Unnata® Aerial Yoga

Specialties

The main location for Unnata® Aerial Yoga classes is at the Sacred Sounds Yoga center at the listed address and phone number. You can find the schedule of classes at the Sacred Sounds website.

Classes use a low-​hanging fabric trapeze to support the weight of the body.

With the weight of the body supported, students learn how to achieve proper postural alignment through relaxation rather than effort, enhancing a peaceful state of mind.

Unnata Aerial Yoga supports your traditional Yoga practice in the following ways:

* Challenging traditional Yoga postures such as inversions and deep backbends can be achieved without effort and without strain.

* Deep muscle releases achieved in the air allow students to explore much deeper stretches in their traditional Yoga postures on the floor.

* Using an Aerial Yoga hammock can avoid common Yoga-​related injuries such as overstretching the shoulders and too much compression in the lower back.

History

Established in 2006.

Michelle Dortignac has been a certified yoga instructor since 1998, and an aerial acrobatic performer since 2004. With an interest in helping her yoga students better understand proper alignment and the true purpose of yoga, she created the Unnata Aerial Yoga style in 2006, and continues to develop it today.

Students use a Yoga hammock to dangle only inches off the ground. The hammock helps mold students’ bodies into the shapes of traditional yoga postures through relaxation rather than muscular effort. This is what distinguishes Unnata Aerial Yoga from other fitness trends as well as from many other yoga techniques — because gravity is already a strong force, students must learn to reduce the amount of effort they use. Once students have an idea of what the shape of the yoga posture is supposed to feel like, and which muscles they must relax in order for the shape to unfold, they have an easier time refinding that same posture on the floor, even without the assistance of the hammock.

Meet the Business Owner

Michelle D.

Business Owner

Michelle Dortignac, founder of Unnata® Aerial Yoga, is a Certified Yoga Instructor of more than a decade, in addition to being a Professional Aerial Acrobatic Performer.

In 1991, Michelle moved to NYC to study Dance and Yoga. The two practices became integrated for her. In 1998, she became certified to teach Vinyasa Yoga through the OM Yoga center, and began teaching at the center. In 2002, Michelle transitioned her Dance training from the floor to the air, learning the circus art form of Tissu/​Silks. That same year, she left OM Yoga center to continue to explore her unique vision of Aerial Dance and Yoga. She practiced at home, in Circus studios, and at the renowned Dharma Mittra Yoga center, culminating all her studies into this combined class — Unnata Aerial Yoga. Unnata Aerial Yoga is an organic hybrid that has grown out of a lifetime of study on movement and meditation.