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Sensory awakening

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When she attended a Nia fitness class in her native USA 13 years ago, little did Cathy Ferris realise that she would one day be teaching the sensory-based movement practice in Aberdeen one day.

A former geoscientist with ConocoPhillips, Cathy, 42, was so taken with Nia she quickly became a regular class member, caught up in its fun-loving philosophy.

“When I first discovered Nia it was a revelation to me in terms of finding something that was fun.
“So many other classes I did were very repetitive, such as yoga. That kind of repetition can be quite comforting for some people – the routine. But variety is what inspires me more,” said the Pittsburgh-raised mother of two.

As a former office worker, Cathy knows just how immobile people can become sat at their desks each day – a common ailment which Nia is ideally suited to remedying, as Cathy found out after just her first class.

“I was relaxed, energised, and from one class to the next I saw changes in my body. I became more co-ordinated, more mobile and more confident in the way I moved. And, it never got boring,” she enthused.

Originating in San Francisco in the early 1980s, Nia is practiced barefoot to soul-stirring music from around the world and blends dance, martial arts and healing arts. As a fitness program, the benefits are numerous, including supporting weight loss, muscle toning and cardiovascular conditioning.

The moves in a Nia routine are a combination of 52 moves designed to systemically engage the whole body: head, spine, fingers, ankles, even eyes.

Students are directed to be aware of their own bodies and empowered to make choices about the way they are moving from moment to moment – though the extent of free movement is altered to fit the comfort levels of each class and participant.

“Also, different Nia teachers teach in different ways. For example, I’m more towards the fitness spectrum, but not in a ‘OK guys, engage your core’ kind of way,” Cathy laughed.

By the time she and her husband – also a geoscientist – moved to Aberdeen three years ago, Cathy made the tough decision to set aside her career to concentrate on raising her children.

Cathy Ferris

Her love and knowledge of Nia had strengthened over the years, inspiring her to become an instructor, and passing her white belt stage by 2008.

While being a mother and geologist simultaneously proved tricky, teaching a few Nia classes in Aberdeen was doable – much to the delight of the Aberdonians who have become dedicated Nia fans, thanks to Cathy’s enthusiasm and expertise.

“I’m not teaching anyone to dance. Everybody can move. I just lead them through the routine and encourage them to have fun, play, and move in their own body’s way. There is no judgment. Anyone can do this, from the most self-declared out-of-shape person to the supremely athletic,” she explained.

Such has been the success of her weekly classes – latterly at RGU: SPORT on a Friday morning at 10am – she has even inspired some of her students to take up teaching Nia too.

For some instructors, having students become competitors in the same marketplace would be seen as a bad thing, but not so for Cathy.

“I’m a collaborative person. I’m more about mentoring and making it work for everyone than about territory. The more people teaching Nia, the more people will know about it and love it.”

Looking back at her career so far, Cathy couldn’t be happier with how things have worked out. As she is on a leave of absence from ConocoPhillips, rather than an ex-employee, the door is open for her to reconnect with her love of geoscience whenever she wants.
But for now, she’s got her hands satisfyingly full developing as a mother and Nia instructor.

“I don’t miss the stress that was involved in trying to balance my technical career and raising my two children,” said Cathy, who has progressed to a brown belt in Nia.

“I really appreciate being there for them after school. The time I have spent with them has been worth stepping away from my technical career for a while. But if I went back I would really like to maintain a balance between the Nia dancing, teaching and other parts of my life.”

Cathy Ferris teaches regular weekday classes at RGU: SPORT, and is looking to begin teaching an evening class at the sports facility in the new year. More information about Nia and Cathy’s classes can be found at www.nianow.com/cathy-ferris

Clock below for an example of what a Nia class looks like