Although this DVD does not mention the fact, Allie LaForce was 2005 Miss Teen USA.  She is the "teen" who follows yoga teacher Kathleen Kastner in this DVD, although at 19 when the DVD was made, she was at in the last year of her teens.  But then there's not much that is specifically designed for teens in this "Teen Yoga" DVD.  Kastner leads LaForce through an hour long yoga program.  They are in a pleasant Arkansas studio space with a wooden floor and a view of trees through the windows.  Sunlight hits the floor making for a natural feel.  It's a moderately active yoga session, with many vinyasas of forward bends, downward dog, chataronga, upward dog, downward dog, and back to forward bend and mountain pose.  The flow follows the standard approach of some sun salutations, warrior poses and runner's lunges, with associated stretches, some balances, and then floor poses with twisting and hamstring stretches.  The flow ends with a relaxation pose.  Kastner gives good instructions that are easy to follow even when not looking at the screen.  She gives advice for those who like LaForce are beginners.  The camerawork and editing are smooth, making the practice pleasant to view, and there is eastern flavored pop music in the background.  The main flow is preceded by 20 minutes demonstrating the major postures.  So this is a good practice for moderately fit people of all ages who want to learn some yoga.  With the main practice being an hour long, it may not be one that you would want to follow every day, but it would work well using it a few times a week.  For those who are looking for a yoga DVD more specifically aimed at teens, Yoga 4 Teens would be a better match. 

© 2009 Christian Perring

Christian Perring, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Dowling College, New York.

Keywords: yoga dvd