Wendy Rieger, the news anchor of NBC-4, approached me for an interview for her new show, “Pier Review”, in early September. So one morning we sat and talked on her pier and she also came to a class and filmed. That interview began airing (Oct 27, 2010) on a show called DC Scene, of which Pier Review is a part. The show will air for the next few weeks on channel 208 Comcast. Please watch for it there. Renaissance Yoga was the first topic of this series. Thanks Wendy for having me on!!
For your easy access, here is that interview with Wendy. It is titled:
Pier Review: Learning Yoga From A Global Yogi
FYI, here is the story of what happened when Wendy came to class to shoot the video…READ THIS
All comments are most welcomed below – look forward to hearing from you. Did we pass our first ever TV interview?? – I hope so. Let us know.
As many of you know, Wendy Rieger (NBC4 Anchor, Washington DC) has started a new show called “Pier Review”. Renaissance Yoga was the first subject for this upcoming series which is due to start airing this week.
Wendy interviewed me on her pier: We talked, did yoga together and demoed a few poses. And then Wendy came to a class and shot some scenes.
She tells me the producers were quite pleased with the audio and video sections and that it has all come together nicely into a very dynamic package. And it is due to air this week.
It should start this Wednesday or Thursday on channel 208. I say “start” because it will air multiple times in these next two weeks. Will keep you posted.
Well, to continue with our interesting week – it kinda goes like this.
Wendy Rieger, the news anchor of NBC (Washington DC), was due to come to our 6p class this past Wednesday to get some video for a story she is doing on Renaissance Yoga. Well, true to form she came – right on time too!
And also true to form – the universe had something else brewing. While all 21 class participants began to arrive and get set up, one of them heard a crying sound from underneath the hall – it was a tiny kitty. The fire dept (next door) was notified and they wanted permission to remove a metal grate to get access to the kitty. We called the powers that be in Galesville and permission was granted. Next thing – kitty was out – and she was the size of 1/2 stick of butter.
I was inside getting things ready for the class and deliberations were underway on the front porch for how to handle the kitty. As class was about to start, a student informed me that Wendy thought it best to bring the kitty to her vet down the road. I was told she would be back in 5 min. (Note: This photo is not “our” kitty, but it is very, very similar looking!)
Alright…let’s get class started. All were primed for the video shoot but no worries we can adjust. 6:20p still no sign of Wendy and the kitty – 6:30p and still not back. By this point we were all wondering – or at least I was wondering…we were moving through one sequence after another and there was not a camera in sight.
At 6:40p Wendy gently tiptoed back in and shot video for 15 min or so. A few more minutes and class was over. The convention was again underway about kitty.
Turns out she was only 2 1/2 weeks old (they really can’t be separated from mother until 6 weeks) and the kitty would need to be hand fed. Fortunately Wendy had secured all that was needed from the vet in terms of a milk formula. And our cat-loving student, Krista, took the cat home – wondering how she was going to feed the cat every 2hrs with a full time job!
The kitty was so small that she could easily curl up in the palm of your hand – she was tiny! And all she wanted was to be warm and have a cozy place to sleep.
Krista nursed the cat that night and in the morning called to inform me that she needed help in placing kitty in a home or shelter. After all, keeping such a young kitty would be a round-the-clock commitment.
We both called around – no luck. Then Krista phoned me – I had just gotten out of my 9am Thurs class – and told me she found a senior in Annapolis who was ready and able to take kitty.
To make a longer story short – kitty was blessed with a wonderful home, complete with a kitty infirmary etc. So she will be well cared for.
And, and, and earlier Wendy had called me and left a message saying she got all the footage she needed plus she had many directions about caring for kitty. As you may know Wendy is very active in causes for animal welfare and true to form she shined brightly in this situation as well.
So that’s the story of our video shoot with NBC and kitty’s rescue.
I will keep you updated both about our kitty as well as when the story on Renaissance Yoga will air!!
So that was my interesting week – part 1 & 2 – and it was only WEDNESDAY.
On July 11, 2010 we held a Live Sitar and Yogaprogram at Galesville Memorial Hall. The Chesapeake Current was on hand and they wrote this wonderful article about the program that appeared in today’s edition.
Be sure to pick-up your own free copy of the Chesapeake Current at your local library, rec center, community hall, or shopping center like the Safeway in Dunkirk, among other places – plus we have some on hand in class.
As the article states, our next Live Sitar & Yoga program will be held on Sun Oct 24 from 2p – 4p.
Yesterday was our Live Sitar and Yoga program – we had a full house (23 participants) – thanks to all who came!
Anthony Malatesta played the sitar beautifully and via those soothing & mystical sounds, we ventured into yoga’s more meditative side. Yes we did a range of physical poses, but more than that we explored sadhana practices like yoga nidra (deep relaxation), svarshastra (science of breath control), pranayama (specific breathing techniques), and more.
Sometimes all were lying down with their pillows and eye pillows gazing within, and other moments striking a pose of challenge. Mostly though it was about the meditative approach.
As a teacher, it was a sweet joy to be part of this collective as everyone delved deep into the introversial flow – i.e. exploring within.
Diane Burr of the Chesapeake Current was also on hand and she plans to do an article in the near future about the program. Please watch for it.
All in all, the program went well and everyone reached a state of peace and realization. All got what they wanted – except for one. A faithful & long-standing member of the Tuesday morning abs class asked if from now on the 20 min abs intensive could incorporate the relaxation elements of the yoga-sitar program – the answer was a firm “no”. We have our standards after all!!
The live sitar and yoga is a special gathering and we certainly hope you will consider coming out for the next one!!
Of course your comments and thoughts are most welcome here.
Here is also part of the story as I documented it on the YJ blogging community:
I went into my corporate class today, Tue, (have been teaching there 2x weekly for almost 3yrs) and one marketing director said they might do some “filming” at the beginning of class and asked, “Would I mind”. It sounded innocuous enough I told him that ‘d be fine. 8 minutes into class there was nothing “different” going on.
On the next breath, a veritable TV sound and film crew walked in and started setting up shop! Not exactly what I was expecting. My students were right on target – accurate and unfazed- and we just moved ahead. Next thing I know a remote mic has been placed on my yoga mat – while I am in down dog – and I tell the guy that I have laryngitis – he smiles. Class starts getting going more. For the next ten minutes they are filming and we are movin’. And my voice is trying hard – i.e. struggling to make a sound.
Then at some point the news reporter walks right into the middle of the class, in between various students, opens her arms and starts talking directly into the camera. She says something like, “So here we are…” and by her demeanor it sounds and looks just like a newscast. The class remained focused as ever. Her words are brief and then in the next few minutes the TV crew is gone. Then I say to my students, “Ok now that they are gone let’s go for half-moon”. They laugh (as a few can be wobbly in that one!).
Later on the news person came back and told me how good she thought my students looked and how focused they were and that “nobody turned their head one bit”.
It turns out the Fox News (local Wash DC, I presume) is doing a feature on employee satisfaction at the workplace and my corporate site has been high on worker satisfaction for some years and features a basketball court, weight room, ping-pong, lounge / kitchen and more, including our 2x weekly yoga.
Let’s see if we make it onto the news!? Maybe for a 3 second clip or so.
Ok, this is it – we should be on TV this week!!
Well, to continue with our interesting week – it kinda goes like this.
I was inside getting things ready for the class and deliberations were underway on the front porch for how to handle the kitty. As class was about to start, a student informed me that Wendy thought it best to bring the kitty to her vet down the road. I was told she would be back in 5 min. (Note: This photo is not “our” kitty, but it is very, very similar looking!)
On July 11, 2010 we held a Live Sitar and Yoga 
Renaissance Yoga was “featured” in this report about job satisfaction and yoga in the workplace.
