The Rise of Movement
This past weekend the capital city was a hive of activity as Windhoekers rose to the occasion of Rise Namibia. Armed with water bottles and comfortable clothing, people came out in numbers to join in a movement that is looking to get communities engaging and people moving. The movement is Rise Namibia and is a collaboration of various exercise and movement instructors who are looking to inspire communities to look after their health by offering free open-air exercise classes every Saturday morning in Windhoek.
99FM’s MYD Heart spoke to the team of passionate movement gurus about this project and how we can get involved. According to Rise Namibia, these free classes will continue every Saturday; they are family friendly; they are open to everyone and you need no special equipment to join. Every week you can experience a different type of movement and exercise that includes Yoga, Zumba, Tai-Chi, Pilates, Dance, Kickboxing and much more.
“We want to establish a shared public platform with no cover charge where we can encounter each other on equal ground. We also want to promote healthy lifestyles as a cornerstone for a balanced life that allows people to see and experience a different way of being.” says Liezl Hoving, one of the founders of the Rise Namibia movement, who explains that while we know that exercise is good for our physical health, it is increasingly being shown that regular physical activity is a cornerstone of being balanced and content in our emotions and in our relationships. “
“Humans are social; we need contact with each other. In a multicultural society, we create value in our lives through interacting with each other. One great way for communities to meet is through movement and exercise. While Rise Namibia has exercise as the focus, the vision is to provide an opportunity for people to chat with people they don’t know and may not have interacted with otherwise.” says Seodhna Keown, another founder of the Rise Namibia movement.
The first open-air class happened this past Saturday and was a resounding success as Windhoekers came out in numbers to learn something new, breathe flexibility into their stiffness, to laugh and meet fellow members of their community.
The number of instructors in Windhoek that have offered their time for free is impressive, but it’s not only instructors that have gotten behind this project, The Village in Liliencron Street has offered Rise Namibia a space to hold these Saturday events. Rise Namibia notes that the goal is to grow the project to reach more communities in Windhoek. For now, you’re welcome to join in this collaborative effort by instructors and teachers of various physical disciplines and movement arts who are offering their knowledge, skills and time, free of charge. All you need, is to simply show up.
Be sure to join 99FM’s MYD Heart with Che every Friday at 7:35am as she talks to the Rise Namibia instructor of the week each week.
You’ll find more information on Rise Namibia through this Facebook page by clicking here or through their website by clicking here