Jack Waldas
Following his dance education at Ballet School New York and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Jack danced with New York Theater Ballet. In 1993 he moved to Europe, where he danced as a Soloist with Nationaltheater Mannheim, Stadttheater Augsburg and Landestheater Innsbruck and Linz
During his long dance career he tested the effects of yoga on his own body and emotional self. Yoga served him as a warm-up and tool of focus for the daily training and rehearsals, it helped his muscles recover from the strenuous schedule and it supported the healing process in the face of injury.
This experience of yoga on the edge of physical and mental possibility lay the foundation for Anandansa® – his own playful fusion of yoga and dance, of meditative mind-set and expressive movement.
At the end of his active dance career Jack devoted his life to furthering his knowledge of yoga, body work and health-oriented movement. He completed educations in Prana Flow® yoga, Anusara® yoga, Spiral Dynamic® body mechanics, as well as studying yoga therapy, Thai massage and Tai Chi.
In 2013 his book „Street Yoga“ (Kösel Publishing House) was elected yoga book of the year.
Jack lives in Munich, Germany with his wife and two daughters. Here he is co-director of Spanda Yoga Teachers Training, teaches dance and yoga, and gives workshops internationally.
Vinyasa Yoga
More than a nice stretch: Yoga offers everyone the opportunity to become more conscious of being human, of that which connects us all. It is a practice that leads us to living our true nature, to being ourselves. All the physical poses, stretches and acrobatic moves are a game, encouraging us to find the play of life. In my classes I combine the flow of vinyasa with sensible, organic alignment, allowing our bodies and selves to find their most healthy and happy way of being. Letting the breath guide our way, this „pranification“ leads us to a playful yogic practice, developing a natural union of breath, movement, and awareness. In this way yoga, dance and bodywork become more and more a unified practice.
Anandansa® – the Illuminating Dance of Yoga
Yoga and dance are the perfect symbiosis. Yoga „lights up“ the body from within, dance shares this inner light with the world. Together they complete each other. Anandansa® connects western dance with eastern methods - yoga, Thai-Chi, Thai massage. It also incorporates the modern biomechanics of Spiral Dynamics®, fascial research and contemporary yoga alignment. It offers the opportunity to investigate ones own sense of organic movement and self-expression. Through both guided and improvised exercises participants are brought in touch with their creative and intuitive personality. This satisfaction of being fully aware of our life force is the ground of true happiness and is referred to in Sanskrit as „ananda“. Hence the name of this method: Anandansa®. In this workshop we will learn the principals and basic elements of the method, enabling participants to incorporate them into their own practice. We will also be playing with the connection of breath, body and movement. Both dancers and yoga practitioners alike are invited to participate. Experience in yoga asanas is helpful, dance experience is not necessary.
Anandansa® – Master Class
This special Master Class is separate from the YoDa festival. If you have a festival ticket you can attend the Master Class with a discount. Yoga and dance are the perfect symbiosis. Yoga „lights up“ the body from within, dance shares this inner light with the world. Together they complete each other. Anandansa® connects western dance with eastern methods - yoga, Thai-Chi, Thai massage. It also incorporates the modern biomechanics of Spiral Dynamics®, fascial research and contemporary yoga alignment. It offers the opportunity to investigate ones own sense of organic movement and self-expression. Through both guided and improvised exercises participants are brought in touch with their creative and intuitive personality. This satisfaction of being fully aware of our life force is the ground of true happiness and is referred to in Sanskrit as „ananda“. Hence the name of this method: Anandansa®. In this workshop we will learn the principals and basic elements of the method, enabling participants to incorporate them into their own practice. We will also be playing with the connection of breath, body and movement. Both dancers and yoga practitioners alike are invited to participate. Experience in yoga asanas is helpful, dance experience is not necessary.