Sign up for Safe Space Yoga – featuring Mind Obstacles Yoga, WOC Yoga and Queer Yoga – and Dance For All Bodies online and in Los Angeles on a sliding scale of $5-$15 here. All classes will have hands-on-adjustment “consent cards” and name / pronoun tags xoxox.
Having both at one point felt unsafe, uncomfortable or rejected by yoga and dance communities because of their body type, mind obstacles, physical limitations or use of gendered terms, Shannen (yoga instructor) and Alex (dance instructor) feel it necessary to offer affordable safe space movement classes for all bodies. Drawing from their experience with mind obstacles and physical disabilities, classes are for all levels and especially encouraged for those who have never tried yoga or dance. They hope to build supportive and loving communities that will grow through self-expression and healing movement. All funds go to Cusi Coyllur’s next music video on domestic violence awareness, Shannen’s solo music project that Alex is choreographing.
Below are details, class descriptions and instructor biographies. All of the following information can be found in the sign up link as well.
Safe Space Yoga + Dance For All Bodies
Full description: (For the full description read on, for the short description scroll ahead.)
Who will be teaching Safe Space Yoga?
Safe Space Yoga classes – Mind Obstacles Yoga, Queer Yoga and WOC Yoga – will be taught by Shannen Roberts (creator of TSIB), a queer, Peruvian, 500 RYT Trauma Informed yoga instructor. Shannen’s felt unsafe in yoga classes many times – from instructor’s not understanding her mind obstacles or being pushy and triggering her panic attacks, to instructor’s saying extremely gendered remarks. She’s also never found a queer, WOC or people with mind obstacles community in typical yoga classes. Teaching since 2013, Shannen is known for her restorative, individualized classes that revolve around everyone’s personal needs for that day. In regards to mind obstacles, her specialty is working with those with anxiety, depression and panic attacks since those are mind obstacles of her own <3 <3 <3
Who will be teaching Dance For All Bodies?
Dance For All Bodies will be taught by Alex Floyd, a choreographer who has herself dealt with body image and eating disorder issues. Having personally felt rejected from the traditional dance world for not having the stereotypical dance body, Alex strives to create a safe space and therapeutic dance class for all bodies. She also has experience teaching and choreographing people with physical disabilities. Alex has a BFA in Dance Performance since 2011 and is the founder of OdDancity, a dance company that focuses on evoking human emotion to tell a powerful story. Lastly, she mentors for the Young Choreographer’s Project where dancers in inner city LA between the ages of 13-18 are matched with a professional mentor.
How much and where will the money go?
Classes will be on a sliding scale of $5 – $15 and will go to Cusi Coyllur’s (Shannen’s solo music project) next music video on domestic violence awareness that Alex Floyd is choreographing! Learn more about the fundraiser at helpcusi.wordpress.com or on Instagram @cusicoyllurmusic.
Where and when?
Classes will be online and throughout Los Angeles. Sign up for the location and time that works best in your schedule.
Class Descriptions:
Safe Space Yoga
Safe Space Yoga: Mind Obstacles Yoga
Mind Obstacles Yoga will relieve anxiety, panic attacks and depression and offer take-home poses to develop your own individualized self-care practice.
Safe Space Yoga: WOC Yoga
WOC Yoga will create a community of WOC who will grow together as a group to support each other through group meditations and and will be restorative and individualized toward everyone’s personal needs.
Safe Space Yoga: Queer Yoga
Queer Yoga will create a community of queer people in a yoga class that doesn’t use gendered terms and will offer restorative and individualized sequences based on everyone’s needs for the day along with group meditations.
Dance For All Bodies
Dance for all bodies is a free movement class where you can express yourself without words. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable moving in and rolling around on the floor but no shoes. Some classes will have music.
Sign up for Safe Space Yoga and Dance For All Bodies here.
Short Description: (If you scrolled ahead, here is the short description).
Safe Space Yoga + Dance For All Bodies
About Safe Space Yoga
Safe Space Yoga classes offers the following classes: Mind Obstacles Yoga, WOC Yoga and Queer Yoga.
Instructor:
Shannen Roberts
— The Strange is Beautiful founder, 500-RYT Trauma Informed instructor
— Identifies as Peruvian and queer, anxiety and depression are her mind obstacles <3
About Dance For All Bodies
Dance For All Bodies is a free movement class to express yourself for all levels and especially welcomes those who have never danced.
Instructor:
Alex Floyd
— BFA in dance performance, founder of OdDancity, mentor for Young Choreographer’s Project
— Has dealt with body image and eating disorder issues of her own <3
Cost:
$5-$15 Sliding Scale
All funds go to Cusi Coyllur’s next music video on domestic violence awareness, learn more about their fundraiser here.
Location and time:
Classes are online and in Los Angeles.
Sign up for the location and time that works best in your schedule <3
Why?
Alex and Shannen wanted to offer yoga and dance classes that are a safe space and accessible. From personal experiences, Shannen has felt uncomfortable in yoga classes where teachers were pushy and triggered a panic attack and Alex has felt unwelcome in the traditional dance world for not having the stereotypical body. We hope to create a loving and supportive community that can heal, grow and express themselves through movement.
Sign up for Safe Space Yoga and Dance For All Bodies here.
*Flyer artwork by Nadia Adella.
