About His Teaching Methods
He is an authorized Yoga Narada ® Teacher and a ballet teacher authorized in the Harkness Ballet Method, which was developped further by David Howard. J Ryan worked very closely under the tutelage of both Hilary Cartwright and David Howard over many years. J Ryan also studied under Ruth Petrinovic, co-founder of the Harkness Ballet Method, delving into her own Revolutionary Principles of Movement and with Judith Reyn in her Anatomy for Dancers Workshop.
Who was Narada?
A wise, yet humorous Vedic sage who believed that through music, movement and dance, one can open the doors to wisdom and enlightenment, with clarity and grace. His foremost teaching was: To treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.
What is Yoga Narada®?
This yoga, developed by Hilary Cartwright, is not your traditional yoga. This approach is scientifically based and gives a fluidity into the rootedness of the yang. It provides a way to achieve flexibility in the body, while maintaining coordinated control, passing smoothly from one shape to another. This method does not require any props or machines and therefore can be practiced in any setting. This work has been utilized at institutions worldwide such as Paris Opera Ballet, Alvin Ailey School, Dutch National Ballet Academie, American Ballet Theatre School, Joffrey Ballet School (Chicago), and Houston Ballet, to name a few. For dancers: The structure of this work prepares the dancers mind, alignment and necessary muscle groups for the tasks involved in a dancer’s everyday work life.
Description of the Class
During the class, one moves from a sensory awareness of the physical body, to a progression of specific breath work, which activates and stimulates the nervous system. The focus is on inspired imagery and rhythmical structure. Through flowing movements, the class progresses with a series of standing, seated, lying and again standing sequences, concluding with an acknowledgement of oneself and the space around. Each person is brought back to the reality of both their external surroundings and their inner self.
What does Yoga Narada® and David Howard (Harkness Ballet Method) have in common?
I’m the only teacher in the world that combines both these particular methods. I have an enormous respect and appreciation for the other longer standing techniques utilized in the heritage of ballet training. We don’t need to change “the wheel”, but rather we can coexist within the already established traditions. While there is no one technique/ method that has all the answers, I do believe there are benefits within the methods that I teach that can contribute to the ballet education/ dance education conversation. Within these two approaches is a scientifically based support for the human experience, anatomical function, balanced energy, freedom of movement and artistic expression. All of these elements are a support in aligning into ballet or whatever genre you teach or dance.
About Hilary Cartwright
Following her career as a soloist with the Royal Ballet (England), Hilary became a teacher, a coach and a director of a number of ballet companies. She has also staged a number of ballets, and is an Ashton Associate. She developed Yoga Narada®, which she had been teaching for the past 25 years as "Yoga for Dancers,” after co-founding White Cloud Studio in New York with Juliu Horvath. Her unique approach and presentation have taken her all over the world. Her work is acclaimed by dancers in internationally renowned ballet companies, taught at schools for young students, and an expanding group of individuals who are non-dancers. Yoga Narada® is taught at American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Houston Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe, to name a few. She started Yoga Narada® retreats in Italy the summer of 2006 housed in a beautiful picturesque villa outside Florence. This original endeavor continues annually and has expanded to include retreats in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, London and Bath England, Paris, Morocco, Hawaii, California, Portland, and Seattle. These locations have become training centers for the team of new teachers she is assembling. Future locations are now in planning stages.
More on Hilary Cartwright here: www.hilarycartwright.com/resume