BEYOND VAN GOGH

An Immersive Yoga Experience

STORY BY LYNN COX PHOTOS COURTESY OF TERRIE RICH

Have you ever dreamed of floating in a field of wildflowers, being immersed by your surroundings and one with nature? Well, a group of ladies from the Free Yoga Class – Alexander City got to do just that at the recent “Beyond Van Gogh Immersive Experience” in Birmingham.

The exhibit included 300 artworks by Van Gogh, using cuttingedge projection technology with an original score of Van Gogh to bring it to life. It was part of the largest immersive experience in the country, traveling to various cities, offering guests ample room to safely enjoy the exhibit.

Six of the ladies from the Alexander City yoga group left town very early and traveled to Birmingham to experience the exhibit before it opened for regular tours. Barbara Sokol, Terrie Rich, Brenda Coley, Lisa Harris, Vicki Dobbs and Skeeter Foster had the opportunity of a lifetime to exercise their yoga skills amid the Van Gogh artworks. The producers of the Birmingham Van Gogh experience partnered with instructors from the Yoga Circle, a local yoga studio, to include a guided practice for all levels of participants.

Sokol was so moved when she experienced the exhibit. “It was about nature, feeling nature, being part of nature, getting back to nature. It was really what attracted me to the Van Gogh exhibit,” she said, describing the exhibit as being “about healing, sun and being outdoors, and he (Van Gogh) called it blue air in one quote. It was really a beautiful experience.”

Terrie Rich said, “When entering it was a big, beautiful room with Van Gogh paintings literally floating around the room. It was multi-dimensional, like you were inside the painting. It was on the floor, the ceiling, twirling all around. It was very cool.” She continued, “It was paced for beginners, but ideally paced so you could enjoy the atmosphere and environment.”

The class in Birmingham that day included 20 participants, including the six women from Alexander City. Sokol agreed with Rich that the pacing of the class made it a more meaningful experience for them.

Rich shared that her favorite was the painting of the almond tree. “The way they made the painting come to life. The almond tree blossom painting is all the way around the room. And suddenly, the blossoms come off the tree, floating all over the place. You almost feel them sweeping by your face, it felt so real,” she said.

Sokol has participated in the yoga group since it was introduced to the community in 2004. She said, “I was drawn to it for the wellness benefit. There are so many benefits. Yoga has helped in my progress for certain medical conditions. But that was not my only incentive. My incentive has always been in the art form of yoga. I was drawn to yoga. I don’t consider myself an artist, but I consider my yoga practice an art and my body as the canvas.”

Sokol has grown since she started and through the practices has gained a certain level. She is proud of her personal accomplishment. “But it is about being in the art of the moment with the body,” Sokol said, “It is my expression of art.”

Lisa Harris, new to the yoga group, retired from the school system in the spring of 2021. She said she always wanted to come but could not come when they had the class at 8 a.m. each day.” Since she has retired, Harris started coming and said, “I love it.”

Rich has always been an exercise enthusiast, participating in CrossFit in the past. When she discovered a yoga class in

Posing with Van Gogh:

Previous Pages: Barbara Sokol and Terrie Rich relax in the Trikonasana pose together; Below: Terrie Rich's the Half Moon, Ardha Chandrasana, yoga pose at the Van Gogh art exhibit.

The Art of Yoga Kentucky, there was a Top: From left, Brenda little Russian instructor Coley, Lisa Harris, she described as Terrie Rich, Skeeter Foster, Vicki Dobbs and Barbara Sokol visited the immersive exhibit in December; adorable. “She was about my age and literally kicked my butt,” Rich said. “I don’t think I have Left: Skeeter Foster ever seen anybody as and Terrie Rich put strong as she was and the themselves in the things she did in yoga picture. class just fascinated me. I asked her after class what she did to be so strong.” Her response was nothing but yoga.

Rich said the instructor made a believer out of her because she told her, “You can get as strong as you want but you have the added benefit of flexibility and balance.”

Yoga Class – Alexander City meets at St. James Episcopal Church every morning at 8 a.m. Monday-Friday. Instructors rotate during the week with through skill levels. However, they do say that all are welcome, and you can participate at your own pace.

“St. James Church donates the space as a gift and sees it as an outreach ministry,” Sokol said.

BUSINESS MATTERS

New Dining in Dadeville

Dadeville has a new dining option with a restaurant that opened Thursday, Feb. 3. OOH Crabs Juicy Seafood is Dadeville’s first boiled seafood restaurant. Owner, Jacky Wu formerly worked at Ronin Sushi and Bar in Alexander City.

“I wanted to open a restaurant of my own that offered fresh boiled seafood.”

The menu includes traditional Chinese dishes like lo mein and noodle bowls. There are daily seafood specials and build your own combos. He also offers fried fish and chicken, plus a menu for kids.

“The seafood comes in twice a week, so it will always be juicy and fresh,” Wu explained.

OOH Crabs Juicy Seafood is located at 17957 U.S. Route 280.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.