cover model q&a
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Andrea Hersh-Bartfield by brianna snyder | photo by suzanne kawola
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ndrea Hersh-Bartfield adores Nia, a sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts to center on self-discovery and personal transformation. She adores it so much, in fact, that she became certified to teach classes at The Center for Nia and Yoga in Albany. Hersh-Bartfield, who’s 53, teaches Nia part-time; she’s also an artist and teaches art at the Arts Center in Troy. She grew up in Worcester, Mass., and moved to Albany in 1997 when her husband got a job here. She got her MFA in painting at the University of Albany and says she loves contemporary artists such as Philip Guston, from the later school of Abstract Expressionism. Hersh-Bartfield’s sons are talented artists as well, though their craft is music. Both men — who are 23 and 28 years old — are working in L.A. (One of them even has a regular background role on Glee, for you Gleeks out there.) An exhibit of Hersh-Bartfield is on display at Albany International Airport in a group show called Some Assembly Required, if you want to check out her work. Or take a look at ahersh.com. We assume that, since you teach Nia, it’s probably your favorite way to work out. My favorite is Nia, by far. I love to dance.
Hair and makeup by Kimberley’s A Day Spa, Latham. Photo taken by Suzanne Kawola at New York Expressive Arts in Albany. Above: tunic and leggings by Calvin Klein, jewelry by Ashley Cooper. Select clothing available at Boscov’s Clifton Park. Visit facebook.com/ healthylifenymagazine to view our Behind the Scenes photo gallery, or scan the QR code at left to link to our HealthyLife photos page on Facebook.
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healthylife
You said that in August you started on the paleo diet, which prohibits dairy, grains, potatoes and processed foods. Are you going to continue with this diet? Do you like it? I don’t know. I feel really good at this point, so I don’t want to add anything more to it. But once in a while I eat beans, though I definitely have kept grains out. Do you have any favorite musicians? Well, I love music so much. The kids are musicians, so I love whatever they do. I love contemporary music. I’ve actually been listening to the Lumineers. I love Elvis Costello. I love Bob Dylan. I love Fiona Apple. It goes on and on. HL
“Before” photo by Colleen Ingerto.
Behind the Scenes
How did you find out about it? Someone said, “You should come to Friday-morning Nia,” and I hadn’t danced for a long time — since college, basically — and it was very emotional for me. It reminded me of how much I like to move that way. I had been a runner before that and I had done a lot of spin classes; I’ve always been really active. But Nia changed the way I think about exercise. It’s more of a holistic way to work out and it’s more of a wholebody experience instead of a lower-body one. As a runner you don’t think about your upper body as much. … It’s really important to be flexible.