Finding Nia
The heart-wrenching story of a brave woman who has fought back from devastating setbacks to find a new lease of life.
Katja Kaller has lived for 17 years without hair, suffers from multiple autoimmune diseases and has PTSD but has found salvation with Nia, which she now wants to share with others.
When I meet Katja she takes off her hat to show me her bald head, she apologises if I find it shocking, but she prefers not to wear a wig and be honest about who she is. Her appearance is in no way disturbing as she has a natural warmth and enthusiasm, having no hair does not make her less beautiful.
However, she tells me her hair loss and an increase in weight due to a thyroid problem, led to the break-down of her second marriage. “When I met my husband, I had beautiful long red hair and he did not like the new me”.
She insists, however, that she is not a victim and does not feel sorry for herself, although many on hearing her background would argue she was. She witnessed her mother die in a car accident when she was a child and on being sent to live with her father suffered physical abuse. She has also suffered sexual abuse which gave her PTSD, the stress of which she believes gave her alopecia.
“I am a fighter, and since I started Nia and becoming a Nia white belt Teacher, my life has a new quality”.
Nia is a cardio fitness technique which fuses dance, martial arts, and healing arts. Through a mix of simple choreography and guided improvisation, Nia instructors emphasise sensation and internal experience over outward aesthetics to cultivate awareness of one’s body, mind, emotions, and life as a whole.
As a child, Katja had practised martial arts but given it up as it was too high impact. “In 2015 a good friend who is a dancer woke something up in me when she suggested I tried Nia. I had always loved dancing but had never pursued my passion. Nia helped me express myself and get out of my comfort zone”.
After moving to Portugal, she could not find Nia in Portugal but practised the discipline through the internet. As she has lots of injuries from the physical violence she suffered, she found Nia helped her deal with the pain. “Nia is a beautiful tool; I can dance and express myself and not feel discomfort”.
She was practising five times a week, but because no one was teaching it in Portugal, she took the life-changing decision to try to teach it herself. She received an 8-day intensive training course in Scotland and earned her white belt. “Before I took the course, I found it difficult to touch a stranger, but after the training, I found myself able to be close to other students without fear”.
Spurred on she is travelling to Colorado at the end of March to earn her green belt. “Nia has given me a whole new quality and changed my life. I have better health and have lost eight kilos”.
She started teaching lessons in October but confesses it is challenging to get new students as no one knows what it is! She hopes this article will encourage more people to take up the discipline.
She smiles and says; “I make progress,” and this incredible story should hopefully show others how any obstacles can be overcome with the right tools.
Info: Katja will be teaching the Nia Technique every Thursday at 18:30 in the
Academia de Musica, Lagos and Fridays 17h-18 h in Espaço Vital in Lagoa
www.niaportugal.com
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Fast Facts
Nia was created in the US in 1983 by Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas
Since 1983, Nia has helped more than 100,000 people get in their body
Nia is a non-impact movement practise based on the idea that through movement we find health
Nia combines movements and philosophies from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts
Nia practice is done barefoot and set to diverse music from around the world
Classes are taught in more than 45 countries - there are currently 2500 licensed Nia teachers
