Program Description
Event Details
The holiday season can be joyous, and also stressful. We invite you to take time to care for yourself. Come to any or all of the sessions below.
11:00 - 11:45 AM Check-in Circle: Join your neighbors and library friends in a guided conversation about ourselves and what gives us hope in difficult times.
12:00 - 12:30 PM Gentle Yoga: Calm and center your mind while moving your body through intentional poses and sequences. Yoga can improve your flexibility, concentration, and strength, while boosting your mood, and reducing stress and joint strain.
What to know before you join:
- Dress comfortable
- Prepare to take time to match your movement and motion
About the instructor
Instructor DuShaun Branch is focused on bringing yoga to as many BIPOC and plus-sized communities as possible. She believes people not only need rest and relaxation, but resistance. Yoga is a powerful way to tap into the balance of ease and positive effort. DuShaun teaches through the lens of equity and trauma-informed, hosting classes in “nontraditional” settings all over the city. She intends on taking down as many barriers as possible to bring yoga to those who are looking for calm and relaxed minds. DuShaun truly believes yoga is for all, and shares that throughout Chicago and beyond.
A limited supply of mats will be provided, or you can bring your own.
1:00 - 2:00 PM Musical Performance featuring Instrumentalists from Asian Improv aRts Midwest (AIRMW)
Tatsu Aoki is a longtime resident of Oak Park, a leading advocate for the Asian American community, as well as a prolific composer, a performer of traditional and experimental music forms, a filmmaker, and an educator. As Executive Director of AIRMW, an Asian American cultural arts presenter organization, Aoki has initiated and managed several programs to advance the understanding of traditional arts and community through the arts, including the annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival, the Tsukasa Taiko Legacy, and the Toyoaki Shamisen arts residency projects. He performs throughout the Chicagoland, the Midwest areas, nationally and abroad. Tatsu will be joined by another instrumentalist from AIRMW.
Disclaimer(s)
Masks Encouraged
Masks for everyone age 2+ are encouraged while attending this program.
Physical Activity
By joining this class, you declare that you are physically fit and ready to participate and understand any physical activity may involve some risk of injury. You may rest at any time during the class. It is your responsibility to consult with your physician with respect to any past or present injury, illness, health problem, or any other condition or medication that may affect your participation.
The participant assumes all risks of injury and illness that may result from such participation. The participant agrees to waive and release the Oak Park Public Library, its officers, employees, trustees, and agents and shall hold such persons/entity harmless from any and all liability for any claim, suit, or other cause of action which might arise from injuries, illness, damages, or loss which may occur on account of participation in such activities.