Nia Dancing at Moyo, Zoo Lake

Joburg Sketchers....Cathy, Anni and I...met at Moyo at Zoo Lake on this the official first day of Spring, 2012.

I as eager to try out my new water-soluble brush pens, so I settled on a bench under a cheerful tree laden with exquisite blossoms to sketch some geese, a young girl engrossed in her cell phone and a young vendor pumping up his supply of colourful balls.   I was pleased at the bright colours!

Cathy arrived, followed by Anni, and we enjoyed a cup of coffee while we waited for the nia dancing to start.

Nia dancing is a combination of various things, ranging from dancing to yoga to eastern martial arts.  I had never heard of it.

We found the group starting up in the main Moyo building, and settled down to sketch...lots of very rapidly moving bodies.   Not an easy task, but the sort of challenge that gets the blood pumping.

The dancers danced in unison, but my sketch is of various fleeting poses, while the leader encouraged everyone to be part of the new spring, to be part of Africa and to feel the spirit of the place....and so on.

"Feel your body, experience your body, anything goes"...freestyle movement.

I really feel the need to practise my figures and stances!

This was fun!  I'd love to join the dancers next time...

This sketch was my last one of the day.

Zoo Lake vendor with his colourful bag of balls and his parcel of other toys.

By now the Lake area was packed with happy families and groups picnicking and enjoying a lovely day.