Laura Downing
I ventured onto the yoga path in 1999 and haven't looked back since. I am constantly fascinated by the discoveries I make as I continue to explore and grow as both a student and teacher. Yoga has brought wondrous healing to my body, mind and spirit and I am thrilled to be able to share what I have learned.
From a very early age my life has been driven by music and movement. I spent most of my childhood in ballet classes and performing on stage. In 1988 I moved from San Diego to New York City to pursue my dream of turning my passion for dance into a career. I had the good fortune of studying at the Joffrey Ballet School as well as performing as an apprentice to the Joffrey Ballet Company. My career path led to many opportunities to work with various freelance choreographers and then to Ballet Hispanico of New York, a troupe fusing elements of modern and Latin dance.
After retiring from my dance career I wanted to stay active and healthy so I decided to give yoga a try since it was becoming increasingly popular. From my very first sun salutations, I was hooked! I loved the rhythmic flow of Vinyasa Yoga and the emphasis on synchronizing movement to the breath. I floated out of class feeling calm, blissful, aware and alive. As I continued to practice I began noticing not only the physical changes of healing years of overuse from my dance training, but subtle mental and emotional shifts as well. Shifts that brought me closer to the truth of who I really am, the truth of my spirit. I enrolled in an 8-month long teacher training course, studying all aspects of yoga with a variety of gifted mentors and began teaching in 2002. I attend numerous workshops and trainings with my Guru, Shiva Rea, to continuously expand my knowledge and skill as an instructor.
For more information please visit my website at www.dakiniyoga.com
May you enjoy your journey!
One of my greatest joys is bringing the gifts of yoga to my students and watching them delve deeper into themselves to create their own physical, mental and spiritual healing and well-being. I strive to make my classes a balance of challenging strength building, graceful fluid movement, deep stretching and calming meditation. I emphasize the importance of staying focused on the relationship between the breath and body and maintaining a compassionate, loving attitude towards one's self. Drawing upon my extensive background in dance and my study of Vinyasa, Prana Flow, Astanga and Anusara yoga, my classes move at a luxurious pace allowing the richness and depth of the breath to guide the dance. I include pulsing, undulating and spiral movements to emphasize key actions in certain poses and intelligently build toward challenging arm balances, backbends or inversions. Each class is it's own unique adventure, often incorporating either a physical, emotional or spiritual theme that we can use to enhance our life off the mat. Students have described my classes in the following ways:
"The best words to describe Laura's yoga flow classes are ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Through challenging, controlled movement, you caress your muscles, preventing injury. I've been a yoga student for 30 years and Laura easily makes my top 5 teacher list of all time."
—Sally
"Laura perfectly combines the elements of strengthening, stretching and relaxation. I have enjoyed her classes so much that I follow her from one yoga studio to another. Her dance background and knowledge of the body makes her class stand out above others."
—Sari
"Laura's classes allow me to continually grow and challenge myself with her calm and gentle guidance. I always leave feeling invigorated and energized."
—Michelle
"Laura teaches with much elegance and grace. She incorporates her extensive knowledge of yoga philosophy and practice, as well as physiology, to allow students of all levels to feel comfortable. I always leave Laura's class feeling more balanced and centered."
—Sharon