Groovy Girl

Laura Schenider is the gal in the groovy pants who teaches Groovy Vinyasa. Yoga to Led Zeppelin, Marvin Gaye and Nikka Costa. PLM caught up with her to talk moves, groves and life at large.

PLM: The first time I took your class, I had to know more and get the downlow on your style and backstory. Two things really surprised me: You used to HATE yoga. You’re a Mom with three kids. Kinda blew my mind.
Laura Schneider: Yeah, it tends to.

First, why Groovy Vinyasa?
LS: I have always loved great music, and think it can be inspirational whether you are running that last mile or holding that yoga pose for a few more breaths. I didn’t make up the concept of playing fun contemporary music while practicing yoga, but I do believe I am one of the few teachers in Orange County who teach to it.  It is popular with some yoga teachers up in LA, which is where I was born and lived most of my life, and I just really connected to that type of a class more so than the traditional class with meditational or no music at all.

Yeah, you’re not so much traditional. Talk about how you used to hate yoga, as I know women who would rather have needles in their eyes than go to a yoga class.
LS: Yeah (laughing), the first class I ever took was just way to mellow and didn’t challenge me at all, and I just decided yoga wasn’t for me.  I come from a background of really athletic sports, you know I love running and boxing and kickboxing and I just was so bored the first couple yoga classes I took and I thought I just can’t do this, it’s NOT for me. Then I had had my third child and I still had some baby weight left to lose, and one day my brother and I were walking in HB by a yoga studio and he sorta dragged me in and I decided to try a class with my now-friend Newton. It was a vinyasa class, which is linking one pose to another through the breath, so you are constantly moving, so I thought, “Okay that might work, it might keep me interested.” So we went and I remember at the end of the class I was hooked. I loved it! I was drenched in sweat, ya know, heart is pounding, muscles are shaking and I just thought, “Oh my God this is it. I love it!”

What kinds of music do you play?
LS: I play everything from Led Zeppelin to Marvin Gaye. I love to mix it up. I have so many different playlists, and it really just depends on the day.  Some of my favorites are Sting, Seal, John Mayer, Robin Thicke, Beck. I also have playlists that are more “downtempo” music with musicians like Nightmares on Wax, Thievery Corporation and Quantic.

Is it sacrilegious to do yoga to Death Cab for Cutie and Coldplay? (joking)
LS: I don’t think so at all (laughing). There has been this misconstrued belief with yoga that it’s some kind of a religious thing and some people don’t want to try it ‘cause they think you have to be Buddhist, which is ridiculous. I think there is more of a spiritual relationship to it with whatever religion you have.

It’s kind of cliché to say that yoga helps you find daily balance, give you perspective, does it really do it?
LS: I do think it does. definitely, because I have a Type A personality, but I have mellowed a lot since I started practicing yoga. I’ve noticed things that used to bother me, don’t bother me quite as much, with the kids, life in general, body image or whatever. You start to realize when you see what your body can do, and the strength that you have, not just physically, but internally as well, and you connect with that ... it’s as though all these other little things aren’t so important anymore. I started to feel kind of a deeper connection to kind of what’s out there in the universe, and I think that’s also what brings that sense of calm and peace and then that just extends into your daily living.

Can people try out your class? Where all do you teach?
LS: Yes, I would love for people to come try a class. Right now I am teaching at Equinox in Newport Beach, The Renaissance Club in Aliso Viejo and Corepower Yoga in Huntington Beach. All first-time students at Corepower receive a free week of yoga. As far as Equinox, I do believe that you can simply come and just pay for a class if you don’t want to join as a member. And I think your readers can get a free 3-day pass to Renaissance, so I’d love for them to come by.

Right on. Thanks for chattin’ it up with us, Laura.

OC Moms, if you think yoga’s too slow and go or you just haven’t tried it lately, give it a go with OC Yoga Goddess, Laura Schneider. She’s gotta the greatest tunes (proof: check out the PLM Music Bar, filled with many of her faves), the coolest mindset and her class will seriously work you out.