Twoga

My mother and I came out with an online exercise platform called “Twoga”. What is Twoga you ask? It is a combination of Yoga and Twerking. It would cost $9.99 for unlimited classes or a day pass for just $2.99 if you were unable to commit to the monthly membership or if you just wanted to try it out. Twoga would offer Twerking only classes, yoga only classes and a combination of both Yoga and Twerking. My mother is certified to teach a variety of yoga classes such as Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin and Yoga Nidra. We would offer classes from every skill level, including beginner classes. At least two times per week (if not more) we would stream live classes. My mother has a story of how she got into yoga and why it is her passion to teach it. Her name is Donna. She has a 500 RYT with Yoga Alliance. My name is Jennifer and I have my own story as how Twerking changed my life. We each have our own story to tell, and we would love to share our passion about our online idea.

Donna’s Story

I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. Over the years, I have discovered that yoga is so much more than the Asanas (yoga postures) and breath work. Yoga is also about meditation and being present. I have learned to utilize all my senses such as touch, hearing, site, smell and sound. It is about self-discovery and self-love. Yoga has significantly reduced my anxiety and depression. It has given me physical strength and increased my flexibility. Yoga has also given me peace of mind when I meditate. Yoga has given me courage and has increased my self-confidence.

In 2011, I decided to become a certified yoga instructor. I felt that yoga had such a profound impact on my life that I wanted to share the practice with others. I first obtained my 200 hr. RYT (yoga teacher training) and now I am an experienced 500 hr. RYT through Yoga Alliance. I am certified to teach Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Yoga Nidra and Children’s Yoga.

After I became certified to become a Yoga Instructor I went all out and became a business owner. I got a partner to go along with me in order to share the expenses. My partner used to be a pole dancer, so we decided to have a Yoga/ Pole dance studio. I hired 3 other Yoga Instructors to help me teach yoga classes at our studio. The name of our business was called “Natural Moves Gone Wild” but my students and Yoga Instructors came up with the name Polga (a combination of pole dance and yoga). The rent at the studio was only $700.00 split up between my partner and me. Since I had low overhead, I could offer the yoga classes at a greatly reduced price compared to other yoga studios in Colorado.

At the studio, there was 3 poles for the dance class. The poles became a useful tool because some of the newer students would use the poles during balance postures or handstands. After about 6 months I started to make decent profits. The yoga classes would be at full capacity. The Yoga Instructors would put on workshops. I found that being an owner of a studio was both exciting and serious. Unfortunately, my partner wasn’t as serious as I was.

My partner often would not show up for the pole dance classes. I would offer the pole dance students a free yoga class to appease them. They eventually became students of Yoga. I found out that my partner liked to party and drink too much. One time she disrupted a yoga class during final Svasana. Many times, she didn’t have her share of money for the lease and utility bills. After three years I had to give up the studio because she wanted to stay on, and I didn’t want to sign a lease with her.

After that I became a Yoga Instructor at big name studios. They were fancy and offered high quality yoga classes. Often these studios would either offer a free week of unlimited yoga or $30.00 for the first month for new students. Many of the students were so excited to join after their trial offer until they found out the price. It broke my heart to see some people not join because they could not afford it. Some studios in Colorado charge between $22.00- $25.00 per class.

I then started to teach at a gym which offered unlimited classes, swimming, saunas, cardio equipment and weighs for $21.99 per month. I loved it. I was finally able to teach yoga that was truly affordable for anyone. Granted it isn’t nice as the Yoga Studios, but it works. Sometimes it is even funny because you may be in a resting posture or final svasana and hear the loud music from the Spin Class next door. I have taught my students just to adapt to the sound and let it be something that is happening in the present moment. My students tell me how happy they are to afford Yoga. They tell me how much they get out of class. Teaching students Yoga is food for my soul. I absolutely love it.

Just like any other business the gym closed during the pandemic. This is where I learned to teach yoga online. I bought camara equipment and learned how to adjust lighting to have a quality picture. I have also learned how to have quality sound in my videos. Today, I still teach classes at the gym, but I also love teaching yoga online by livestreaming. I also make Yoga Videos.

My daughter and I are both Vocal Media writers. I read her submitted story about Twerking. I loved the idea. We came up with the idea of having a site for both Yoga and Twerking. I told her that I am in. I think it is an awesome idea. I want people to have an affordable way to find health, peace and mindfulness.

Jennifer’s Story

You may or may not have read a story published on Vocal titled How Twerking Saved My Life. I wrote that piece to talk about my mental health. It isn’t always something we come out and want to talk freely to each other about. Sometimes it is a lot easier to write about my feelings and let the internet read my deepest thoughts.

I began twerking as a way to come out of my depression. I was sitting on a couch for almost six months straight and felt like someone would after sitting on a couch for that long. My body ached, I was overweight, and I was tired all the time. I was hurting and I needed a fighting chance. I needed inspiration because I was battling constant suicidal thoughts and ideations.

I am bipolar and have borderline personality disorder. Suicidal thoughts can and do haunt me. I don't ever want it to get as bad as it was again, so I need activity and medicine together to help regulate my moods. The problem is, if you're like me, I hate most forms of exercise. This can pose as a real challenge and lead to further depression for me, if not addressed.

I have tried many forms of exercise and yoga was my go-to for many years. I loved it so much, I almost went to school for it just so I could know everything about it. I loved the strength and mindfulness it brought to me. I found out that it was missing something for me when it was too late. I was already in a deep depression, and I was doing everything to come out of it with no success. I was just about to give up on life completely until I heard a song that changed my life forever.

It was a very unlikely song to change someone's life, let alone someone who was on the verge of committing a final act one cannot come back from. I'll never forget August 7, 2020, when I heard the song WAP for the first time. Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B tore it up. Later seeing the video, it was how their look incorporated confidence and demanded life their way or the highway. Their twerk prowess was intoxicating to say the least.

I know some of you may be laughing or just plain wondering how WAP could save my life. The answer is it gave me the courage to slowly climb out of my depression. When I watched those women, all I could think of was how empowering they were. They are so brave to get up there and do these moves most people are too afraid to try for fear of embarrassment or whatever their issues may be.

Full disclosure, I am not good at twerking at all. I just love the confidence and life it brings. What I was missing from yoga was just that. Confidence and life. Twerking still provides me with the strength and mindfulness (like being mindful of not blowing out your knees) yoga once did, but it adds the extra spice along with it. Yoga was just a boring routine to me anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love to get my stretch on, but it is no longer my main game when it comes to workouts.

The goal is to be like these women. Even though I know I will never look like these women when I twerk, they have given me the confidence that I need to be me and to continue to want to live. I won’t look like them, but that doesn’t mean I won’t feel like them.

Twerking has helped ground me in finding my inner peace. My mind is no longer racing with suicidal thoughts. It is a workout that will never leave me that down again. I am forever grateful to these women for showing me my worth.

Too often we forget that taking care of ourselves physically can help us take care of ourselves mentally. Yoga brings me to a state of almost hypnosis/meditation because of its mindful practices. I always tell my mother-in-law that yoga is where I feel closest to a higher power. Twerking is just plain old fun mixed with the mindfulness of not hurting oneself. Putting these two ideas together would be a fresh idea to two already amazing workouts. I believe it is not only original, but it will be a blast.

We can use the memberful platform to have membership tiers at daily and monthly passes. We can livestream these classes to still receive the personalized group workout you are used to. We can also bring in live guests on our show, such as musicians or life coaches. We believe in helping the whole mind, body and soul. We think this class will be a hit because it is affordable, and you can do it from anywhere you have wifi.