Rodney Yee went to his first yoga class for simple flexibility - a necessity for his work as a professional ballet dancer. But that first class sparked a passion: He earned an Iyengar yoga teaching certificate, opened Piedmont Yoga, made the first of more than 35 DVDs and CDs, and was featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." He's co-authored two books on yoga and heads the wellness arm of friend Donna Karan's Urban Zen initiative with his wife Colleen. Rodney and Colleen teach yoga retreats around the world and classes at Yoga Shanti in Sag Harbor, N.Y. View Rodney's video bio.
Rodney Yee
Yoga in Time of War
Our son is turning 18 this summer, which qualifies him to vote in the upcoming presidential election. When I turned 18, the draft had just been disbanded. I’ve heard my oldest brother talk about his brush with the draft, his near induction. Even though my dad was a military man, us five kids were all ... read more
Serving at V-Day Superlove!
The 10th anniversary of The Vagina Monologues was celebrated in New Orleans at the Superdome on April 11 and 12, 2008. Poets, politicians, movie stars, celebrities, and social luminaries were on a monolithic stage giving speeches, having dialogues, and performing in honor of the courageous, vivacious women of Louisiana. In a 7,500 square ... read more
Free Your Breath
“He who binds the breath, binds the mind.” Svatmarama, Hatha Yoga Pradipika We spend years in pranayama, the art of breath control, trying to free up the breath. It is slippery business. So many times we end up with a manipulated breath from concepts given to us by teachers, books, videos, and countless other influences. This manipulated breath ... read more
Yoga for Cross Training
Back in the day when I was a ballet dancer, I was using yoga as a way to balance my body and my emotional states of being. Yoga was extraordinary in balancing my dance body and advancing my abilities in dance. Injury prevention, improving coordination, balancing right and left sides, breath awareness and integration, greater ... read more
Unscheduled Time
Today, having a lot on our plate, Colleen and I offered to do a business call on Saturday with a respected Gaiam employee. He said something like, “No way, I won’t interrupt your family time during the weekend.” I got off the phone thinking how smart and respectful this man is. With so many obligations, ... read more