**Nuggets on Novelty & Traditional Yoga Fusion in Fitness:**

- **Convenience and Accessibility:** Platforms like Peloton Yoga provide live and on-demand classes, making yoga accessible for busy clients and those preferring at-home options.

A variety of instructors and class focuses (e.g., mood, body part) allow for personalized and flexible routines.

- **Physical and Mental Health Benefits:** Both traditional and hybrid classes (like Peloton or CorePower) highlight stress reduction, improved recovery, bodily awareness, and feelings of connection.

These are core benefits carried across traditional and novel yoga forms.

- **Community and Inclusivity:** Modern yoga fusions and boutique settings stress community support and inclusivity (e.g., The Queer Gym’s safe spaces, drag yoga classes).

This dynamic, welcoming environment helps clients feel at ease and motivates consistent participation.

- **Hybridization and Entertainment:** New classes increasingly blend traditional yoga with entertaining or novel elements—animal-assisted yoga, use of unique equipment like shock-absorbent moon shoes, or themed environments.

These variations increase engagement for clients who might be less inclined to try conventional yoga.

- **Personalization and Professional Adaptation:** Trainers at newer gyms are more likely to tailor instruction based on individual client history and needs.

This hands-on adaptability is a selling point for all class formats, including yoga.

- **Trends and Experimentation:** Studios and gyms are willing to experiment with fun, engaging entry-level activities like dance-yoga or group fitness with special equipment, making fitness approachable for a broader population and retaining client interest.

- **Streaming and Free Access:** The rise of free or low-cost streaming services during the pandemic (e.g., CorePower Yoga) has democratized access and made it easier to introduce yoga and fusion classes to clients of all backgrounds.

- **Effectiveness vs.

**Nuggets on Novelty & Traditional Yoga Fusion in Fitness:**

- **Convenience and Accessibility:** Platforms like Peloton Yoga provide live and on-demand classes, making yoga accessible for busy clients and those preferring at-home options.

Title:

Content: Peloton Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Yoga Classes on Peloton

Peloton is a well-known fitness company that offers a variety of workout options, including cycling, running, strength training, and yoga. Peloton yoga is popular among fitness enthusiasts who want to improve their flexibility, balance, and strength. Peloton yoga classes are led by world-class instructors offering various teaching styles and training backgrounds to cater to different needs and preferences.

Peloton yoga is available both live and on-demand, making it easy for users to fit yoga into their busy schedules. The Peloton app offers a variety of yoga classes, including vinyasa, power yoga, restorative yoga, and yoga conditioning. Users can choose courses based on their experience level, mood, music style, and fitness goals.

Peloton yoga is more than just a workout; it is a way to connect with oneself and find inner peace. Peloton yoga focuses on diving deep into specific poses, body parts, or even moods. Regarding the recovery element of Peloton yoga, consider it a rest day. Peloton yoga helps users to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, making it a great addition to any fitness routine.

What is Peloton Yoga?

Peloton Yoga is an on-demand yoga program offered by Peloton. It is designed to help users improve their flexibility, strength, and mindfulness through various yoga classes. Peloton Yoga has a range of classes for all levels, from beginner to advanced, and offers live and on-demand classes.

The program is rooted in five elements of the practice: foundation, power, focus, recovery, and unity. Each element allows members to curate their practice to match their interests, experience, and ability. Peloton yoga focuses on diving deep into specific poses, body parts, or even moods. Regarding the recovery element of Peloton yoga, think: rest day. As the name suggests, it is designed to help users recover from intense workouts and reduce stress levels.

Peloton Yoga offers a variety of classes, including Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin yoga. Vinyasa yoga is a dynamic style of yoga that links breath with movement. Hatha yoga is a slower-paced practice that focuses on holding poses for longer periods. Yin yoga is a restorative practice that involves holding poses for several minutes to release tension and increase flexibility.

Peloton Yoga also has a range of expert instructors who guide users through their practice. The instructors are experienced and certified yoga professionals who offer personalized instruction and modifications for all levels.

Benefits of Peloton Yoga

Physical Benefits

Peloton Yoga is a great way to improve your overall physical health. The practice can help you build strength, increase flexibility, and improve your balance. Additionally, it can help you manage your weight by burning calories and reducing stress levels. Here are some of the physical benefits of Peloton Yoga:

  • Builds strength in the muscles
  • Increases flexibility and range of motion
  • Improves balance and stability
  • Burns calories and promotes weight loss
  • Reduces stress and tension in the body

Mental Benefits

In addition to the physical benefits, Peloton Yoga can positively impact your mental health. The practice can help you reduce stress, improve your mood, and increase your overall well-being. Here are some of the mental benefits of Peloton Yoga:

  • Reduces stress and anxiety
  • Improves mood and promotes feelings of happiness
  • Increases mindfulness and self-awareness
  • Boosts overall sense of well-being
  • Improves sleep quality and duration

Social Benefits

Peloton Yoga is also a great way to connect with others and build community. The practice can help you meet new people, make friends, and develop a support system. Additionally, it can help you feel more connected to your body and your surroundings. Here are some of the social benefits of Peloton Yoga:

  • Connects you with like-minded individuals
  • Offers a sense of community and support
  • Provides opportunities for personal growth and development
  • Encourages a sense of connection to your body and surroundings

Peloton Yoga Classes

Types of Classes

Peloton offers various yoga classes catering to different levels and preferences. The classes are grouped into three categories that fall under the area of “foundation”: Yoga Flow, Yoga Basics, and Yoga Anywhere. Yoga Flow classes are designed for intermediate and advanced yogis who want to challenge themselves with dynamic sequences. Yoga Basics classes are ideal for beginners or anyone who wants to improve their alignment, breathing, and mindfulness. Yoga, Anywhere classes, are perfect for those who want to practice yoga on the go or in limited space.

Instructors

Peloton has a team of world-class yoga instructors bringing unique styles and expertise to each class. Some popular Peloton yoga instructors include Kristin McGee, Aditi Shah, and Denis Morton. Each instructor’s bio on the Peloton website provides information about their background, certifications, and teaching philosophy. Members can choose their favorite instructors and follow their classes for a consistent yoga experience.

Class Formats

Peloton offers several class formats that combine yoga with other disciplines such as strength, cardio, and meditation. Some popular designs include Yoga Bootcamp, Yoga Flow + Meditation, and Yoga + Stretching. Yoga Bootcamp is a high-intensity workout that combines yoga poses with strength and cardio exercises. Yoga Flow + Meditation is a calming practice focusing on breathwork and mindfulness. Yoga + Stretching is a gentle class that helps to release tension and improve flexibility. Overall, Peloton yoga classes provide a comprehensive and personalized yoga experience for members of all levels. With various class types, expert instructors, and innovative formats, Peloton easily incorporates yoga into your fitness routine.

Peloton Yoga Equipment

When it comes to practicing yoga on Peloton, there are a few essential pieces of equipment that you will need. The right clothing and a yoga mat are the two main items you will need to get started. It is vital to wear comfortable and breathable clothing that allows for a full range of motion. A high-quality yoga mat will provide the necessary grip and cushioning to support your practice. Peloton offers its own branded yoga mat, but other options are available on the market.

In addition to the basics, there are a few optional pieces of equipment that you should consider. Yoga blocks, a yoga bolster, and a yoga strap, can all be helpful tools to enhance your practice. Yoga blocks provide extra support and stability during certain poses, while a yoga bolster can be used for seated and standing postures. A yoga strap can help you deepen your stretches and improve your flexibility.

While not essential, you should consider adding a few non-essential items to your practice. An eye pillow can be used during savasana to help you relax and unwind. Liquid chalk can also be helpful if your hands get sweaty during your practice, providing extra grip on your mat.

Overall, the equipment you need for Peloton yoga is relatively minimal. Investing in high-quality basics such as a yoga mat and comfortable clothing is a good place to start, and you can add additional pieces as you progress in your practice.

Peloton Yoga Membership

Peloton offers a variety of membership options for those who want to practice yoga. All memberships come with access to the Peloton App, live and on-demand classes, personalized class recommendations, and training programs.

The Peloton Yoga Membership is perfect for those who want to focus exclusively on yoga. This membership provides access to various yoga classes, programs, and instructors. With the Peloton Yoga Membership, you can choose from beginner, intermediate, or advanced classes and classes that focus on specific areas like flexibility, strength, and balance. In addition to the yoga classes, the Peloton Yoga Membership also includes access to Peloton’s yoga instructors.

The instructors are experienced and knowledgeable, and they provide guidance and support to help you get the most out of your practice. You can choose to follow a specific instructor or try out different instructors to find the one that works best for you. If you need more time to be ready to commit to a Peloton Yoga Membership, you can also access yoga classes through the Peloton App Membership.

This membership provides access to Peloton’s classes, including yoga, cycling, running, and strength training. You can take yoga classes as part of your overall fitness routine or focus exclusively on yoga when you want to. Overall, Peloton’s yoga memberships are a great way to practice yoga from your home. With a wide range of classes, programs, and instructors, you can find a practice that works for you.

Conclusion

Peloton Yoga is a great option for those looking to practice yoga from their home. With various classes to choose from, including different difficulty levels and lengths, there is something for everyone. Peloton Yoga also offers classes that focus on specific body areas, such as arms, core, and glutes, making it an excellent option for cross-training.

The five elements of Peloton Yoga – foundation, power, focus, recovery, and unity – provide a framework for members to curate their practice to match their interests, experience, and ability. The instructors are knowledgeable and skilled, giving clear instructions and modifications for different levels.

In general, Peloton Yoga classes are good for enhancing recovery, improving athleticism, and increasing performance. They offer restful workouts and meditation for healing and focus, while providing challenging courses for those looking to improve their strength and flexibility. Overall, Peloton Yoga is a great option for those looking to practice yoga in a convenient and customizable way.

A variety of instructors and class focuses (e.g., mood, body part) allow for personalized and flexible routines.

- **Physical and Mental Health Benefits:** Both traditional and hybrid classes (like Peloton or CorePower) highlight stress reduction, improved recovery, bodily awareness, and feelings of connection.

These are core benefits carried across traditional and novel yoga forms.

- **Community and Inclusivity:** Modern yoga fusions and boutique settings stress community support and inclusivity (e.g., The Queer Gym’s safe spaces, drag yoga classes).

Title:

Content: (Fitness)

How The Queer Gym Became A Safe Space For The LGBTQIA+ Community

12 years of inclusivity.

By Elyssa Goodman
Courtesy of The Queer Gym

It’s Sunday morning on the West Coast and Nathalie Huerta, aka Coach Nat, is on Zoom with a group of her clients from The Queer Gym. They’re tuning in from across the country: Shreveport, Louisiana, Appleton, Wisconsin, New York City, and San Francisco, among others. Sunday mornings are for The Queer Gym’s Adulting class, which instructs clients on everything from today’s topic of protein to finance to time management and more. In the class, Huerta is charismatic and accessible: this is what micros are, this is what macros are, these are some of her favorite proteins (“Dude, protein pasta with my meatballs, you can’t tell me sh*t!”), this is how often you need to eat protein and how much. She encourages people to ask questions, make recommendations, tell her what they want to get out of the class, and offer feedback. But there’s more happening here than just a talk about protein. “Fitness and nutrition is our drag,” Huerta likes to say. “Accountability and community is really what we're about.”

In fact, the latter have been central to The Queer Gym since Huerta opened it in 2010. Originally based in Oakland, California, the fitness studio — the first of its kind in the country — has since gone totally online, having given up its brick and mortar space during the pandemic. But, as Huerta says, this actually makes the gym more accessible to people around the country seeking queer-friendly fitness classes they might not have otherwise. Such an experience is central to the reason The Queer Gym exists at all.

Huerta remembers working as a trainer in a gym over a decade ago, being treated differently once she cut her hair from what she refers to as a “more feminine-presenting look to a more queer-presenting look.” She realized, too, that though she was out herself, she rarely found other queer members at her gym. There were “ripped hot gay men,” she said, but she noticed any other queer folks would come in for a week or two, try it out, and rarely return.

She also noticed that, even as a trainer, she wasn’t always well-equipped to help some members of the queer community. A client, a trans woman, came to her with questions about hormones and fitness and Huerta didn’t know what to say. “I remember feeling inadequate and being like, if I'm the best suited in here to train them, and I am finding myself clueless, it makes sense why there's no [queer] people, because there's no one that knows how to serve the community,” she said. “And they would rather not show up and be uncomfortable. Because it's already an uncomfortable feeling if you don't know what you're doing in the gym, which is 90% of people. And then you slap on the queer thing. Like, no wonder.”

Huerta didn’t want anyone else to feel this way and wanted to find a way to get everyone the training they needed and deserved — create a space where people could feel nurtured, a place where fitness could be for everyone regardless of gender, presentation, size, sexual orientation, anything. Then, at 25, as a full-time grad student, she opened The Queer Gym. At first, the gym offered only one-on-one training, then expanded to group training, where more people seemed to thrive. Group training became the focus, with an addition of semi-private instruction. As years progressed, semi-private instruction with an option for online classes then became the order of the day.

Then, the pandemic hit. The gym pivoted yet again and left its brick and mortar space, transitioning fully online, where members can now take classes via group training classes on Zoom. There are sessions every day, like “Biceptuals” on Mondays and Thursdays; “Oakland Booty” on Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays, to name a few. There’s also the Hard Core Homo Academy, which offers access to classes, nutrition, and regular coaching at a financially customizable rate. Classes are an hour long and kept at small sizes so members can still get personalized attention. Shorter classes launched on IG Live on June 9.

Every class offered by The Queer Gym is led by coaches trained to work with the queer community and of the community themselves. Huerta recalls a former marine applying for a job as a trainer. “He was giving me his straight, corporate vibe, but I could see right through it,” she says. “Be you,” she said to him. “We want this to be a safe space for you, too. So if you want to show up to teach a class in drag, I'm here for it.” Although she was just offering an example, as it turned out, the trainer really did do drag, and was soon teaching in it. “His classes were a show of him kicking your ass in full drag,” she says with a smile.

Every class has its own vibe, of course, but always with that same sensitivity to creating community and safety. They all open with a statement of pronouns and an ice-breaking discussion question. In Coach Lisa’s Weights & Meditate virtual class I attended on a Friday, for example, the ice-breaking topic is favorite de-stressors. Two attendees wear Street Fighter and Sailor Moon shirts, which another attendee loves — “these are my people!” Even if it’s just about the moment, it’s still poignant. Positive affirmation empowers them to feel strong, but they’re also not deterred from sharing difficulties while rising to the challenge that the class’ HIIT training presents.

As much as The Queer Gym allows both clients and trainers to feel more relaxed wherever they are in their fitness journey and/or identity experience, it’s something that has grown over time and continues to progress every year, every day even. Huerta noticed early on, for example, that even though part of her original goal was to better serve the trans community, transgender clients would stay for two months then cancel, so she finally asked for feedback. While people she spoke to understood her intention of creating an accessible fitness space, they felt the execution wasn’t there. Even if the space was safe, training and language usage needed to be more inclusive. “They were right,” she said. “I realized that I can be the gay and lesbian gym, or I could be the queer gym, get educated on what I need to learn, and be inclusive of everybody in the community.” She took their feedback to heart and educated herself and her staff to make sure they were properly serving all members of the queer community.

Since it began, the gym has made strides in making sure everyone feels safe, seen, and secure, and the strides show: one third of its clientele identify as transgender now, for example, and retain their memberships. So accountability is not just for the clients. “Nothing tells you about yourself like a business. Because it will show you where you suck. And for me, I grew up,” Huerta says. “I'm the first queer gym which is cool, right? It's cool to pioneer [a] new space. But there's also nobody that's gone ahead of me. And I think there's a certain expectation for me to get it perfect. And when I didn't, you know, the internet's quick to tell you about it.” Huerta is proud that there’s a diverse representation of the queer community, that people join and stay. The community is dynamic, she says, and she knows the best way the gym can continue to serve is to be dynamic, too.

The dynamism doesn’t stop with the gym, either. “One of my biggest growth opportunities as a leader was changing my perspective on vulnerability, like vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness, and the more vulnerable that you're comfortable being, the better leader you become.” The fact that Huerta’s business actively engages with queerness was part of what helped her access her own vulnerability, always fueled, she said, by “my passion for what I do and who I do it for, who I do it with.” This passion is part of what keeps her and The Queer Gym afloat. Another part is always the desire to remain true to the gym’s original mission. “I want to be proud about the realness I'm bringing,” she says. “I just don't have time to be fake.”

This dynamic, welcoming environment helps clients feel at ease and motivates consistent participation.

- **Hybridization and Entertainment:** New classes increasingly blend traditional yoga with entertaining or novel elements—animal-assisted yoga, use of unique equipment like shock-absorbent moon shoes, or themed environments.

Title:

Content: The changing face of fitness in India

New Delhi, April 9 (IANSlife) Over the last 24 months, the fitness industry has seen a complete shake-up, with Covid-19-related shutdowns resulting in gyms closing shop, many scrambling to digitise their business offerings, and many trainers and small businesses left hapless in its wake.

As with most businesses around the world, technology has been a central theme, with accelerated adoption during the pandemic fueling unprecedented changes in consumer behaviour willing to try new apps, workouts, and be counselled all from the comfort of their own home.

However, with everyone jumping on the “online fitness” bandwagon, albeit with a variety of approaches, there has been a significant increase in the number of fitness platforms all vying to “disrupt” the fitness industry.

The fitness industry in India is no different, and here are some material changes.

The Customer

The pandemic drove millions of people who were suddenly barred from their favourite gyms, forcing consumers to accelerate their adoption of home fitness. Home workouts, which were previously unthinkable, became the only way to go, and people began to see the benefits of these workouts, which included increased flexibility, privacy, and the convenience of being able to workout at home. In addition, many myths about bodyweight workouts being ineffective were debunked, allowing consumers to push themselves through intense workouts.

Fitness app downloads are expected to have increased by 46 percent worldwide in the second quarter of 2020, with India leading the way with a 156 percent increase, adding approximately 58 million new active users!

Fitness Studios

Traditional studios became agile during the pandemic by developing capabilities to cater to at-home consumers, focusing on home workouts, and moving all personal training to video apps for nearly a year. Similarly, many coaches began offering online group classes in order to retain customers and make ends meet.

And now that gyms and studios are open again, businesses and trainers are continuing to offer hybrid programmes to help clients stay consistent regardless of which mode they choose.

Fitness Tech Platforms

Fitness platforms offer far more than just fitness through technology, but also accountability, community, group challenges, rewards programmes, access to exclusive events, and so much more  no wonder people embraced them, and they became the pandemic’s largest gainers, with ready solutions to die-hard enthusiasts’ fitness woes. To attract customers, they also included a variety of entry-level programmes such as dance, yoga, and mindfulness.

Their subscription services allowed you to exercise at your leisure while feeling more connected to those around you and accountable to a coach or community.

Big changes are still taking place in the industry, as the entire spectrum of home fitness (or anytime-anywhere-accessible-fitness) is quickly becoming the norm, with more people opting for remote formats.

Tech platforms are currently reimagining the entire fitness experience, putting the consumer at the centre. This is accomplished through the use of hyper-personalization, in which programmes can be built seamlessly around clients’ lifestyles, heart rates, sleep, nutrition logs, daily step count, and mood patterns, among other things  using these correctly can be powerful in how we can improve results for each individual, all while doing activities they enjoy.

Fitness apps can be designed to provide meaningful experiences for customers regardless of their preferences, location, or price point. This, combined with meaningful insights, can assist us in losing weight while not giving up foods we enjoy or engaging in activities we enjoy!

Doing what we enjoy leads to consistency and sustainability, which makes leading a healthy lifestyle easier. “What gets measured gets done,” and “what gets done gets done”! All of this culminates in hyper-personalization and keeping the customer at the centre of everything we do!

(Ketan Mavinkurve is Founder and CEO of Alpha Coach)

20220409-205953

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These variations increase engagement for clients who might be less inclined to try conventional yoga.

- **Personalization and Professional Adaptation:** Trainers at newer gyms are more likely to tailor instruction based on individual client history and needs.

This hands-on adaptability is a selling point for all class formats, including yoga.

- **Trends and Experimentation:** Studios and gyms are willing to experiment with fun, engaging entry-level activities like dance-yoga or group fitness with special equipment, making fitness approachable for a broader population and retaining client interest.

- **Streaming and Free Access:** The rise of free or low-cost streaming services during the pandemic (e.g., CorePower Yoga) has democratized access and made it easier to introduce yoga and fusion classes to clients of all backgrounds.

Title:

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Keep your New Year's resolutions with these free streaming workouts on your TV

Jump into your 2022 resolutions with your TV remote to stream these free workout options.

Raise your hand if you've ever felt inspired to jumpstart an exercise regimen while devouring YouTube videos or Ebenezer Samuel's Instagram posts. Each turn of the new year, millions of us resolve to devote more time to personal wellness with an emphasis on physical activity. Cozy holiday meals and months of sedentary living give way to visions of Rocky-like training, curated workout playlists, and lofty fitness goals. It's 2022 and time to step it up.

Now you can tap into the power of streaming TV to help meet those New Year's resolutions. Rather than pay for a gym or yoga studio membership, you can attend classes right at home, for free, and work out in your living room.

Here are a few of the best places to start.

YouTube is the most obvious stop for fitness content where you'll find a variety of styles, trainers, and niche fare. Whether you're looking for weight-lifting instruction, dance, yoga, full body workouts or cycling, there's something for everyone on YouTube. To help you navigate the scene, we suggest checking out a few channels.

Visit The Yoga Room or Yoga with Adriene for beginner yoga techniques. Body Project's YouTube videos have multiple intensity levels, and More Life Health Seniors features stretches and other exercises for strength and balance.

Head over to 305 Fitness for high-energy dance workouts with in-house DJs. Of course, Chloe Ting, Thenx, Simeon Panda, and Pamela Reif's channels all provide at-home programs that focus on every part of the body.

Launched in 2019, FitOn offers hundreds of free on-demand and live workouts that include strength training, HIIT, cardio, yoga, walking, dance, prenatal and circuits. Home to an array of high- and low-impact sequences, the app has routines that are tailored for individuals or entire families. You have the option to choose your intensity level, session length or target body area.

Follow along with professional trainers or celebrity instructors like Halle Berry, Lindsey Vonn, or the Chainsmokers to experience martial arts, Zumba, and body sculpting drills. And each day, FitOn offers up to 10 live group classes that you can attend without anyone seeing you. Now available to stream on Roku and Apple TV.

During the pandemic, CorePower Yoga began offering some of its online classes for free. While the majority of its content is accessible with a paid subscription, you can also stream its collection of free classes without being a paying member.

Ranging from 20 minutes to an hour, each of the seven sessions focuses on a different area. Keep in mind that in yoga, it's OK for beginners to follow one or more of the same routines daily as the body and mind become accustomed to the new practice. Download the CorePower Yoga app on Roku, FireTV, Android TVs or Apple TV to stream the free classes.

Prime Video members have access to Amazon's free library of exercise videos that cover Pilates, yoga, strength training, weight-lifting and more. The platform's "Exercise & Fitness" section houses fitness content for all ages. Stream workouts from Maggie Binkley, a 10-day yoga challenge with Chelsey Jones or Qigong instruction from Don Fiore.

Fawesome is known for being a streaming service that offers movies and TV shows, but the app also has dedicated fitness content. Users can stream videos under its Fawesome Yoga, Fawesome Pilates or Fawesome Fit You umbrellas where you'll find barre, cardio, yogalates, kettlebell, full body sequences and more. And most of the workouts are short and sweet. Stream the Fawesome app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV or your smart TV.

Looking for more? Netflix makes it easy to practice mindfulness with its Headspace content. Samsung's new smart TVs have a wellness hub, and Tubi users can tap into more than 100 free fitness videos (including Jane Fonda classics). You can also hit the ground running with these paid subscription services for your workouts.

Now playing: Watch this: Apple Fitness Plus adds new workout routines
1:47

- **Effectiveness vs.

Title:

Content: Alexandra Wells leading IMAGE TECH for Dancers. Photo by David Gonsier, Courtesy Wells

5 Somatic Techniques Founded By Dancers

Although somatic disciplines share a common set of values—internal sensing, increased ease, embodied anatomy, efficient action—the path to achieving all of that can vary wildly. How can you find the method that best speaks to you? It may be useful to look at some less familiar yet potent somatic gems founded by dancers and deeply tied to performance practices.

Noyes Rhythm

The founder: Florence Fleming Noyes was a prominent member of the free-dance movement of the early 20th century. She looked to patterns in nature, from the unfurling of a leaf to cloud formation, to better understand the work of the body. Noyes also emphasized deep rest, slowing down and outdoor improvisation to achieve "sentiency," her idea of aliveness.

What class involves: Noyes Rhythm includes a technique class to learn the "mathematics of the body," and a recreation class, which is a guided improvisation inspired by nature. Both take place outdoors most summers at Shepherd's Nine in Portland, Connecticut, the home of the work since 1919.

"Noyes is both somatics and dance—not somatics separated from or applied to dance," says Meg Brooker, a Noyes Rhythm teacher. "The use of music and work with ensemble awareness distinguish us from other somatic practices."

Is it for you? This is ideal for those who want to connect the inside with the outside, along with a chance to dance freely after somatic explorations.

Shin Somatics

The founder: Sondra Fraleigh, professor of dance emeritus at SUNY Brockport, is certified in Feldenkrais and craniosacral therapy, and also brings extensive study of myofascial release, effective communication, butoh, yoga and Zen meditation to the somatic table of riches she has created.

What class involves: Shin Somatics offers a range of practices, such as intuitive dance, somatic yoga and Shin restore bodywork. Workshop themes include "Dancing Down the Bones" (focusing on experiential anatomy) and "Land to Water Yoga."

"Body and mind unity guides our work," says Fraleigh. "The curriculum works in a spiral, and topics return with more enrichment each time."

Is it for you? Shin Somatics works well for those who want variety and agency. "The practice has just enough structure to provide a score for somatic exploration, while creating space to bring your own experience," says Denise Purvis, who is pursuing a doctorate in dance focused on Shin Somatics at Texas Woman's University.

Kinetic Awareness

The founder: Choreographer and filmmaker Elaine Summers, a founding member of the Judson Dance Theater, was a proponent of deep listening to the body and a student of somatic legend Carola Speads.

What class involves: Students might start out focusing on one part of the body, exploring all of its potential in a free-movement section. Kinetic Awareness is sometimes known as "the ball work," because a class might include balls of varying sizes. "The balls are not just used as props, but as tactile and sensory aids," says master teacher Jill Green. "We press into the ball, and think of the ball as part of our body."

Is it for you? Kinetic Awareness is for those wanting a subtle, gentle and informative practice, respecting the intrinsic intelligence of the body. "The concept of letting my body stretch itself created a deep connection to myself as a performer," says Johanna Meyer, who brings Kinetic Awareness concepts into her popular Pilates for dancers class at Movement Research.

IMAGE TECH for Dancers

The Founder: During her time teaching at Juilliard, Alexandra Wells created IMAGE TECH for Dancers. Her ballet class directly followed somatics, and she noticed that students weren't carrying the information from their work with Irene Dowd and Alexander Technique into their vertical, weight-bearing classes, like ballet. Now senior director of training at Gibney, Wells continues to develop her practice, which is one of the few somatic methods that takes place in the vertical plane.

What class involves: The practice uses images and tactile prompts to inititate energetic directions, prompting muscle groups to activate, stabilizing the skeletal structure, and providing space for greater mobility. The aim is to connect the dots while standing. Wells borrows images from dance and somatic leaders, such as Victor Quijada's "nutella arms," Dowd's "visceral sphere" and Artemis Gordon's "marching ants."

Is it for you? IMAGE TECH can be used as a pre-class tune-up. "The combination of direction and images helps me engage properly," says Leslie Andrea Williams of the Martha Graham Dance Company. "I understand how my body works and feel the support I need in my back."

Topf Technique/Dynamic Anatomy

The Founder: Nancy Topf's seminal work with her colleagues helped lead to the development of Anatomical Release Technique. After intense study with Barbara Clark, Topf developed her own method.

What class involves: "Visualization changes the direction of our thoughts and leads toward an awareness of our center," wrote Topf in The Anatomy of Center. Before and after taking a close look at the anatomical focus of the day, such as the psoas muscle or diaphragm, the class offers time to explore. Topf's work is equal parts poetic and precise as students work toward internalizing anatomical knowledge.

Is it for you? This is a great class for performers who want to better understand anatomy and move from that information.

Latest Posts

Photo by Ema Peter, Courtesy University of Southern California, Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

More Than Just a Studio

There's a special connection between dancers and the studios where they spend countless hours—even years—developing their craft. That's why colleges that want to attract and nurture the very best talent invest in the very best resources—like top-quality flooring from a trusted manufacturer like Harlequin—to inspire and support their students both mentally and physically.

Check out these college dance studios—and their sweeping views, eye-catching design, and industry-leading Harlequin floors—that are soon to become a home away from home to the class of 2025.

GO DEEPER SHOW LESS


Here are summarized nuggets of information relevant to your request, focusing especially on the Elgin Marbles controversy and its broader context:

- **Cultural Property and Historical Context**: The Elgin Marbles—more accurately called the Parthenon Marbles—are sculptures that have been part of Greek heritage for over 2,000 years, and are deeply intertwined with Greek culture and identity.

Their removal by Lord Elgin from the Parthenon in the early 19th century and subsequent acquisition by the British Museum is a major source of international controversy.

- **Dispute Overview**: The primary issue is over rightful ownership and cultural patrimony.

Greece has sought the return of the Marbles, claiming they were wrongfully taken during a period when Greece was under Ottoman occupation and could not consent.

The UK and the British Museum maintain that Elgin’s actions were legal by the standards of his time and that the Marbles have been preserved and made accessible to a global audience in London.

- **Ethics and Archaeology**: The Elgin Marbles dispute highlights key challenges archaeologists face: balancing the pursuit of knowledge and making contributions to global heritage with respecting the wishes and rights of source communities or nations.

As you reflect on making your own mark in the field, it’s important to engage with living cultures and legal frameworks, recognizing that what was considered legal or acceptable in the past may not align with current ethical standards.

- **Potential Resolution**: Though the marbles remain in the British Museum, dialogue continues between Greece and the UK.

Proposals for resolution have included cultural exchanges, loans of the marbles to Greece, or partial restitution.

However, no final agreement has yet been reached.

The case raises broader questions about repatriation of cultural heritage and sets important precedents for archaeologists worldwide.

Here are summarized nuggets of information relevant to your request, focusing especially on the Elgin Marbles controversy and its broader context:

- **Cultural Property and Historical Context**: The Elgin Marbles—more accurately called the Parthenon Marbles—are sculptures that have been part of Greek heritage for over 2,000 years, and are deeply intertwined with Greek culture and identity.

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Content: News, Views and More

Could Snapchat have a solution to the Elgin Marbles dispute? | Science and technology news

The developers of the popular app that most people associate with wearing silly filters specialize in culture and art, offering museum visitors new ways to experience history in some of the world's most famous museums and galleries.

From Tom Acres, technology reporter

Saturday 2 December 2023, 2:50am, UK

Rishi Sunak is known for loving technology. So could it offer him a way out of his unpleasant diplomatic dispute with Greece over the Elgin Marbles?

Augmented Reality (AR) is exciting Snap think it could.

The developers of the app that most people associate with wearing silly filters specialize in culture and art, offering visitors new ways to experience history in some of the world's most famous museums and galleries.

Snaps AR has been used to reinvent exhibitions Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, Miami's trendy Art Basel fair, London's Design Museum and most recently the legendary Louvre in Paris.

The museum's Egyptian Antiquities Department now offers 3D reconstructions of long-lost works of art and other historical monuments, viewable via QR codes or the Snapchat camera on mobile phones.

If it's good enough for the Louvre, could it be good enough for the British Museum and enable the return of the Elgin Marbles? Greece?

Read more:
What are the Elgin Marbles and why are they in the British Museum?

What is the Elgin Marbles dispute about?

History in your hands

“We started conversations,” jokes Donatien Bozon, head of Snap’s AR studio in Paris.

Its 14-person team was founded last year with a mission to bring AR to arts, culture and education and prove that Snapchat's technology can go far beyond giving your friends virtual dog-ears.

Cultural institutions expressed interest in tapping into the app's 750 million user audience and offering new experiences to regular visitors – all without requiring additional physical space.

“We felt confident that we could leverage not just the front camera of the phone,” he says, pointing to Snapchat’s common use case as a selfie-driven messaging app, “but also the back camera.”

“You can expand the world,” he adds. “And it opens up so many possibilities.”

Also in the Louvre is a digital twin of the 222-ton granite Luxor Obelisks. Built during the reign of Ramses II for the Egyptian Luxor Temple, one was later moved to the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

However, a spot in the Louvre's courtyard was originally considered. And so, in its own attempt to rewrite history, the museum worked with Snap to “remove the constraints of physics” and have one installed virtually.

Point your phone's camera at the spot where it might have been standing and this is how it appears.

Picture:
A Luxor obelisk stands in the Louvre and uses augmented reality technology. Image: Snap

Where tradition meets technology

Not that AR could ever really replace the original.

“It’s in the name,” says Bozon. “It enhances the experience, not replaces it.”

Probably not a truly satisfactory solution to the Elgin-Marbles dispute.

But the British Museum has dabbled in AR. Aimed primarily at children, it allows guests using Samsung tablets to take AR-controlled tours of the Roman Empire and Parthenon.

The British Library has also used the technology for your own exhibitionsas some of the world's oldest institutions are proud of their traditions and try to keep up with the times.

Qi Pan, director of computer vision at Snap, says AR allows them to “do things that weren’t possible before.”

Its London team is responsible for how the company's technology actually works, both on phones and in a hypothetical future where millions of us walk around wearing futuristic glasses.

“Nowadays, a lot of AR happens on mobile devices, where we are limited by the view of a small rectangle,” he says.

“With AR glasses you can see it directly in the world around you.”

Unfortunately, as this is a limited version of the story, this content is not available.

Open the full version

Accessible artwork

Despite previous attempts with such lenses from people like Google And Snap yourself Pan is confident that AR is on the cusp of a “hardware paradigm shift” as it has failed to achieve mainstream breakthrough.

Apple's upcoming mixed reality headset might prove him right, although at a price of £2,800 probably not.

The appeal of AR artworks, for now, lies in their accessibility — not just to users who only need a phone to experience them, but also to the creators behind what they see.

By teaching himself how to create AR art at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, British artist Doddz managed to earn a six-figure salary after struggling at school.

Traditionalists may cry foul, but his success seems to be evidence of a new interpretation of artwork that people can view and take with them wherever they go.

Bozon says, “Ten years ago, you wouldn’t have bet that being a YouTuber was a real job.”

“In ten years, building in AR will be a real job for thousands of people.”

Let's hope the series of marbles is over by then.

Their removal by Lord Elgin from the Parthenon in the early 19th century and subsequent acquisition by the British Museum is a major source of international controversy.

- **Dispute Overview**: The primary issue is over rightful ownership and cultural patrimony.

Greece has sought the return of the Marbles, claiming they were wrongfully taken during a period when Greece was under Ottoman occupation and could not consent.

The UK and the British Museum maintain that Elgin’s actions were legal by the standards of his time and that the Marbles have been preserved and made accessible to a global audience in London.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

- **Ethics and Archaeology**: The Elgin Marbles dispute highlights key challenges archaeologists face: balancing the pursuit of knowledge and making contributions to global heritage with respecting the wishes and rights of source communities or nations.

As you reflect on making your own mark in the field, it’s important to engage with living cultures and legal frameworks, recognizing that what was considered legal or acceptable in the past may not align with current ethical standards.

Title:

Content: Lessons of Troglodyte Living: What Caves Can Teach Us About Sustainable Design

Lessons of Troglodyte Living: What Caves Can Teach Us About Sustainable Design

Contemporary architecture's approach to space is fairly linear: enveloping a specified volume within some form of material construct. But if we take a look at humanity's first intentional dwellings, it becomes clear that they were much less premeditated.

Rather than manmade areas to be furnished with pride, our earliest homes were naturally occurring cave lairs that offered hunter-gatherers temporary protection from the elements and potential predators. It wasn't until the appearance of agriculture that our ancestors took permanent, built residences. To this day, troglodytism — or cave living — continues to be connected to ideas of societal disassociation and a hermetic desire to exist outside of orthodox architectural norms. And yet, from Northern China to Western France and Central Turkey, hundreds of millions of people still choose to spend their lives at least partially underground.

+ 4

We take a look at examples of troglodyte architecture from around the globe and explore what this vernacular way of life can teach us about sustainably designing our future.

Related Article

From Underground Slum to European Capital of Culture: Matera, the Subterranean City of Caves

According to recent archaeological discoveries, humanity first started making use of caves as long as 1.8 million years ago. Primarily occupied during winter or other adverse weather conditions, these initial dwellings were short-term shelters that offered natural protection and a safe environment that minimized the risk of wildfires. They were also sites of artistry. As Bernard Rudofsky observes in The Prodigious Builders:

The creature whom we label, carelessly, a caveman (a vulgarism that usually stands for upper paleolithic man), was actually an outdoor type, hyperbolically husky, sweaty in an artistic way... his painterly vision was Michelangelesque — a preference for the entanglement of supple, albeit brutish, bodies. Indeed, there is nothing facetious about calling Lascaux the Sistine Chapel of prehistory; the famous caves, it has been inferred, were shrines rather than ordinary dwellings.

The wall paintings of the French cave in question, Lascaux, though predated by its arguably more well-known Spanish counterpart, are indeed early signs of a trend that would take hold throughout the history of troglodyte architecture: the idea of caves as sacred spaces and areas for quiet, solitary reflection. This is as true for Greek mythology as it is for the Indian Bhaja Caves, a group of 22 rock-cut Buddhist prayer rooms located in Maharashtra's Pune District. Though wildly different in terms of architectural finesse and forethought, the more primitive crypts and grottos of Ancient Greece still enclose their visitors with the same sense of otherworldly calm inspired by Bhaja's chaitya hall.

What both have in common with other manmade cave structures around the world is that they are often transformed through what we now recognize as vernacular means of design. By employing an area's local topography and materials to their advantage, early builders would adapt preexisting cavities to suit their specific needs or dig holes into the ground to create examples of troglodyte living — increasing individual well-being and establishing a symbiotic relationship with the environment.

Even today, there are several advantages to this type of architecture: the earth's thermal masses are natural insulators and make heating as well as cooling almost completely unnecessary in temperate climates. Taking advantage of naturally occurring structures is much more efficient than the modern building process of creating them from scratch, and upkeep is minimal in comparison. In a 2006 study that dealt with the Chinese cave dwellings in the country's Shaanxi province (which, to this day, houses over 30 million people), researcher Jiang Lu found that the underground habitats were in line with much of contemporary sustainable design principles that urge for a minimal impact on the environment.

There are, of course, downsides to cavernous living: the lack of ventilation and natural light can have disastrous impacts on individual and collective health, as exemplified by the Italian village of Matera. The area’s Sassi caves were used as a natural shelter from the harsh climate as early as 10,000 BC, but led to collective illness and poverty down the line — causing the 16,000-strong population to be evicted in a 1950s government program.

And yet, there are urban planning lessons to be taken from a look at our ancestral abodes. A recent exhibition at New York City's Noguchi Museum entitled In Praise of Caves resurrects examples of Mexican Organic architecture that argue for a return to the cave as a sustainable, safe, and low-cost alternative to contemporary buildings.

Most notable among them is the work of Mexican architect and public official Carlos Lazo, who oversaw Mexican state infrastructure projects from 1952–55. His Cuevas Civilizadas project dug 110 low-income homes into a canyon wall in the Belénde las Flores neighborhood of Mexico City. Though unfinished due to the architect's untimely death at 41, the project is a prime example of a kind of hybrid troglodyte architecture that could help solve many of our contemporary and future housing issues.

As explained by the museum's Senior Curator Dakin Hart:

(It) was essentially a public housing project idea... to build very efficient, but very modern homes that didn't require a lot of maintenance, and didn't require a lot of expense in upkeep for working people.

Along with contemporary examples like Spain's Granada cave homes, China's sunken courtyard residences, or Tunisia's troglodyte structures, Lazo's revived work proposes an alternative to global architectural trends that, in addition to its vernacular design principles, underlines the importance of connecting with nature as a source of lasting comfort. "It's about happiness in the end", Hart elaborates. "Putting space into boxes hasn't made us content — so what if the answer lies in the ground itself?" Despite the prejudice tied to the idea of living surrounded by naked rock, a reevaluation of troglodyte architecture may thus be well overdue. Rather than looking to the skies for the designs of our future — whether it'd be in the shape of a flying car or dizzying high-rise — gazing down (and inward) may create architectural solutions much better suited to a world threatened by climate change and war.

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Cite: Claire Brodka. "Lessons of Troglodyte Living: What Caves Can Teach Us About Sustainable Design" 08 Feb 2023. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/996063/lessons-of-troglodyte-living-what-caves-can-teach-us-about-sustainable-design> ISSN 0719-8884

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- **Potential Resolution**: Though the marbles remain in the British Museum, dialogue continues between Greece and the UK.

Proposals for resolution have included cultural exchanges, loans of the marbles to Greece, or partial restitution.

However, no final agreement has yet been reached.

The case raises broader questions about repatriation of cultural heritage and sets important precedents for archaeologists worldwide.

Title:

Content: GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS.

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University of Colorado Boulder study digs into geological mystery of the Great Unconformity

PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:

A new study led by University of Colorado Boulder researchers sheds light on one of the world’s great geological mysteries: a missing chapter of the earth’s rock record known as the Great Unconformity.

There are places around the world where great chunks of the earth’s geological story have disappeared altogether, including in the Grand Canyon, where some sections are missing more than 1 billion years’ worth of the rock record.

There are plenty of hypotheses around what caused the Great Unconformity, said lead author and CU Boulder graduate student Barra Peak, and plenty of debate among the scientific community. Could it be shifting tectonic plates or worldwide glaciers?

The study, published in August in the journal Geology, aimed to test those hypotheses by looking at the timing of erosion.

“What we have found is that even though the Grand Canyon is not that large geographically, it has a very complex history related to the Great Unconformity and spatially with what the landscape was experiencing,” Peak said.

For example, rocks near the western part of the canyon seem to have an erosion history that corresponds with the breakup of the ancient supercontinent Rodinia. But on the eastern area of the canyon there doesn’t appear to be a single erosion event, and tectonic faults are preserved where sediments were deposited in them and unable to escape.

“It’s the same cause but it’s not a single, one-time event,” Peak said. “It’s a process that’s been happening over millions of years and related to tectonic activity associated with Rodinia.”

In the past, the Great Unconformity has been thought to be caused by a single event, said co-author and CU Boulder professor Rebecca Flowers.

“What Barra’s study does is illustrate that even over a small area in the Grand Canyon, it has a more complicated origin than that, that it is likely caused by multiple erosion events with different causes that are ultimately responsible for this knife-sharp feature we see in geological records,” she said.

The study is also unique in that it looks at a relatively small geographic area and also uses a process called low-temperature thermochronology, Peak said. As rocks form below the earth’s crust start to rise to the surface, they cool and begin a process of radioactive decay. One of the byproducts of that process is helium, and measuring the helium in rocks in relation to its radioactive partners means scientists can date the rocks.

Using this kind of method allows scientists to interrogate that missing record, Flowers said.

“We can see the thermal imprint of material that used to be there and was eroded away, and we can begin to go into gaps in geological record and decipher the history of them using minerals,” she said.

Understanding this geological mystery is in many ways key to understanding the beginning of modern earth, Peak said.

“The time period when the Great Unconformity formed is a really pivotal point in earth’s history, or we think it is,” Peak said. “It’s a hot topic because there’s a lot we don’t know about it, but we do know there was a lot of transition going on.”

Researchers involved in the study, including Peak, will continue to study areas of the Great Unconformity, such as in Colorado and Canada.


**Queen Elizabeth II and Corgis: Transforming a Breed into a Global Icon**

**Royal Beginnings and Lifelong Companionship:**
Queen Elizabeth II’s association with Pembroke Welsh Corgis began in childhood when she fell in love with her father King George VI’s corgi, Dookie.

For her 18th birthday, she was gifted her own corgi, Susan, marking the start of a royal tradition.

Susan even accompanied the Queen on her honeymoon, and her descendants formed the foundation of the royal line of corgis.

Over her 70-year reign, the Queen owned more than 30 corgis, many directly bred from Susan.

**Emotional Bond and Privileged Life:**
The Queen’s deep bond with her corgis was regularly documented, reinforcing their image as beloved royal companions.

Royal insiders often remarked that her dogs “have over the years been closer to her than any human being ... they have never let her down.” Her corgis enjoyed privileged lives, complete with lavish meals served on silver trays and personalized care within Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth reportedly handled their care personally, including feeding and discipline, further highlighting her affection.

**Public Influence and Cultural Impact:**
The Queen’s visibility with her corgis has made them widely recognizable, symbolizing loyalty, charm, and a touch of royal whimsy.

Photos and stories of the Queen with her corgis were a staple of media coverage, reinforcing their status as “royal dogs.” Major life events, such as her Platinum Jubilee and her passing in 2022, prompted surges of interest in the breed—Pembroke Welsh Corgi registrations reached a 30-year high following her death.

**Corgis in Modern Media and Tradition:**
Corgis have become emblematic of the British monarchy, regularly appearing in art, public celebrations like the Tour de Corgi parade, and even animated films.

The Queen’s consistent presence with corgis turned them into international pop-culture icons, distinguishing them from other breeds.

**Queen Elizabeth II and Corgis: Transforming a Breed into a Global Icon**

**Royal Beginnings and Lifelong Companionship:**
Queen Elizabeth II’s association with Pembroke Welsh Corgis began in childhood when she fell in love with her father King George VI’s corgi, Dookie.

Title:

Content: Queen Elizabeth II's corgis are 'thriving' a year after death of the monarch, Sarah, Duchess of York has said.

The late Queen's former daughter-in-law took over care of her final two corgis, Muick and Sandy, after her passing - housing them at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The duchess has revealed how Queen Elizabeth 'entrusted' her with their care after death. Sarah shared a photograph of herself crouching on the edge of a field with the dogs, as she commemorated the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death a year today.

Sandy and Muick were given to the Queen during the coronavirus pandemic as gifts from her son the Duke of York. They played a sweet role in her committal service at Windsor Castle last September.

Read more: Anniversary tribute to late Queen Elizabeth II will be led by the Prince and Princess of Wales

The neatly groomed dogs were brought to the castle's quadrangle for the arrival of the late Queen's coffin, ahead of the service exclusive to family and trusted staff at St George's Chapel. Sarah Ferguson - nicknamed Fergie - wrote: "As we mourn a year on, we also celebrate the wonderful times we shared with Her Late Majesty the Queen.

"She entrusted me with the care of her corgis Sandy and Muick and I am delighted to say they are thriving."

Throughout her life, the Queen owned more than 30 corgis - many of which were direct descendants from Susan, who was an 18th birthday present from her parents in 1944. The Queen fell in love with her father George VI's dog Dookie, and wanted a corgi of her own.

Susan was so loved and cherished that she even accompanied Princess Elizabeth on her honeymoon.

For her 18th birthday, she was gifted her own corgi, Susan, marking the start of a royal tradition.

Title:

Content: King Charles Spaniel numbers are declining and the breed is on the Kennel Club's 'vulnerable list' - amid Corgi boom following Queen Elizabeth's death

  • Corgis have seen boom in popularity after Platinum Jubilee and death of Queen
  • Number of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with Kennel Club hit 30-year peak
  • But popularity of King Charles Spaniels is continuing to decline, hitting a low
  • Lovers of the breed are hoping sharing name with new King will boost the dogs

Interest in Corgis has boomed following the Platinum Jubilee and the death of Queen Elizabeth, according to the Kennel Club.

Numbers of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with the organisation have reached a 30-year high, the Times reports.

Conversely, King Charles Spaniels are continuing to see a decline in their popularity, with lovers of the breed reportedly hoping that sharing a moniker with the new monarch may give the dogs a boost (though the new king prefers Jack Russells).

The breed, which is on the Kennel Club's vulnerable list, hit a low in 2020, with just 56 registrations. This increased to 91 in 2021, but numbers so far this year are so low, it is likely to drop beneath 2020.

The number of Corgis registered with the Kennel Club has reached a 30-year high, with interest growing following the death of the Queen (pictured here in 1980 with three of the dogs)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (as pictured) are doing well in terms of popularity, although their close relative the King Charles Spaniel (not pictured) is seeing a decline

However, it notes that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the original breed from which King Charles diverged in the middle of the century, is doing well, with 3,772 registrations last year.

The original Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog breed was developed from toy spaniels. Popular as women's pets, they were also beloved of King Charles II, who was said to be so fond of his spaniels, he could not be parted from them.

Although Corgis were on the Kennel Club's vulnerable list in 2014, they are now one ofthe UK's most popular breeds, and the Queen is credited with boosting their popularity (pictured: Queen Elizabeth with one of her beloved corgis, Candy)

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has become known as a symbol of British royalty thanks to its long-standing association with the Queen

Lovers of the ailing King Charles Spaniel may look to the influence the Queen had in turning around the fortune of corgis in recent decades.

The breed was listed as 'vulnerable' in 2014, and the Kennel Club credits Her Majesty's love of the dogs as the major factor in making them one of the UK's most popular breeds today.

Corgis, which have four short legs, a long snout and two huge pointed ears, are famous for being a symbol of British royalty.

HISTORY OF THE CORGI BREED

The word 'Corgi' is Welsh for 'Dwarf Dog', and there are two types; the Pembroke, which is the Queen's breed, and the Cardigan Corgi, a descendent Teckel family of dogs, which also produced the Dachshund

Pembroke Welsh Corgis originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales from the Spitz family of dogs which are characterised by long, thick fur and pointed ears and muzzle

Corgis are a cattle herding breed that can be traced back as far as 1107 AD, thought to have been brought to Wales by  Flemish weavers

They are the type of herding dog referred to as 'heelers', meaning that they would nip at the heels of cattle to keep them moving

The combination of their low height off the ground and the innate agility of Welsh Corgis would allow them to avoid the hooves of the larger animals

They were officially recognised as a native British breed by The Kennel Club in 1928, but Cardigans and Pembrokes weren't seen as separate breeds until 1934

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The Queen owned more than 30 of the sandy, short-legged dogs throughout her reign.

She was gifted her first corgi, called Susan, for her 18th birthday from her late father King George VI. Ten generations of her corgis then descended from Susan.

Her dogs were given the Royal treatment having their own rooms with elevated wicker baskets and meals of beef, chick, rabbit, liver, cabbage and rice being prepared by a chef each evening.

Sometimes the Queen herself made the dog's meals. But her late husband was said to have 'loathed' the dogs' yapping.

She left behind two dogs - Sandy and Muick - who are now cared for by Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York at their Royal Lodge home.

Muick, pronounced Mick, joined the royal family at the start of 2021 along with a so-called 'dorgi', a cross between a corgi and a dachshund, called Fergus.

Fergus, who had been named after the Monarch's uncle who was killed during battle in the First World War, died after just five months.

He was later replaced with a new corgi called Sandy, as a 95th birthday present from Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Meanwhile Muick was named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral Estate.

Palace sources speaking to the Daily Mail previously revealed the beloved corgis were 'with [the Queen] in the room' at her deathbed when she died on September 8 at Balmoral.

They then touched people's hearts when they made a poignant appearance at Her Majesty's funeral on September 19.

As the late monarch's coffin made its way from London to its final resting place in Windsor, Muick and Sandy waited for the processional to pass, to see the Queen for one last time.

The dogs were seen waiting in the quadrangle with two aides before the late monarch was laid to rest in St George's Chapel.

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King Charles Spaniel numbers declining amid Corgi boom following Queen Elizabeth's death

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Susan even accompanied the Queen on her honeymoon, and her descendants formed the foundation of the royal line of corgis.

Title:

Content: Throughout her life, the Queen has made no secret of her love for her corgis and dorgis. The monarch has often been seen alongside her furry friends, and it is thought that she has looked after more than 30 of the dogs over the years.

As you can imagine, the Queen’s beloved pets have been treated to lives of pure luxury, with their meals more extravagant than most. The pampered pooches obviously couldn't just eat any old normal dog food, but instead are said to feast on the best ingredients produced by top chefs.

The corgis' diet is thought to be made up of luxurious meals such as fillet steaks and chicken breast. Royal biographer Brian Hoey revealed the details of the corgi’s luxurious diet in his book Pets by Royal Appointment.

READ MORE: Prince George's incredibly normal hobby that could see him play against members of the public and they won't even know

The biographer also revealed how the carefully prepared meals are delivered by a footman and then covered in gravy that is poured by the Queen herself. The pampered pets are also reportedly off limits when it comes to discipline. Brian wrote in his book that nobody is allowed to raise a finger or a voice to any of the dogs.

He claimed they cock their legs and do what corgis do wherever they want — on antique furniture, priceless carpets. They are also said to have their own room and they are allowed to wander around freely. According to Mail Online, the dogs never eaten tinned food and have even been given homeopathic remedies when they get sick.

The monarch’s close relationship with the corgi breed of dog goes back to 1933 when her father brought home a corgi that would later be named Dookie. When she was younger the Queen also had a corgi called Susan, who was gifted to her in 1944 for her 18th birthday, and quickly became a close companion.

Many of the Queen’s later corgis are said to be descendants of Susan, as the Queen continued to breed the line of dogs over fifty years. She even went on to create a number of 'dorgis', after cross breeding one of her dogs with Margaret's Dachshund, Pipkin.

Last year the Queen welcomed two new dorgis, one called Fergus and one called Muick, but the former sadly died from a heart defect in May. In June 2021, Prince Andrew and daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie gave the Queen a new puppy, named Sandy, on what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday.

According to Hello!, one of the Queen's closest aides, Angela Kelly, has told how the pets "always brought a smile to everyone's faces" in a new chapter for her book The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe. She said: "I was worried they would get under The Queen's feet, but they have turned out to be a godsend. They are beautiful and great fun and The Queen often takes long walks with them in Home Park."

Angela revealed that the dogs accompanied the Queen on a flight to Balmoral in August 2021. She told: "They were very well behaved, with Louis the footman on hand. Candy, who is an old hand at flying – she must have been on hundreds of flights in her lifetime – ambled about and kept her eye on the young pups. The puppies stayed close to The Queen but occasionally sniffed around your feet as they hoped for a nibble of something tasty from our lunch."

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Over her 70-year reign, the Queen owned more than 30 corgis, many directly bred from Susan.

**Emotional Bond and Privileged Life:**
The Queen’s deep bond with her corgis was regularly documented, reinforcing their image as beloved royal companions.

Title:

Content: It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth is a huge dog lover, so it comes as no surprise that her pet pooches live very lavish lifestyles.

Her Majesty, 95, has taken care of numerous dogs throughout her 70-year reign, and she is currently the owner of two corgis, a dorgi called Candy, and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.

The Queen's pet corgis have been a constant throughout her time on the throne, and it's believed that she's had around 30 dogs throughout her lifetime.

Like any other dog owner, the Queen wants the very best for her pet pooches and that includes a tailored menu, special travel arrangements, and a specific feeding ritual.

Here we take a peek into the lives of Her Majesty's pampered pooches...

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Tailored menu

It's no secret that members of the royal household have their own weekly menus and that also includes the Queen's pet dogs, too.

Her Majesty is very particular about what her pet dogs eat and she reportedly insists that they have their own personal menus.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed what the pooches' diet entails, saying: "The corgis have their own menu. One day they'll have lamb, one day beef and then another, chicken."

He also added: "We had to make sure that all the meat was cut very finely and diced so there were no bones because we couldn't have them choking."

The Queen has also created her own special gravy recipe, specifically for her beloved pups.

In the book All The Queen's Corgis, author Penny Junor explained the dogs' diets consists of a "variety of fresh, cooked meat, vegetables and rice, prepared specially for them in the royal kitchens, topped with a little biscuit, homoeopathic and herbal remedies when required, and a special gravy that, legend has it, is the Queen's own recipe".

Feeding routine

It's not just their meals which are specially prepared, as the dogs also have a strict feeding ritual.

Animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford previously worked for Her Majesty, and has opened up about the pooches meal times at Buckingham Palace.

Speaking to Town and Country magazine, he said: "Their food was served by a butler in an eclectic collection of battered silver and porcelain dishes.

"As I watched, the Queen got the corgis to sit in a semi-circle around her, and then fed them one by one, in order of seniority. The others just sat and patiently waited their turn."

Author Penny Junor also wrote in her book, All The Queen's Corgis: "Whenever possible, she [the Queen] feeds them herself and it is an afternoon ritual; but not an unruly frantic free-for-all.

"A footman brings the food and bowls on a silver tray and lays out a plastic sheet to protect the carpet.

"The Queen then sits them in a semi-circle around her and does the rest."

Travelling

The Queen regularly has to travel, but her beloved pooches are never left behind.

She ensures they also travel in style, with previous photographs showing her pets sitting on her lap while travelling in the car.

Her dogs have also been spotted at airports with her, and were once seen at Aberdeen Airport preparing to head off to the Balmoral estate, located in the Scottish Highlands.

Sleeping arrangements

As well as tailored menus and lavish travel arrangements, the Queen's pet dogs also have their very own quarters at the palace.

The dogs reportedly have their own spacious room where they sleep in luxurious raised wicker beds.

And that's not all, as their beds also have fresh sheets put on them daily – a tradition which was first started by the Queen Mother.

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Royal insiders often remarked that her dogs “have over the years been closer to her than any human being ... they have never let her down.” Her corgis enjoyed privileged lives, complete with lavish meals served on silver trays and personalized care within Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth reportedly handled their care personally, including feeding and discipline, further highlighting her affection.

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Content: Queen welcomes adorable new family member amid challenging times – and they’re named after her!

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  • The Queen has reportedly welcomed a sweet new family member named in honour of her and Prince William and Kate Middleton would likely approve.

    The Queen’s corgis never fail to delight royal fans over the years, whether the monarch is spotted out walking them, or they make a special appearance in photographs inside Buckingham Palace. However it now seems like Her Majesty could possibly have introduced a new canine member of The Firm to her existing dogs and she’s strayed away from her usual favoured breeds of corgis and dorgis (a sweet dachshund and corgi mix).

    According to the Mail on Sunday’s Talk of the Town, the Queen has reportedly welcomed a four-year-old cocker spaniel to the family.

    The publication went on to claim that the cocker spaniel is a prize-winner and was top dog at the Kennel Club Cocker Spaniel Championship, supposedly beating 38 others to become the Queen’s first gun dog champion. The spaniel, Wolferton Drama, is even said to be known more colloquially as ‘Lissy’ in tribute to Her Majesty.

    And it seems she certainly has a loveable personality, having grown up a lot since she was a puppy. It’s alleged that trainer Ian Openshaw explained, “Lissy used to be a bit of a monkey when she was younger, but she has really come into her own now.’

    If these reports are indeed true, then the Queen has welcomed Lissy at what is a very challenging time for the royals.

    Just days ago, the Queen banished Prince Andrew from social media after previously stripping him of his royal patronages and military honours. Whilst now the Queen faces months of heartbreak as a series of devastating family anniversaries approach.

    Facing such a difficult period, the Queen will no doubt draw great comfort from Lissy and her other pets. And her reported choice to welcome a cocker spaniel is something Prince William and Kate Middleton will likely greatly approve of.

    The couple are believed to have become proud owners of another cocker spaniel just before their beloved pet Lupo died in November 2020.

    Recently, Kate gave a rare update on the Cambridge family pet, but still not much is known about their second spaniel. It’s thought that she was a gift from James Middleton and that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were “besotted” with their new arrival.

    Now it seems like she could have another spaniel to play with if the Queen introduces the new family member in the future.

**Public Influence and Cultural Impact:**
The Queen’s visibility with her corgis has made them widely recognizable, symbolizing loyalty, charm, and a touch of royal whimsy.

Photos and stories of the Queen with her corgis were a staple of media coverage, reinforcing their status as “royal dogs.” Major life events, such as her Platinum Jubilee and her passing in 2022, prompted surges of interest in the breed—Pembroke Welsh Corgi registrations reached a 30-year high following her death.

**Corgis in Modern Media and Tradition:**
Corgis have become emblematic of the British monarchy, regularly appearing in art, public celebrations like the Tour de Corgi parade, and even animated films.

Title:

Content: Sunday, Sep 11, 2022

Annual ‘Tour de Corgi’ event to include new ‘Queen Elizabeth’ costume category to honour the monarch

“We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover," Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying

Queen Elizabeth II is seen walking in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, in England, on steps at the rear of the East Terrace and East Garden with four of her dogs: clockwise from top left Willow (corgi), Vulcan (dorgie), Candy (dorgie) and Holly (AP/PTI)

As a tribute to the late UK monarch Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, after reigning for 70 long years, the Tour de Corgi parade — an annual event that celebrates the dog breed corgi — will include a new element this year that is likely to make fans of the British royal family and corgi lovers happy.

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It is no secret that the queen was extremely fond of dogs, especially corgis, from a very early age, and that she had been breeding them until 2018, when she finally realised that she may have to leave some of them behind after her death.

According to Country Living, the queen had four dogs at the time of her death: two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a Dorgi (Corgi-Dachshund mix), and a Cocker Spaniel named Lissy, who joined the family only this year, in January 2022.

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In her lifetime, she reportedly bred 14 generations of corgis, and even famously declared: “My corgis are family.”

According to an Independent report, Queen Elizabeth‘s love for her four-legged friends was well-documented during this year’s platinum jubilee celebrations in the UK, when the sky above Buckingham Palace was lit up with images of the dog breed.

The publication mentioned that the Tour de Corgi parade this year — which has been taking place in Fort Collins, Colorado since 2014 — will include a “Queen Elizabeth and her corgis” costume competition, in “memorium and to honour her”, quoting the event’s organisers who shared this with a local newspaper ‘The Coloradoan‘.

This is a May 12, 1973 file photo of Queen Elizabeth II sitting with her corgis, at Virginia Water to watch competitors, including Prince Philip in the Marathon of the European Driving Championship, part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying, “We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover. I think it is just, you know, our dogs are such a big part of our hearts that it creates a very heartfelt connection.”

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The aforementioned event will take place on October 1, 2022, and will conclude with a corgi parade through the town.

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According to a Reader’s Digest report, the queen was fond of corgis because of their “energy and untamed spirit”, and the fact that her parents welcomed the family’s first corgi, Dookie, in 1933. Eleven years later, in 1944, the queen’s father gifted her a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. The pupper even accompanied her on her honeymoon, and gave birth to a pair of puppies in 1949, which reportedly marked the beginning of the royal line of corgis.

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First published on: 11-09-2022 at 07:10:45 pm
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The Queen’s consistent presence with corgis turned them into international pop-culture icons, distinguishing them from other breeds.