By: Kassidy Bizzotto, Sabrina calandra , Nicole revilla

1. By: Kassidy Bizzotto, Sabrina calandra, Nicole revilla

2. What is yoga? • Yoga is a technique for leading a healthy and fulfilling life • Combining exercise and meditation, yoga offers an adaptable plan for living our daily lives in peace, good health, and constant self-development • Yoga nourishes the mind, body, and soul • Yoga is often translated as “union”, showing the connection between body, mind, and emotions • Yoga focuses on postures and breathing exercises • With a less spiritual approach, yoga can help increase strength and improve flexibility

3. Origins of yoga • The practice of yoga originated in India somewhere between 5000 and 1000 BC • Born in India, yoga is believed to have evolved during the period of “sat yuga”, also called the golden age. This period became known as a time of peace, blessings, and eternal truth • The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to join or unite • In Hinduism, yoga is a form of meditation executed as a path to achieve greater understanding of the meaning of life • Yoga originally concentrated on applying and understanding the world • Its focus later changed to self-enlightenment becoming the ultimate goal

4. Appearance and technique • Yoga has a theory of an energetic anatomy. We cannot see it, but we feel it • The technique of yoga revolves around serene postures and breathing • Postures and breathing exercises allow us to manipulate the energy passing through the body to help keep us strong and healthy • yoga makes the body feel: • Relaxed • Comfortable • Strong • At ease

5. Types of yoga • Bikram yoga - 26 poses, high temperature, simple alignment, and is for beginners • Hatha yoga - slow and gentle, lots of breathing, relieves stress • Vinyasa yoga - flowing from one pose to another, always moving • Kundalini yoga - focuses on the spine, core work, lots of sitting • Ashtanga yoga - power, demanding, sculpts body, fit for athletes • Iyengar yoga - uses props (wooden blocks, cushions…) , focuses on alignment • Anusara yoga - upbeat, community-type vibe, focuses on looking inward • Restorative yoga - relaxing, uses props, poses held longer, chest area, lying down • Jivamukti yoga - physically intense, most interesting, involves music, reading, chanting • Prenatal yoga - done by pregnant women, strong core, helps posture, slow paced

6. General health benefits • Strength and flexibility • Uses body weight as resistance • Poses require strength • Improves muscle elasticity and joint range of motion • Stress management • Reduces pain • Lowers blood pressure and heart rate • Decreases anxiety and muscle tension • Done through breathing control, meditation, and poses • Massage of organs • Stimulates internal body • Increases ability to ward off disease • Improves organ function

7. GenerALheAlthbenEfitscontinuED... • Detoxification • Boosts blood circulation and immune function • Faster excretion of harmful toxins • Increased energy, mental awareness, and vitality • Anti-aging • Adds years to your life • Affects all areas of life • Improves physiological, biological, and mental health • Variety • Provides body with new challenges • Keeps you motivated • Constant progression

8. Specific health benefits for a dancer • Dancers rely on flexibility, confidence, and balancing or centering of the body • Yoga is beneficial to improve the following: • Balance • Confidence • Flexibility • Posture • Stamina • Muscle strength/muscle toning • Overall fitness • Breathing Technique • Yoga allows dancers to understand their bodies • Makes dancing effortless and fun by adding yoga techniques to dance techniques

9. Suggested yoga poses for dancers • Baddhakonasana(Bound angle posture) • Opens up your hips, groin, and stretches spine • Vrikshasana (the tree pose) • Stretches front of chest and hips • Strengthens your quadriceps and spine • Balances and tones your spine, legs, and feet • Utthitatrikonasana(extended three angle posture) • Stretches the front and back of the legs • Strengthens your quadriceps • Opens up hips and chest • Elongates your spine • Realigns your skeletal system

10. Yoga in our community • There are two main places in Bolton where yoga is offered • healthletica • It is located in the Bolton professional building on Martha street just off highway 50, behind the petro Canada station 30 Martha street, #308 Bolton, Ontario L7E 4Z5 905-951-6494 info@heathletica.ca • offers hot yoga, wellness and Massage therapy

11. Yoga in our community Continued... • Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness’ • It is located on the north hill, around the corner from St. Michael’s 14111 Highway 50 Bolton, ON L7E 2V2‎ 905-857-3313 • Offers yoga, Pilates, Zumba, spinning…etc.

12. Works Cited Condron, Declan. Yoga for Strength & Flexibility. New York: Sterling Innovation, 2008. Print. "Fitness Information." Town of Caledon. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014. Fraser, Tara. The Easy Yoga Workbook. London: Duncan Baird, 2010. Print. "Origin of Yoga." Health News RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. "So You Think You Can't Dance? Yoga Gives Dancers a Backbone." Gaiam Blog RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014. "Yoga History." :: ::. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.