Mary Papoulis - NIA

Mary Papoulis – Nia

     Mary Papoulis

     Mary Papoulis is the Concertmaster, and principal violinist with the Great Falls Symphony.  She has played the violin since she was nine years old. 

     Throughout life and her musical career, Mary has found many types of exercise.  As she puts it, she is now in a place of self- healing. 

     I do Nia and dance for an hour at home to work out the kinks.”

1.  Why Nia? How did you get started?

          I was at a women’s retreat in Boulder Hot Springs, Montana.  I took a class and loved it.  It spoke to my passion for yoga, martial arts, freedom of movement, body awareness; to be in touch with many parts of our body that we don’t normally reach.  Nobody was teaching Nia in Great Falls.  I got to know Pam Quinn, and she said, “you go and train.” I went to a one week (seven solid days) of training in Canada, and have done further training in Helena.  I am in my third year of teaching. 

       Nia, a sensory based movement, was started by Debbie Rosas in Portland, Oregon, in the 1980s.  Originally, Rosas wanted to bring together neuromuscular integrative action (Nia).  She was looking for something more than aerobics.  It became a philosophy of life: how to move, or the sensory awareness  to understand the body so we can move more than properly. The awareness brings more movement and the adrenaline flows. To self heal by getting in touch with our body.

2.  What is your weekly training routine?

        I get up with my kids and do Nia on my own every day.  I also teach one or two classes every week at the Yoga For Wellness Studio.  There are a variety of routines, and steps, but a large part is my own work.  I just turn on the music and take a break from the daily routine of things and move in ways that I need.  Nia is creative dance where choreography comes from a wonderful way to get ready to play the violin.

3.   What other activities do you do?

       I studied Pilates and yoga and the disciplines I have done before.  I have been a swimmer all my life.  I love to run, but Nia is much more fun and easy on my joints.  I enjoy the social energy of the people in the class.  That makes a difference.

4.   What keeps you motivated?

     My love of dancing. I enter into my life to stay in a healthy physical, emotional, and spiritual way.  That opens me up; a great way to start the day.  The “joy of movement,” the #1 principle behind Nia gets rid of the personal pain. Nia releases energy and frees you up.  It is a full body, healing place of needing to find that nothing else works in this way of commitment.

5.   Have you faced any setbacks or injuries with Nia?  How did you overcome them?

     I’ve had a variety of body work: rotator cuff issues, and some violin based conditions.  I’ve played tennis on again, off again, without warming up.   There were a few years where I was nursing an arm issue. I’ve have had hips that have been tight, and knee pain.  Nia frees it up.  No injuries in Nia.  You take body awareness and listen to the body.  That helps to heal.

6.  What tips do you have for someone who wants to get started in Nia?

       Nia is totally built for anybody at any level even in a wheel chair.  We can modify.  The smallest amount of movement, even a tiny bit, will help get started to heal.  Music is a big portion of Nia: the spirit drumming to get dynamism in the legs and arms.  The variety of movement in my body is extremely good for agility, mobility, flexibility, and stability.

7.  What health benefits have you seen?

       I have seen overall health benefit in my own flexibility. I play the violin better.  I am in touch with my own body, loose and free. The strength and Tae Kwon Do movements keep my upper body engaged, my muscles tight, but not too tight. Over the summer, I missed the class, and I totally could feel the difference.

8.  Do you have any warm-up or cool down tips?

     The flow of the class has that built into the routine.  When at different levels everybody gauges their exertion from the beginning.  We start with a slower warm-up and then cool down at the end.

9.  How do you incorporate nutrition into your workout routine?

     Heading into the holidays, moving into pleasure, through healing, feels good. The body awareness of food keeps me really in touch. So, when I’m eating that cookie, it must be all in moderation.  When you free the whole body with awareness, you gravitate toward what is good for the body.  Through pleasure and awareness, there is only one cookie.  Water hydration is always important. We must take breaks and have access to water.

10.   Is Nia hard to do?

        No.  Nia is a challenge for some people.  They need to be ready to go in with a little bit of caution.  Listen to your body. Nia feels good in ways you didn’t know you could do at your own level.  Fast or slow, as you want.

Nia Classes

6 week schedule” $60

Yoga for Wellness Studio

221 6 St. So.

Great Falls

Yogaforwellness.org

Monday 7:00 am; Thursday 7:00 pm (starts January)

Call: Pam Quinn: 452-9642 or Mary Papoulis: 727-8934

Free introduction to Nia and Yoga

Festival of Lights: Food, Spirits, Dance

December 20, 2013 @ 5:30 pm.

Yoga for Wellness Studio