***NEW INCENTIVES!!!***
$1-$14: A thank you on the Jodi the Yogi Friends Page
$15 or more: 10-minute audio meditation and breathing practice to start off your day PLUS all the above.
$25 or more: 20-minute audio yoga nidra relaxation practice to help you de-stress and prepare for sleep PLUS all the above.
$50 or more: 30-minute video of an all-levels sun salutation yoga practice to bring some movement into your day PLUS all the above.
$100 or more: 60-minute video of an all levels hip and shoulder opening yoga practice PLUS all the above.
$250 or more: Private 1-hour yoga session (offered in-person in NYC or via Skype) PLUS all the above.
$500 or more: A "Jodi the Yogi" event of your choice for kids or adults (i.e. kids birthday party, corporate event, holiday party (NYC area only) PLUS all the above
$1000 or more: The above AND… let's talk!!
We want to give kids everywhere free access to yoga,
but to do this, we need YOUR support. Please help if you can!
What is Jodi the Yogi?
Jodi the Yogi is an interactive health and wellness series that uses the practice of yoga to support the positive development of young children. This series will make the benefits of yoga accessible to kids all over the world!
How does Jodi the Yogi teach yoga?
Music
Jodi the Yogi uses original catchy songs to teach the viewers how to do yoga poses. Each song includes specific, easy to follow instructions to get kids moving, breathing, and having fun while practicing yoga! Watch an example here!
Breath
Jodi the Yogi also introduces breath techniques designed to teach the viewers how to use their breath to cope with real-life challenges. In one episode, for example, Jodi the Yogi teaches Downward-the-Dog how to take a deep “Happy Heart Breath” helping him move beyond frustration when he has lost his bone. Check out “Happy Heart Breath” here!
Wisdom
In each episode of Jodi the Yogi, the characters (and the viewers) discover a new life lesson through the teachings of yoga. These teachings include finding the strength inside of us when we are afraid, grounding ourselves in patience when overly excited or anxious, and cultivating compassion towards ourselves and others in all situations.
How might yoga benefit children?
Yoga provides significant physical and psychological benefits for children by:
supporting the development of strong and flexible bodies
teaching breath as a tool to promote awareness and self-soothing
reducing stress and anxiety to support self-compassion in addition to positive decision making
aiding in the development of gross motor skills through poses and sequences that target strength, flexibility, balance and coordination.
(For more information about the benefits of yoga for kids,click here)
Yoga can help us to be better people. Imagine how our world might look if an entire generation of young people grew up learning about and practicing values such as cooperation, compassion, and patience. Perhaps our world would become a place of greater tolerance and more productive cooperation, a world where we take better care of ourselves and others.
Who are the creators?
Jodi Epstein (founder, producer, writer, and co-creator) is a certified yoga teacher for adults and children (including children with special needs). She is a composer and a musician with a B.F.A in Theatre Arts.
Ellen Brown (writer, producer, and co-creator) is a certified educator, writer, and theatre director with an M.A. in Teaching, an M.A. in Applied Theatre, and a B.F.A. in Theatre.
For complete bios, click here.
Where your support will be used:
We want Jodi the Yogi to be the best it can possibly be educationally and aesthetically, which requires significant financial backing.
As a result, we aim to raise $15,000 to pay for the following:
1. Curriculum development constructed by experts in the field of children’s media:
...................................................................................................................................$3,000
2. Production costs (including film production, director of photography fees, compositor, visual editor, and final production):
...................................................................................................................................$7,000
3.Additional formative research to make sure the breath strategies we know work in person transfer when watching TV:
...................................................................................................................................$2,500
5. Overhead fees (IndieGoGo 4% commission charge, campaign production costs, website design)
...................................................................................................................................$2,500
3 more reasons to support Jodi the Yogi
1) Jodi the Yogi can make our world a healthier place.
We recognize that childhood obesity is at an all-time high. We see the importance of getting kids up and moving and have created songs that encourage actual physical activity (check out videos of kids watching and participating in Jodi the Yogi on YouTube here!).
2) Jodi the Yogi is intentionally created for the positive development of preschoolers.
Young children experience significant physical, cognitive, and emotional/social growth during their preschool years. Fortunately, the holistic practice of yoga simultaneously supports all aspects of this growth, making Jodi the Yogi a platform for positive physiological and psychological development for preschoolers. For more information about preschool growth and development, click here.
3) Jodi the Yogi could make yoga accessible to children all over the world.
Yoga for kids is increasing in popularity, but not every family has access to or can afford to pay for kids yoga classes. We believe that kids everywhere deserve to have access to the benefits of yoga, regardless of their socio-economic status. By supporting Jodi the Yogi, you are helping to make the practice and wisdom of yoga accessible to more children.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you are unable to make a financial contribution, we ask you to consider supporting us in another way:
Spread the word!
Share this video with those you know have by the way yoga has changed their lives.
Get involved!
Submit a video to us answering the question: What lesson(s) have you learned from yoga that you wish you could share with a younger version of yourself? Check out our blog for examples!
Thank you for your support.
And namaste.
IndieGoGo Video Credits:
Created and Produced by Ellen Brown and Jodi Epstein
Director of Photography: Suzanne Hillner
Editor: Mark Thurstlic
Special Thanks to:
Elena Brower, founder of Vira Yoga NYC and co-author of Art of Attention
Nick Velkov, Founder of Yoga Agora
Shari Vilchez-Blatt, Founder of Karma Kids Yoga
The parents and kids who lent their time to do yoga with Jodi
Liat Tayar, flipcam operator extraordinare
