Biography
Sophie Marsh is Australia’s only White Belt Trainer in the International Nia Training faculty and the first Aussie Black Belt teacher. She has completed the Nia White, Green, Blue, Brown and Black Belt trainings, the Art of Teaching (Level 1), Moving to Heal, 52 Moves and the Nia 5 Stages trainings. Sophie is based in Brisbane.
For over 20 years, she has guided and inspired people to reclaim their aliveness, fitness, well-being and sense of Self through Nia’s body-centred movement and education. After living and training in the US, Sophie brought Nia home with her when she returned to Brisbane in 2004. She has been collaboratively building and leading an Australia-wide Nia community ever since.
In her classes, workshops, retreats and trainings, Sophie holds a safe, welcoming and playful space for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with their body’s innate wisdom and joy of movement.
Sophie also shares adapted Nia sessions, “Joy Therapy” for populations with special needs, including multicultural communities, teens and older populations, mental health groups, cancer survivors, and for women desiring to heal their relationship with their sensuous body. She is a Trauma Informed Practitioner.
“We are all born with unlimited magnificence. What if there was a way of moving and living in your body that reconnected you to the sensation of that truth? Whether it’s a Nia class or the 7 day White Belt training, you already have all you need within. Your body knows. You are ready now. It’s time to step in.”
Pricing and Details
** Due to Coronavirus, class will be offered ONLINE only.
Zoom online classes with daily links for registration are shared in this Private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1516170918556777/
Not on Facebook? Email me at for the link
Thursdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm AEST
Fridays9:30am – 10:30am Gentle Nia AEST
Mobile: 0431 484 054
Current Classes
| Location | Class Type | Time |
|---|---|---|
4 Mollison St, West End, Queensland, Australia |
Nia 5 Stages | SUSPENDED Saturday |
4 Mollison St, West End, Queensland, Australia |
Classic Nia | SUSPENDED Saturday |
4 Mollison St, West End, Queensland, Australia |
Classic Nia | SUSPENDED Saturday |
Naya Ubud, Sayan, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia |
Retreat | 2021 dates TBA Friday |
132 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD, Australia |
Classic Nia | SUSPENDED Monday |
132 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD, Australia |
Classic Nia | SUSPENDED Thursday |
132 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD, Australia |
first Friday Nia FreeDance | SUSPENDED Friday |
8 Appel St, Chelmer QLD, Australia |
Classic Nia | SUSPENDED Wednesday |
8 Appel St, Chelmer QLD, Australia |
Gentle Nia | SUSPENDED Friday |
236 Old Cleveland Rd, Coorparoo QLD, Australia |
Classic Nia | SUSPENDED Thursday |
36 Gordon Rd, Bardon QLD, Australia |
Nia 52 Moves | 6:30pm - 7:30pm Tuesday |
Brisbane QLD, Australia |
Nia on Zoom | 8:00am - 9:00am Monday |
Brisbane QLD, Australia |
Nia on Zoom | 5:00pm - 6:00pm Tuesday |
Brisbane QLD, Australia |
Nia on Zoom | 9:30am - 10:30am Wednesday |
Brisbane QLD, Australia |
Nia on Zoom | 5:00pm - 6:00pm Thursday |
Brisbane QLD, Australia |
Gentle Nia on Zoom | 9:30am - 10:30am Friday |
Brisbane QLD, Australia |
Nia on Zoom | 8:30am - 9:30am Saturday |
River City Ballroom – WEST END
4 Mollison St, West End, Queensland, Australia
For Nia feel free to wear any exercise or comfortable clothing that makes you feel good and free to move. Bring along a water bottle and a towel or yoga mat if you have one. Nia is designed to be practised barefoot. If there are physical reasons not to practise barefoot, soft sole shoes can be worn.
Classic Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class inspired by soul-stirring music. Nia’s unique blend of martial arts, dance and mindfulness gives you an energising cardio workout that benefits – body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You will be guided to listen to your body and practice being with sensations of pleasure and ease. Adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Nia meets you where you’re at and invites you to move in your own body’s way.
Nia 5 Stages is a richly-layered moving meditation which creates deeper body-awareness and self-healing. In this floor-based practice, you will be guided to move through the five stages of embryonic, creeping, crawling, standing and walking in your body’s way. Re-align and energize your body and calm your nervous system by connecting with the healer within. What does it look like?
Nia Sunday Series – Enter a sacred space for self and tune into your body, moving with the FUNdamentals of Nia. In this one-hour class set to soul-stirring music from around the world, you’ll get to learn and feel more embodied in the language of Nia, the 52 Moves while choosing pleasure and discovering dynamic ease. Be guided by Nia Trainer Sophie Marsh to explore creative and unique ways to bring your own personal and playful expression to the form. You’ll leave feeling more centred, connected and alive from the inside out. Stay tuned for 2020 dates!
Bali Nia Retreat – Your Body~Your Temple – 2021
Naya Ubud, Sayan, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia
dates TBA July 2020 with Taryn Pallister and Sophie Marsh (Nia White Belt trainer)
Step out of the busy-ness of your every day routine and feel tension melt away as you relax into a blissful sanctuary in the heart of Bali. Join International Nia Trainer Sophie Marsh and Nia Black Belt Taryn Pallister for a nurturing and life-enriching retreat, to connect deeply with yourself in beautiful natural surroundings.
Enter a sacred and supportive space for purposeful transformation through conscious movement – 6 days of daily Nia classes, Nia Playshops, gentle Yoga, Yin yoga, meditation, Nia 5 Stages, a shamanic dance journey and meaningful rituals with plenty of time for pampering and cultural exploration.
Be lovingly guided to relax into the flow of your body’s unique rhythm, reconnect with your heart and reclaim your relationship with your inner wisdom to experience more pleasure, power and Joy in your body + life.
Beginners welcome. No prior Nia or yoga experience is necessary!
Includes: Full retreat program, 6 nights twin or triple share accommodation at Naya Resort, 3 nourishing organic vegetarian meals daily, daily coconuts and green juice, Balinese dance performance, Balinese temple offering, groups adventure, 1hr massage, ozone swimming pool and 1 airport transfer.
BrisWest Centre – PADDINGTON
132 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD, Australia
For Nia feel free to wear any exercise or comfortable clothing that makes you feel good and free to move. Bring along a water bottle and a towel or yoga mat if you have one.
Nia is designed to be practised barefoot. If there are physical reasons not to practise barefoot, soft sole shoes can be worn.
Classic Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class inspired by soul-stirring music. Nia’s unique blend of martial arts, dance and mindfulness gives you an energising cardio workout that benefits – body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You will be guided to listen to your body and practice being with sensations of pleasure and ease. Adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Nia meets you where you’re at and invites you to move in your own body’s way.
Gentle Nia is a playful and relaxing movement experience infused with music that benefits body, mind and spirit. It includes the fundamentals of a Classic Nia class at a slower pace for those wanting more of a work-in than a workout. It provides more time and space for you to mindfully connect to life-force energy and move in your body’s way.
Nia FreeDance is a conscious dance practice that inspires you to move, explore and create in your own unique way. Evocative music ignites a sense of freedom as your body, mind, emotions and spirit unite, taking you to the source of your authentic dance.
St David’s Community Hall – CHELMER nr Graceville Indooroopilly
8 Appel St, Chelmer QLD, Australia
For Nia feel free to wear any exercise or comfortable clothing that makes you feel good and free to move. Bring along a water bottle and a towel or yoga mat if you have one.
Nia is designed to be practised barefoot. If there are physical reasons not to practise barefoot, soft sole shoes can be worn.
Classic Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class inspired by soul-stirring music. Nia’s unique blend of martial arts, dance and mindfulness gives you an energising cardio workout that benefits – body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You will be guided to listen to your body and practice being with sensations of pleasure and ease. Adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Nia meets you where you’re at and invites you to move in your own body’s way.
Gentle Nia is a playful and relaxing movement experience infused with music that benefits body, mind and spirit. It includes the fundamentals of a Classic Nia class at a slower pace for those wanting more of a work-in than a workout. It provides more time and space for you to mindfully connect to life-force energy and move in your body’s way.
Nia 5 Stages is a richly-layered moving meditation which creates deeper body-awareness and self-healing. In this floor-based practice, you will be guided to move through the five stages of embryonic, creeping, crawling, standing and walking in your body’s way. Re-align and energise your body and calm your nervous system by connecting with the healer within. What does it look like?
Pure Health Clubs – COORPAROO
236 Old Cleveland Rd, Coorparoo QLD, Australia
For Nia feel free to wear any exercise or comfortable clothing that makes you feel good and free to move. Bring along a water bottle and a towel or yoga mat if you have one.
Nia is designed to be practised barefoot. If there are physical reasons not to practise barefoot, soft sole shoes can be worn.
Classic Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class inspired by soul-stirring music. Nia’s unique blend of martial arts, dance and mindfulness gives you an energising cardio workout that benefits body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You will be guided to listen to your body and practice being with sensations of pleasure and ease. Adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Nia meets you where you’re at and invites you to move in your own body’s way.
Nia with Sophie – BARDON Bali-Hut Studio
36 Gordon Rd, Bardon QLD, Australia
For Nia feel free to wear any exercise or comfortable clothing that makes you feel good and free to move. Bring along a water bottle and a towel or yoga mat if you have one.
Nia is designed to be practised barefoot. If there are physical reasons not to practise barefoot, soft sole shoes can be worn.
Classic Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class inspired by soul-stirring music. Nia’s unique blend of martial arts, dance and mindfulness gives you an energising cardio workout that benefits – body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You will be guided to listen to your body and practice being with sensations of pleasure and ease. Adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Nia meets you where you’re at and invites you to move in your own body’s way.
Nia 52 Moves® classes are great for beginners (and all students) who want to ‘learn the moves’ and feel more embodied in the ‘Language of Nia’. For seasoned students, you’ll learn how to refine your technique and increase your cardio fitness as well as strength, stability, flexibility and reflexive ability. Take the pace up or down as you need. Come and MoveIT to dynamic, soul-stirring music and leave feeling radiant and alive from the inside out.
Gentle Nia is a playful and relaxing movement experience infused with music that benefits body, mind and spirit. It includes the fundamentals of a Classic Nia class at a slower pace for those wanting more of a work-in than a workout. It provides more time and space for you to mindfully connect to life-force energy and move in your body’s way.
Nia with Sophie Online Classes
Brisbane QLD, Australia
Get out of your head and reconnect with your body, heart and spirit. Join our online community for an hour of Joy-full music and movement without leaving home! With permission to do it the way that feels right for you, an hour of Nia will leave you feeling more energised, clear-headed, calmer and connected.
Kick off your shoes and slip into something that makes you feel good while you move. (If there are physical reasons not to practise barefoot, soft sole shoes can be worn.)
Make sure you have some clear floor space around you to move safely. You might like to have a towel or yoga mat for when we move, stretch and rest on the floor towards the end of class.
Classic Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class inspired by soul-stirring music. Nia’s unique blend of martial arts, dance and mindfulness gives you an energising cardio workout that benefits body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You will be guided to listen to your body and practice being with sensations of pleasure and ease. Adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Nia meets you where you’re at and invites you to move in your own body’s way.
Gentle Nia is a playful and relaxing movement experience infused with music that benefits body, mind and spirit. It includes the fundamentals of a Classic Nia class at a slower pace for those wanting more of a work-in than a workout. It provides more time and space for you to mindfully connect to life-force energy and move in your body’s way.
Nia 5 Stages is a richly-layered moving meditation which creates deeper body-awareness and self-healing. In this floor-based practice, you will be guided to move through the five stages of embryonic, creeping, crawling, standing and walking in your body’s way. Re-align and energise your body and calm your nervous system by connecting with the healer within. What does it look like?