THE UNNATA DIFFERENCE

Unnata® Aerial Yoga offers an authentic Yogic experience, working with an Aerial hammock, and the support of gravity, to relax and realign the body, center the mind, and uplift the spirit.

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The Unnata® Aerial Yoga Difference

Unnata Aerial Yoga is a carefully developed method of Hatha Yoga that uses the support of a soft, fabric Aerial hammock suspended from the ceiling to enhance and refine a traditional floor Yoga practice.

In an Unnata Yoga class, you’ll explore new and traditional yoga asanas (yogic postures) with your body weight partially or fully supported. You’ll get a ‘yoga high’ by deepening your practice: experience physical release, refined strength, energetic flow, and heightened awareness of breath and body. Never more than a few feet off the ground, you’ll let go into gravity, be held in the hammock, and awaken yogic bliss.

Whether you are a long-time Yogi, or dreaming about trying Yoga for the first time, the Unnata method is a fun and playful way to discover this ancient art from a new perspective.

Discover Unnata Yoga

The Unnata method is more than an Aerial Yoga class. Beyond flips, tricks and pretty poses, the Unnata method teaches deeper body awareness in multidimensional space.

Surrendering into the hammock, you’ll gain insight about how you hold your posture, where you’ve held chronic tension, or how you habitually move through space. The Unnata method guides you to unwind old physical patterns, and reset to your body’s true alignment. You can expand flexibility, increase range of motion, build strength, lengthen the spine, and relax the nervous system.

Asana, Evolved

Think you’ve mastered downward-facing dog? Lean into it with the hammock, and you might notice new ah-ha’s about the posture that never would have occured to you in a usual Yoga practice.

With the hammock’s hold, gravity’s pull, and your teacher’s guidance, you will realize where you can lengthen and extend, strengthen and support, or soften and release in completely new ways – and then you can apply those same details in your regular floor Yoga practice, too.

In an Unnata class, you can access asanas beyond your reach in a traditional yoga class – true inversions, deeper supported backbends, attainable handstands, and cocoon-like savasanas.

You might even explore subtle Yogic teachings that become more accessible with the hammock, including pranayama (breathing exercises), bandhas (ways of directing subtle energy), or moments of meditation in levitation.

Beyond asana in air, Unnata Aerial Yoga guides you to unlock and understand the deeper wisdom of Yoga.

Unnata®. Real Yoga. Elevated.

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Who is Unnata® Yoga For?

Unnata Aerial Yoga is uniquely developed for all levels of experience. No previous aerial, acrobatic, or Yoga experience is necessary.

Everyone in good health can benefit from Unnata Yoga, including:

Experienced Yoga Practitioners

  • Perceive details & distinctions in asanas that will enhance your traditional practice
  • Explore deeper flexibility and range of motion, including more complete backbends
  • Safely practice and refine challenging inversions in the middle of the room
  • Gain fine muscular control and increased strength
  • Develop awareness of the subtle energy body within asana practice

Beginning & Returning Yoga Students

  • Establish proper body mechanics and postural alignment from day one
  • Heighten your sense of balance and spatial awareness
  • Heal minor injuries before returning to a traditional Yoga practice
  • Experience unfamiliar asanas with the safety & support of the hammock
  • Condition strength and flexibility while the hammock holds your weight

Yoga Teachers, Physical Educators, Movement Artists & Athletes

  • Understand the therapeutic benefits of Unnata Yoga
  • Learn to work with principles of gravity, surrender and support
  • Integrate greater fluidity, grace and flow in your movements
  • Reinvigorate your existing practice with new knowledge and skills

Please be advised…

Unnata Aerial Yoga is not recommended for individuals who have high blood pressure, cataracts, are pregnant, easily get motion sickness, or anyone for whom hanging upside-down could cause medical complications or discomfort.

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Who We Are

The Unnata Aerial Yoga method is an original form of supported Yoga, born from founder Michelle Dortignac’s love of Yoga, and lifelong passion for movement arts. Michelle synthesized her 25+ years of Yogic teaching and study, with her professional experience as an aerialist and dancer, and pioneered an entirely new practice of Yoga. (Read More About Michelle Here.)

Since 2006, Michelle has taught the Unnata method, and trained teachers across the globe. Now Unnata Aerial Yoga has evolved from Michelle’s playful practice of discovery into a mature method of Yoga, with teachers in 30+ countries worldwide. Michelle continues to innovate the Unnata method, and lead the Unnata community.

Though Unnata Aerial Yoga has gone global, it remains a small organization, guided by Michelle’s vision, and the support of an intimate group of dedicated teachers. With only 7 Unnata trainers worldwide (including founder, Michelle Dortignac), Unnata Yoga is not a factory churning out teachers; it’s a community of dedicated Yogis, inspired to share a love of the Unnata method with students everywhere.

Unnata Yoga teachers are devoted, experienced yoga instructors who have completed thorough training to safely incorporate the hammock into their yoga classes. Each teacher has a unique background and style of yoga; but all Unnata Yoga teachers understand the principles of yoga, and can safely guide you through a playful and transformative Unnata Aerial Yoga class.

Unnata Yoga Standards (Teacher Responsibilities)

Unnata Yoga teachers all commit to the guidelines below:

  • Use the safe rigging practices outlined in the Level 1 teacher training course and as reinforced through the __ area of the Unnata website. The original information may be supplemented through the guidance of a professional rigger, structural engineer, architect, or other similar professional who has significant training in and understanding of the physics and unique forces produced through dynamic human movement.
  • Regularly inspect and repair equipment and rigging points according to industry standards, using a timeline appropriate for the studio’s unique situation.
  • Use the ingredients that constitute an Unnata Aerial Yoga/Unnata Yoga class when they teach Unnata Aerial Yoga/Unnata Yoga.
  • Learn and adopt updates to the Unnata Aerial Yoga method as the method evolves.
  • Annually continue their education and personal development either through additional Unnata courses, the learning resources available in the Unnata website Members Area and on the Unnata website blog, live or video recorded review of the Level 1 course, and/or through additional study in any aspect of traditional Hatha Yoga.
  • Keep hammocks clean and odor free.
  • Refrain from false or misleading claims on education, experience and skills.
  • Follow the ethical standards of the Yamas and the Niyamas from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.