Yoga to the People

I've been experimenting on and off with yoga for the past few years, but it wasn't until this past year that it really clicked for me. As a dancer, I generally felt like my body wasn't benefiting from all that stretching without being properly warmed up-- sometimes, I even felt like I was hurting myself. Then I discovered hot power vinyasa (power yoga, prana, Baron Baptiste Yoga are all included in this category). This form of yoga is done in a warm room (not as hot as bikram) and focuses on connecting the poses in a sequence, so you don't hold any single pose too long. It's about connectivity, breath, and flow of energy... I find it to be extremely cleansing and therapeutic too. The only thing I really DIDN'T like about my experience, was paying $18 per class. I couldn't go as much as I wanted because of the cost, which was frustrating because my body feels so great when I practice regularly. AND THEN, thankfully, Ilana told me about Yoga to The People , a community yoga class that, depending on which type of yoga you choose, is donation based, or $5 per class. I went to my first YTP class on Sunday, and afterwards, was kicking myself for not knowing about YTP sooner. Yes, it was as crowded as I had expected it to be, but so is my $18 class in Union Square! The teacher was wonderful and spent the whole class walking around the room to correct us and help us through the practice. The community vibe was palpable and there were all types of people there, which I really liked. Yoga is a physical and spiritual practice that should be for everyone, and with YTP, it really is!