Rhian Jaques

PATH: I turned my nose up to yoga for most of my life. I thought yoga consisted of a bunch of new age people lying on the floor and breathing. My mother and older sister kept telling me that I should try it. I've been a dancer all of my life; ballet, jazz, tap, and primarily modern. I have an MA in Dance Performance from UNCG and perform with a professional modern dance co, the Jan Van Dyke Dance Group. One day in 2000 a dancer friend of mine said that I should come to this cool yoga class she had been attending in Greensboro. So, there I was at my first Ashtanga class… and it BLEW MY MIND! Ashtanga spoke to me because it is a disciplined practice, like dance, and it has a repetitive vocabulary. You can see your progress over time. My dance training has enabled me to have a proficient practice and teaching style, but that is just the logistics. The real reason I love yoga, and more specifically Ashtanga and Power yoga, is because I learned to love my body, myself, and developed some patience for myself and others. I will always love yoga. It will never let me down. I have always had issues with my body. As a non-skinny/muscular person life as a dancer was hell. I have tried every diet, some healthy and a lot of unsafe efforts to try to be thin. Yoga helped me find my body, a body which is not skinny, but strong. The confidence which yoga has given me has translated into my life as a whole. I thank yoga for everything. I believe that yoga can reflect life. INSPIRATION: David Swenson was my first professional Ashtanga trainer. I did two teacher trainings, Primary and Second Series Ashtanga with David in Burlington, VT, 2002-2003. It was incredible to get emerged into yoga with likeminded people. As a dancer I had the flexibility, but I also had intense drive and immense ego. Not the best qualities to bring into yoga practice. Gradually I have learned to use my dance training in teaching and personal practice. I am still a very enthusiastic teacher and my love for yoga grows everyday. I am consistently trying to be the best teacher I can be. PRACTICE: My goal is to get people into Ashtanga or Power class who might not necessarily make that their first choice. Once in the class we establish the breathing and the need to connect breath to movement. Since my classes move relatively fast, the breathing needs to connect with the asanas in order to achieve maximum benefits from the practice. I am an intense teacher, but I am well trained. I care deeply and believe in all of my students. Any level can take my classes, we simply modify. My students know my faults and we laugh about it. We laugh a lot and we have a great time practicing. INTENTION: My intention is to get people strong safely and to feel empowered through their practice. I always encourage my students who doubt themselves physically. There are always modifications to postures. I believe in all of my students, whatever level. After one of my classes I want the students to have sweat, stretched, and come out of there feeling terrific. I know I do. Power Yoga can be many things. Rhian's particular class takes from Ashtanga yoga, Bikram yoga, Pilates, Shiva Rae vinyasa, and dance. The students will focus mostly on attaining physical strength. Primarily strengthening the core (obliques), arms, and legs. Physical strength, inevitably, lends itself to mental health as well. This class is designed to be quite challenging, but Rhian encourages all levels to give it a go. Postures can and will be modified to suit all levels. This class can substitute for most weight / strength training.