Dancer's Pose: Balances and Binds

Intermediate II
(60 Reviews)
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This is the first class in a series of four that leads you to the peak pose, dancer's pose (natarajasana). This class is a challenge to your balance, flexibility and strength. It's a fun class that mixes arm binds with foot balances, a vigorous power yoga flow and some wonderfully deep stretches for the whole body. It will also prepare you for subsequent steps in Dancer's Pose: Supple Spine and Shoulders, Dancer's Pose: Workshop, and Dancer's Pose: Playful Dancer's Flow.

Equipment

  • Strap

Focus

  • Vigorous/Energy
  • Twists
  • Strength
  • Spine
  • Flexibility
  • Balance
  • Legs and Feet
  • Neck/Shoulders

Style

  • Vinyasa/Power Yoga
LindsayC608
August 17, 2020
Comment:

Such an energizing class! Just what I needed this morning. Thank you Fiji!

Brctzcn
June 12, 2020
Comment:

thank you, Fiji. Great class. Although I was not as graceful as I could be I enjoyed it. A question: I have been taking this 21-day lower back challange. Some classess are harder than others and I am not able to do all the thing shown fully well. I have kept going for 12 days now, but I wonder whether I should have repeated the classes to be really better at them before carrying on. Or going on each day regardless of perfection is a beyter idea. I feel stonger for sure when comapred to day 1.

Comment Replies

Fiji McAlpine
June 15, 2020
Comment:

I am happy to hear you are doing this challange! There are always going to be some challenging poses in any given class, even for me! Continue on with the journey, perfection is really an illusion, you will get stronger, more flexible and familiar with te poses over time.

Marieseville
October 18, 2018
Comment:

Hi
I have a question for Fiji, or any of the yoga teachers really. I love this practice but am curious as to the progression from these poses to dancer's. I feel that the asanas in this practice are far more challenging than dancer's, so why do they come before it? Is bird of paradise not considered more advanced than dancer's?
Either way, this is a challenging, vigorous practice and I love it! Thank you !!!

Comment Replies

Fiji McAlpine
October 18, 2018
Comment:

Hi Marie, Thank you for your question! I created this sequence with someone in mind that is playing with standing balances. I am a conceptual thinker and see things big picture, I also have a strong preference to structure so this lets me break things down. I like to look at groups of poes, areas of the body that are related and create sequences that have connected thems or links. I don't really look at one pose being much more difficult than the other, only if they seem related to one another. While some may find the other poses more difficult than dancers, I know that this is not the case for everyone. Working on any of the poses in this sequence will help you be more comfortable in any standing balance. I hope this makes sense?

Comment Replies

Marieseville
October 22, 2018
Comment:

Namaste and thank you Fiji,
Yes it makes total sense now you explain it to me. I've learned a lot from you over the years, and having not long completed my yoga TT in India, I'm finding myself thinking more- or overthinking probably! - about structure and sequencing, which is why I asked you. I like your way of breaking poses down ....yes, it's more helpful not to overthink whether one pose is more challenging than another, as that's generally subjective anyway!
Thanks again for your response.
Marie