Yoga in the Lightbox Theater + Gallery
On Sunday, June 16 the Lightbox Theater + Gallery was transformed into a yoga studio for an hour of Vinyasa Flow yoga. Ten people gathered in the Thought Barn to relax their minds, activate their muscles, and stretch their bodies during the session led by yoga instructor, Clif Hurt. Clif’s family has been visiting Sweet Water Foundation to harvest produce and enjoy The Commons for over a year. SWF was excited to welcome a member of the SWF Family to lead the first yoga session at The Commons. Read on to learn more about the afternoon.
Connecting With Sweet Water Foundation
Clif currently lives in Australia but was born and raised on Chicago’s South side. His relationship with Sweet Water Foundation began before he first visited The Commons. Clif’s father, step-mother, and siblings visit The Commons weekly during harvest season to buy produce from The Community Garden and Farm and they had told him about their experience. During his first visit in October of 2018, Clif toured The Commons, met the SWF core team, and had an opportunity to see the place his family visits on a regular basis. When he stepped into the Lightbox Theater + Gallery, the Thought Barn’s enclosure, Clif immediately expressed interest in teaching a yoga class in the space. Clif began his yoga journey in 2010 and now is a seasoned instructor. He planned to return to Chicago in June for a visit and hoped to lead a yoga class in the Lightbox Theater + Gallery at that time.
Bringing Yoga to The Commons
On June 16, Clif’s hope was realized, when the Lightbox Theater + Gallery was transformed into a unique yoga studio. Ten participants brought their yoga mats to The Commons and gathered in the Lightbox Theater + Gallery for the hour-long session of Vinyasa Flow Yoga. The SWF-made sprung wood dance floors were configured for participants to lay their yoga mats on during the session. After a brief introduction to each other and Sweet Water, Clif led the group through a Vinyasa Flow yoga session - allowing participants to stretch their minds and bodies. It was a perfect day for yoga: the warm sun heated the Lightbox Theater + Gallery, a cool breeze blew through the space, and the smell of nature allowed participants to connect to the Earth.
At the end of the session, participants left rejuvenated for the week ahead. Sweet Water Foundation would like to thank Clif for leading the group through the first yoga session at The Commons and looks forward to his next visit.
