Monday, February 13, 2012

Amanda Capobianco Saturday 10:30 AM class got Sleuthed!


Juicy Vinyasa with Amanda Capobianco
Greenhouse Holistic 
88 Roebling St, Brooklyn
Sat 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Intermediate
www.greenhouseholistic.com
Yoga Sleuth heard that Amanda Capobianco knows how to pack in a room of yogis, and was not disappointed the Saturday morning we popped in to check out her class. With 28 students making a mess of the space, our mats set up in disarray, Amanda helped to make room to accommodate everyone who showed up for class.
When we all found some order and Amanda her seat at the front of the room, there was enough space to fit one more, to which she said, “That’s for the spirit.”

Guiding us through meditation to help quiet our bodies and minds after all the disruption with the Tetris game we started out with, Amanda urged us all to “breath in the positive, exhale anything you don’t need, let go of all the negative.” Then she lulled us into a meditative state by leading us through her Durga Jai chant.
Our opening song still ringing in our ears and vibrating through our bodies, we soon were standing, savoring in the half Sun Salutations we took before taking a variation on Classical Surya Namaskar A, letting the breath guide us to bend and straighten the front leg of our Low Lunge before completing the sequence.


At the top of our mats, we took hold of our right wrist and bent gently to our left, delighting in a juicy side stretch and then taking it to the other side. A couple of Surya Namaskar As followed, as well as some Surya Bs that opened out into Warrior 2; here again we toyed with straightening and bending the front knee, our arms lifting up as we straightened, and then coming into the proper position for Warrior 2.

Playing with similar shapes and movements, more Vinyasas made way for Parsvakonasana and Ardha Chandrasana. Another sequence was all about the Warriors: Warrior 1 pitched us forward into Warrior 3, then we found solid ground again in a Warrior 2 before getting ourselves closer to the earth in Parsvakonasana once again.

Amanda wanted us to make a connection with the earth below us, allowing those with sensitive hip points the chance to set up with some padding. She then slowly had us take Shalabhasana, first lifting our legs, then extending back through the arms and finally lifting our chests off the ground to make sure we got into the pose correctly--and safely. Then it was on to Dhanurasana, having us flex our feet to help propel our chests higher, reaching up toward the sky. Sphinx pose and Bhujangasana soon followed, as did a Child’s Pose that all of us yogis delighted in before coming back up to sit in Virasana, and then turning things upside down with Sirsasana.

Making our way right-side up again, Amanda led us through another Vinyasa that opened into a Crescent Lunge. We then found a twist for another side stretch before bringing our hands together in prayer at the heart’s center and straightening the back leg for Parivrtta Parsvakonasana.
Taking both hands to the floor and squaring our hips, we came into a Low Lunge, stepping forward into a Standing Split to help us get into Parsvottonasana. From there, we took our seats to the floor for Ardha Matsyendrasana for another twist, followed by ankle-to-knee pose and Pigeon for some nice, juicy hip openers.

Finally, Amanda brought us into a forward fold by way of Baddha Konasana before having us recline back onto our mats. We took our knees into our chests, massaging the sacrum into the floor, then took Happy Baby. Releasing all our limbs down, we melted into the earth below us for Savasana. By then there was nothing negative left to exhale.
Drop-in classes are $17.

--Jessica Mahler for Yoga Sleuth

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