This is a guest post by Bernardette Kalyan-Salgado and is part of our My Favourite Props series.

Scarves are a typical prop for dance classes however I have found them to be very useful in yoga as well.

Body Awareness

Use the scarves during warm up. Waking up the body placing the scarf over the toes, knees, etc. Younger children and those with special needs in particular love the idea of “waking up” the body parts.

Asana

Use the scarves as a prop to hold with several asanas/poses, it is a challenge for older students. Poses such as Warrior (arms up holding the scarf open looking up, focusing on the scarf), Dancer and for balancing poses such as Crow it can be used as a focal point.

Games

Common games such as freeze dance become fun and different with a scarf in hand. It also gives a difference sense of spatial awareness for the child.  Playing games such as “Yogi Says” is also fun, ex. “Yogi Says, place your scarf on your head.”

Scarf Breathing

Laying down placing the scarf on the belly creating awareness for deep belly breaths. Placing them over the face and blowing them upward attempting for lift off.

I find scarves to be such a handy prop. It is easy to be creative with them they can become water, clouds etc. in a story or movement experience. Most importantly they are light in weight if you have to carry them around. Having a set in two different types of material is also very interesting to see the children explore the texture and how it moves differently.

Bernardette is a RYT 200 instructor based in Florida. She combines her background in dance with yoga to create fun Movement Yoga for Children classes.

If you enjoyed this post be sure to check out all the ideas on the our My Favourite Prop page. Learn how to use feathers, hula hoops, stones and stuffed animals to name a few.

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In past posts we’ve discussed ways to use yoga in academic classroom subjects (Social Studies, English, Science, Math). Today I want to give a nod to the artistic side of the spectrum.

Yoga Dance is a growing trend as more and more people explore yoga, flow, and music. For dance enthusiasts this is a wonderful way to combine the creativity of dance with the precise alignment and breath work of yoga. A friend of mine who has danced her entire life was thrilled about the idea of Yoga Dance as soon as I mentioned it recently during yoga class. And I can definitely see the attraction. There is no rule book here. No series or set of asanas that one must follow. This allows for individuality, creativity, and inspiration to come from the individual, the music, the yoga.

Shiva Rea

At the forefront of this movement is Shiva Rea who has used unique music combinations along with powerful yoga  practices to connect people with their inner selves, discovering and exploring the gifts of life. Her Vinyasa Flow style of yoga has led others to branch out and create beautiful dance routines based on yoga poses.

There are two ways of using Yoga Dance is the classroom:

1. As a free form of self expression. Using music to inspire your body to respond in a natural fashion go with the flow, the feelings that the music invokes, tying it in to basic yoga postures as guided by the teacher. There is lots of spontaneity here. Truly a looser version of yoga class. I can see this style being readily accessible and easy to implement for most teachers. Check out this video for a sampling of how this works.
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2. Becoming proficient in various yoga poses and then choreographing a dance routine joining these poses. This will appeal to anyone looking to understand more of the details, techniques, and performance aspects that Yoga Dance offers. This style of incorporating Yoga Dance requires more knowledge of both dance and yoga than the first. However, when done well, it can be stunning. Watch this video to see what I’m talking about.
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So if you are looking to combine your yoga and dance workouts, or are simply wanting to connect with your breath and explore prana flow, you may want to crank the tunes and see what happens. Remember this is about self expression, beauty, and grace. Go with the flow and try Yoga Dance today.

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