Teacher Feature: A.J. Durand

It’s saying something that on a Friday night after an epic Chicago blizzard, A.J. Durand can still fill a yoga studio.

I admit, I showed up to class in a less-than-stellar mood. After a long week and an ill-timed espresso, I had a nasty headache. But once I hiked up the precarious stairs of Yogaview’s Division studio (hold the handrails, folks) I knew my night was going to improve.

A.J.’s teaching style is hard to explain but easy to like. He’s technical; it’s not unusual to hear him directing students to engage their medial hamstrings. But he’s also extremely relatable. He uses funny explanations to get students to understand the postures more deeply (“Pop your hip like you’re doing a Stephanie Tanner dance move!”).  He’s lighthearted, but takes his job seriously. 

As soon as class started, A.J.’s quick sequencing took my mind off my blizzard woes. We moved in and out of poses in an almost dance-like pace, punctuated by A.J.’s hilarious quips.  The class was focused on twists, and twist we did. We took simple standing twists, seated twists, and toyed with twisting arm balances. After the class, I felt refreshed, energized—and my headache was a thing of the past.

It’s hard for me to objectively describe A.J.’s awesome teaching style because I actually met him while we were both training to become yoga teachers. I want to fill this post with stories of how wonderful and dedicated and interested he is in yoga. But instead, I’ll end with a story of him from our training. It was nearing the end of our certification program, and we were all tasked with teaching a mock yoga class. Most of my classmates and I were terrified. We stumbled awkwardly through our sequences and giggled from nerves through the whole terrible ordeal. But when A.J. stepped up to the front of the studio, his calm, confident attitude was palpable. He led this group of experienced, knowledgeable (and somewhat frazzled) yogis through his sequence like he was born to do it. And maybe he was.

  

If you’re in the mood for an incredible class, A.J can be found at Yogaview and Nature. Check their schedules and hit him up. If you’re in the mood for something a bit saucier, A.J. can be found tomorrow, Sunday Feb 6, in Shits and Giggles: A Queer Cabaret and Dance Party. 9pm at Parlour on Clark (6341 N. Clark St.)

Teacher Feature: Sara Strother

I spent a while today thinking about how to explain what makes Sara Strother’s class so interesting.  I’ve practiced in her classes for (gulp) nearly five years now, and I always find myself leaving feeling light and refreshed. But it’s tough to convey exactly what makes her such a great teacher. 

First thing’s first—she’s a pistol. She has the class laughing throughout the practice—and not just a little contented sigh here and there. I’m talking belly laughs.  Second, she’s smart. She’s Anusara certified, which is a big, big deal. Practicing with her, you know she’s completely prepared to walk you through any asana, answer questions, and help with creative and appropriate modifications. And third, she exudes a confidence that lets you know that she’s got everything under control—and also, that she trusts you to give that scary posture a shot.   

In my last practice with Sara, she focused on using asymmetrical poses to find the center—or more generally, to focus on difference as a path towards unity.  And even though she had me in and out of some very challenging asymmetrical postures, I wasn't exhausted after the 90 minutes.  I left her class feeling invigorated and excited and grounded. Her mix of heating and cooling postures made the class accessible, and her sequence was engaging and continually reinforced her lesson about unity.

If you’re in Chicago, hit up her website to check out her schedule and make it a priority to catch one of her classes. If you’re not in the windy city, no sweat; Sara has two awesome videos on yogavibes that you can download and do anywhere. (If you look closely, you may spot yours truly in there!)

Catch her while you can—this girl’s going somewhere. And it’s going to be good.