As a movement professional I take verbal cues very seriously regardless of whether I am the one giving them or receiving them. The ability to articulate movement to a student is the difference between good instruction and great instruction. I had many ballet teachers in my career yet only two of them were able to articulate their instruction in such a way that I immediately understood what to do with my body to achieve the desired lines. The same clear, concise and most importantly individually tailored verbal cues are necessary to proper yoga instruction. Whether you are an advanced yogi or a beginner or whether you are a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet or a ballet enthusiast, everyone needs a fresh pair of eyes. I call this the "spinach in between your teeth effect." If you have a piece of spinach stuck in between your teeth, wouldn't you want someone to tell you about? If you had your skirt tucked into your underwear in public wouldn't you want to know about it? How about if you had a piece of soiled toilet paper stuck to your shoe at a trendy nightspot, wouldn't you want someone to tell you???

Many yoga instructors reinforce the importance of having a home practice. A home practice is great. Like a dear friend it is always there for you when you need it. However, we practice the same poses over and over again in yoga and each time I take class with some of my favorite instructors I learn something new. I become more aware of how I hold myself in the poses because I have an extra pair of eyes looking at me. A good teacher has the power to mold the student into the proper positions by virtue of genuine observation. I am amazed at how many instructors out there either lack observation skills or choose to look the other way. The ability to draw out a student’s highest potential over time is truly a skill that very few instructors possess. Many yoga instructors simply gloss over the physical imbalances and incorrect techniques employed by students in their classes as they call out yoga poses in a Jane Fonda sort of way. Many instructors gloss over the subtleties and nuances of movement principals and movement techniques, which could have a monumental impact on the way their students practice. Something as subtle as instructing a student to draw their chin in slightly towards their chest in any pose reminds the student to release unnecessary tension from the back of their neck. This immediately places the spine into proper alignment maximizing the benefits of whatever pose the student is practicing. This type of verbal cue also affects the neuromuscular system because now that the student is aware of this particular holding pattern, he or she is less likely to repeat it. Good instructors never assume that students know the asana and intelligent students never assume that they know the asana; this is why we discipline ourselves to come to class to practice our yoga.