Beats Yoga 101

By Helen ConwayHi yogis! I’m thrilled to be writing to you as the new teacher for Beats Yoga at the Georgia Ave studio, starting this Friday. This class has been on my weekly yoga rotation since I became a Yoga Heights regular and I am excited to take on this sweaty, sometimes silly yoga power hour. Why Beats Yoga? The tradition of yoga is rich and I hold much respect for its teachings. But as someone who lives most of my life in my head, living in a city that takes itself very seriously, I must seek out opportunities to be playful and silly or I will get bogged down by it all. And this is true for my yoga practice as well. Beats gives me a chance to take my yoga practice, and myself, a little less seriously. I look forward to bringing you my spin on this fun Friday tradition at Yoga Heights.  So what is it?  Beats Yoga is an hour-long power flow class set to an amped-up playlist that is sure to bring a smile to your face and make you want to dance. Beats Yoga is designed to get you moving, breathing, and sweating so we will move at a faster pace than a typical All Levels Flow class and will include plenty of strength-building and opportunities for play. The pace means that I will likely not spend much time breaking down fundamentals so I encourage you to check out one of our Back to Basics or All Levels Flow classes if you need a confidence boost or tune-up. But I firmly believe that all yogis, regardless of their skill level or ability, are powerful. Sometimes it shows up as handstands or crazy forward folds but sometimes it’s more subtle - the choice to come to a class that might be outside of your comfort zone or the choice to rest in child’s pose when the ego tells you to push it just a little bit more. All are welcome! What’s the music like? The physical experience of Beats will likely feel very similar to other Power Flow or All Levels Flow classes at Yoga Heights. What makes Beats special - and makes me so excited to teach it! - is the music. Discovering, listening to, and sharing music is one of my favorite pastimes. You can expect playlists filled with throwbacks and current chart toppers that all make me want to dance. Unlike other classes, the music is front and center in Beats. If you find loud music to be distracting in your practice, there are plenty of classes at Yoga Heights that offer a quieter experience.If you have any questions, or better yet, music requests please leave a comment. I would love to curate some playlists based on your requests. You can find me on Spotify at hlcbells- this is where I will be posting all of my class playlists. For a special sneak peek of my plan for Friday, check out my playlist here and let me know what you think!