March - King Dancers Pose


N A T A R A J A S A N A
(not-ah-raj-AHS-anna)
Nata - actor, dancer, mime Raja - king


FOCUS &  INTENTION - Balance, back flexibility, leg strength and flexibility

BENEFITS

  • Promotes leg, shoulder and back flexibility
  • Increases chest and lung expansion
  • Stretches the quadriceps muscles of the legs
  • Strengthens the hamstrings and gluteus muscles

PRECAUTIONS - Keep your knees and toes in alignment to prevent knee strain.

Karlene Bourne | Photo credit: Jane Nurse

Karlene Bourne | Photo credit: Jane Nurse


The Dancer requires that you learn to maintain a dynamic balance, pressing the foot strongly back into the hand while extending through the fingertips. It is a good example of an asymmetrical posture that is practiced on both sides to restore balance between the right and left sides of the body... Provided you keep the shoulders, chest and hips square to the front, the Dancer provides a deep stretch to the shoulders, chest and abdomen
— Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat by Richard Faulds and Senior Teachers of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health