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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

Aug 27, 2023 August 27, 2023, - December 10, 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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Sep 17, 2023 September 17, 2023, - December 10, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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    This class is for 7 to 12 year olds 12 week Fall Series: Sep 17 to Dec 10, 2023 (no class Nov 26, 2023)Sundays, 3:30-4:30 pm Plus performances for Diwali Nov 12 and Merry & Bright Dec 16Price: $230   This class is for children aged 7-12 yrs old Participation in this hula […]

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Sep 21, 2023 September 21, 2023, - December 14, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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    This class is for 3 to 6 year olds 12 week Fall Series: Sep 21 to Dec 14, 2022 (no class Nov 23, 2022) Thursdays, 4:00- 4:45 pm Plus performances for Diwali Nov 12 and Merry & Bright Dec 16, 2023 Price: $230   This class is for children aged 3-6 yrs old Participation […]

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Sep 24, 2023 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
HI United States
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Sunday, September 24, 2023 5:00 - 7:00 pm (HST) Bundle & save with Kumu Malia's 2 hour workshops*:$69/ 1 Hawaiian Workshop$99/ 2 Hawaiian Workshops$139/ 3 Hawaiian Workshops *Includes: Puana Lomilomi workshop, Palena workshop, Waikiki Walk Story, Intro to HulaRather than an in-depth lomilomi training, this is a stand-alone event for you to enjoy on a […]

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Sep 25, 2023 September 25, 2023, - November 6, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7-Week Series:September 25 to November 6, 2023Mondays 5:30 - 6:30 pm HST$210 plus tax This 7 week series will culminate in a performance for our annual Diwali Celebration Nov 12, 2023 What does it feel like to move in and suspend in the air, and have increased body awareness and balance? This is your series, […]

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Sep 26, 2023 September 26, 2023, - November 7, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7 Week Series:September 26 to November 7, 2023Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00 pm HST $210 plus tax Students will have the opportunity to perform at our annual Diwali celebration Nov 12, 2023 In this weekly series, keiki aerialists will learn choreography and routine progression. Possible apparatus include aerial hammock and lyra developing sequencing and move progression in preparation […]

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Sep 26, 2023 September 26, 2023, - November 7, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7 Week Series:September 26 to November 7, 2023Tuesdays 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm $210 plus tax This 7 week series will culminate in a performance for our annual Diwali Celebration Nov 12, 2023 In this class, you will learn dance skills in the Hammock, as well as in floor exercises and stretching. The techniques and […]

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Sep 28, 2023 September 28, 2023, - November 9, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7-Week Series:September 28 to November 9, 2023Thursdays, 7:15-8:15 pm HST$210 plus tax Participants in this series will have the opportunity to perform at our annual Diwali celebration Nov 12, 2023 Experience the thrill of applying your skill in the air to a new aerial apparatus, the Lyra! In this class, you will practice your skills […]

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Sep 29, 2023 September 29, 2023, - November 10, 2023,
Global, HI United States
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7-Week Series:September 29 to November 10, 2023Fridays, 5:30 - 6:30 pm HST$210 plus tax This 7 week series will culminate in a performance for our annual Diwali Celebration Nov 12, 2023 Prerequisite: Intro to Aerial silks and instructor permission. This class is designed for students who have knowledge of climbing, foot locks, inversions and balance […]

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Sep 29, 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.

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