, your joints are not locked, but rather
remain open and relaxed, spring-loaded.
• Maintain systemic awareness by paying attention to all
body parts, including your core and upper extremities,
while sustaining a stance.
• Focus on the grounded quality of stances.
• Keep your tailbone relaxed, as though it is hanging
loosely from your spine.
Exercise 5: Practice the Kicks (4)
In your Nia book**, review the kicks of the Nia 52 Moves. Pay
close attention to each kick’s practice tips and benefits. After
reading about each kick, practice it for at least one minute, until
you sense dynamic ease. Repeat this process regularly to refine
your technique; make it part of your life practice.
Front Kick• Imagine kicking a balloon
• Learn to push down to gain the power to kick out
• Move with conscious intent to remain vertical as you kick
Side Kick• Imagine pushing a boulder
•Learn to kick higher by rooting through the hip joint
of your supporting leg
•Move with the intent to remain balanced on your
supporting foot
Back Kick• Imagine leaving your footprint on the wall behind you
•Learn to kick higher by tilting on the hip joint of your
supporting leg
•Move with the intent to integrate your lower and
upper body
Knee Sweep• Imagine you are stepping over a box
•Learn to rotate your thighbone in your hip joint
• Move with the intent to remain balanced as you move
Additional Tips for Practicing Kicks• Kicks replace repetitive floorwork and tone your legs,
buttocks and abdominal muscles – while you have fun!
• Kicks develop a connection to the earth, intrinsic bal-
ance, whole body coordination, and core, abdominal
and leg strength.
• Kicks teach you to center, prepare and deliver powerful
bursts of energy. They also teach you to return to center
after delivering an explosion of energy. Stepping back
down should feel as powerful as coming up to kick,
only in reverse.
• Deliver kicks while maintaining your balance in an
upright position. If you find yourself falling over, you
are likely trying to deliver power from a weak posi-
tion. Remember: your power comes from the foot that
supports your body, not the one you are kicking with.
Plant and root your standing foot before you deliver
a kick. When you deliver a kick, push down into the
earth with your standing foot. If you feel unstable, your
kick may be too high.
•Use your whole body to support each kick, including
your hands and eyes. Always look in the direction of
your kick. Keep your spine relaxed
and exhale.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 14© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
•Practice Walking and Freezing: Walk and freeze in
place, feeling your foot stick in place as preparation
for a kick. Maintain a vertical alignment. Draw your
knee and thigh high into the center of your body.
Draw your heel into your buttocks. Release into a tar-
get; don’t tense up. The most force comes with ease
and balance. Kick an imaginary ball – first a light
ball, then a heavy ball. Exhale to release power.
•Practice Step, Step, Prepare, Kick: Walk, walk, feel
your preparation, and then kick. After you kick, bring
your foot back to your foundation.
•Plant and root your foot before you deliver a kick.
When you kick, push down into the earth with your
standing foot. Feel the aliveness, the wave of energy
go through your whole body as you kick. Become
liquid motion. Engage your hands in protection of
your body, so your core and upper body are aligned.
•Add audible sound. Sounding supports your form
and technique in forceful movements. Think of some-
thing you want to remove from your life and add the
word “No!” to your kick. Using the same power, add
the word ”Yes!” As you kick, say, Yes or No. Switch it
up from time to time and sound the word ”Maybe.”
Exercise 6: Learn the Muscles and Bones in the Base
Using the illustrations from earlier in this chapter, study
the names of the muscles and bones in the base. Observe
where a muscle or bone is located in the illustration, and
then find the muscle or bone on your own body. Move
and sense for it in your body as you repeat its name over
and over. Repeat this with all muscles and bones in the
base of the body. Photocopy and use the illustrations on
the following pages to quiz your recall of the muscles and
bones. Continue to practice and study until you become
intimate with your dynamic structure and are able to
easily complete the quiz.
RecapitulateRecapitulate and then in your personal Nia jour-
nal, describe what you experienced while
practicing Principle 6: The Base of the Body.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 15© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
l
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 16© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
ArtDancing Through Life With Your Base
To further embody Principle 6: The Base of the Body,
pay attention to the movement and stillness of your
base throughout the day. Here are a few examples
to get you started:
•As you walk to get the mail, practice Heel Lead.
•As you wait for water to boil, practice Squish
Walk and Duck Walk to strengthen your ankles
and lower leg muscles.
•Notice when you are naturally practicing Ball of
the Foot, such as when you reach high to touch
top shelves or cupboards.
•Practice a variety of stances as you wait for the bus
Energizing Your Base With Imagery
Visualize these images to keep dancing through life,
conditioning and connecting to the base of your
body both in and out of class:
•Practice springing up off the ground, out of your
feet, like a jack-in-the-box.
•Use your feet and joints as if they are springs.
•Fold like an accordion, seeking comfort.
•Sense sounds through the skin of your feet. Feel the
vibrations from below as bumblebees of the earth,
talking to you through these vibrations.
• Imagine your feet are lungs. Let your
“lungs” breathe.
• Imagine the floor is hot. Respond accordingly!
• Imagine your legs are a horse and you are the rider.
•As you sink into the floor, let your body melt like
candle wax over your bones, into the earth.
•Visualize your knees breathing golden air as you
sink and rise.
• Imagine your knees are sponges and gently squeeze
the water out of them as you dance.
•Visualize your legs as strong trees, connecting you
to the earth through their powerful roots.
• Imagine clouds resting in your ankles, knees
and hip joints. Use your legs to dance lightly
and freely on air.
•Dangle your leg bones as if they hang from strings,
like a marionette.
• Imagine your feet are 50 times their size.
• Imagine the floor is a sea of electrical sockets into
which you can plug and unplug your feet.
• Imagine your legs are feathers, light and airy.
• Imagine your toes are long tentacles. Use these
tentacles to sense the floor.
• Imagine your feet have long, green roots growing
from them, drinking from the earth.
•Visualize white spirals of energy flowing through
your legs.
• Imagine your feet are the tips of drumsticks; use
your legs to play the drum of the earth.
• Imagine you are walking on wet grass. Let the tickle
of the grass create lightness in your step.
• Imagine you are a warrior, fearlessly taking every
step with determination.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 17© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
My StoryAs you read about, practice and embody Principle 6:
The Base of the Body, take some time to describe your
personal story. How has Principle 6 affected your life?
Tips for Caring for Your Feet
•Massage your feet regularly.
•Touch your feet each day. Get to know them intimately.
•Love and take care of your feet by getting a pedicure.
•Pumice your feet daily in the bath or shower.
•Soften the skin of your feet weekly by rubbing oil
over them before sleeping in socks.
•Wear shoes that give your toes room to move
and reach out. Stand on a piece of paper in bare
feet and draw around the outside edge of your feet. If
your shoe falls inside the edges of this drawing, your
shoes are too small! Room for growth is the answer.
Principle 6 - The Base of the Body | 18© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com
Teaching PreparationAfter personally embodying each of the base moves, prac-
tice cueing the moves aloud, as though you are teaching
the techniques, steps, stances and kicks to students.
Next, practice describing the conditioning benefits of
each move in relationship to the base. Imagine students
asking you, “Why do we do this?” How would you an-
swer this question for each move?
As you become more familiar with Principle 6, cues for
the base – the steps, stances and kicks – will begin to flow
naturally as you teach (regardless of the focus or routine
of the class). When you are ready, focus on the base of the
body in class! Here are some ideas to get you started:
Focus on Sensing The Body’s Way
•Focus on sensing your feet
•Focus on sensing your ankle joints
•Focus on sensing your shinbones
•Focus on sensing your knee joints
•Focus on sensing your thighbones
•Focus on sensing your hip joints
Focus on The 52 Moves
•Focus on sensing Heel Lead
•Focus on sensing Ball of the Foot
•Focus on sensing Whole Foot
•Focus on sensing Toe In, Out, Parallel
•Focus on sensing the steps, stances and kicks
Focus on Integrating Principle 6 with Additional Concepts
•Focus on The Base of the Body as your foundation
for everything
•Focus on The Base of the Body and Principle 10:
X-Ray Anatomy
•Focus on The Base of the Body and the Principle 7:
Three Planes and Intensity Levels
•Focus on The Base of the Body and the Five Sensa-
tions
•Focus on The Base of the Body and sensing measure-
ment (from Principle 2)
•Focus on The Base of the Body and sensing the
Movement Forms of Nia (from Principle 2)
**Rosas, Debbie, and Carlos Rosas. The Nia Technique: the
High-powered Energizing Workout That Gives You a New
Body and a New Life. New York: Broadway, 2004. Print.
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