Jamaican Me Limber: Reggae Yoga

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK that reggae and yoga don't go together. But those people don't include Anne Harrison, a yoga instructor who's taken to heart the words of Bob Marley: "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery."

"This is a marriage made in heaven," says Harrison, who recently started offering a weekly reggae yoga class at SomaFit in Glover Park (Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., 2121 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-965-2121).

As a huge fan of both the laid-back music genre and the physical/mental/spiritual practice, she's admittedly biased, but she figures her class can woo the skeptics. And while she usually just pops in one of her CDs ("I have more reggae in my house than the law allows," Harrison admits), she's bringing in a live band for a special $5 class on April 16 — part of the celebration for D.C. Yoga Week, which kicks off this Saturday.

Harrison is quick to note that although her musical choices are unorthodox, her yoga is actually quite traditional.

"I like a medium-paced flow while keeping alignment in mind," she explains, adding that she "lives by the eight limbs of yoga."

It's just that the way she phrases things are more likely to transport students to Jamaica than Jaipur.

Downward facing dog is an "island getaway" to Harrison.

"It both refreshes and relaxes you at the same time. It releases your back and legs," she says.

As students stand up with their legs spread apart and their heads near the ground balanced on a block, she tells them, "This is a natural high."

There's no need to tell that to student Nicole Johnson, 31. "I'm addicted," she says. "I'm just in another place every time I come."

Part of the allure is the tunes, of course, says Kwame Ansah, 37, another regular.
"Flow yoga is more of a dance than hatha, and it's easy to dance to good music," he explains.

And Harrison likens the beat to the heartbeat, which facilitates a deeper practice.
But part of the island feel also comes from the welcoming vibe Harrison projects.
"I look at yoga like a road trip, and my destination is peace," she says. "Instead of just trying to be in the perfect pose, people might try to enjoy the journey."

Other ways to enjoy that journey for just $5 per class -- or even free -- are on tap at several local studios for D.C. Yoga Week. Additional highlights include:

» D.C. Yoga Week Kickoff Tea. Tranquil Space (2024 P St. NW, 202-223-9642) hosts a free Q&A session open to everyone from beginners to buffs April 12 at 4:45 p.m.

» Spring Cleaning: Detoxing With Twists. Give your internal organs a workout with this $35 workshop at Boundless Yoga (1522 U St. NW, 202-234-9642), April 12 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

» Yoga on the National Mall. Last year's attempt to bring masses to the Mall to do yoga for free in the shadow of the Washington Monument was rained out. D.C. Yoga Week organizers are trying again April 13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

» Kirtan with David Newman. Mark the end of the week with a concert of devotional chanting, April 18 at 8 p.m. It's $18 in advance, $22 at the door at Flow Yoga Center (1450 P St. NW, 202-462-3569).

Photos by Lawrence Luk for Express