Conscious Choice: AcroYoga

August 2008 | Healthy Living :: Yogapedia

AcroYoga

By Julia Steinberger

Need a dose of adventure, connection and empowerment? Test your limits with AcroYoga. This multidisciplinary style blends yoga, Thai massage and acrobatics into a full-body celebration that we think is even more fun than the sum of its parts. But because it is equal parts soaring and grounding, this liberating practice brings deeper benefits than a simple “wow” factor. “AcroYoga is a practice that allows for people to trust,” says co-creator Jason Nemer. “And by trusting, they expand their potential. It is a joyful healing art that can bring communities together from many different circles.”

What to expect
Class begins with a circle ceremony, where you’ll share a few feelings and play with group trust. You’ll warm up with traditional asana, then move into partner flow, where you and a buddy will get comfy with concepts like weight-transfer and synchronization. Then comes the acrobatics: trade off the roles of “base” (on the bottom) and “flyer” (on top) and you’ll find yourself mentally soaring as you tackle multi-person balancing acts that at first made you say, “nuh-uh.” And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, you’ll wind down by learning to give and receive some Thai massage.

Signature poses
There’s no one pose or series that sums up AcroYoga, but the ideal of equanimity threads through the practice from beginning to end. Partner and group work, trading massage and certainly acrobatic poses that require ultimate concentration and trust from both base and flyer, translate intangible concepts into visceral, hands- (and knees- and feet-) on experience. In Nemer’s words, “The practice is vast but the essence is simple. Balance the extremes, giving and receiving, strength and sensitivity, inhale and exhale.”

Where to find it
Accomplished acroyogis are becoming a bit of a hot ticket as Cirque du Soleil–style entertainment at parties around the city; you might have seen them at CC’s April Green Festival event. If you’re itching to give the style a try yourself, head to Samadhi Yoga (1205 E. Pike St., 206.329.4070; samadhi-yoga.com). The cozy, high-ceilinged practice space in this intimate Capitol Hill studio delights the visual senses with beautiful artwork and an urban view. Acro instructor Lux can also be found at seattleacro.com. More locations, teacher training and retreat info online at acroyoga.orgWhere to find it

Accomplished acroyogis are becoming a bit of a hot ticket as Cirque du Soleil-style entertainment at parties around the city.

If you’re itching to give the style a try yourself, head over to Second Nature (1750 N Kingsbury Street, 2nd Floor; 773.227.5720; natureyoga.com).

The second outpost of Nature Yoga Sanctuary, this Lincoln Park location is as dedicated to offering a high-quality teaching staff and a variety of interesting yoga styles as the original. More locations, teacher training and retreat info online at acroyoga.orgWhere to find it

Accomplished acroyogis are becoming a bit of a hot ticket as Cirque du Soleil-style entertainment at parties around the city.

If you’re itching to give the style a try yourself, instructor Lara Catone leads a Saturday morning practice in Coldwater Canyon Park in Beverly Hills (details at shaktihome.com). More locations, teacher training and retreat info online at acroyoga.orgWhere to find it

Accomplished acroyogis are becoming a bit of a hot ticket as Cirque du Soleil-style entertainment at parties around the city; you might have seen them at CG’s Friday night events at the De Young.

If you’re itching to give the style a try yourself, head on down to your local Yoga Tree (Five studios throughout San Francisco; yogatreesf.com) where top-notch teachers and creative weekend workshops frequently draw crowds. More locations, teacher training and retreat info online at acroyoga.org

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