****January 2012 Focus - Focus Magazine

Focus presents: Iyengar Yoga
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Iyengar yoga is fun and challenging
rounded up the contributors and set her sights on raising funds for
Slangspruit, South Africa school children through book sales. She
just needed a bit of help from her friends, which included publisher
Ekstasis Editions, Island Blue Print, and launch hosts Martin Batchelor
Gallery and Victoria Gin.
It was exciting and inspiring to see the scores of artists and literati
who showed up at the launch, a veritable who’s who of the arts
scene. Missing in action, though, were representatives from the City
of Victoria, unless you count Janet Marie Rogers, one of the book’s
contributors and the new Poet Laureate. (But that hadn’t been officially
announced at that point.)
Linda, who fittingly just won the Broadside Prize (visual artist Eric
Fischl chose her poem “The Grasshoppers’ Silence” to incorporate into
a work of art), part of the Montreal International Poetry Prize, is thrilled
at Janet’s appointment as Poet Laureate. Interviewed about her most
recent book, Unearthed, in Focus’ November edition, Janet Rogers,
like her predecessor, is an empowered, righteous woman who insists
on authenticity, and is willing and able to make things happen.
Have no fear: Our tax dollars will get excellent value in this appointment,
as they did with Linda’s. The bargain-basement $2500-per-annum,
three-year appointment requires acting as a sort of ambassador for
the arts, building community through poetry at events, fundraisers,
council meetings, etc.
It would be nice to think that in 2012, Linda and Janet and the many
other local artists and arts organizations who contribute so much to local
culture and economy would be more supported. But too often they are
the first things to be cut, as if art was an unnecessary, expensive frill.
In reality, supporting local arts is one sure way to build the local
economy without breaking the bank. “BC government’s own data…clearly
demonstrates that for every dollar invested in arts in BC, at least $6 is
returned to BC government coffers within one year.” (www.stopbcartscuts.ca)
A study by Dr Brock Smith of the Peter B. Gustavson School of
Business at the University of Victoria has conservatively pegged the
local economic activity generated by the Greater Victoria arts and
culture sector in 2010 at $127 million in net income (GDP) activity,
“supporting the equivalent of more than 4600 person years of employment,
and almost $18 million in property tax revenue.” (See
www.crd.bc.ca/arts for the report done by the CRD, Victoria Foundation
and other organizations.)
Other studies show the benefits of the arts towards creating a healthier
population (thereby saving health dollars). And it’s worth noting that
the arts sector is one of the greenest industries around.
But despite the empirical evidence of benefits, local arts groups are
struggling, largely due to funding cuts. BC has by far the lowest arts
funding per capita in the country.
Wanna be a great city—or province or nation Build a healthy
local arts community.
www.focusonline.ca • January 2012
Leslie Campbell didn’t mean to spend the day before
Focus’ press deadline reading poetry, but it sure
felt good. As Janet Rogers says: “The essence of poetry
is medicine—good things for the spirit and the mind.”
Wishing all Focus readers and advertisers more poetry
in 2012.
Shirley Daventry French teaching Reclining Big Toe Posture.
Looking to make some changes in habits and health for the New Year New
to yoga or looking to try a new style of yoga The Iyengar Yoga Centre of
Victoria has 22 well-trained teachers and offers classes seven days a week
for every age and every body.
Shirley Daventry French, founding member, who turned 80 in October, is respected
world-wide and continues to teach yoga classes, workshops and retreats.
“Yoga is for all of us! No one is too old, too young or too stiff,” says French.
“Iyengar Yoga is fun and challenging and can be viewed as the great equalizer
among yoga styles offered today,”says Wendy Boyer,general manager and teacher
at the Iyengar Yoga Centre.
“Whether you are a first time student or familiar with yoga, you are in good
hands with Iyengar teachers,” says Daventry French. “We teach a progression
of poses to boost mobility, stability, strength and stamina.We have a well-developed
eye!”The Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria offers one of the most comprehensive
teacher training programs in North America and certificates issued by the Iyengar
Yoga Association of Canada are respected and accepted world-wide.
The founder of the Iyengar method, BKS Iyengar, says “The effects of yoga practice
are beauty, strength, clarity of speech, calmness of the nerves, increase in
digestive powers and a happy disposition that is revealed in a smiling face.”The
93-year-old master lives in Pune, India, and still practises many hours a day.Victoria
teachers travel regularly to India to study at the Iyengar Institute.
The Iyengar Yoga Centre runs 55 classes a week, including Introductory to
Advanced; Pre-Natal; Family; 50+; Gentle; Special Needs; and Restorative.The first
class is free...choose from any of the regular classes offered seven days a week.
Classes by-donation are being held Saturdays from 11:30-1pm on Jan 7, 14, 28;
Feb 4, 11, 18, 25 to prepare teacher trainees for the Level 2 Iyengar assessment.
If you are looking for a January workshop, Boyer recommends the Heart of
Yoga workshop led by two of Canada’s best Iyengar teachers—Shirley Daventry
French and Ann Kilbertus.“Strengthen your backbends and inversions,” says Boyer
of the January 21-22 workshop. “It is intended for students familiar with yoga,
and will be a mix of standing poses, backbends, forward bends and inversions.
Iyengar Yoga Centre Victoria
202-919 Fort Street (above the Blue Fox Café)
250-386-9642 • www.iyengaryogacentre.ca
Visit us on facebook at www.facebook.com/IyengarYogaCentre
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