Skill in Action, Stillness in Motion, and Grace Under Pressure.

Part Yoga, part Cirque du Soleil, Europe’s Tripsichore Yoga Theatre is a place where gravity

is less powerful than the energy of the characters who inhabit it. Tripsichore is made up of sleek,

skillful yogis who possess qualities of harmony and bliss. Intricate yoga poses flow seamlessly

through dreamy montages...the result is serenely absorbing! Students of yoga and/or dance will learn the

techniques and skills specific to choreographing a Tripsichore Yoga performance in this weekend workshop.

Edward Clark, founder of Tripsichore Yoga Theatre, is London based yet known all over the world

for his innovative work. His troupe of extraordinary yogi-artists travels extensively bringing

the beauty and grace of yoga into communities everywhere.

ABOUT TRIPSICHORE

Tripsichore began in 1979 as a company devoted to creating full length dance narratives. We explored a variety of stylistic forms

including punk ballet, conventional modern dance and strict neo-classical technique. We used masks, performed with rock bands

and did pop videos. While yoga was always a part of our training, it wasn’t until 1992 that we realised the expressive potential

and choreographic viability of yoga postures. Once we began to devise works using yoga asanas, their extraordinary artistic logic

became evident. Surprisingly, it would seem that there has been no orthodox tradition for using yoga technique to create dances

in the 5000 year history of the discipline. The postures intrinsically possess a sumptuous beauty and fluidity. They are the ideal

vehicle to express the themes of harmony, balance, spirituality, ecstasy, bliss and mysticism because they are exactly about these

subjects in and of themselves. We are now 13 years into this experiment and each day brings new discoveries.

ABOUT EDWARD

Edward Clark is the creator of Tripsichore Yoga Theatre, the London based yoga group who have delighted audiences in Europe,

North America and Asia with their sensual and lyric application of yoga to make serenely absorbing performance art. Tripsichore

Yoga Theatre have been hailed as some of the most innovative practitioners of vinyasa yoga. Sequestered in their studio in London,

England, the company has worked daily for the past 12 years to devise and refine yoga techniques of asana, pranayama, pratayahara,

dharana, and dhyana…making excursions out to perform their creations to audiences worldwide. Until now, their techniques have

only been taught to a very few.

Edward Clark began studying yoga in 1979. Noteworthy among his teachers are Narayani and Giris Rabinovitch, but he confesses

huge admiration for the Ashtanga Vinyasa, Sivananda, Iyengar and Viniyoga practices. The technique Tripsichore uses is a synthesis

of many aspects of yoga. Edward says, "We are quick to disclaim that what we do is dance. While there are dancers in the company,

there are others who have never been in a dance studio. They meet on a common ground of pure yoga." Edward is also the Head Of

Movement and Dance at the prestigious Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London where he has taught for the past

18 years (students include Minnie Driver, Julia Ormond, Rupert Evans). "The incorporation of yoga in the training of actors was an

outrageous idea 10 years ago, but is now being adopted throughout training institutions in the UK," says Mr. Clark.

Edward says, "The concept of vinyasa as applied to yoga philosophy could either be considered very ancient or radically new.

In either case, vinyasa seems to be the great contribution to yoga of this particular generation of yogis. Most yoga discipline has

worked on refining one’s self in the direction of greater stillness – an absence of movement in the mind and body. Superficially,

vinyasa would seem to contradict this. However, the mental focus and physical technique needed to bring about continuous fluid

movement can also bring one to a "seat" of great stability and clarity. The stability is not only in the posture, but in the transition

between postures – to the point where there is no distinction between movement and stillness. The place of vinyasa in the history

of yoga is yet to be determined, but as yoga has become a world wide pursuit, it is probably safe to say that its importance now

also lies in how people begin to apply it outside the more traditional places it has been practised."

VINYASA in our definition, is the evenly metered flow of movement, breath and thought resulting in a smooth, uninflected state

of being. The vinyasa techniques are pursued to bring about clarity and stability to one’s thoughts and actions.

Tripsichore endeavours to do this in class and onstage.

Desiree Kongerod's web site: http://www.anactabove.com

Eileen Gauthier's web site: http://www.sukhayogastudio.com

Greetings from Tripischore HQ!

Here’s all the info you’ll ever need or possibly want to know about Tripsichore events for the next few months.

(And, if you feel you never ever want to have this nonsense littering your inbox again, just write back saying so.)

October 21 LONDON, ENGLAND

First up, put the following in your datebook (even if you don’t plan on coming – it looks so good when people peer over your shoulder

for them to see you have a lot happening in your life). Tripischore is back at Triyoga in London on 21 October at 7:30 pm performing

The Galapagos Of Yoga. Weird animals and weird thoughts join up in a reckless attempt to make sense of life in a vast universe.

You won’t know whether to tickle your ribs or scratch your head (or so the copy writing department assures me). www.triyoga.co.uk

October 28 – 30 OSLO, NORWAY

Edward Clark (hey, that’s me) and Elizabeth Connolly of Cornwall’s famed Yoga Farm zip off to the home of vegetarian smoked fish – Oslo.

And it isn’t just smoked matsyasana that we’ll be serving up. We’ll be binding and bhanda-ing up a feast. It all kicks off with a performance

on October 28. So I think you really ought to type www.osloyoga.com into your browser right now.

November 10 – 12 CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS

Lest you think the Tripsichore fashion is all Euro this Fall, those of you on the east coast of the USA might just think again. We’ve a superb

collection of fashionable workshops (Ed Note: You’re stretchiiiing – ha ha – to find a workable metaphor). Get on down to On The Mat Yoga in Concord.

Among more sane workshops, I’ve slotted in a session on the Advanced Tripsichore Sun Salutes. These are the really way out stuff that I never

get a chance to teach outside of the home studio. Even I’m scared of them, but lest (geez, two lests in one paragraph) you think it is all way,

way out there, let me assure you that there is a fine selection of other workshops to enhance the practice of anyone. www.onthematyoga.com

November 25 – 27 HAMBURG, GERMANY

It’s ridiculous. Tripischore has never done anything in Germany…till now! Workshops and a solo performance. Oh, I expect you’re thinking,

he won’t be funny there. Well, we’ll see. Regardless, I’ve got some fantastic workshops planned. Visit www.pantarhei-hamburg.de

December 2 – 3 LOS ANGELES

I can’t believe my good fortune to be going back to Liberation Yoga in LA. I was blown away by the fantastic people there in September and I’m returning already.

There’s a performance on Friday night and workshop that I’m mightily psyched for on Saturday.

www.liberationyoga.com

December 5 – 12 SAN FRANCISCO

You’ll have to be smart and in the know to get in on these…more in the know than I am right now. I’ll undoubtedly be teaching at some secret location like,

say, the James Howell Studio (?). I had a great time teaching in SF in September – the standard of asana work (a major tug of my forelock to Andrey Lappa

for turning out so many accomplished practitioners) is just outstanding.

December 27 – January 8 YOGA FARM, CORNWALL

Oh no!…nothing to do during the holiday season except get high on rum drenched fruitcake. But wait, here’s an opportunity to spend some time

having some laughs in the extraordinary landscape of Cornwall…oh, and doing a couple of amazing yoga classes every day too. Come for a few

days or the whole session. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and it is actually very easy to get to Cornwall from London. Maybe driving is not

for you and flying from Stansted (or Gatwick) seems like as much hassle as driving…but, it is REALLY EASY by train…5 hours…it’s cheap,

you read a book, look at the scenery, eat a yummy little meal you prepared earlier… www.yogafarm.co.uk

January 20 – 22 CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA

Tripsichore returns to one of its favourite haunts. There’s a show at the Durham Arts Council on Friday (Did I really agree to do a Q & A afterwards?

If so, please think up some difficult questions so that I can learn still more about humility) Then, a weekend of workshops at Triangle Yoga.

While you’re busy online checking these out, look at the amazing set of yogis that frequent this outstanding studio. www.triangleyoga.com

January 28 – WASHINTON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Don’t be confused…it’s really in Marietta, Ohio)

This is a totally free event and you may be assured that is the best money you never spent. Check out www.inhaleyoga.org for more info.

****FEBRUARY IS OFFICIAL NEW JERSEY MONTH AT TRIPSICHORE****

February 11 – 12 SMITHVILLE, NEW JERSEY

I’m at Yoga Nine in Smithville, New Jersey…so many more details to follow. www.yoganine.com

February 24 – 26 RAMSEY, NEW JERSEY

Yoga Synthesis opens its doors to yours truly. www.yogasynthesis.com

Hope to see you at every single last one of these.

Edward Clark