Nia, an internationally acclaimed practice for over 30 years.
Nia is now taught in 49 countries around the world. Awakening the senses, Nia teaches you to love your body and your life. Here in Australia, Nia is shared with enthusiasm by a lively community that has grown organically since 2004.
Check out the Events page for the latest workshops, gatherings, retreats and trainings Australia-wide. Explore the Blog below for community news and stories.
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2nd May, 2025 in Community News, Nia Community
Nia Dance Joy Tribe Autumn 2025
I want to share with you some exciting updates from the Nia Australia team! We’ve been having some thoughtful discussions on how we can grow our beautiful community and bring more people into the fold. We’re focusing on ways to engage with all of you more deeply, highlight our amazing teachers and their events. We’re also exploring new marketing ideas to help spread the word and improving our website to make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for. We are also planning interactive info sessions for grads and teachers so watch out for our emails.
This year, we’re excited to share that our theme is “Growing Our Nia Community from the Ground Up.” This means we’re dedicated to creating a warm, supportive space where everyone feels comfortable, seen and heard. As we grow, we want to bring you more of what you love – from special events to exciting workshops – all designed with you in mind.
We’re committed to listening to your needs so we can continue building a community that truly feels like home. Thank you for being part of this journey with us!
Blessings to you all
Nia ‘Art of Sensation’ – a Wellbeing Immersion
Kingscliff 8-13 April 2025 and Melbourne October 21-26 2025
🌊✨ Imagine six days by the ocean, immersed in somatic practices and nourishing movement. A chance to restore your nervous system, uplift your vibration, and step into greater aliveness, health, and wellbeing—all in beautiful Kingscliff.
Our last Nia Art of Sensation training in this coastal haven was in 2021, and we’re so excited for another nourishing immersion here. Whether you’re new to Nia or an experienced student, there’s space for you to join us.
💃 Art of Sensation explores Nia’s philosophy through 13 body-centred principles—a journey of self-discovery through music, movement, mindfulness, and joyful connection.
Come just as you are and be part of this sacred circle of freedom, healing, and growth. ✨ If this speaks to you, we’d love to share this experience with you.
Investment: USD1599 Register now with 50% deposit.
CLICK HERE to register!
Email Sophie for further information
The Role of Connective Tissue
‘The Language of Nia’ describes the connective tissue as the largest tissue in the body. Its job is to connect and support us in moving in adaptive ways. It is a fibrous fabric sheet that supports movement in all directions. The fabric, elastic in nature, controls the multi-dimensional wave of energy flow along our bones and through our muscles – it transmits movement through the whole body.
Connective tissue supports our entire skeleton. It varies in number and density of fibres and can be hard, soft, elastic or rigid. Without connective tissue our body structure could not function harmoniously.
Connective tissue loses flexibility if we are sedentary for long periods of time or if our alignment causes one part of the body to continually do more than it is designed to do. If we hold tension in our body for too long, the connective tissue can get tough and limit ability to lengthen and move freely. Moving with dynamic ease and systemic sensation keeps the support elastic. (Adapted from Language of Nia – Debbie Rosas)
Nia Australia acts as the ‘connective tissue’ of Nia communities throughout Australia. Its role is to support teachers and community members connect and grow in their knowledge and love of Nia – listening and responding to what our community desires, supporting ways to grow our Nia Community from the ground up.
Let’s welcome the wave of energy ready to flow through our entire Body!
~ Written by Lyn Symons, Nia Brown Belt Teacher
Check out this delicious Sticky Chai Tea shared by Giulia Ponticello!
Tash Joy Stanley joined my Nia classes on the NSW South Coast in early 2024 and was instantly captivated by Nia movement magic.
During class, I spoke about the global Nia community—how attending a Nia class anywhere, whether in Australia or abroad, feels like joining a family. I shared my experience at a Nia retreat in Cambodia, emphasising the warmth and connection these events provide. A few days later, inspired by our discussion, Tash signed up for a retreat in January 2025. It’s amazing how a moment of inspiration can lead to bold, life-changing decisions that push us beyond our comfort zones into new possibilities!
~ Written by Kerryn Peisley, Nia Brown Belt Teacher
Tash has shared the following about her Cambodia experience:
“Tuning into My New Potential” by Tash Joy Stanley
Imagine dancing in the jungle, energising, revitalising and healing your body with kindred spirits. Visit the most beautiful rock gardens in the world with magnificent ancient temples and forests. Indulge in traditional cuisine. Enjoy staying in a boutique tropical resort. Take cooking classes, visit a lotus farm, a circus and artisans villages. Appreciate the generosity of local people.
This was my reality in January 2025 in Siem Reap, Cambodia thanks to retreat facilitators and Nia trainers Debbie-Lee Van Ginkel and Kellie Chambers and my Australian teacher Kerryn Peisley. How blessed you may be.
Find a Class
Click here to find an IN PERSON NIA class
Click here to find an ONLINE class
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4th July, 2021 in Body-Mind, Nia Community
REGULATING YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM
Have you been thinking about your body’s immune system and what it needs to stay balanced in order to do its job most efficiently?
Like many of us, you may be navigating through both emotional and physical hurdles. What about taking time to tend to your well-being with a spotlight on your nervous system? The sensations of a state of ‘fight – flight – freeze’ (governed by the sympathetic nervous system) might be tightness in the chest, shallow breath, increased heart rate, joint pain, fear, sadness or anger. These are signs to reach into your Nia bag of energetic movement tools and utilise what is needed in order to return to a place of balance, and back to a state of ‘rest and digest’ (parasympathetic nervous system).
The variety of offerings, whether they be online Nia classes, NiaTV.fit offerings or the tools learned in any and all belt trainings, allow for the return of balance, health, peace and feeling good. Read More >
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30th May, 2021 in Nia Community, Nia White Belt Training
My White Belt Experience – by Giulia Ponticello
What was your biggest takeaway from this training?
There have been so many takeaways, where do I start! Being able to attend the unique experience of the White Belt ‘in person’ training was extraordinary in these times. I gained a new awareness of my body and my body’s way in moving. I was able to relax into awareness of my body and appreciated connecting to sensation gained through the repetition of movement katas (movement patterns). I learned to trust my body, to listen and feel the movements, giving myself permission to stay longer in the movement to open to potential and possibility.
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15th April, 2021 in Nia Community
Let’s Make the Most of Every Chance to Dance Together
Three new routines are produced by Nia Headquarters each year. One of those routines is released to the Nia Teacher Membership on the very last day of the year, and it’s like receiving a Christmas present! The most recent one is called 2GETHER.
The name 2GETHER came from Debbie Rosas’s daughter who suggested how in this time of separation, people are hungry to be together again. A reminder that we are all connected.
Being able to get together in person and in class is something I am deeply grateful for, knowing that others may still not be able to, and also knowing that things can change very quickly and one day we may not be able to.
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9th February, 2021 in Nia Community, Our Stories
NIA IS FOR EVERYBODY
That’s what they say…and it is true.
Even Nia’s own commitment statement supports that line:
“Our focus and intent has always been for Nia to be a rich, diverse and inclusive community for every age, size, shape, gender, ability, race and ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, faith, belief system and all of the other beautiful qualities that make each individual body and spirit unique.” (www.nianow.com)
That being said, not everybody is ready for Nia! That is something as a Nia teacher I recognise.
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4th September, 2020 in Nia Community
THE STORY BEHIND THE DESIGN
An Interview with artist, Annica Malmkvist who designed the Nia Swish on our apparel collection
In 2018 Nia Australia commissioned Brisbane artist Annica Malmkvist to design the artwork for our first apparel collection. That was such a success we again commissioned her late last year for our Spring design also. Below you will learn about Annica’s story and the inspiration behind her artwork.
Please share with us a little of your story?
I was born in Sweden but since 2005 I have called Brisbane home. I recently celebrated my 15th anniversary of living in Australia – that was on the 19th August. It is a very special date for me, as it is also my sister’s birthday.
Moving here 15 years ago with my partner, the intention was for us to only stay one year, as he had secured employment here. Through sponsorship, I was able to join him in Australia. It wasn’t long before I started on my own next life chapter and began training in Kahuna Massage on the Sunshine Coast and continued training there for many years.
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5th June, 2019 in Nia Community, Our Stories
A TRIBUTE TO ROSE MILTON
“Rose Milton
16 August 1948 – 13 April 2019
Rose was a much loved member of the Nia community on the NSW South Coast.
You may have danced with her at one of the many Nia events she enjoyed – the most recent being the Nia Australia Gathering in Berry in March this year.
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5th June, 2019 in Nia Community
#dance4dignity 2019
Earlier this year we saw the power of our Nia Australia commUNITY and this was demonstrated once again with grace and generosity as 26 community classes came together to #dance4dignity to raise much-needed funds for Share the Dignity.
Every day, 48,000 Australian women face another night with nowhere to call home.
Not only did this wonderful event raise money it also raised awareness of the issues faced by women and girls experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty.
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2nd April, 2019 in Nia Community
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY
One of the most wonderful benefits of practising Nia is the commUNITY of beautiful souls you meet along the way.
It could be your teacher, your class members, other teachers, your students or even the many trainers who visit us from all over the world.
The heart of Nia is JOY.
This is the strongest when we come together.
This happened in March when 42 people came together for The Gathering, in Berry NSW.
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11th February, 2019 in Community News, Nia Community
THE GATHERING 22-24 MARCH 2019
It has been a number of years since Nia Australia has hosted its annual Gathering and as our community grows we wanted to offer the opportunity for us to come together to connect, learn and grow.
The Gathering is a two-night, two-day experience for our Nia Australia Community Member or Teacher Members. It will be held in Berry NSW on the 22nd-24th March 2019.
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30th June, 2018 in Nia Community
Nia is more than a practice, it’s a community
If you are on Facebook you may have noticed a few people sharing a video about community. It is titled – ‘What we do together matters’ – a video celebrating community.
It pulls up your photos and has this text overlay over the video;
What we do together matters
Community means a lot
but it’s different all over the world
whoever you ask,
one things is always the same.
It’s what we do for each other
that makes community matter.