BeatRoute staff Sarah Bauer, left, and Glenn Alderson undertook the Grow Your Yoga challenge, which has recently wrapped up.
WITH AMY KIRKPATRICK OF DATA ROMANCE
BeatRoute has partnered with Moksha Yoga in East Van for the 30-day Grow Your Yoga Challenge. Each week we are inviting local musicians along with us to exercise their minds and bodies.
For the fourth and final week of the challenge, Amy Kirkpatrick of the electro-indie duo Data Romance embraced an hour of Moksha hot yoga like it was an express holiday in a tropical paradise. And you know what? It really was.
Bringing Amy and her friend Kathryn to the last class on the last day of the Grow Your Yoga Challenge at the Moksha studio in East Van was a fun way to finish off a month of hot yoga practice that had taken my body and brain to new and sometimes frightening limits. ‘Fun’ and ‘hot yoga’ together had been determined on a day-to-day basis, depending on my electrolyte intake and how the ol’ hamstrings were holding up.
So it was cool to chat with a couple of ladies who were pretty excited to try out the studio for the first time. Their positive attitude rubbed off on me, and reminded me of all the things I dig about hot yoga. Those deep stretches. Having the opportunity to chill out and be quiet after a busy day. And that sweet, sweet holiday heat.
BeatRoute: What did you think of the class? How do you feel now?
Amy Kirkpatrick: I feel amazing. I love the light-heartedness of the teacher, and how chill he was about the class. It was challenging but still fun, which is a hard balance to find.
BR: When was the last time you did yoga?
AK: I think last winter. I was going crazy with all the rain and cold, and decided to go try hot yoga cause it was like an instant tropical vacation for me. I found the heat so comforting and peaceful.
BR: Do you consider yourself a flexible/peaceful person?
AK: Yes, actually. 14 years of dance makes you very flexible. Balancing is what I find difficult, but again, it’s a good challenge. As for peaceful, you can smell the incense coming from my apartment as soon as you step off the elevator. Peace is definitely something I find really important, and I recently got into meditation a little bit. So yoga goes perfectly with that whole mindset!
BR: What was your favourite pose?
AK: The tree pose. Until he asked what types of trees we were, and I decided willow tree, then I toppled over.
BR: Would you ever go again?
AK: Absolutely! When are we going? Haha.
BR: What are you going to do now?
AK: I’m going for sushi and a walk with my friend. Very peaceful day.
By Sarah Bauer
