Twisted Yoga [Hardcover]

Pilobolus Dance Theatre (Author, Contributor), John Kane (Photographer)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Here's a book that's as funny and awe-inspiring as it is beautiful. An internationally renowned dance company presents its singular vision of what "yoga" might be through their wonderfully wild and imaginative eyes. Bodies twisted, bent, and balanced in the most extraordinary, eye-popping poses will leave readers amazed-even laughing-and asking "How do they do that?" From the "Bow di Sattva" and "Sitting Shiva" to the "Gordian Knot" and "Praying Mantis," this clever catalog of playful postures and beautiful body sculptures is a great gift for those who are fascinated (or mystified) by yoga as well as yoga devotees, dance lovers, fitness fanatics, and collectors of books of art and photography.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This volume does not feature ordinary asanas. In fact, according to the opening note, "It isn't even really yoga." This mind-bending collection of photographs and word play, presented by Pilobolus the internationally renowned dance company puts a modern spin on the ancient Hindu practice. "Sitting Shiva," for example, shows a man in full lotus, arms outstretched, forming a mudra (fingers fanned and curved, with thumb and third finger forming a closed circle) with each hand. A second set of arms (which belong to the person seated back-to-back behind him) makes him appear multi-limbed. A third person, seated in an identical position, balances atop his head. The result: a visual pun that blends the many-armed Hindu god of destruction and regeneration with the traditional Jewish period of mourning. Kane uses a slightly blue-hued lens for another, more straightforward pun, "Peacock"; a man lies on his back with legs extended in a right angle to the floor, his feet balancing two women, back-to-back, their legs outstretched in a fan to form the bird's feathers. Set against stark black or white backgrounds, Kane's transcendent images of the colorfully and sometimes scantily clad "Piloboli" (dancers) in action elevate viewers to a higher state of consciousness. This tastefully designed volume will be just as appealing to adults as to erudite teens. Ages 14-up.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-Not about yoga at all, but a stunning visual feast featuring much twisting, indeed. Members of the Pilobolus dance company present an intriguing collection of visual puns and clever contortions to engage readers' imagination and amazement. Four dancers intertwine in "Mandala." Two others portray a perfect "Yin Yang." In "Ostrich Tree," three stand completely bent over with head to knees, with two of them atop another's buttocks. In "Peacock," a man lies on the floor with legs bent straight up at the hips, supporting two women whose legs are fanned out, forming the bird's tail. "Nutcase" features two dancers seated facing each other, with arms and legs completely entangled to form a hard shell, photographed from above. The dancers are posed against solid black or white backgrounds, setting off the clean, muscular lines of their bodies, sometimes colorfully, sometimes scantily, clad. Readers will also enjoy Thia Luby's Yoga for Teens (Clear Light, 2000), which juxtaposes similarly clever photography with substantive information about the practice of yoga.
Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587171368
• ISBN-13: 978-1587171369
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #959,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discover what the human body is capable of, April 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Twisted Yoga (Hardcover)

This is a marvelous book for kids and adults, the poses, costumes, and photography are all absolutely stunning.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not really yoga, and not really interesting, August 12, 2003

By 

A. Berns "aberns111" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Twisted Yoga (Hardcover)

Hum...... Not really yoga and not really interesting. SMALL book, so not even cool for the living room table. Just sort of.. strange to look at. Giving this one away soon....