We are thrilled to bring you an exclusive Q&A with Yoga Exchange, the ultimate resource for yoga teachers who are looking to elevate their teaching game. Yoga Exchange was founded on the principle of pure love for creating yoga sequences, and they offer fully developed, clapping-after-savasana sequences to refresh your library. In this Q&A, we sat down with the Yoga Exchange team to learn more about their mission, their approach, and what makes them tick; check it out!
Can you tell us a bit more about the history and founding of YEO, and how it has evolved over time?
Yoga Exchange was founded after Emily, the CEO looked at her pile of completely jam packed notebooks, filled with sequencing ideas. She began to survey teachers in studios all over her city and discovered that even the most seasoned instructors admitted to feeling depleted of inspiration more often than not. Reflecting on this, Emily knew she could create a space for teachers to receive easily accessible sequences that would promise to elevate their teaching every single month. Today, we are thriving with multiple monthly highlighted teachers which is our favorite offer, to provide inspiration to teachers who would never normally have access to such a unique variety of content.
How do you go about creating your yoga sequences, and what sets them apart from other resources out there?
We utilize the yoga community to present their unique styles of teaching / structuring classes by harnessing their power and delivering it to our subscribers, who take these sequences into their own hands and either use the entire sequence to its fullest or choose inspiration from sections of the flow. We also have a team of teachers behind the scenes taking classes daily, researching, and moving across many yoga mats to provide new, fresh, and exciting poses, transitions, and cues.
How do you ensure that your sequences are accessible and adaptable for teachers and students of all levels?
The cool part about being a yoga teacher is that we learned in training how to adapt a class to our students' needs and are very receptive to reading the room and understanding who is showing up to take class. These sequences are easily adapted to being revved up for a hot power, or slowed down/ drawn back for a slow flow.
Can you walk us through the process of developing a new yoga sequence, from idea to final product?
Every single new sequence begins on a yoga mat. We follow a structure that gives our subscribers a Quick & Dirty Sheet, which acts as an outline to the full class. Next, we have the fully-developed written sequence with the nitty gritty details. Lastly, we have a page of dominant poses, notable transitions, and intentional cues. Each sequence is unique and we truly make sure each individual class has been made with the intention to provide inspiration.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the yoga world, and incorporate them into your offerings?
Our social media specialist and outreach manager work directly with our marketing team to research and constantly dive into the community so we do not miss a beat and are always showing up for our subscribers
How do you work with teachers to ensure that they are comfortable and confident using your sequences in their classes?
We make sure to provide detailed sequences to give teachers the confidence to translate it and deliver it to their class. We also ALWAYS remind teachers our goal is not to remove individuality from their own teaching, but to be a support to elevating the class so teachers can hold space and walk into a class overly prepared if they choose to be. Yoga Exchange is a place for constant inspiration and it is affordable with the intention to be a no-brainer for every single yoga teacher who wants to be a part of the evolving world of being a yoga teacher.
Can you tell us about any exciting new projects or collaborations that YEO has in the works?
Mache!!! Keep your eyes peeled for many more ;)
What advice would you give to new yoga teachers who are looking to grow their teaching practice and incorporate new sequences into their classes?
I would remind teachers that teaching is most likely a passion for you, so lean into the gift we are given. The gift to hold space and show up for students who are stepping on their mats to be led, to be moved, and to be transformed. Never take for granted the gift we have, and utilize your resources to show up with the gear that really matters.
How do you see the future of yoga teaching and practice evolving, and how is YEO working to stay ahead of the curve?
- Currently, there are over 100,000 yoga teachers who have met the criteria for registered teachers under Yoga Alliance
- There are over 42,000 Yoga Studios in the United States
- There are over 1.4 million posts on Instagram with #yoga and 14.7k #yogasequences
- Yoga teaching is becoming more competitive and there are more students taking yoga classes regularly than ever
Now is the time to capitalize on this growing movement and give teachers an assist
- 90% of Americans are aware of yoga since 2016, up from just 75% of people being aware of yoga in 2012.
- There are approximately two people interested in becoming a yoga teacher for every one actual teacher
- 61% of yoga teachers spend up to $1,000 on continuing education and trainings each year
- There are almost 20,000 yoga retreats currently running around the world, with an average price tag of $209 per attendee
RESEARCH SUGGESTS
There has never been a BETTER time to expose teachers to a sequencing platform that ignites the community and fuels evolution for our yoga-hungry world
Lastly, what do you hope that teachers and students take away from implementing YEO's sequences in their practice?
We hope that teachers can rest knowing they found a secret weapon to constantly elevate their teaching, thus showing up to class armed with a power that will translate to students wanting more.
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We hope you enjoyed this exclusive Q&A with Yoga Exchange! We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn more about this incredible resource for yoga teachers. If you're a yoga teacher looking to elevate your teaching game, we highly recommend checking out Yoga Exchange and their subscription service. With their fully developed sequences and expert guidance, you'll be able to breathe new life into your teaching and take your practice to the next level. Thank you again to Yoga Exchange for sharing their passion and insights with us!
Connect with Yoga Exchange:
Website: www.yogaexchangeofficial.com
Instagram: @yogaexchangeofficial
