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Dar In Balancing Stick
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ABOUT DAR
Dar Vander Hoop has been teaching yoga for 45 years. Dar immersed herself in dance (as therapy) at the University of Wisconsin where she earned a BS degree (with honors) in Psychology/Movement Therapy; and began her career as a performer/choreographer with Player’s of San Francisco; a touring dance/acting troupe.
In San Francisco she studied under the auspices of Anna Halprin at San Francisco Dancer’s Workshop which eventually led her to explore yoga. Relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a show business career landed Dar right into the Hollywood scene, (70’s-80,) running between acting jobs, hobnobbing with the glitterati of that era, and inevitably standing on the carpet (no mats invented yet) in a 105-degree room at the infamous “Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class," at The Yoga College of India in Beverly Hills, California.
Moving into the 80's, and instrumental in the west coast " fitness craze," the 80’s yoga scene opened her career path. In 1984 Dar appeared on the cover of the LA Weekly after researching every yoga class and variety of yoga schools in Los Angeles, which involved taking each yoga class offered within a 25 mile radius. She’s appeared on a variety of TV fitness shows, Good Morning America, her own talk show VanderHoop, Fass & CO.: and also modeled for photographers Robert Mapplethorpe, Lynn Davis, Howard Berman, Peter Kredenser, and Guy Webster who did all of the photography -Bikram’s first book (the red edition!) In 1979, Dar briefly dropped out of the LA scene to reside at the Siddha Yoga Dham in upstate N.Y. with Swami Muktananda, immersing herself in ashram life, chanting, and meditation.
Learning from the great old school "real deal" yoga masters over three decades, Dar continues to attend master cases and teacher trainings. Among some of her great teachers: Dharma Mittra, Swami Bhua, Indra Devi, Yogi Bhajan, Alan Finger, Bekir Algan, Bikram, Iyengar Institutes’ LA /NYC, Paul Grilley; and most recently : Saul David Raye, Ashley Turner, Rolf Gates, Tias Little, Theresa Murphy, Mark Whitwell, Bernie Clark, Sarah Powers, and Max Strom...to name a few. Dar received her 50-hour teaching certificate in YIN YOGA with Bernie Clark at Semperviva in Vancouver, Canada, Feb, 2014,, and a 45 hour certificate in meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn from Omega Institute in 2019.
At Inner Fire Yoga, and other local studios Dar is a senior teacher (20 yrs,) and has been involved with many teacher trainings. She travels nationally and internationally presenting classic Bikram, Vinyasa Flow, Yin trainings, and a variety of workshops. Dar’s taught over 23,ooo yoga classes!
Never defined by place, “brand”, studio, or societal expectations; among her roles: published writer, nationally syndicated “Love” columnist (Weekly Alibi,1994-1998), magazine publisher (LA WOMAN 1984-1986), fashion editor (Movieline Magazine), west coast advertising director Details Magazine, actress/model, single mother, TV producer/host, world traveler, courtesan to the rich and famous, ashram resident, dog lover, aroma therapist, caretaker, cook, chanter, bon vivant, and committed student to life and learning.
Dar is Bikram Yoga Certified, E-RYT-500 hr. in Vinyasa, 50 hr. Yin Yoga (Bernie Clark), and a B.S.Degree, (with honors) UW Madison . Her true education has been teaching, practicing and navigating 8 decades of living large. On the horizon is "Movement Medicine," back to my roots as a dancer and healer... exciting!
"There was another life I might have had, but I am having this one." Kazoo Ishiguro
In San Francisco she studied under the auspices of Anna Halprin at San Francisco Dancer’s Workshop which eventually led her to explore yoga. Relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a show business career landed Dar right into the Hollywood scene, (70’s-80,) running between acting jobs, hobnobbing with the glitterati of that era, and inevitably standing on the carpet (no mats invented yet) in a 105-degree room at the infamous “Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class," at The Yoga College of India in Beverly Hills, California.
Moving into the 80's, and instrumental in the west coast " fitness craze," the 80’s yoga scene opened her career path. In 1984 Dar appeared on the cover of the LA Weekly after researching every yoga class and variety of yoga schools in Los Angeles, which involved taking each yoga class offered within a 25 mile radius. She’s appeared on a variety of TV fitness shows, Good Morning America, her own talk show VanderHoop, Fass & CO.: and also modeled for photographers Robert Mapplethorpe, Lynn Davis, Howard Berman, Peter Kredenser, and Guy Webster who did all of the photography -Bikram’s first book (the red edition!) In 1979, Dar briefly dropped out of the LA scene to reside at the Siddha Yoga Dham in upstate N.Y. with Swami Muktananda, immersing herself in ashram life, chanting, and meditation.
Learning from the great old school "real deal" yoga masters over three decades, Dar continues to attend master cases and teacher trainings. Among some of her great teachers: Dharma Mittra, Swami Bhua, Indra Devi, Yogi Bhajan, Alan Finger, Bekir Algan, Bikram, Iyengar Institutes’ LA /NYC, Paul Grilley; and most recently : Saul David Raye, Ashley Turner, Rolf Gates, Tias Little, Theresa Murphy, Mark Whitwell, Bernie Clark, Sarah Powers, and Max Strom...to name a few. Dar received her 50-hour teaching certificate in YIN YOGA with Bernie Clark at Semperviva in Vancouver, Canada, Feb, 2014,, and a 45 hour certificate in meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn from Omega Institute in 2019.
At Inner Fire Yoga, and other local studios Dar is a senior teacher (20 yrs,) and has been involved with many teacher trainings. She travels nationally and internationally presenting classic Bikram, Vinyasa Flow, Yin trainings, and a variety of workshops. Dar’s taught over 23,ooo yoga classes!
Never defined by place, “brand”, studio, or societal expectations; among her roles: published writer, nationally syndicated “Love” columnist (Weekly Alibi,1994-1998), magazine publisher (LA WOMAN 1984-1986), fashion editor (Movieline Magazine), west coast advertising director Details Magazine, actress/model, single mother, TV producer/host, world traveler, courtesan to the rich and famous, ashram resident, dog lover, aroma therapist, caretaker, cook, chanter, bon vivant, and committed student to life and learning.
Dar is Bikram Yoga Certified, E-RYT-500 hr. in Vinyasa, 50 hr. Yin Yoga (Bernie Clark), and a B.S.Degree, (with honors) UW Madison . Her true education has been teaching, practicing and navigating 8 decades of living large. On the horizon is "Movement Medicine," back to my roots as a dancer and healer... exciting!
"There was another life I might have had, but I am having this one." Kazoo Ishiguro
