Larisa Forman collaborates with creativity.
Born in Yakutia, Russia, daughter of a teacher and doctor, Larisa grew up with school constantly being cancelled for weather below minus 57 celsius! She met her husband Ethan in high school when his Massachusetts-based choir was visiting in her town. One of Boston's most beloved and veteran teachers, Larisa teaches free-style vinyasa and is known for her playfulness, humor and humility. Larisa constantly builds others up, fosters camaraderie and pushes us to be better in all areas. Describing David Magone, Dharma Mittra, and Elaine Wintman as her greatest teachers and influences, Larisa refers her students to other teachers and styles, always encouraging intellectual and spiritual curiosity.
"I want people to move and explore. We were designed to run, gather, leap, hunt—not atrophying sitting in front of a computer. I want to take folks back to the original design. Helping people disconnect from the chaos and business of the day to be with themselves is a privilege. I love to make up new poses and my sequences are highly creative and unexpected. There is never a random pose in my class - everything is preparing you for the next step but ultimately I want my students to choose what the next step is and how to inhabit it.
Having worked in multiple yoga environments, from high-intensity high-volume corporate to small-town mom and pops, I'm a passionate advocate for how our yoga industry can do better. I've sat in review meetings at other places where I'm critiqued from a high traffic lens for not teaching a particular way or "on brand." I value so much that at Down Under gives us total creative freedom and I'm encouraged to be a free thinker.
I think that is what makes it such an exciting work environment - all of the teachers here are lit up doing their innovative work. We are exchanging ideas, perspectives and knowledge, tied together with the threads of mutual respect and deep affection.
My colleagues are remarkable in that everyone here is so thoughtful—about what they are offering and putting out into the world and about each other. We may be different, but we operate within an encouraging environment that nourishes our creative energy individually. One of the most important things about Down Under yoga is that I have never been told what to teach and how.
I could not be more excited to be on the Teacher Leadership Council (TLC) since I have spent my professional career supporting positive changes in our deeply flawed industry.
When I and my colleagues were given a chance to rewrite and completely reimagine our employment agreement—I was thrilled! It was a labor of love over four weeks and I was surrounded by multiple generations of yoga teachers of different methodologies, backgrounds, experiences, genders, perspectives, and ages and we worked together to create our living document and our Codes of Conduct.
I love that we can collaborate on some of the hardest riddles to solve in the yoga industry. We are creating a new approach in terms of benefits and internal communication. In our professional work, we work with our bodies and we get injured—I spent three months last year recovering from an injury. I was welcomed back with open arms and given my classes and time slots back (not typical in the industry).
The way Down Under remained open and supported us in the pandemic was incredible—sadly lots of other studios have closed, suspended operations, people were let go, classes were canceled. At Down Under no one was let go due to the pandemic and everyone maintained their schedule and was paid in full and paid on time. The studio had to invest and adapt by switching platforms, purchasing video and sound equipment to take our studio online. That was a Herculean effort for a small business.
