Renée Tillotson

About Renée

Renée Tillotson lives a life of Joy and whole-heartedness, which radiates into all she shares and creates. Fluidly balancing action with deep thought, she developed Still & Moving Center, a thriving hub of mindful community, from a little seed of an idea. In 2011, the beautiful mindful movement and wellness center in the heart of Honolulu, Hawaii, came to life.

Active in her youth, Renée competed in gymnastics for 11 years and served as the team captain for her high school then college gymnastics team at UC Santa Barbara. However, her dynamic movement-filled days went on pause when she began working and raising her three children. Over the following decades, she eventually stopped being active, nearly altogether. It wasn’t until age 46, when Renée was exposed to Nia, that she had a life-changing realization that she was born to dance — and she thinks perhaps everyone else is too!

Renée’s journey back into a life of dynamic movement brought her absolute Joy! She came to understand the essential connection between physical activity and mind-body-spirit wellness. Since 2002, Renée has trained in this unique movement practice called Nia, where martial arts meets dance meets yoga, meets self-awareness and inner growth. She earned her 2nd Degree Nia blackbelt from the Nia co-founder Debbie Rosas, and continues to share this gift with others in her weekly Nia classes at Still & Moving.

Raising her as a citizen of the world, Renée’s parents taught her to love peoples and traditions from around the globe. She learned how valuing diversity makes our own slice of the world even richer. Later, in her adult life, Renée participated and studied at the Institute of World Culture in Santa Barbara. The Institute showed her a clear path to lifelong learning on an array of topics, from sciences to arts, to religions and philosophy. Her time at the Santa Barbara based cultural center especially helped to shape the global-minded ethos of Still & Moving Center.

Renée sets forth on her life’s path with grace and enthusiasm. Honored by Nia Headquarters offering her a position as an international Nia teacher trainer, Renée declined the offer. She dreamt up Still & Moving, a wellness center in the heart of Hawaii, as a space where students, teachers, and trainers of a vast variety of moving meditation and yoga practices could meet and learn under one roof.

Renée incorporates philosophical and spiritually-minded conversation into the activities of Still & Moving Center. Engaged in a life-long spiritual quest, Renée assembles the Still & Moving Center Almanac each year, imbuing it with inspirational quotes by everyone from the Dalai Lama to Dolly Parton! With deeply intentional weekly and yearly focuses, this almanac offers a guiding light for both personal growth and meaningful community.

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Renée’s Story of Opening Still & Moving Center

I was feeling less of a sense of urgency about my presence in the office, having headed up the administration of our company Prometheus Construction for many years. Since 2002, I had been having a blast learning and teaching Nia. I Immersed myself in the Nia belt training system from White to Blue, and upwards to Black Belt.

My thunderbolt from the sky hit me in 2010 in the form of a mysterious black envelope with beautiful silver handwriting. It was from Nia co-founder Debbie Rosas, inviting me to become an international Nia trainer. Me! There were only 14 Nia trainers in the whole world at that point, so it was a tremendous honor. That letter turned my world upside down, causing me to take an entirely new look at my life and ask myself – at age 54 – what I really wanted to be when I grew up.

As turns out, I actually did not want, to travel the globe training people to be Nia teachers. I yearned for a studio for moving meditation on my beautiful island home, O’ahu: a hub in the middle of the Pacific for teachers and students from around the world to share their many mindful movement practices. I wanted a place where everyone could come to find Joy and “claim their magnificence”!

I am incredibly thankful to my husband, Cliff, for his support in fulfilling my dream. Within 7 months of my epiphany of wanting a studio for moving meditation, we opened Still & Moving Center on March 18, 2011 at 1024 Queen Street in Honolulu. That night of our Grand Opening, with all of the bright lights and smiling people watching wonderful performances of Yoga and Bharatanatyam dancing, Aerial Silks and Nia movement, I felt as if I had woken up in my own dream!

Since that time, we have seen hundreds of teachers and countless students make personal growth and achieve self-transformation within the nurturing context of Still & Moving Center.
Prometheus Construction provides a strong financial backing for all the ways that Still & Moving Center gives back to the community.

We focus on moving to heal and thrive.

Upcoming Events

Jan 22, 2023 January 22, 2023, - April 30, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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The body is resilient. Human beings are born resilient. Nia movement and Nia routines provide the perfect map to develop body and life resilience skills.

Are you ready to systematically approach a new piece of Nia choreography each week? Ready to dive into deep conversation and exploration of how you live Nia in your life and in your teaching? This group experience provides you with week-by-week support, professional guidance, good cheer and friendship within a small, personalized context...

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Feb 05, 2023 February 5, 2023, - April 30, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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    This class is for 7 to 12 year olds 12 week Spring Series: February 5  to April 30, 2023 (no class Apr 9)Sundays 9:15-10:15 amPlus performance for May Day- May 6, 2023 Price: $230Participation in this hula halau (school) is one of the best introductions to Hawaiian language and culture. Children will learn […]

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Feb 16, 2023 February 16, 2023, - May 4, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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    This class is for 3 to 6 year olds 12 week Spring Series:  February 16 to May 4, 2023Thursdays, 4:00-4:45 pmPlus performance for May Day, May 6, 2023 Price: $230Participation in this hula halau (school) is one of the best introductions to Hawaiian language and culture. Children will learn both hula kahiko (ancient […]

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Feb 26, 2023 February 26, 2023, - March 26, 2023,
HI United States
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Sunday February 26 & Sunday March 26, 2023 5:00 - 7:00 pm (HST) Price: $69Rather than an in-depth lomilomi training, this is a stand-alone event for you to enjoy on a single day. Lomilomi, like all forms of healing, is an unfolding process of many steps. This approach to lomilomi focuses on settling the nervous […]

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Mar 24, 2023 9:00 am - 11:00 am
HI United States
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Friday, Mar 24, 2023@ 9:00 am - 11:00 am $69/adult$49 (under 14yrs) Connect with the ‘āina for a walking tour bordering Waikīkī beach from Waikiki Walls to Kalia. Offer ho'okupu (gifts/offerings) and learn about healing practices of the area. Discover more about Waikīkī’s rich history as Mālia shares the story of Kawehewehe and the surrounding […]

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Mar 27, 2023 March 27, 2023, - May 15, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7-Week Series:Mar 27 to May 15, 2023(no class Apr 10, 2023)Mondays 5:30 - 6:30 pm HST$210 plus tax What does it feel like to move in and suspend in the air, and have increased body awareness and balance? This is your series, designed for those who are new to the aerial experience. Here is your […]

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Mar 28, 2023 March 28, 2023, - May 9, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7 Week Series:Mar 28 to May 9, 2023Tuesdays, 7:15-8:15 pm HST $210 plus tax By the end of this 7 week series, you will have co-created a choreography inspired by a piece of music, a poem, a person or a work of art. Class will consist of a warm up, stretching and conditioning, followed by […]

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Mar 31, 2023 March 31, 2023, - May 12, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7-Week Series:Mar 31 to May 12, 2023Fridays 5:30 - 6:30 pm HST$210 plus tax Prerequisite: Intro to Aerial silks and instructor permission. This class is designed for students who have knowledge of climbing, foot locks, inversions and balance work in the knot. Throughout the lessons, we will work on climbs, locks, wraps, and basic progressions. […]

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Mar 31, 2023 March 31, 2023, - May 5, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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In-personFridays, 5:45-6:45pm HSTMar 31- May 5, 2023**Except April 7, 2023 $115 plus tax- regular rate$95 plus tax - starving artist rateStudents will have the opportunity to perform in Still & Moving’s MayDay celebration May 6, 2023    “Throughout my professional dance career, the rhythmical structures that I learned in Indian dance class gave me an […]

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Mar 31, 2023 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Global, HI United States
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Our mission is to bring more peace to the community and to the world. This activity is designed to fill you with serenity and healing that you can spread throughout your community, while at the same time spreading awareness and helping nonprofit organizations throughout Hawai'i continue their amazing work. In celebration of Women's History Month we are proud to be supporting the YWCA in their mission to empower women, fight gender inequality, and eliminate racism.

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