Yoga for Kids and Teens
Santa Monica’s newest Yoga studio, KIDSREVOLVING, hosts a unique schedule of classes exclusively for children and teens. Customized by age level, the classes help strengthen visual, auditory, spatial, and kinesthetic awareness by engaging kids in a way their growing bodies and minds can relate to receiving and processing information.
Studio director and founder Tiffany Craft says, “kidsrevolving gives me an opportunity to inspire youth to connect with their bodies and create with their minds, so they discover a foundation of empowerment that helps them to live the best lives possible.”
At kidsrevolving, no two classes are the same, but all sessions share a common goal of balancing the body, mind and spirit. While the kids explore a series of asanas based on themes inspired by cultures from around the world, they gain creativity, self-appreciation and cultivate an awareness of other cultures. “kidsrevolving is a place for kids of all ages to be themselves, learn about themselves and ultimately feel good about themselves,” says Tiffany. kidsrevolving, 1657 12th Street, Suite B Santa Monica, CA 90404. kidsrevolving.com
Hatha Yoga in Chatsworth
In a city that doesn’t get enough Yoga, Chatsworth now welcomes a new Yoga center. Marydale Pecora created PARAM YOGA HEALING ARTS CENTER, hoping to transform her city into a “healthy (and) vibrant Yoga community,” she says.
Marydale has been a Yoga practitioner and teacher as well as an energetic healer for decades. For years, she would teach and offer private sessions in her own home, but as her students multiplied, she decided to expand into a new space. Marydale named the studio in honor of her guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, and the name means “supreme Yoga.” Once you step into the beautiful studio, you’ll notice five white arches draped over each window. The elegant space is decorated in shades of blue, white and gold.
Param Yoga hosts mostly Hatha-style Yoga classes for all levels. There are also private sessions for Yoga therapy as well as Reiki training for levels 1 and 2 along with master teacher training.
“Our desire is to communicate what our logo says, which is to love, serve, meditate and realize that we are deeply anchored in the eight limbs of Yoga,” says Marydale. “We offer Yoga to everybody who is interested giving them a personalized Yoga practice (that is) hands-on and community-oriented,” she says. Param Yoga Healing Arts Center, 21750 Devonshire St. Chatsworth, CA 91311. param-yoga.com
Melissa Chua is a Los Angeles-based writer with a journalism degree from Cal-State University Northridge. M.chua13@gmail.com
Montecito Yoga
Peaceful and safe, partially below ground, in a cave-like setting ascending into light, is how MONTECITO YOGA owner and Yoga teacher Denise Zaverdes describes the serene yet welcoming Yoga space on Coast Village Road in the seaside enclave town of Montecito. She opened the studio with the intent for a place where, as she says, “People can come to explore what it means to be themselves in this world today.” She’s not the only one who found magic in the space, judging by the vibrant community who showed up at the not one, but two, grand opening events. She feels that the students and visitors bring in the mojo and Zaverdes hopes the space serves the needs of the community.
Zaverdes began her Yoga journey when she was a commercial film editor living in Chicago. “My friend Jackie said for many years that I would love Yoga.” A Pilates instructor at her local health club became a Yoga instructor and Zaverdes feels she got lucky with that experience. A longtime dancer, she says, “Yoga was everything I was looking for, without knowing I was looking for it; Yoga has the spirit of dance, with breath and intention.” Before moving to the Central Coast in 2004, Zaverdes taught in Orange County at YogaWorks and Yoga Place in Costa Mesa and Laguna Beach and practiced and studied with Chuck Miller and Ana Forrest.
Many of the studio’s current students are new to Yoga and they continue to remind her why she loves the practice. In addition to Zaverdes’ flow classes, the full schedule includes Yin, all levels classes (including a lunchtime midday break), core flow, mindful Yoga, gentle, Kundalini, power flow fusion and level 2/3 classes. The first class at the studio is free. Montecito Yoga, 1187 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA. (805) 845 – 1301. montecitoyoga.com
By Melissa Chua
