Britt Hallau

Biography and Class Information

Britt's Clinic Website

I'm a movement teacher with a passion for helping others move with less pain and more joy. When I started doing yoga, it felt incredibly difficult: my hamstrings were tight, my knees hurt when I tried to kneel on the floor, and most of the poses seemed impossible. I stuck with it because I noticed the difference it made in my body and mind. I found I loved moving more (as I spent my days at a desk then), and I was amazed at how it helped me let go of stress. I was inspired to learn more about yoga and other styles of movement, and I began to teach classes to help others move with more ease. By practicing movement, I found relief from back pain, knee pain, and tension, and I now enjoy sitting on the floor comfortably in many positions, kneeling, squatting, crawling around on the floor to play with my kids, hanging and climbing a tree, and I feel more energy and ease in my body.

My classes are a unique blend of movement styles and relaxation techniques. To help balance out underused and overused areas of the body, I include many moves and alignment cues from my training from Katy Bowman of Nutritious Movement. For challenge and fun, I teach yoga poses and weave in natural human movements (from my MovNat training) that combine strength, mobility, and balance in a way that our bodies would move if we lived in nature. To improve mobility and body awareness, I teach self massage using massage balls (inspired by Jill Miller's work). For a sense of calm and peace, I include gratitude practice, breath practice, and short guided meditation. My intention is to teach fun and relaxed classes where everyone feels welcome, and I give lots of different options in class, since I know that everyone has different injuries and issues in their bodies. I encourage students to enjoy moving, listen to their bodies, and adapt the movements to do what feels helpful for their individual body in each unique moment (and students are always welcome to ask me for advice if something isn't working for them).

What to bring for class (these are optional, you can come without any of this): Most of the class is done using a clear space on the ground for sitting, standing, and lying poses and movements. Sometimes we use a wall or chair for specific techniques, and some students use a wall or chair to adapt poses if the version on the ground doesn't work for them or if they need more support for balancing poses. I use massage balls designed for self massage (from Tune Up Fitness), but you can try 2 tennis balls in a sock, and I use a soft squishy massage ball for abdominal massage, but you can also try a rolled up hand towel or soft small pillow. I use a bath towel or foam dome for some classes, and in some classes students have the option to practice hanging from a bar (or tree limb) and walking on lumpy "terrain" (rolled up socks or flattish rocks with a towel on top).

Update: The weekly zoom classes are on hold for a few months, but during this time, I will be making short videos (5-10 min) that can be done as movement breaks during your day, or combined to make a longer movement session. If you are interested in these free videos, please reach out to me at britt@hallau.us.