Padme Yoga Center coming to Sacramento

2010-03-10T04:22:55Z

"Connect, Breathe, Let go" is the message behind Padme Yoga Center, which is scheduled to open in June in East Sacramento.

The new yoga center will focus on the teaching and practice of Yoga Vinyasa, a form of yoga performed in a warmer heat, or "hot yoga."

Sophie Levy, owner of the new yoga center, called the warmth a "Hawaiian Heat", saying the room temperature will be kept around 85 degrees. She explained that the higher temperature allows the muscles to relax while the movements physically challenge the body.

The range of knowledge about this teaching will be demonstrated by instructors who will teach beginner classes through advanced classes. There will be a total of 10 instructors leading the classes, one of whom will be Levy herself.

"I have been a yoga instructor for about seven and a half years," Levy said. "I am close with my instructors, having known most of them for a least two years. I have taught with some of them, and some started as my students."

The yoga center will open with 25 classes throughout the week from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. This number will eventually grow to about 30 or 32 classes a week once the center is up and running, Levy said.

Padme Yoga Center will also hold drum and dance classes on Saturdays nights. Levy said she was excited that the dancing will be instructed by a man from West Africa who should help to bring more life to the class.

The yoga center will also offer a free beginner workshop at least once a month.

Levy also pointed out that at the location there is a kitchen that will allow an instructor to teach a nutrition class once a month.

Currently, there are deals on yoga classes that will bring the original price down from $99 to $59 for 30-day unlimited yoga or $69 for 30-day unlimited yoga.

"When we open, we are going to have $10 for 10 consecutive days," Levy said.

The main focus of the Padme Yoga Center is to use yoga and its teaching to help bring the community together. The yoga center will also be supporting local artists selling their unique homemade products such as jewelry, and kids cloths in their retail area.

Padme Yoga Center will be located at 1899 Alhambra Blvd, Suite A, across from the Sacramento Food Co-op.

Until the opening of the new location, every Tuesday starting the 16th, there will be Vinyasa Flow classes at the Art Beast on K and 22nd Streets for those who want to try the yoga. Donations are encouraged, and class will be open to all levels.

Though the website is not complete, a temporary site with more information on the new yoga center is available at padmecenter.com.

Sirens ready to tackle a new football season

2010-02-11T06:26:15Z

The Sacramento Sirens are gearing up for another strong football season this year, practicing hard and focusing on making it to the playoffs. The Sirens are an all-women’s tackle football team that formed in 2000.

The team is a part of the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL), which is a nonprofit organization and the only recognized women's football league in the United States. It stretches across the United States and into Canada with 51 teams and 1,600 players.

According to Michael Parker, owner of the Sirens, this is the IWFL's 11th year.

The Sirens have won three National Championships in their 10 years together - in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

There are 53 players on the team, and they are supported by 11 coaches. Margie Wells is considered the head coach for the Sirens, and surprisingly only three out of the 11 coaches are women, all of whom were formerly Sirens players.

Tryouts for this year’s team took place October through December, and rookie camp, which allowed for less experienced players to try out, took place in January.

According to Parker, the coaches are still open to allowing more players on the team.

“Players can join the teams 30 days before the first game,” Parker said.

The Sirens have some really talented women on the team, Parker said that each year a few of the players have made the IWFL’s All Star Team.

Though the team changes every year with more rookies joining, Parker said that there are a few women who have been on the team since it started.

Not everyone on the team is from Sacramento, California or even the United States. One team member, Noriko Kokura, travels all the way from Japan to compete with the Sirens. This is her third season with the team, and she is playing on the defensive line this year. Parker said she is famous in Japan for her talent playing football and isn’t just known for competing on women's teams, but on Japanese men's teams as well.

Together these women play full-contact football, proving each year that this is not just a man’s sport. Parker said they hit in full gear and play to enjoy the game.

"Though they don't hit as hard as men, they can understand the plays better," Parker said. "They're smarter."

The Sirens' first game will take place April 3 at home against the Bay Area Bandits. They will compete against four other teams during their regular season, playing eight games throughout April and May - four at home and four away.

"The team is very promising this year," Parker said. "It looks like we will go to the playoffs and hopefully to the Championship."

This will be an exciting year for the women of the IWFL because this is also the first year that the IWFL and the USA Football are creating a "USA Team" that will compete during the summer in Stockholm, Sweden, against six countries for the inaugural IFAF Women's World Championship of American Football. Only 45 women will be chosen from the 51 teams in the IWFL to compete.

Parker said that some of the women from the Sirens have submitted themselves for the USA Team and the official roster should be out soon. This event will only take place every four years, but the prospect of having a woman from the Sacramento Sirens on the USA Team has them anxiously waiting

The Sacramento Sirens' games take place at Natomas High School, 3301 Fong Ranch Rd. Kickoff is at 6p.m.

Tickets are available online: $10 adults, $8 seniors (62+) and students with ID, children 5 and younger are free. Season tickets are also available.

2010 Sirens Home Game Schedule:
• Apr 3 – Bay Area Bandits
• Apr 17 – Modesto Maniax
• May 22 – Los Angeles Amazons
• May 29 – Tucson Monsoon

For more information visit their website

Photos by Danny Kramer
Pictures from Sirens vs Majestics Exhibition

Sports

Padme Yoga Center coming to Sacramento

Sirens ready to tackle a new football season