Gainesville’s Growing Trend: AcroYoga

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When most people think of yoga, they think of people peacefully stretching out on colorful mats while an instructor bends into a pretzel at the from to the class. There’s usually a soundtrack of a serene forest playing soothingly in the background and there’s always one person that accidentally farts in downward dog position in the middle of the class.

Rarely do we think of yoga and acrobatics in the same setting.

But, if Kim Kardashian can make a set of emojis featuring her face, anything is truly possible.

AcroYoga, the combination between yoga, acrobatics and therapeutic massage, has become a growing trend in the Gainesville community and beyond. 

This type of yoga, which is broken down into two varieties, lunar and solar, involves two people. One person is the flyer and one person is the base. Simply put, the flyer lifts the base. 

Solar is acrobatic. Both the base and flyer get very heated, active and engaged. Lunar, on the other hand, is more passive and is the complete opposite of solar. During lunar, the flyer is very relaxed and it’s treated as a therapeutic massage.

Normally, when you’re doing any form of AcroYoga, you should practice both forms. Solar can take a toll on the body and lunar lets the body cool down.

But how does all this work? People are literally lifting each other in the air during yoga. What kind of dynamic do two people have to have in order to lift each other up in such a peaceful state? Aren’t you supposed to be stress free during yoga? 

For Holly Saitta and Maggie Rucker, yoga instructors who teach at My Yoga Connection together, it’s all about going back to that primitive state of mind which forms comfort between you and your partner. 

During Acro, normal social barriers are broken — you don’t only lift a person up by their hands and feet, so comfort is a huge part of the experience. 

“If you’re like in a down dog and you have to like climb up onto the person, you know, there is a lot of lines that people make that we cross,” said Maggie, Holly’s base.

But their partnership goes beyond comfort.

“Trust, trust is a huge thing too as far as relationships come between the base and the flyer. I mean you gotta trust when you’re literally in their hands,” said Holly. 

Holly needs the courage to fly and Maggie needs the focus to keep her up in the air. Together, with love and trust, both of them form a balance that makes AcroYoga look effortless.

For both women, looking effortless is important. Because both women teach this type of yoga, they want to make people feel welcome and the energy to be positive. 

“I think an important aspect of our partnership is that we teach together,” Holly said. “So that’s like probably when Holly and I come together and shine the most is when we have to be on each other’s side and conduct an entire class full of people.”

Although both women are fairly new at Acro, Maggie said that she strongly believes that her and Holly will master anything they set their minds to. They have a strong Acro relationship and a friendship that goes beyond the mat.

“We kind of hang out all the time, honestly,” Maggie said. 

This friendship pushes them to be spontaneous and cross bridges together outside of the studio. Both Maggie and Molly value this relationship and, as instructors, want other people to experience what Acro has done for them.

“Just come with yourself and an open mind that’s all you need,” Holly said.

“Worse comes to worse, you made a couple new friends,” Maggie said. 

 

 

If you’re interested in taking Acro classes, check out My Yoga Connection. Drop in classes start at $12 with a $10 discount for students, bike riders, walkers, healthcare professional and nurses. 

All photos courtesy of: Michaela Beeda 

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