The Power of Community in Movement Practices: How Connection Elevates Your Wellness Journey
Meaningful movement helps you reconnect with yourself: mind, body, and soul. The world around you, whether in a studio or outdoors surrounded by nature, provides space for you to nurture that connection. However, meaningful movement becomes even more powerful when shared with others. It provides you with a chance for deeper connection—not only with yourself, but with people in your community.
In this blog, we will focus on exploring the transformational power of community in movement practices like Nia®. As a lover of dance and joyful movement, teaching and training have connected me with amazing people both globally and locally. It’s time for you to find that same community—and return to yourself.
Why Community Matters in Wellness
Wellness is more than just the choices we make to nurture ourselves. It’s also about who we surround ourselves with. As humans, we are social beings, with a propensity towards connection. We thrive in community. The science and soul of human connection pushes us to find community and make our own. Shared movement in a community brings emotional and physical benefits. Moving together as one, following the suggestions of a routine or finding your own steps, community adds depth and meaning to any wellness practice.
Solo workouts and exercising alone can be a source of joy in your life. Of course, connecting with yourself and having that moment is crucial to your wellness. But group wellness experiences, like fitness classes or shared movement, bring increased motivation, reduced stress, and higher levels of joy. Solo workouts can sometimes feel isolating or routine, and you may find it difficult to feel motivated to move. Shared movement fosters what’s missing during a solo workout…encouragement, accountability, and inspiration.
Wellness does not need to be a solo journey. In fact, wellness can be furthered by the power of community. According to Steven Crane, MS, Stanford social engagement research scholar, “Our relationships form a lattice of support that constitutes the largest single factor in the overall well-being of most people.”
Signs You’re Craving Community in Your Wellness Practice
You’re feeling unmotivated alone
You miss laughter or the energy of others
You want to be inspired by others’ stories
You’re seeking deeper connection through movement
How Movement Strengthens Connection
Movement helps us let down our guard, breaking down emotional walls and allowing us to become more open, expressive, and present. When we move with others, we often feel more connected, not just physically but emotionally and socially, as well.
Mirror neurons in the brain play a key role in this process. These specialized cells fire both when we perform an action and when we observe someone else doing the same. So when we dance or move in sync with others, our brains create a sense of shared experience and empathy. This is why a group class or shared movement practice can feel so uplifting and unifying. Simply put, we’re mirroring one another’s joy.
In the same way, shared rhythm, breath, and laughter unite people across age, background, and geography. When we move together—whether it's swaying to music or breathing deeply in unison—we form a connection that strengthens our sense of belonging, regardless of who we are or where we come from.
Nia® is a prime example of movement that builds connection. Blending dance, martial arts, and mindfulness, Nia® fosters inner awareness while also encouraging social connection with others. It’s joyful, expressive, and deeply human. It’s a playful reminder that when we move together, we heal together.
Creating a Global Community Through Nia®
One of the most unexpected and beautiful gifts of my journey with Nia® has been the global community it’s created in my life. Through teaching, training, and leading retreats, I’ve experienced true joy by connecting with people from all over the world—each one bringing their own story, energy, heart, and soul to the movement. These connections never remain just in the studio or at the retreat.
Some of my most cherished friendships began in places like Costa Rica, Bali, Cambodia, Spain, and beyond. These friendships were formed through shared movement, breath, and presence.
There’s something remarkable that’s unable to be put into words about dancing together and holding space for one another. It creates a bond stronger than any words. Many of these women still feel like soul sisters, even though we’re oceans apart.
The global connection I have with these women has become a ripple effect. The women with whom I once shared a retreat, we now support each other through life’s transitions. We support one another in life, not just in class. Our community has grown from that of dance to one of encouragement, resilience, and admiration that stretches across oceans and timezones.
Nia® is a dance practice that embraces meaningful human connection. My soul sisters continue to inspire and remind me that we do not move alone through life, but together as a community.
Building Local Movement Communities
There’s something incredibly special about building local movement communities—spaces where connection grows through weekly classes, workshops, and the simple, meaningful conversations before and after class. The dance and movement bring us together to be able to find a home. We find belonging.
My classes in Eugene and Pleasant Hill, Oregon are vibrant, welcoming spaces where friendship and joy are as equally as important and central as movement. What began as a few people dancing together has grown into a supportive circle—inside the studio and beyond. I have a global community of soul sisters, but also a local community with the same beautiful friendships.
The connections we’ve made in class often spill into real life. Our “Just Read” book club, which grew out of casual chats before and after class, now lets us further connect over a shared love of reading and discussing stories. We not only move together, but deepen our relationships in new ways. When you find your community through shared movement, connection is never limited to the dance floor.
Everyone is always welcome. Whether it’s your first class or your hundredth, you’ll be met with kindness, encouragement, and celebration. This is a space where all bodies, ages, and backgrounds belong—and where joy, community, and healing are always part of the journey.
The Emotional & Mental Benefits of Moving Together
We often think we have to take on life alone. However, group movement allows us to find belonging and heal together—connected.
When movement meets community, something powerful and magical happens—emotional well-being is amplified. Group movement creates a space where people can feel seen, heard, and understood, without needing to say a word. There’s a tenderness in moving together to a shared rhythm, breathing, and energy.
Joyful, somatic movement in community regulates the nervous system, boosts endorphins, and allows a space for authentic self-expression.
It becomes a time for both laughter and emotional release—a safe, welcoming space that fosters shared vulnerability. And through this, like me, you can work to rethread the mind, body, and soul connection.
Why Group Movement is a Game-Changer for Mental Health:
The shared energy lifts your spirit, helping you feel more hopeful and alive
You realize you’re not alone in your struggles, which reduces shame and isolation
Witnessing others show up and grow inspires your own courage and resilience
Consistent support and encouragement from the group fosters motivation and emotional stability.
How to Find or Build Your Own Movement Community
Finding or even building a movement community can be a transformative step toward greater connection and wellness. If you’re looking to join an existing group, start by exploring online classes, local Nia® or dance groups in Eugene, Oregon, or movement-based or wellness retreats for women. These are powerful spaces where people come together to move, share joy, and support one another.
Consider starting small. Invite a friend or two to move with you—whether it’s a walk with intentional movement or a backyard free dance party. You don’t need a studio or a large group to begin: just a little music, a willingness to feel free, and heart.
Many communities now offer in-person and virtual classes, making it easier than ever to plug into a circle or community from anywhere, wherever and whenever. Retreats also offer a deeper dive into connection and can spark lifelong friendships.
Your community might be just one class away. Be curious, and always remember that movement is a powerful way to find meaningful connection.
Consider this Mini Journal Prompt:
What kind of movement community do you crave? What would it feel like to find it?
Find your community or make your own. What is important is to move not alone, but together.
Movement is more than exercise—it’s a doorway to connection, healing, and joy. Community amplifies our growth and reminds us that we’re not meant to do this life alone.
Whether it’s through Nia®, dance, yoga, or walking—movement can lead you back to your people.
Ready to feel the magic of movement in community?
Join my weekly Nia® classes, sign up for an upcoming retreat, or drop into an online session—and discover a circle of joyful, like-hearted movers who will welcome you with open arms.
