Call me a skeptic, but I find it a bit silly to be slithering around like a snake on the gym floor reciting "ahhhhh, sexy spine" out loud.

It was my first Nia class and I had trouble keeping a straight face. I couldn't make eye contact with my fellow lululemon Ala Moana educators for fear of cracking up as we danced barefoot, twisting our spines and awkwardly flailing our arms in the air.

Nia, which stands for Neuromuscular Integrative Actions, is described as a body-mind fitness and lifestyle program. Students kick off their shoes as they incorporate movement and philosophies from dance, yoga, pilates, martial arts, and more – moving their way to a healthier and more empowered mind, body and soul.

During the class, as I willed myself to keep an open mind and allow my body to relax, I watched the teacher let loose and encourage her students to do the same. People around me were spontaneously spinning, singing, clapping, and even releasing shouts of "yes!" I also noticed that no one could stop smiling as we danced around the room. That freedom made me shun my self-consciousness and I started to shake and shimmy to the music.

I think my change of heart came after noticing I was surrounded by women of all ages who were fully aware of their bodies, with no hesitation to express their grace and power. It was a place that gave me a sense of freedom, pushing me to become more energized, strong, and confident.

I'm convinced that Nia is a fun stress-buster, as well as a joyful way to get in shape, become more in tune with your body, and even find happiness while sweating it out. To find a Nia class near you, visit a lululemon store and ask them to point you in the right direction, or check out the Nia website at www.nianow.com.

How are you letting go today?

Recently there was “Free Day of Yoga.” In dozens of cities across the globe, participating yoga and pilates studios opened up their spaces by offering free classes to the community. Studio owners and teachers offered this gift to students in the spirit of sharing the love and bliss of yoga, not to mention the health benefits of practicing the sport.

lululemon athletica Ala Moana sponsored Hawaii’s Free Day of Yoga. We wanted people to try different styles, instructors and studios (at no cost) in order to stretch their mind, body, and spirit.

Our community came out to enjoy this special event. Almost all of the classes were packed to capacity. One of the local studio owners, Conrad Gacki of Bikram Yoga Nimitz had crammed classes from sun up (5.30 a.m. class) to sundown (7 p.m. class).

Gacki was so inspired by the Free Day of Yoga that he has decided to visit all of the studios that were involved in the community event in order to help strengthen the local yoga community. Educators at lululemon Ala Moana have received nothing but positive feedback for helping to organize this event. We even had a 72-year-old guest mention that she attended five free classes on that day! Nothing could make us smile more. The work we do at lululemon is for the community, it is to share the benefits of yoga and fitness with beginners, elite athletes, and everyone in between.

lululemon athletica stores offer complimentary weekly yoga classes. Visit lululemon.com/stores to find a lululemon store near you.

On a recent trip to New York City, I woke up early on a Saturday and walked 30 minutes to the lululemon East 66th store (let me just say, I know now why New Yorkers are in such great shape—they walk everywhere!). Rebecca Kordecki, the founder of Booty Slide, seemed energetic and excited to share her fitness regime. I would do Booty Slide everyday if I could get her results! We used colorful, silk booties and bands to use our body weight to tone and strengthen. As an avid fitness enthusiast, I have tried anything and everything. It's unusual to find a fitness class that combines toning exercises with cardio. My heart was pumping as I did lunges, mountain climber, and plank pose exercises.

There's always a great variety of complimentary class at all the lululemon stores from yoga or pilates to bootcamp or belly dancing. Whenever I go on vacation (even before I worked here) I check the lululemon site for studios in the area or classes at the store. It's a great money-saver to scout out the free classes when you're on vacation because it's often difficult and pricey to find suitable gyms.

The next day during my walk through Central Park, my legs were definitely sore (of course in a good way). My cost for the workout weekend in New York $0 and my body definitely loved it.

Want to try booty slide out for yourself? Visit their site below!

http://www.rebeccakordecki.com/bootyslide.html

If dancers are sighted in an unusual public space, moving seamlessly, you may have stumbled across a site-specific dance project. Innovative choreographers are ditching the stage and going public by choreographing movement in and around public spaces. With the current credit crunch, creating movement in public space is a win win situation as more people are exposed to dance and no one has to worry about paying for a theatre.

I am spearheading a site-specific dance project inside our store at Grant Ave in San Francisco. The show premieres June 5 and 6 and utilizes the stores' front space, window and sidewalk. I enrolled floor manager Chris Cano and local dancer Kristin Cheng to choreograph, as well as our very own educator Anna Carnes to dance. Performing also will be Cameron Growden and Mayuko Ayabe. The goal of this project is to get our feet wet as artists and for our store to move, touch and inspire the community.

Making dance in public spaces has great possibilities. The movement is made in relation to the environment, it is intimate and we get a super work out on the pavement. Not to mention curious crowds watching as we rehearse inside and outside of the store. I am seeing that there does not have to be an announced time and place for dance to be appreciated and seen.

Site-based dance is also happening in Philadelphia where choreographer Kate Watson-Wallace is creating site-based performances that re-imagine everyday spaces such as cars, living rooms and bathrooms. In fact, one of her dancers, Alexandra Holmes, is an ambassador for the lululemon Walnut Street store.

Keep your eyes peeled for random acts of dance in your neighborhood as the epidemic spreads.

I'm a fairly new yogi, having only practiced yoga for about a year and a half (and even though I was fairly athletic, I was never very flexible). So I know that as beginner, hitting up your first yoga class can be a somewhat confusing (which style? which studio?) and intimidating experience.

Many people might not know, but lululemon stores offer weekly complimentary yoga classes for the community. The goal of these classes is to help you try out many different styles of yoga and experience a range of teachers from various local studios in a supportive environment. The classes are mixed levels and the crowd ranges from yoga class virgins to health-conscious athletes who use yoga as a way to stretch their muscles out.

You know the saying: the best things in life are free. At the lululemon where I work, the Ala Moana store in Honolulu, Hawaii, we actually offer four weekly events: a Sunday morning yoga class, a cardio boot camp on the beach, a running club, and a weekly health seminar. All. For. Free.

So whether you are a complete beginner to yoga, a longtime yoga lover looking to dabble in different styles, or just trying to stretch your dollar, come find bliss at your local lululemon store. Find your local lululemon here to find out what's happening at your store, or just drop by and ask. Good luck!

Above: Guests and educators work up a sweat at a complimentary in store yoga class! Mats are always provided.