Yoga in Action: Asana and Conversation

with Deidra Demens

Saturday and Sunday Feb 6 – 7th

Yoga in Action is a workshop inspired by Deidra’s Black History and Yoga photo Series. The series shows Deidra in yoga poses alongside notable Black Americans and objects related to the theme of the series.

Deidra started this series as a way to celebrate Black History Month by honoring Black leaders in history including Josephine Baker, Malcolm X, John Coltrane, Shirley Chisholm, Fred Hampton, etc. Every year the series has continued with a new focus.  For example, she has showcased Black leaders of today, Black women in history and paid respect to Black men that were victims of police brutality, violence, and racism.

The February 2021 Black History & Yoga Series will honor Black culture, everything from music to philosophy. It’s amazing to learning how Black culture has inspired and influenced so much of what we do.

This weekend with Deidra will be a chance to learn and experience through all aspects of our embodiment – asana, pranayama and coming together in community.

Saturday:
1 – 3:30 PST – Asana & Pranayama practice: We will work to balance tapas (effort/ discipline) and santosha (contentment). The program will start with an active practice and then move into restorative and pranayama practice in order to learn the effort of self discipline while cultivating contentment for transformation in our practice, our lives, and experiences. Open to students at all levels of practice. 6 months of consistent yoga experience is advised.

3:45 PST – onward – Talk about the photography project. Deidra will show pictures from her current Black History project that honors Black culture. Deidra will talk about the process of researching, selecting the photos and asanas and putting the project together. She will speak about all the aspects of Black culture in the new series, and how it inspires and impacts all of us. Free and open to the public.  You must pre-register.

Sunday:
1 – 3:30 PST –  Active + Restorative Practice for People of Color: An asana practice that honors all body types and sizes.  We will work with strategies to help us break away from over gripping and pushing ourselves into a position to meet perceived body standards. In this workshop, we will work to recognize habitual gripping and exertion and replace it with more positive movement, so we are not holding ourselves tight or rigid when we practice.  Instead we will work to find freedom and extension, to find a lighter and more uplifting experience where each pose becomes effortless. Open specifically to People of Color.

The sessions will be recorded and sent out to everyone who is registered for each specific session.

Deidra explains more about the workshop in this Facebook live video.

Tuition

Full weekend
$85 includes all three session

Saturday only: Asana & Pranayama for All + Talk about the Photography Project
$45 for the workshop – save $10 if registered by by Feb 1
$55 regular rate for Saturday only

Sunday only: Active + Restorative Practice for People of Color:
$45 for the workshop – save $10 if registered by by Feb 1
$55 regular rate for Sunday only

Need a pay-what-you-can option?  Want to join us for the talk only? We have spots open for this purpose.  Send your contribution here with the note “Yoga in Action” and state which programs you want attend.  We will get you registered.  You must register by February 5th to use this option.

Please Note:
Please make sure to register yourself to each session you plan on attending.

For each session in this weekend workshop you will receive a unique Zoom link to join.

So if you are planning on attending the whole event, you must register yourself for all three sessions (You’ll only be asked to pay once – $95) If you are planning on attending just on Saturday, you must register yourself for both of the sessions.

About Deidra:

Deidra Demens is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher – Junior Intermediate 1 – based in New York City.

She was first introduced to Yoga in 2004. While studying at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago Illinois, Deidra explored various styles of Yoga, movement and breathing exercises as creative ways of expression.

Upon graduating, Deidra moved to New York to follow her dream of becoming a theatre artist. Between shows Deidra continued studying Yoga and began teaching in 2011.

After taking her first Iyengar class, Deidra was amazed at how much she learned in just one class. “I needed a foundation for my practice and teaching, I found it in Iyengar Yoga. The instructions were clear and precise. My interest in Yoga was elevated. My practice transformed, and so my journey began.” – Deidra Demens

Deidra graduated from the  Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York and became a certified CIYT in 2017. She is on the teaching faculty at the New York Institute.  Deidra’s approach to teaching is comprehensive and fun, her classes are dynamic and engaging. Through demonstration and detailed alignment Deidra seeks to both challenge and inspire her students.  You can do some yoga poses with her in this youtube video or join her regular classes at Adeline Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday mornings 7 am PST.