>From the DVD back cover: YOGALIGN method is a safe and painless style of yoga developed on Kauai by Michaelle Edwards. This core-based practice re-educates and balances the muscle groups eliminating unconscious tension while promoting physiologically efficient movements and graceful posture. Deep conscious breathing with positive affirmation bring peace to body, mind and spirit.

This beautifully produced DVD is chaptered:

Chapter 1: "Introduction to Michaelle Edwards and Yogalign"

There are beautiful scenes of Hawaii (waterfalls, the ocean and flowers) and of Michaelle practicing yoga alone on the beach. Soft, Hawaiian slack key guitar music plays in the background as a male voice-over explains some of the Yogalign theory. Then a short intro by Michaelle (sitting among lush vegetation by a waterfall). She explains that the key elements to the Yogalign theory include: precise natural alignment of the 4 curves of the spine, core-based awareness and movements, utilizing inner isometrics, deep conscious breathing and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi self-massage techniques.

Chapter 2: "Yogalign Breathing and Techniques"

There are more beautiful scenes of Hawaii with a male voice-over explanation of the original meaning of the word "Aloha"---sharing the breath of life face to face. Michaelle's voice-over explains that conscious breathing is the core of yoga---breath is like waves gently going in and out of the body. Then Michaelle is alone on the beach (ocean and mountain in background---breathtaking scenery!) instructing us to always breath through the nose in yoga practice. She demonstrates ujjayi breathing. There's no background music. The sound of water lapping ashore is audible, but soothing.

Chapter 3: "Yogalign Basics and Inner Isometrics"

Michaelle is outdoors on the grass. She teaches you to root your upright body to the earth like strong tree roots, and how the spine should be properly aligned. There's intermittent soft Hawaiian slack key guitar music in the background. As Michaelle explains/demonstrates, the camera show various beautiful scenes of Hawaii(tree roots, waterfalls, the ocean, flowers and plants). She teaches breathing with arm movements.

Chapter 4: "Reclining Self-massage and Lower Body Warm-ups"

Michaelle is alone outdoors on a yoga mat on the grass (plants and a small waterfall in the background). Intermittent soft Hawaiian slack key guitar music plays in the background. She begins in a sitting position and immediately moves into supine position. Flex and extend the feet as the arms move from the sides to overhead with breath. She demonstrates a (self) foot massage, leg rub, ankle/leg circles and leg stretch (bring leg straight up with hands behind it and then resist the leg against the hands). Repeat on opposite leg. Spinal rolls. Stand up and perform Lomi Lomi self-massage: massage belly in circular motions, massage hip rotators, lower back, sacral area and gentle poundings on the gluteal area. Next is standing forward bend (she sticks her tongue out as she exhales on the bend). In the bent down positions, massage the scalp, ears and back of neck. Then interlace fingers behind the back and extend the arms upward while turning the head side to side. Inhale, come back upright and finish with circular shoulder rolls.

Chapter 5: "Shoulder Openers Technique"

Michaelle is standing alone on the beach and she uses a long yoga strap to demonstrate modifications. Interlace hands behind the body along the right side for a side semi-twist stretch. (She doesn't mirror you here). Then she performs the cow face pose and she pushes up on the balls of her feet on inhalation and then returns to the soles of her feet upon exhalation. Next is a self-massage of the left shoulder, arm, wrist and hand. Then the chapter ends, even though she doesn't repeat any of these on the opposite side.

Chapter 6: "Yogalign Sun Salutations and Standing Poses"

Michaelle is standing on a yoga mat by the oceanside. There's no music in this chapter. She begins with crescent moon pose (side stretches with overhead arms). The scenes vary from Michaelle being alone outdoors to her being alone indoors to her being outdoors with a small class. The transitions between the scenes are smooth. Next is a sun salutation (she does a modified front lying boat pose, cobra-to-child pose and semi cat stretch in the middle of the sun salutation). She does one more sun salutation. Next is bow pose to child pose, standing warrior I, standing warrior II with "wall pushes", side angle pose, triangle pose (at the end of the triangle pose, Michaelle looks upward and sticks her tongue out of her mouth as she exhales loudly), side angle twist with hands in namaste, standing yoga mudra pose, wide-legged forward bends and then tree pose with various arm positions. She repeats the side postures on both sides of the body.

Chapter 7: "Back Bends, Hip Openers"

There's no music in this chapter either. She begins with spinal rolls. Next are elbow-to-opposite-flexed-knee lying twists, supine bilateral leg raises, bridge pose, boat pose with "breath of fire" breathing, sitting and reclining hero pose, camel pose, child's pose, full back bend, cat stretch, downward facing dog with leg lift and pigeon pose to semi-cobra pose (she sticks her tongue out as she exhales forcibly) and wide-angle seated forward bends (she demonstrates modification with 2 yoga straps"). In corpse pose with arms stretched overhead, she demonstrates self massaging of the scalp, ears, upper and lower jaws, temple and forehead. She concludes with a face stretch (hands on either sides of the face, pulling face gently towards the back of the head) and she sticks her tongue out she stretches her face.

Chapter 8: "Shavasana"

Lie in corpse/relaxation pose. There's male voice-over verbal guided imagery with various, beautiful scenes of Hawaii. The soft, Hawaiian slack key guitar music in back. There's a scene of Michaelle playing the guitar on the beach and then another of her with a male guitarist on the beach.

Chapter 9: "Credits and Ordering Information"


I think the production of this DVD is outstanding and I like the blend of breath awareness with mixed levels of yoga practice. It's not fast-paced, vigorous yoga. I did not enjoy the parts where Michaelle sticks out her tongue and it made her look frightening to me. My usual preference for yoga/stretching workouts is an outdoors setting and I absolutely loved the different scenes of Hawaii. I also prefer to have continuous music in the background and it felt strange to have intermittent/no music.
Verdict: it will go into my yoga rotation.

Instructor Comments:
Michaelle Edwards has been practicing yoga for over 30 years. She's also a professional massage therapist and a performing jazz/Hawaiian musician.
Michaelle's voice is calm and soothing. Her use of spiritual language (woo-woo factor) is minimal in the DVD. She does not always call the poses by their names. Her voice-over cueing is good and she demonstrates well. I just wish she hadn't chosen to wear that plum-berry outfit.

Leslie (blue_hydrangea)