Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/681153
PhotograPhy by MaksiM tooMe/shutterstock.coM Flying high! Aerial yoga takes the practice off the mat and into the air for a full-body workout perfect for both beginners and advanced students. AcrobAt AsAnAs a Centuries-old praCtiCe takes flight in the mountains. High-f lying Cirque du Soleil–style acrobatics aren't usually what people have in mind when they step into a yoga studio. But 14 -year-old O2 Aspen takes its cue from the theatrical troupe with its latest offering, aerial yoga, one of the first of its kind in the Roaring Fork Valley. The class makes use of 15-foot silk ribbons attached to the ceiling; employing various arm, leg, and footholds, participants then climb, hang, invert, and stretch along their lengths. "It's as much of a dance as it is a strenuous workout," says studio director Evan Soroka. "It's a huge strengthening class for the upper body and core. The goal is really to make it look effortless." Since their introduction last winter, the eight-person classes have been filling up fast (and expanding their reach—for those not yet comfortable with advanced inversions and full body- weight climbs, O2 has added beginner classes). "It's fun, and it's amazing to watch people who wouldn't normally connect bond over the course of a class," says Soroka. Those not quite ready to make the leap into airborne yoga should fear not: O2 offers traditional yoga, Pilates, and meditation classes to keep your qi in check. 500 W. Main St., 970-925-4002; o2aspen.com . "It's as much of a dance as It Is a strenuous workout." —evan soroka 162 aspenpeak-magazine.com SPORT balance