Props, Props, Props! You will know you've succeeded in the Bow Shape when your mat area looks like a yogi's garage sale. Whether its your hips or your shoulders holding you back from back-bending we'll use the best tools to make this pose more accessible. Backbends are challenging, so be patient and gentle with yourself! Over time you will find less pain and more relief in Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Shape)!

This dynamic, vigorous, and creative vinyasa flow is designed to prepare you for deep twists in arm-balances and inversions. The relationship between your shoulders and hips in twisted poses is key. This class starts with hip openers, supine twists, and core strengthening in preparation for Revolved Extended Side Angle, Revolved Triangle pose, and into arm balances such as Eka Pada Koundinyasana I (the arm balance to the sage Koundiny). We'll also move through some neck releases and shoulder openers. Use this practice to open your hips, find more freedom in your thoracic spine, and build your courage and confidence to come into twisted arm balances.

Ever taken a yoga class that felt undercooked? Or too much packed in leaving you overdone? Yoga Al Dente is yoga done just right. Angie's cues keep you present on the mat, and the class is sequenced for each breath and movement to truly compliment the next breath and the next movement. Each part helps to create the whole. Expect some tricky core work that will support your lower back as you move towards urdhva dhanurasana (wheel pose) and potentially Vrschikasana (scorpion pose) in both forearm stand or handstand. Vinyasa translates as "to go to a place in a special way." That place is savasana. Angie's goal is to move the body and mind so thoughtfully you can let go, restore, and surrender to the sweet support of your mat.

In this class, Angie works towards making Uddiyana Bandha accessible, using various exercises from multiple disciplines. Through a precise and articulate breakdown of uddiyana bandha it will become plausible to maintain the locks as you move through various yoga postures. Angie leads you to explore tricky transitions, arm-balances, and potentially using very little momentum in order to press up into inversions. This practice is designed for intermediate to advanced practitioners.

Angie created a Spotify music playlist specifically for this class if you'd like to use it: Spotify playlist for Bandha What? class