Workstudy Feature: The Dance of Yoga

Judy Kurjan has been a workstudy for Charm City Yoga since the spring of 2010. A dancer and choreographer as well as a yogini, Judy’s art has been influenced by her yoga practice and vice versa. Yoga is a dance, regardless of physical ability, strength, or flexibility, and our movement leads us to wellness. Judy says, “Because of yoga, I am able to look at and feel my movement from a deeper, almost cellular level– it is not just about beautiful shapes- it is about moving through every fiber of my being.” Click through to read more about how yoga can translate into the art of movement.

How has being a Charm City Yoga workstudy helped your practice?

Being a workstudy puts me in direct communication with everyone in our community. It makes me feel a stronger connection to the studio and all of the people associated with it. I have made great friendships and it’s brought a lot of love and commitment to my practice.

How has yoga changed your dance practice?

Yoga has helped me create more strength and connections within my body which has affected the way I dance. I have been able to appreciate the strength and power of my body and it gives me confidence. I feel more comfortable in my own skin. I am able to feel both grounded and light at the same time, something which I have struggled with for years. Because of yoga, I am able to look at and feel my movement from a deeper, almost cellular level– it is not just about beautiful shapes- it is about moving through every fiber of my being. Yoga has also been a gift I can give to my dance students at my school. They get such a great joy out of creating their own dances that are inspired by yoga poses and by using breathwork to find their center and focus!

How has dancing affected your yoga practice?

Yoga is a dance to me. I don’t just see poses, I see a long series of movement. Transitions are the most important part, because it is the movement between and within the stillness that creates beauty for me. My training with the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS) has allowed me to look at the movement in my yoga practice in terms of the concepts of Body, Effort, Shape, and Space. Sometimes when I practice, I like to play with the idea of spatial tension and space harmony– I imagine my limbs stretch across the entire room and touch each corner in various crystalline structures– my balance is always better! Besides my LIMS movement work, I just find that I can apply a certain dedication, determination, and grace to my practice which I acquired through years of dancing.

Do you incorporate yoga into your choreography?

Yoga actually acted as a catalyst to get me out of my dancing slump and back into action. The connections that I was finding through my body and mind inspired me to choreograph my latest work, “The Key is Only One”, a study of dualities and how in the end, we are only one, we are connected. Physically, my yoga has made me stronger and more centered in my dancing, and it has inspired new movement exploration. Any yogi or yogini who comes to see my show will be able to see the yoga throughout it. Emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually, I have been able to dive deeper into my questions of duality and what makes one whole, which is a major theme in my work.

“The Key is Only One” is Judy’s latest modern dance work that will be performed at Maryland Art Place on January 13 and 14 at 7pm. On Saturday the 14th Judy will be hosting a free modern dance workshop for teens and adults. Reservations are required for the workshop, as space is limited, and tickets for the show can be bought in advance for $5 by contacting Sofia Rutka at MAP: sofia@mdartplace.org, or tickets can be bought at the door for $10 cash.

For more information and to view the promo video, please visit www.facebook.com/FluxusDanceProjects.