“I think I create a space in which people feel like they can be completely themselves. I tend to lay it all on the table when I teach; no pretending I’m something I’m not. And this approach seems to be disarming – in a good way! Through my own vulnerability, honesty and humor, I try to help us all find our way to greater joy.”
BIOGRAPHY
Jurian Hughes, E-RYT 500, YACEP, MFA, is founder of the Yoga of Voice and Fifth Chakra Yoga; co-creator of The Yoga of Yes; a Let Your Yoga Dance® teacher trainer; voice coach; personal mentor; writer; speaker; and theatre performer known for her passionate, playful and engaging teaching style. As a senior faculty member of the Kripalu School of Yoga, Hughes has led thousands of workshops and programs and trained more than 1,000 Kripalu yoga teachers since 2006. In addition to her extensive teaching experience, Hughes has a long theatrical resume spanning Broadway, off-Broadway, Europe, film, television and the voice-over industry. Through her own study and decades of practice she has developed a deep understanding of the ways in which the tools of yoga, dance, voice, mindfulness and play can be used to promote whole-being wellness, increased creativity, and the ability to thrive. She is dedicated to sharing these tools through her workshops, retreats and trainings, which are offered online, at Kripalu, and around the world.
Clients include Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health; Omega Institute; 1440 Multiversity; Art of Living Retreat Center; Williams College; Vassar College; University of Tennessee; Kativik Regional Government (KRG), Nunavik, Canada; Wanderlust Yoga Conference; Burlington Yoga Conference, Synergy Studio, San Antonio, TX; Dancing the Soul, Denver, CO; All That Matters, South Kingstown, RI; Yoga for Everybody, Fairfield, CT; Yoganesh, New York, NY; Boston Center for Contemplative Practice; St. Peter’s Hospital; NYU Center for Spiritual Life, and more.
HER STORY
Jurian grew up in upstate New York, attended Williams College and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and spent two decades cultivating a successful theatre career in Washington, DC, and New York City. After a life in Broadway, film and TV, at 40 years old she determined that it was time to ‘begin again’ and brought her decades of experience practicing presence, body wisdom, knowledge of breath and vocal techniques, to fuse with her yoga life.
Now she offers ‘tools of access’ for those seeking a more embodied and inspired life. Her students are doctors, teens, lawyers, executives, mothers, fathers, college students, retirees, experienced yogis and beginners alike. Over and over again, students comment that her joy is palpable.
“I’m interested in authenticity and self-expression. The more I practice being fully myself, the more others feel free to do the same. And isn’t that what we all really want?”
“WE BEGIN TO FIND AND BECOME OURSELVES WHEN WE NOTICE HOW WE ARE ALREADY FOUND, ALREADY TRULY, ENTIRELY, WILDLY, MESSILY, MARVELOUSLY WHO WE WERE BORN TO BE.
AUTHOR, ANNE LAMOTT
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Jurian holds a BA in Theatre from Williams College, an MFA in Acting from New York University’s, Tisch School of the Arts, Kripalu School of Yoga 200- and 500-Hour Teacher Training Certifications, and is a certified Let Your Yoga Dance® Teacher and Trainer. In addition to being an adept facilitator, mentor, coach, writer and speaker she has studied Alexander Technique, Linklater Voice, singing, circus, ballroom, Latin, modern dance, and ballet. She has had the privilege of studying and/or working with Devarshi Steven Hartman, Megha Nancy Buttenheim, Jovinna Chan, Vinn Marti, Todd Norian, Ana Forrest, Shiva Rea, Angela Farmer, Ann and Troupe Mathews, Beverly Weidman, Paul Walker, Susan Dibble, Nora Dunfee, Zelda Fichandler, Kathleen Turner, Cherry Jones, Al Pacino, Tony Randall, and too many others to name. She is especially thankful for the teachings she’s received from her family and friends, her partner, Rev. David Wallace, and their hairy dog baby, Smitty.