Sara Green teaches yoga and Jazzercise at ATOMIC - Placentia.
1. What classes, how often do you teach at ATOMIC?
I teach Jazzercise and yoga on Friday and Sunday mornings at ATOMIC-Placentia. Jazzercise is from 8:30-9:30am and yoga is right after from 9:35-10:30am.
2. What made you want to be a yoga and Jazzercise instructor?
Growing up I loved all sorts of dancing and was introduced to yoga and Jazzercise at a young age. I used to go to Jazzercise with my mom when I was a kid and it was so much fun. Eventually when I was looking for a workout to allow me to stay healthy and come back to my dance background, Jazzercise was the perfect answer. I loved my workout so much I wanted to be able to share that with others, plus a job that I love that also keeps me healthy is such a win-win for me. I’ve started teaching yoga for the same reasons. I think yoga is a great compliment to other workouts because it helps us slow down and listen to our bodies. It’s another way to feel great while doing something healthy, working and stretching muscles in another way.
3. Why is it important for dancers to have a regular yoga practice?
It’s important for everyone to have a regular yoga practice! So many people today never take time to breathe and use their bodies to their full capabilities. There is no way we are meant to sit in front of computers for 60 hours a week. Dancers are a step ahead of the general population since we are more active and use our muscles and joints more, but it is so important to have variety for the body. If we use muscles the same way all the time it is so easy to become unbalanced. Yoga is a chance to balance our bodies and our minds. I feel so much healthier and happier when I take the time to practice yoga at least once or twice a week. Yoga will also help dancers improve posture, balance, strength, and flexibility.
4. What is your favorite yoga pose and why?
Sara Green's favorite pose is the downward facing dog.
The answer to this question changes all the time for me. Sometimes a specific pose is exactly what I need on one day and the next day it changes. I used to be super flexible when I was younger but now some of the poses that stretch calves and hamstrings are so good for me. For that reason I love incorporating lots of downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana) and forward fold (uttanasana) into my practice right now. I get those muscles stretched out and dog is great for building upper body strength.
5. Are you a dancer? If so, what is your favorite type of dance?
I absolutely consider myself a dancer. Growing up I studied ballet with some jazz, tap, modern, lyrical, and hip-hop. I also took every opportunity to dance in school whenever there was a musical or show I could be a part of. I don’t have as much experience with ballroom dancing and swing, but I have taken a few classes that I really enjoyed and hope to find the time to try more in the future. I will honestly try any kind of dance I can find. Right now I love Jazzercise because we get to incorporate a variety of dance moves and music styles in a quick workout. I love the funky hip-hop inspired routines, and the Latin routines with lots of mambo steps the most. Whenever I find more time, I would love to get back to my ballet roots and try some more types of dance too.
The main reason to practice yoga? Zombies.
6. Will yoga help me prepare for the upcoming zombie apocalypse?
Oh, did I leave that out of why dancers should practice yoga? That’s really the main reason. You will be in better shape to out run and outsmart the zombies, but that’s pretty obvious. It’s also really hard for zombies to tell the difference between people in tree pose and actual trees, so it is easier to avoid attacks that way.
To find out more about Jazzercise and yoga at ATOMIC-Placentia, check out their website at http://www.jazzerciseplacentia.com to contact Sara.
If the impending zombie apocalypse isn’t reason enough to practice yoga, you can read why dancers should here.
Leave A Comment