Casey Bernstein, dancing the JOY

Casey's Story:  From the age of 14 I understood the power of dance and healing while experiencing a family tragedy. During my diverse professional career as a nurse, my philosophical belief strengthened viewing movement as a way to live life at one’s highest potential via movement. In 1988, my life changed. As a young mother of 3 children, a retiring marathoner and working as a critical care nurse, I was introduced to Nia while seeking postpartum exercise and time for myself. I knew Nia’s movement diversity, it’s aesthetic attention of the body, and it’s healing quality were something that was a perfect fit for me, personally and professionally, for a lifetime.  

In 1993, wanting a suitable home for Nia, I opened one of the first Body-Mind centers.It offered classes in all the movement forms and other healing modalities. Currently I am the owner and director of The Center for Nia & Yoga, in Albany, NY. I obtained my Nia Black Belt in 1996 and I am first generation Nia White Belt trainer since 1997. Progressively, I became a Green Belt trainer in 2011 and a Blue Belt trainer in 2012. I facilitate trainings out of my studio, Israel, Italy, New England, Washington, D.C/Baltimore, Md, Southern California, and other regional areas.

I have a passion for creating Nia choreography and working with special applications for Nia. I have worked extensively with women in drug rehabilitation and created Nia movement programs for clients with brain injury,  victims of domestic violence, Alzheimer patients, children, prenatal populations, women healing from cancer and girls with trauman. I also produce and present weekend workshops and been a guest presenter at Kripalu Yoga Center. In addition, I am certified in Yoga and Expressive Arts Therapy.  I have brought to together years of exprience of working with Special Populations and created program and movement consulting called, "The Art of Stepping In", a creative approach to client centered movement programs for anyBODY and everyBODY