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Natarajasana- Lord of the Dance Pose by Chris Loebsack

10/20/2020

Dancers Pose aka Lord of the Dance Pose - Standing Balance Pose/Back BendNot-ah-raj-AHS-uh-nuh

Nata (नट) = Dancer, Actor, Mime
Raja (राज)= King
Asana (आसन, Āsana) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(devanagari script- wikipedia.org)

This posture simultaneously evokes grounding and expansion as it combines standing balance with a back-bend.

The pose was given its name Nataraja as one of the Hindu God Shiva’s incarnations as the lord of the dance. This incredible shape presents itself in classical Indian Dance and is depicted in many statues and artistic renderings. The posture is not found in earlier yogic texts, but makes its way into the yoga set of movements during the times of Krishnamacharya in the 20th century. Krishnamachaya’s brother-in-law and one of his earliest students B.K.S. Iyengar features this posture in his text “Light on Yoga” (p420-422). Iyengar states,”This difficult balancing asana develops poise and a graceful carriage as it tones and strengthens the leg muscles. The shoulder-blades get full movement and the chest expands fully. All vertebral joints benefit from the exercise of this pose.”

There are many variations of dancers that range from easier preparations to incredible contortions. Variations will be shown in photos. The breakdown listed will be for the more intermediate dancers variation as seen in the photo above.
How to do natarajasana pose - basic version

Stand in mountain pose (tadasana).
Shift the weight into the left foot.
Bend your right knee and take a hold of your foot with your right hand.
Lift your chest and lean slightly forward as you press your foot into your hand and towards the sky.
The left arm will reach forward to help you balance. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and repeat on the second side.

Supported Dancer w/ Chair (Karen Iracane- 200RYT)

Not ready for a full reach? Use a strap (Emma Kate Keller 500 RYT)

Feeling saucy, try a bind- mermaid variation (Ashley Hackett 200ERYT)

Felling flexible? Go for the full toe grab. (Corinne Farrell 500 ERYT)

Benefits

Deeply stretches the hips and the shoulders.
Improves balance.
Strengthens the legs, thighs, core, and pelvic floor.
Improves circulation
Stimulates the solar plexus (manipura) and heart chakras (anahata).

Common pitfalls and contraindications

Modify if there are tensions or injuries in the knees, hips, spine of shoulders
You may use a wall or stable chair to support your balance
You may use a strap to ease you towards your flexibility

Preparatory posesTadasana
Vrksasana
Anjaneyasana
Anahatasana
Counter posesTwists
forward folds

References
Tumee.com
Iyengar, B.K.S. (1966) Light on Yoga, Yoga Dipiki. (3rd Edition) NY, United States of America. Schocken Books Inc.
About Chris Loebsack

Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.
Chris's Teaching Schedule

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Go Wide: Prasarita padottanasana the standing wide leg forward fold pose by Chris Loebsack

10/11/2020

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Prah-suh-rita paad-oh-taan-ahh-Suh-nuh

Prasarita (प्रसारित) = Spread out
Pada (पाद) = Foot
Uttan (उत्तान) = Extended
Asana (आसन) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(www.wikipedia.org)

This posture is a standing wide leg forward fold that has several variations. As like many of the standing postures you will not find this pose in ancient texts or images, rather this posture appears in the 1900’s in the teachings of Krishnamacharya. This pose is predominantly displayed in the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga by Pathabbi Jois with four specific variations labeled A, B, C,& D. B.K.S. Iyengar also uses this posture in his work, “Light on Yoga”. Seated and supine variations known as upavista konasana and supta konasana use the same shape with differences in gravitational direction and weight bearing.

Prasarita Padottanasana "A" (Yogini- Diane Stanton)

How to do utkata konasana A

Begin in mountain pose (Tadasana) and step the feet wide apart (approximately 3-4 feet) with the feet parallel to the short edges of your mat.
Anteriorly tilt the pelvis (hing from the hips) and bow forward.
Place your hands on the floor (or blocks).
Engage the pelvic floor and the belly (mula bandha and uddiyana bandha), lengthen the low back as you keep turning the sitting bones skyward (anterior tilt of the pelvis).
Maintain the length of the spine and hold the pose for 5-10 deep breaths.

Benefits

Stretches the hips, inner thighs and groin. The pose will also stretch different aspects of the chest and shoulders depending on the arm variation.
Improves balance.
Strengthens the legs, thighs, outer hips, core, and pelvic floor.
Improves circulation.
Builds heat in the body.
Stimulates the first chakra aka root chakra (muladhara)and the second chakra aka sacral chakra (svadhisthana).

Common pitfalls and contraindications

The tendency to round in the spine will decrease the effectiveness of the stretch on the hamstrings and adductors.
Students may take the legs wide to “get the head to the floor” rather than working the length of the spine and the anterior tilt of the pelvis to reach the ground.
If there is low back sensitivity, students may opt to bend the knees on the way down and the way up to decrease the workload on the back muscles.

Variation "B" Hands on hips with the shoulder blades squeezing together. Excellent way to encourage the lift in the chest and length in the spine while forward folding.

Variation "C" Yoga Mudra Arms (Interlace hands behind the back) or as in this photo use a strap between the hands. As the arms lift away from the hips it cultivates an excellent stretch in the shoulders and chest.

Preparatory posesReclining Angle Pose (Supta Konasana)
Seated Wide Leg Forward Fold (Upavistha Konasana)
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
5 pointed Star Pose
References
Utkatasana. www.ashtangayoga.info, Retrieved 6 August 2020.
Kona www.wisdomlib.org Retrieved 4 August 2020
Swenson, D. (1999) Ashtanga Yoga, the Practice Manual. (6th Edition) (Woodruff, C, Ed.). Houston, TX, United States of America. Ashtanga Yoga Productions.
www.ashtangayoga.info
www.tummee.com
About Chris Loebsack

Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.
Chris's Teaching Schedule

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Natarajasana- Lord of the Dance Pose by Chris Loebsack

Go Wide: Prasarita padottanasana the standing wide leg forward fold pose by Chris Loebsack

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