Dana K. Schwartz is a yoga teacher, creator, a creator of family, a creator of beauty, a creator of moments to be savored. Yoga has informed every aspect of her creative spirit.
She believes that there is a yoga practice for everybody and those who do step onto the path of yoga will access tools to live each day with greater awareness, compassion, truth and love.
We’ve all heard of love at first sight, but what about love at first pose? Hardly #hashtag worthy but that’s how it happened for Dana–she was hooked after her first experience, one unearthed from the dusty pages of the local summer parks and rec catalog in 2000. Because of that fateful discovery, Dana’s world shifted from the constant state of goal oriented doing to a more appreciative state of presence in action. That class was over 20 years ago, and yoga still informs every aspect of her life.
The benefits of consistent practice are immeasurable, and accessibility is crucial to laying down a sustainable foundation. Dana believes there is a practice for everyone, so she incorporates movements that many are familiar with, common PE calisthenics with yoga asana to bridge the gap and lead students into a practice that is within reach, supportable, and enjoyable.
The measurable ‘immeasurable’s’ are subtle takeaways, gifts discovered with each noticed breath, and with each thoughtful pause before speaking or acting on and off the mat. To lay the framework to receive these gifts, Dana incorporates breath work with her extensive knowledge of alignment based Iyengar yoga. In her classes, well-paced, thoughtful movement is yoked to the breath to build familiarity between movement and presence moment awareness, something that can be practiced daily.
Yoga isn’t something ‘out there’, nor is yoga something left between the layers of a tightly rolled mat; yoga is the cultivation of harmony between body and mind and that awareness is the gift that keeps on giving.
Dana’s classes are influenced by her joie de vivre, her love of dance, and her background as a student of Iyengar yoga. She teaches vinyasa, yin, restorative, as well as Iyengar Inspired classes, incorporating her years of study to create a safe environment for any practitioner to cultivate their own lifelong practice. Her compassion, grace and humor lead students through the challenges of each class. It is her hope that every class affords students a chance to dive deeper into themselves and feel greater fluidity within their body that will lead them to their own sense of greater equanimity. Dana has been practicing for over 20 years, teaching for over 15 years, and is a certified 500hr Hatha Yoga teacher, currently getting her 100hr meditation certification through Breathe Together Yoga.
In addition to teaching yoga, Dana is a fiction writer, currently finishing her four-book series called The Weight of Flowers, while simultaneously writing the screenplay for her somewhat biographical novel, Signal Hill. She also dabbles in short stories and poetry, loves to cook and garden, irons sheets for meditation, and most Sundays, Dana can be found on some world ecstatic dance Zoom site, letting go while reconnecting.
“Dana Schwartz had knowledge of yoga, seriously worked all area’s of the body, made the class fun and always different.
She had the best play list of music and with her fun attitude her classes were alway filled with good energy.”
— Renee
Testimonials
“Whether you are just starting or have months and years of practice, Dana Schwartz will help you get better.”
— Svetlana
“Taking her new online classes from my home in Switzerland has been wonderful, especially during the Covid Lockdowns.
Dana‘s way with yoga is knowledgeable and full of joy and humor. Joie de Vivre (exuberant enjoyment of life!) as we say here in Switzerland!”
— Marina
“I took Dana’s yoga classes for many years. During those years I had a few serious surgeries. Full knee replacement in both knees. She helped me recover by giving me alternative ways of doing the poses through my rehabilitation.”