The movements of yoga are not typically performance art. Watching a skilled practitioner can be entertaining although that isn’t the function of yoga. Art lovers and observers have enjoyed yoga performance or competitions and this has elevated (or reduced, as the viewer might choose) yoga practice into performance art. The argument might be whichever introduces more people to yoga is beneficial.
Vinyasa Yoga is a Flowing Movement to Breath
It is only a step away in imagination to combine these movements of yoga, set them to music, and call them dance. Liberated from yoga poses and structure, the body enters a performance state and some yogis have taken advantage of this evolvement of the yoga practice. It can be said it no longer is a practice but a performance. This is different from a master yogi exhibiting the Ashtanga series for a group of students.
Tripsichore Yoga is Yoga Dance Theatrical Performance
This yoga performance group was established in 1979. The advanced flexible yogis, many of whom have backgrounds in dance or gymnastics, utilize yoga poses into a dance and involvement with each other's bodies to tell a story. The story often has a discovery that takes a leap toward enlightenment or other yoga connection, if it is necessary. The movement is full of headstands, cartwheels, and handstands and backbends onto entwined bodies. The yoga poses can be noted within the flow. Some of the compositions are quite lovely. To differentiate itself from modern dance or groups such as the brilliant highly trained Pilobolus dance group, the themes of yoga dance group should not tread too far from yoga themes.
Watching a duet with the yoga pose of one leg up on shoulder behind head (eka pada sirsasana) being worked into an acrobatic dance is begging the issue of yoga vs. dance art but the athleticism is noted by the audience. The posture is not necessarily one of beauty but of strength and flexibility. Is this dance or does it matter?
Edward Clark, tripsichore founder, does not say he performs dance but yoga. He describes vinyasa as "evenly metered flow of movement, breath and thought resulting in a smooth, uninflected state of being.” He and a partner recently performed in Tampa at a yoga studio to a small enthusiastic audience. They travel and perform throughout the country and the schedule is listed.
Yoga Dance Trance is a Yoga of Self Celebration
Shiva Rea creates a form of dance yoga where yoga participants move to music with mild suggestions of where to place the leg or which way to move from the director. As the name implies, this isn’t necessarily for an audience but more for the joy and learning of the participant.
Music plays a role in this form of yoga dance, awakening the inner spirit or fire to the rhythms within and from outside in this movement. It becomes an energetic flowing movement.
Yoga as dance often takes the basic flow poses and sets them to new age type music, letting attractive performers go through the paces with hair flowing and bland facial expressions. Yoga flowing with music accompaniment can become a performance.
Whether one pays to watch the performance or performs freely as yoga class trance dance, this is another type of yoga to enrich the experience.
References:
Tripsichore.com (accessed March 5, 2011).
Shivarea.com (accessed March 5, 2011).
Amy Andersen - Amy Andersen, MSN, ARNP, family & pediatrics certified, practices yoga and explores the inter-relationships of mind body fitness and ...
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