Q & A With Sara About Yamuna Matters
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Q: What is all this Yamuna stuff about?
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A: Yamuna Zake is a yogi based in New York City who developed a system to balance and heal the body using her particular technique of rolling on balls. She now has certified Yamuna practitioners all over the world. Included in her work is the specialty, Yamuna Foot Fitness, particularly important for tap dancers and all dancers..
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Q: Why do you talk about Yamuna so much?
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A: Yamuna gave me my life back! In my mid-fifties I was panicking that I would have to start a new career after a lifetime in dance due to the development of chronic lower back pain, chronic sciatica pain, increasing stiffness, and occasional spine-freezing in a bent position.
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When I noticed that my 80 and 90-year old sit & fit participants could reach the floor when I could not, that was it for me. I had to take an entire 8-week term off from teaching tap while I searched and tried various modalities, including physical therapy…but nothing solved my issues. I had been using other rolling methods for years, but that did not prevent the problems. Then I tried a few Yamuna method private sessions, and became convinced this was the path for me.
In NYC, on Day 2 of certification training for Yamuna Foot Fitness, my sciatica pain went away. That was December, 2014, and it has never returned. Over the next year, as I learned the Yamuna Body Rolling routines, my lower back pain disappeared, my body came into balance, and my pelvis felt a freedom it had not experienced in years. I am moving fluidly again. I have returned to take dance classes for my own pleasure, and I continue to practice my YFF for 5 minutes daily and YBR as needed. I move better than I did when I was in my mid-fifties! Yamuna gave my life back to me.
So why did I let my certification go and why am I selling my supplies? Well, now that I’m dancing again, I’m remembering that I’d rather stick with dance than teach fitness or be a body worker. That’s just me. But I will never quit practicing at home, and I still go take classes with Yamuna instructors for a refresher now and then.
If you are curious about Yamuna yourself, please come connect with Nadia or Michelle and buy your very own ball or foot wakers! Without the right technique, a ball is just a ball, so you will want to find your instructor.
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Q: When/where can I see a Yamuna demonstration? Q: Who are the people giving the demonstrations?
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A: In the lobby before the Tap Happy May Master Classes. A: They are friends of mine who happen to be amazing
Here is the schedule: Yamuna practitioners. Here is more:
Tue 4/30
6:30 Boutique opens; Yamuna demo by Nadia Khan
7:30 Yamuna demo by Nadia Khan
8:00 Yamuna demo by Nadia Khan
8:30 Boutique closes
Wed 5/1
7:00 Boutique opens; Yamuna demo by Michelle Gregovic
7:30 Boutique closes
Thu 5/2
7:00 Boutique opens; Yamuna demo by Nadia Khan
7:30 Boutique closes
Tue 5/7
7:00 Boutique opens (no demo)
7:30 Boutique closes
Wed 5/8
7:00 Boutique opens (no demo)
7:30 Boutique closes
Thu 5/9
6:30 Boutique open; Yamuna demo by Michelle Gregovic
7:30 Yamuna demo by Michelle Gregovic
8:00 2nd class starts; Yamuna demo by Michelle Gregovic
8:30 Boutique closes
Michelle Gregovic Nadia Khan
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Nadia Khan After discovering the Pilates method and advancing her own practice for several years, Nadia embarked on the Peak Pilates training program. She has been teaching Pilates since 2012, working with students to teach them the beauty of the method. Nadia became a Yamuna Body Rolling Practitioner in 2015 and, in 2017, she was certified as a Yamuna Foot Fitness Practitioner. During 2018, Nadia studied the advanced Foot Fitness work with Yamuna Zake in New York. In addition to teaching the Yamuna method in classes at Pilates Treehouse, Nadia shares the work with the students and dancers of the Houston Ballet and with students at her studio.
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Michelle Gregovic, ERYT500, YACEP, is a graduate of Texas A&M University and has been studying and teaching yoga throughout the Houston area for over 25 years. Her interest in healing drew her to further studies in Holistic Nutrition and Thai Yoga. In 2015, she became certified in Yamuna® Body Rolling, a unique practice using soft balls and mindful movement to release chronic tension and restore optimum health and alignment of the bones and connective tissue. With an ever-present focus on the breath, she educates and empowers each person to take their healing into their own hands. Michelle offers a teaching style that is lighthearted and infused with detailed and practical instruction to help students find a safe practice that is suited to their individual needs.
She is grateful for the loving support of her husband and three kids, two cats and a dog. She currently lives in Katy and teaches classes, workshops, retreats and individual sessions throughout Houston and beyond.
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Q: What else do I need to know?
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A: Bring cash, and/or checkbook besides plastic in case you do want to buy your own Yamuna supplies. Browsing in the boutique, asking questions, and attending the brief demos are all free of charge. Email me at TapHappy@dancepath.com for precise directions or with your questions. I look forward to seeing you then!
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