Andrea teaches Yoga. She specializes in hatha, yin, restorative, prenatal, postnatal, children’s, mothers and toddlers
Preferred Pronoun: She/her
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Website: www.kindredheartyoga.com
What’s one funny or random fact you’d like to share with the Body Collective Community about yourself?
I suppose my hair is pretty random. After coloring my hair for nearly 20 years I decided last spring to just let it be. I get asked if I have bleached my hair to get this effect which I find funny!
What was your path before joining Body Collective?
My first path involved designing proprietary casino game software and managing a production team, but the products didn’t satisfy the soul. When I became pregnant my weekly yoga practice was a sanctuary from work and it fostered a deep appreciation for all that was taking place inside of me, as well as confidence that my body was my ally.
As a new brand parent I practiced postnatal yoga, supporting another series of physical and mental changes, sharing and laughing and learning with other mothers finding their ways. As my children grew, community yoga classes continued to be our special place to play, sing and socialize. When my third child turned two, I longed for a career that would satisfy my soul and would aid other women on their own unique journeys.
Since 2017 I’ve offered various modalities of yoga with an emphasis on prenatal and postnatal practices at multiple studios in Austin, TX (Yoga Yoga, The Little Yoga House, Flow Yoga, Serasana, Wild Heart Yoga).
What brought you to Body Collective? Why did you choose to be a part of the Body Collective Team?
I want to support the intention to make yoga practice accessible and affordable. I believe in the healing power of this practice and want it to be available as widely as possible. I am hopeful that the emphasis on being a trauma-informed studio will call to people who might otherwise not try the practice but might benefit from it. I’m also interested in working with a group that emphasizes the deeper aspects of the practice, beyond aesthetically-pleasing poses.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love when the energy in the room shifts towards relaxation. We are generally bombarded with requests, deadlines, to-do lists… But to offer someone silence, and the opportunity to do absolutely nothing, it is a gift. On the other hand, I love seeing the smiles and laughter when a student strikes a pose that they were intimidated by previously, or believed was unachievable. And to feel the collective energy when it’s a movement that involves an optional partner- to hear the laughter and chatter as one person supports the other to accomplish, let’s say, Ardha Chandrasana at the wall- it’s a beautiful moment.
What can be expected from a class / session with you?
My classes begin with community check-in and internal centering, progressing through a variety of traditional yoga poses and other physical movements, and ending with calming breathing techniques, meditation and deep rest.
What transformations do you see and help facilitate in your students?
The yogic principle of self-reflection is what I aim to facilitate, as this is how I believe we accomplish true transformation. Every day is an opportunity for growth, as we are constantly surrounded by teachers in our casual interactions with family, children, friends and our communities. Starting with a hefty dose of self-compassion we can examine our relationships, our tendencies, our aversions, our self-talk and choose to navigate life with greater awareness and intention, cultivating trust in our capacity to progress and thrive.
What brings you joy when you’re not teaching?
Being with my family brings me a lot of joy. Yes it sounds corny, but they are my favorite people and I feel incredibly lucky to have the gift of their companionship. I love to visit the mountains and the beaches, eat as much tasty food as I can find, read about yoga, science and fiction, admire celestial objects through my telescope, and try to leave some time to do nothing.
“I love taking Andrea’s prenatal class online. Zoom is the best way to meet up right now, even though it’s not the same as in person, it fills the yoga void I’ve been missing from my second pregnancy.” – Rhiannon
“I’m so fortunate to have stumbled upon Andrea Barton’s prenatal zoom yoga class. She has a gift of creating a warm and nurturing community, sharing her expertise and knowledge of the body, and establishing a safe environment to connect with others and feel welcomed. It’s hard enough to create this kind of community in person and yet Andrea is able to do it all online. I even fell asleep during savasana at the end of one of our classes! That’s how truly relaxing and restorative her guided meditations are. Thank you, Andrea, for all that you do.”
– Rachel