“It’s completely different,” said Temple in regards to virtual yoga versus in-person sessions. “It’s kind of more like you’re blindfolded and you’re deaf, because everyone’s muted. Usually all I can see is the black screen, or the ceiling fan, or the garage rafters, but I don’t actually get to see people while we’re working out.”
But it works, especially for long time students of Temple’s, like Pat Adams.
Temple has been teaching yoga at various locations, including through the school district, for 20 years.
“We are offering classes,” said Noella Fath-Cutter, said Community Education Adult Learning Coordinator. “It may look a little bit different than maybe how they’ve taken classes before.”
She said the district is offering many of its regular Community Ed offerings–classes like financial planning, gardening, and especially popular during the stay at home order: de-cluttering tips.
For yoga students like Marillee Christensen-Adams, it’s ultimately more convenient than in-person classes.
“I don’t have to drive anywhere,” she said. “I can also disengage my video if I just don’t want to be seen, but I want to know what’s happening and I want to participate. I love the anonymity option.”
“They’ve not only missed out on their exercise and their fitness piece of it, but they’ve also missed out on being able to see the other people that they know from class,” said Fath-Cutter of the distance learning students.
“Really what it is…is connection,” said Temple. “Before and after every class, I just have to spend a couple of seconds just letting everybody talk. It’s an open room, and everybody can say what they want.”
Fath-Cutter said more classes will be offered in the summer and be offered as distance-learning as long as necessary.
