Movement Classes
Minnesota Conservatory For the Arts
MaryLee teaches Pilates for Adults at Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts
beginning October 2, 2025
Join us for a gentle yet empowering Pilates class that helps you build strength from the inside out. Students will move through exercises that support their core, back, arms, legs, and neck—all while using their breath to energize and nourish the body. All experience levels are welcome.
Thursdays: 10/2-12/11 (No class on 10/16 and 11/27)
5:30-6:15 pm
$117
Age: 16 years and up
Movement Classes through Community Education begin in October 2025. Links to register coming soon.
Pilates for Everyone Thursdays
Pilates for Everyone
strengthens muscles throughout the whole body particularly in the abdomen,
back, arms, legs and neck. We use
intentional breathing to bring oxygen to muscles and effectively build
strength. Pilates is very beneficial for reducing back pain through exercises
that strengthen the core abdominal muscles. Modifications are given to support
all levels of movers. Bring a mat, water bottle and wear layers of easy to move
clothing.
Nia: Movement to Feel Better Thursdays
Class: Nia (nee ah’): Movement To Feel Alive is a 45 minute class that participants move and dance to music that’s fun! Students learn moves from martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts. World music uplifts the spirit and makes one want to move. MaryLee teaches how to move your body with more balance, strength, agility and ease in a safe environment and is a certified Nia instructor for over 14 years.
Bring a Yoga mat, water bottle, comfortable clothing to move. Nia is done barefoot unless foot sensitivities prevent that. An alternative is to wear inside shoes, or socks with grips on the bottom. Regular socks are not recommended due to possible slipping and falling.
Nia has been shared around the world for over 40 years. Join us!
Usually the links are easy to connect and register. If you need assistance, please call the Community Education Office, Linda Jacobs at
Movement Classes throughout the Year
Moving of all sorts for MaryLee is dancing, walking, biking, gardening, strolling--I love it all. And two of my favorite movement practices are Nia and Pilates. I teach throughout the Winona through Community Education and the Winona Friendship Center and Iron Bluff Fitness. The photo above was taken at the Winona Friendship Center where I've been teaching Nia for over 11 years. Currently the Friendship Center is upgrading its Heating and Air Conditioning Systems for the whole building and as a result, we are currently practicing Nia at the East End Recreation Center located at 210 Zumbro St in Winona, Minnesota.
Classic Nia
Nia is a class, practice and lifestyle that bring awareness to the body, mindfulness to the spirit, and connection to joy or adjusting to pain in the whole being to feel better. Classes are 45 – 60 minutes and often done bare foot. (If a person has foot tenderness, wearing soft indoor shoes works well.) Nia is for everybody at any age, fitness level, size, shape and ability.
In Nia
class, we begin with warming up the body. All types of music are found in Nia from around the world. There’s a get moving part of the class and a
cooling down at the end where everyone goes down to the floor to move and
stretch. We move the whole body in Nia
with 52 moves. The three main parts of
Nia are the dance arts, martial arts and healing arts. The simple moves are repeated to engage the
body and the mind in the movement. One
of the main principles in Nia is to feel good in our body's way. This may look and feel different for each person. One of my students, Barbi, who's been dancing with me for over 10 years says, "Nia is fun!"
Wear clothing that’s easy to move in with layers to add or subtract as you warm up and cool down.
Nia Moving to Heal
Moving to Heal Nia is a gentler version of classic Nia. Similar principles of sensing the body and moving in each person’s individual way are taught with fun music from around the world. We begin class with sensing how the body feels—checking in if there is sensation of pain in a part of the body and then giving it a number as we walk around the room in warming up. We move either on our feet or sitting in a chair depending on each movers need. Nia is based on the design of the body and can be modified to accommodate physical disabilities and support self-healing for most injuries and illnesses. At the end of class, we assess again our sensation in the body and then stretch and move into the rest of the day. Our intention is that everyone feels better after doing Nia.
Many of my students have gone through their healing process with carpal tunnel in the wrist, shoulder injury, recovery from Lyme disease, or COVID 19 and move through their lives with more ease due to moving in Nia.
"Through movement we find health." says Debbi Rosas is the Co-founder of the Nia Technique.
Nia classes in Winona with MaryLee
Classes are year round.
No classes 9/1 - 9/21. Classes resume 9/22/2025
East End Recreational Center, 210 Zumbro St, Winona, Minnesota is the current location of MaryLee's class at Winona Friendship Center.
507 454-5212
Mondays Moving to Heal Nia 9:15 am – 9:55 am
Classic Nia 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Tuesdays Classic Nia 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Iron Bluff Fitness, Winona Mall, 1213 Gilmore Ave, Winona, MN 55987
Mondays Classic Nia or Pilates 8:00 am – 8: 45 am
This class alternates every other week; see schedule below
8/11 Nia
8/18 Pilates
8/25 Nia
No classes 9/1 Labor Day through 9/21
9/22 Pilates
9/29 Nia
All abilities are welcome to join class.
Call or text: 507 429-8357 Mary Lee to check the current class or with questions. Drop-in fee $10.
Moving together to feel better! See you soon!
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Come Join us! Your body will say, "Yes!"
Mary Lee Eischen is a trained and licensed instructor
Black Belt Nia instructor
Nia Moving to Heal instructor
Pilates instructor
