Hello Friends Nia and Far
Posted: Mar 12, 10:52 PMBy Kathy Wolstenholme, Black Belt, South Africa
Debbie and Jeff arrived in Cape Town, South Africa on February 16th, on the tail end of the Spirit of Nia tour. Having them see what I’ve built over the past seven years (with the help of a lot of friends!) and seeing them revel in Nia’s global spread (at the bottom tip of the world) was a dream come true — maybe for all of us.
We maximized their impact beginning with a media blitz establishing Debbie as the international guest of “The Women’s Show”, in its 6th year with 16,241 visitors, held at the Cape Town International Convention Center. Local papers, as well as South African editions of famous magazines, interviewed Debbie from the morning she arrived (no time for jet lag!) One of our white belts brought her professional film crew (for info on them see link below) to cover our Nia demos held twice a day. (Soon to be posted on youtube). The Free Spirit television programme (broadcast on SABC 3) taped a three-part show of Debbie explaining and demonstrating Nia.
We chronicled so much but of course my best memories are in my heart.
I will never forget Debbie and her Opening Night speech about the gift of living in a female body. Her message left more people than me, who’s already a big fan, teary over the soft, elegant truth of her words.
The next three days of the Women’s Show were high voltage! Debbie and company (about 12 of us) rocked the show with songs 1, 3 and 4 of DIVA. The women went wild, dancing, whooping, then running up afterward to kiss her for turning on the diva in every body.
Jeff was there taking hundreds of photos, capturing the connection of our beautiful community, so many different races and ages. He said he learned to wait for just the right moment to take the pictures. It worked; he definitely caught the essence of each beauty.
Then a much-needed 2 day break after continual selling at our Nia stand. (Those of you who have done shows know the over stimulation). David (my husband and organizer of the Women’s Show) Jeff, Debbie and I set off to drive the Garden Route, ending in Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.
I have a picture in my mind of Debbie in fancy dress and shoes petting the elephants at the elephant park and camping in tree tops. (You can take Zsa Zsa out of the city but you can’t take the city out of Zsa Zsa). I have a smile on my face remembering her and Jeff singing Kumbaya as David and I were falling asleep in the next tent. Lots of giggling going on.
Back to Cape Town and Debbie working four days packed with classes and workshops and lots of sweaty people (we have no air conditioning in our studio and it was a summery 95 degrees!)
Some feedback from our students:
“I loved it – felt muscles I had never felt before“
“She was everything you said she would be…and more!…thank you so much for encouraging me to do her classes”
Our community was astounded by Jeff and Debbie’s (Nia’s) generosity. You cannot imagine the hollering and clapping when Nicci Gates (my partner in ourniaspace studio who helps me manage Nia in South Africa) was offered the Brown Belt Intensive for free as well as accommodation and limo service in Portland : ) . The room shook with delight!!
For me… the trip was a healing from a chasm I wasn’t sure could be mended. I found myself surprised at the deep feelings of sisterhood between Debbie and myself: as natural and unforced as any family but without the hierarchy, the judgment, or advice. “In Lakesh” had the strongest meaning it’s ever had for me, and it made the 7 years of work and trials doing my best worthwhile.
As Jeff kindly said in his email preceding their trip:
It has been too long that none of us have made this trip if only to shake your hand.
So here we are, we are coming to SA.
There is no need for you to create any numbers or “successes.”
All that you do to make the most of Debbie coming to town is appreciated. I want this to be fun for you and not add any stress to your life.
It was a pleasure to host you, Debbie and Jeff. Sitting here in the Rainbow nation, I can tell you it’s true what Dorothy says in her famous song, “Somewhere over the rainbow”: Dreams really do come true.
Thank you -From me, from Nicci, from Nia lovers in South Africa,
Thank you for the Solidarity. We feel “part of” now.
