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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Out-of-Towners


“…and I thought ‘Ashtanga yoga in DAVENPORT, IOWA!?’ But there you were!”

We've heard several versions of this in the last few weeks as traveling yogis passing through town stumbled onto our niche. First, there was Doyle Bramhall, who dropped by for a private class and a Thai massage when he was in town to play the Redstone Room with ARC Angels. Doyle's played (guitar), sung, written, and produced music with Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks, virtually the whole Austin, TX/Stevie-Ray-Vaughn music community, as well as several of his own projects. K was happy to practice Primary with him. Next time he comes through, we've promised to go to the show (couldn't make it this time). Here he is ripping it up with EC and DT. (Guitar nerds will note that he plays ala Hendrix, "upside down," with the lower pitch strings—the thick ones—closer to the floor. In this case the guitar is strung upside down instead of being flipped upside down.)



Our friends Sara Strother and Kimberly (sorry Kimberly — I don't know the name of the studio or I'd link to it) were also recently back in the area via family connections. Both dropped by for some Vinyasa III. Sara said something that we can relate to: when you practice independently and teach so much, it's wonderful to be able to go to a class and have someone else administer the whoopin'. Well, maybe that's not exactly what she said but it was something like that. Kimberly is spreading the Ashtanga gospel in Alabama and was last here at New Years'.

Finally, in what is surely irrefutable proof that it's a small (yoga) world after all, we met Laurence from Houston, TX. Laurence practices Ashtanga at Tejas Yoga in Houston Texas, the studio featured in this post a few months ago. They have some great clips, pics, and…opinions about orthodoxy in practice at houstonyoga.com. Alongside a strong, "floaty" practice, perhaps the most remarkable thing about Laurence's visit (which also included a Thai massage) was that he couldn't believe the heat at the shala (remember, he's from Texas—isn't it hot there or something?).

Watch a woman who is surely Laurence's inspiration rocking some arm balances here.

2 comments:

Z said...

The Shala is hotter than Houston? Whoa...

K said...

Right? We were surprised by that one.