In the honor of the launch of y4c in Brooklyn, we sat down with Jennifer Brillant to learn more about her practice, motivation & classes. To learn more about her y4c classes, click here.
Q: What originally inspired you to be a yoga teacher?
A: Teaching yoga is a continuation of my love of working with the body. I was a professional dancer for many years, and eventually began to teach dance. Then I realized that teaching yoga would open up the possibilities of who I could teach because anyone can do yoga.
Q: What inspired you to teach yoga for cancer survivors?
A: The first motivation for getting involved with Y4C was losing my mother many years ago to breast cancer. Then recently another close family member was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has undergone treatment and is currently doing very well. Finally, knowing Tari and the amazing impact she has made on the lives of settled it for me.
Q: How do you bring your own teaching elements into the y4c classroom?
A: I think (and hope) that experience has made me sensitive to people in difficult situations. I bring my passion for yoga and a gentleness to balance it to the y4c class.
Q: Has y4c training/teaching impacted you in any unexpected ways?
A: When I signed up for the training, I was not intending to teach. I wanted the general knowledge to improve my teaching. But within the first hour, it was clear to me that teaching y4c classes was something that I must do. During the intro circle, I realized what a huge influence this work had on people and I wanted to be part of that.
Q: What is your favorite asana and why?
A: How can a mother choose between her children which is her favorite? I love Warrior 2. I like doing balance poses. Seated poses are great. And I must do shoulder opening.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am honored to be working with Tari and 6 other amazing teachers on the Master Y4C Teacher Pilot Program. We are learning, writing, watching each other teach, offering/receiving feedback and talking about Y4C. I am committed to supporting the expansion of the work that Tari has created.
I am still working on my New Years resolutions: meditating and marketing.
I am also a Mom with a regular teaching schedule and enjoy singing once a week with the Brooklyn Community Chorus.
Jennifer Brilliant teaches a weekly y4c class at her studio, Jennifer Brilliant Yoga, in Park Slope, Brooklyn Thursdays at 5:45pm. Click here
