I get it. It is supposed to be tongue and cheek humor. Funny. I haven't had my coffee this morning and my mind is a little cloudy but it felt like a shuck and jive black face minstrel show to me.
It doesn't really talk about the so called "issue", not that I think there really is one, but I digress, of the lack of black people in class. It alludes to it, but it doesn't really talk about it.
The stereotypes are ridiculous. The crappy stereotypical McDonald's commercial black people smiling and dancing and rapping. It reminds me of the dance scene from 12 Years A Slave. I know. I know. I am taking this too far but you know the scene. If you don't, look it up. I dare you....
The rap oh my goodness...hip hop just had a heart attack
All the people actually doing real yoga poses were White. If a person wanted to show that Black people can and do indeed do yoga, why wouldn't you show Black people doing yoga? Why are all the Black people just dancing and bopping around the room rolling their eyes? There are a few shots that insinuate they do yoga, but all the real yoga shots were done by the White models.
This has already been picked up my White bloggers who feel that it positively reflects Black people. I am sorry. I don't act like this. I like hip hop but I also like Radio Head, Tori Amos and Krishna Das. My yoga practice rocks. I do the poses with the White girls and we all love each other. No one is staring and rolling their eyes. We are all on our mat doing our thing. Afterwards we hang out, grab coffee, food and party like its 1999.
My point is that Black people are diverse. I don't need to be treated special. Just show me the same kindness you do everybody else. You don't have to play rap music for me or go out of your way to make me feel special in your yoga class . I came to do yoga. Teach me yoga they way you do everybody else.
Yes, I know this is supposed to be a joke but there are only a few videos out there with people of color doing yoga. It pains me that this is the one that will get talked about and blogged about.
If I am being too serious call me out but I would love to hear what you guys think. I will make sure to drink my coffee and do a few sun salutes before I answer back.
Oh, and just in case you needed to see what I real live Black person looks like doing yoga, here are some pictures of me doing it.
You are one of the most amazing yogis I know! ❤️
Posted by: Kacy | September 11, 2014 at 06:16 AM
Thank you. I love you!!!
Posted by: Shanna Small | September 11, 2014 at 08:42 AM
I personally didn't enjoy watching all the white girls look like something stanky just walked in the room. I wish I could say that wasn't reality. I'm just glad I know the truth about what black WOMEN doing and more importantly teaching yoga really looks like.
Posted by: Jo Dee Archetti | September 11, 2014 at 10:57 AM