House DJ and Hot Yoga hero
After our energising class at Hotpod yoga we caught up with Sunne, the founder of Germany’s first ever Hotpod Yoga studio in Berlin.
She shares her story of how it all began, her plans for the future and how yoga and house music make the perfect partnership…
USC: What makes Hotpod Yoga different to other types of yoga?
Sunne: Hotpod Yoga doesn’t have it’s own school or philosophy. It takes aspects from Vinyasa Flow but focusses more on the physical practice rather than the spiritual.
This makes it appealing to both experienced yogis and to people who are new to yoga and don’t have a practice yet – who perhaps have a focus on fitness like Cross Fit or running and want to add to their weekly sports schedule. The idea is “Working the body, calming the mind.”
USC: How did you first start practicing yoga? What’s your yoga story?
Sunne: So my yoga story started about 8 years ago. I used to have a career in soccer but I injured my ankles a lot. When I stopped I looked for another sport – I went to the gym and tried dancing, and then tried my first yoga class. In 2014 I discovered Jivamukti Yoga and I knew it was perfect for me.
USC: How did you discover Hotpod Yoga?
Sunne: Hotpod Yoga discovered me. I was in London with a friend who’d been going to the studio in Hackney for 2 years. I was reluctant to try it – it sounded strange and intense and I hadn’t enjoyed hot yoga before; long classes in the heat make me feel exhausted. But I went with my friend and it was a very different experience. I loved it and I realised we needed it in Berlin too.
USC: What are the benefits of practicing yoga?
Sunne: It helped me a lot with my overall flexibility. With football I couldn’t bend over and touch my toes so when I began practicing yoga I felt like my body was getting nourished. I was also working as a DJ in a DJ team called Aline and Sunė. I was exhausted over the weekend so I wanted to give something back to my body during the week.
For the last 1.5 years I’ve DJed at yoga and sports events – most recently for a yoga event with the entire Eisbaren Berlin team! DJing and yoga go really well together.
Because of my background in yoga I can connect with the teacher in the class and sense how the music can work with them. People love it.
I also Yoga DJ for the Agape Zoe and Lollapalooza Festival, Urban Fit Days, Wanderlust Cologne and this year Hamburg, Berlin & Frankfurt!
USC: What are your plans for the future?
Sunne: We’ve only been fully running since 2nd January 2018. We already have a lovely community – lots of regular customers and lots of Urban Sports Club members. It’s a great selection of people. For now our focus is to set up the studio.
Our plans for the next few months will be focussing on workshops and building our community. Hotpod Yoga is appealing to new yogis so we will start a monthly Beginners Workshop. It will be for newcomers but also for people who want to deepen their understanding of yoga basics.
Like Hotpod Yoga Berlin’s Facebook page for all upcoming events and workshops.
Check out Sunne’s Yoga-DJ Facebook page. Here’s a video of Sunne’s Eisbaren Berlin Yoga Mix
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