“Floating” Studio Spotlight: Aqua Vida
When I first connected with Liz Dipre, the owner of Aqua Vida, it was because she was the only traveling stand up paddle board (or SUP) person in the area. I had been tasked to plan our club’s pool entertainment and SUP seemed like a good crowd pleaser. But I have come to learn that Aqua Vida is so much more than these cool paddle classes. Aqua Vida is the world’s first “clean water lifestyle company”.
Yes, the actual yoga class on the boards, with the sounds of the water and birds around you, while the sun is rising and all you see is blue sky… that is pretty damn special. But Aqua Vida’s mission is to connect the community to one of our most vital resources: water.
Aqua Vida was founded on a connection to the water. The creator saw a way to bring fun fitness classes to people, which would in turn bond them in a deeper way to the water. Liz Dipre moved to Philadelphia in 2016 and fell in love with the company. She was an environmental studies major in college and is a self-proclaimed mermaid. Oh and yes, a yogi. Aqua Vida was a dream for her and she purchased the company in 2019.
Let’s not be mistaken. This is Liz… not me!
The Aqua Vida movement lies in its Seva mission. Seva is the yogic term for “selfless service”. Seva is believed to help one’s spiritual growth as well as improve the community. Sustainability, cleanup, water conservation and outreach are all part of the Aqua Vida movement. Aqua Vida organizes community water clean ups around the area. The most recent one was last September at the Delaware River Waterfront in support of the Greening Youth Foundation. The Greening Youth Foundation engages under-represented youth and young adults by providing a connection to the outdoors, teaching about careers in conservation and creating the next generation of eco activists. Liz’s next clean up is planned for the beginning of July in the marina where her SUP classes are currently held. Check back, and I will be sure to post more information about Liz’s plastic-free July and this next clean-up.
I do want to tell you all about the AquaFlow SUP Yoga class because it was just about the most enjoyable thing I have done for myself in a really long time. Liz makes this class so accessible. She glides you from the side of the pool to your secure spot so you don’t need to go in the water if you don’t want. Liz makes class fun. She does something called “play time” where you challenge yourself to balance and sometimes people end up in the water (truly, the highlight of class). Liz makes class challenging. Balancing on that board is the hardest part and as you get more comfortable, you can work through some board poses that strengthen your core and work to improve your balance. Liz makes the class spiritual and restorative. Focusing on your breath and the movement of the water, this class provides a unique mind body connection with the healing properties of the water.
The boards that Liz travels with are inflatable and blow up in minutes into sturdy, hard paddle boards. She connected them to the lane lines of the pool for extra support. The center design on the board is called the “sweet spot”. Throughout class, we were told to move to the sweet spot. If your center of gravity is over this part of the board, Liz guarantees that you won’t fall in.
Our class started with some alternate-nostril breathing. This method of breathing regulates the nervous system, slows your heartbeat, and lowers blood pressure, which in turn lowers anxiety levels. Smart to start class this way, Liz. I just enjoyed taking large breaths like this without even realizing that it was relaxing me on the board. From there, we got comfortable by moving onto all fours and rocking the boards to create waves that we could ride. We moved into some cat-cows and some other familiar poses— bird-dog, supine twists, three-legged dog, bridge pose, boat pose and a standing series with side stretches. Some poses are modified on the board. Tree pose was the most challenging part of class. Getting up to a stand is hard enough and lifting that foot while on the board really tests your balance skills, of which I have none! I was shocked that I wasn’t the one who ended up in the water with this pose.
Liz and her team hold a variety of classes in the marina at Spruce Street Harbor Park in Philadelphia during the warmer weather months. She goes inside at Fitness Alive in Philadelphia in the winter. Check the website for a list of times and the offerings of classes. Liz will also travel with her boards, as she did this week at Waynesborough Country Club. Aqua Vida coordinates an annual eco retreat at a tranquil location (this year Aruba), where the group will experience grounding yoga classes, strengthening pilates classes, and Seva practices through clean-up events with the island’s locals. Liz calls it the “perfect retreat for healthy travelers looking for a vacation filled with fun, fitness and philanthropy.” Where do I sign up?! Check out the Aqua Vida website for more information on the stunning 5-star accommodations and how you can sign up for this one-of-a-kind travel experience.
I invite you to join in on the Aqua Vida movement and make some waves!