Emma Poole Sings And Shines In Hoboken
Check out Emma Poole’s beautiful singing during class in the video at the bottom of this story. You’ll see why she is PFY Hoboken’s Teacher of the Month. She literally rocks her classes. What makes her a shining yoga inspiration? It’s her mix of experience, creativity, power and heart.
Regional manager Brian LePore recently took Emma’s class and said, “I was not expecting her to sing and initially thought it was a recording. I opened my eyes and saw it was Emma! Now, her singing adds a unique and beautiful element to an already superb class.”
Get to know Emma and her signature style of singing, teaching and living in this Q&A:
Kristen Kemp: How would you describe your teaching style?
Emma Poole: I was trained in traditional Baptiste Vinyasa. Now my teaching has evolved to include many styles including Jivamukti, Forrest and Hatha yoga. I work to keep my classes uplifting and grounded with fluid sequencing and attention to yogic philosophy. I want students to feel a little lighter when they leave the room.
KK: Why did you become a yoga teacher?
EP: It was a huge surprise to me! I began yoga at 16 and was always drawn to the way it made me feel afterward. About two and a half years ago, I was pursuing a career in theater and music in the city yet feeling stagnant and uninspired. I knew I needed a change. In a matter of 3 months, I quit my job, did yoga teacher training and shifted my life literally and figuratively into the world of yoga. I still have much I’d love to do, but I feel grateful to be where I am today.
EP: It was a huge surprise to me! I began yoga at 16 and was always drawn to the way it made me feel afterward. About two and a half years ago, I was pursuing a career in theater and music in the city yet feeling stagnant and uninspired. I knew I needed a change. In a matter of 3 months, I quit my job, did yoga teacher training and shifted my life literally and figuratively into the world of yoga. I still have much I’d love to do, but I feel grateful to be where I am today.
KK: What is your singing all about?
EP: I began singing at 11 years old. I was trained privately in classical/operetta style through adolescence and performed in my school musicals. I received a BFA in musical theater from Ithaca College which was one of the best experiences of my life. It was about learning to become a human just as much as studying the craft of theater. I moved to New York in 2011 and have performed professionally and as a hobby since then. The tradition of music is inherent in yoga. During training, I fell in love with mantra and the vibration it creates in the room. During savasana, I like to chant in Sanskrit to hopefully brig the students deeper into their relaxation. Sanskrit is a beautiful language. I feel honored to be able to share it as part of the practice!
