Lets get healthier and more grounded together! The Afro Wellness Series starts the first week of May.
Joy is back at it as far as bringing me to North Commons to serve the community. Minneapolis Parks and Recreation presents a FREE weekly workout series with your culture in mind. Tuesdays is the day to work on your heart health. Afro Cardio is a 60 minute, African dance based, full body workout. Thursdays we unify our mind and body with Afro Yoga; an hour long gentle yoga practice with lots of hip movements. Read below for a detailed description of each class, but know that ALL are welcome to come as you are.
North Commons Rec Center - In The Gym
1801 James Ave. N
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612-370-4921
1801 James Ave. N
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612-370-4921
Afro Cardio
Afro Cardio is a 60 minute, African dance based, full body workout. No materials are required and yoga mats are provided. Participants may want to wear gym shoes, or go barefoot. We will be on the wood floor in the gym with yoga mats. Bring water and a towel; there are limited facilities at North Commons. Wear work out clothes for comfort and ease of movement.
The class will start with a full body warm up and quick stretch. I'll take us through a series of high energy movements based on different types of African dance; modern and traditional. I'll give high and low impact options for the movements and we will check our heart rates periodically to make sure we are in the cardio training zone. I'll demonstrate the movements and circulate in the room to connect with everyone individually. The class will be challenging for all levels of fitness and is designed to be fun and culturally relevant. We will listen to afrobeats, Afro Beat, and traditional music from all over the continent of Africa and the diaspora. The class will end with a cool down and deeper stretch, and we will close out with sharing gratitude. Participants will be encouraged to hydrate throughout the workout. I can provide modifications and people can change the movements however they may need to adjust to make them doable.
The space at North Commons is accessible, and if any folks need any other accommodations please let me or park staff know.
The class will start with a full body warm up and quick stretch. I'll take us through a series of high energy movements based on different types of African dance; modern and traditional. I'll give high and low impact options for the movements and we will check our heart rates periodically to make sure we are in the cardio training zone. I'll demonstrate the movements and circulate in the room to connect with everyone individually. The class will be challenging for all levels of fitness and is designed to be fun and culturally relevant. We will listen to afrobeats, Afro Beat, and traditional music from all over the continent of Africa and the diaspora. The class will end with a cool down and deeper stretch, and we will close out with sharing gratitude. Participants will be encouraged to hydrate throughout the workout. I can provide modifications and people can change the movements however they may need to adjust to make them doable.
The space at North Commons is accessible, and if any folks need any other accommodations please let me or park staff know.
Afro Yoga
Afro Yoga is an hour long gentle yoga practice with lots of hip movements. Yoga is an ancient indigenous south Asian practice of unifying the breath with movements designed to stimulate and soothe different body parts, organs, tissues and energies. The sacred groundedness of African dance accesses healing through hip release and rhythmic exploration. Afro Yoga combines these two ancestral healing modalities in one practice designed to help folks of all abilities work on wellness in an embodied way. Our practice will begin with establishing a safe and sacred space to work together with great energy and intention. We will add hip swings, circles and rocks to traditional and contemporary yoga postures like tabletop, downward facing dog, and mountain pose. I will offer modifications, alignment suggestions and hands on adjustments with consent. Folks will be encouraged to hydrate throughout the practice. We will close our practice with a resting pose and metta mediation; a practice of wishing ourselves and others well and expressing gratitude.
The class will be in the gym, with special lighting and mats and props provided. Feel free to bring your own materials. Be sure to bring water and a towel for your own comfort; there are limited facilities at North Commons. Dress for movement. People may want to practice in barefeet or stocking feet, but shoes are not needed and can be left at the door for this class.
The space at North Commons is accessible, and any folks that need any other accommodations can reach out to me or park staff.
The class will be in the gym, with special lighting and mats and props provided. Feel free to bring your own materials. Be sure to bring water and a towel for your own comfort; there are limited facilities at North Commons. Dress for movement. People may want to practice in barefeet or stocking feet, but shoes are not needed and can be left at the door for this class.
The space at North Commons is accessible, and any folks that need any other accommodations can reach out to me or park staff.