Events Calendar

Join the tribe of free thinkers, truth seekers, warriors and lovers… all are welcome in this temple.

Join Yoga Church Mondays at the Santa Cruz Veteran’s Hall (a lovely space downtown across the street from Verve Coffee on Front St, next to the post office).

These classes will have most of the same elements of Hannah’s beloved Monday night former Live DJ Bhakti Flow class, integrating a HUGE DOSE of LOVE along with skillfully sequenced alignment-based flows, myth, mantra, amazing music and more – PLUS some sweet changes we are STOKED to share with you:

1. COMMUNITY YOGA for ALL: these classes are intended to be accessible + inclusive to anyone who seeks to open their heart, body & mind; not just those who can afford it. Self-care is a radical act: as we learn to love + take care of ourselves, we extend that love + support to others more abundantly, and it ripples out into our communities. So in the interest of community love and support, we offer to you every Monday night:

// sliding scale prices: $10 – $20

// veterans are free

// no one turned away for lack of funds

We seek to serve the entire community, anyone and everyone willing to show up and be present: underserved populations, young and old, rich and poor, all walks of life. Those of you can afford to pay $15 or more will not only be offering yourself the gift of a replenishing practice, but you will personally be making it possible for us to serve the greater whole. We welcome everyone. We welcome YOU.

2. beautiful TEMPLE SPACE: we are in love with this gorgeous room with tree-lined windows, wood floors, high ceilings, an amazing sound system – and so much high vibes! (Same room where we are thrilled to host the ROOTS training this year too.) There is also easy parking: a low-cost parking garage at Front St/River St, or bike, walk, hula hoop your way to this central location.

3. TIME: 5:30-7 pm allows you to practice after a full day of work/play, plus still have time for dinner and downtime after. (I’m hoping some weeks we can have community dinners together after class – since we will be downtown near so much amazing local food!)

4. YOGA CHURCH: it’s a new paradigm ya’ll – this is independent yoga for free thinkers, truth seekers, warriors and lovers. Atheists, agnostics, religious devotees, mystics and spiritual seekers alike are all welcome to this church – so don’t let the name throw you off. The name came when I posed the question last year to a blissful post-Monday night class of yogis: “if you could name what we do here, what would you call it?” Many wonderful ideas flowed from this creative group, and nearly all of them used words like “church”, “temple” or “ceremony” – citing that just calling these Monday night experiences “yoga” was not enough. Although it’s all yoga, I get their point – we live in a world where people are calling various things/styles/methods/brands yoga, so it’s helpful to be descriptive. And as you all pointed out, the incredible energy and transformation we co-create on these Monday nights should be honored with a name that honors the magic, the community, the reverence, the heart of these sacred gatherings…

Welcome to Yoga Church.

In conjunction with Veterans Day, on Thursday, Nov. 7 at noon, the City and County of Santa Cruz will be holding their annual ceremony honoring employees that served in the armed forces. Please join us at the Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building (846 Front Street, downtown Santa Cruz) to witness a flag ceremony and bugle corps, and hear remarks from Board Chair Ryan Coonerty and Mayor Martine Watkins. All veterans and members of the public are invited to attend.

Veterans who serve in local government are a key part of our workforce and have dedicated themselves to public service. Please join us in honoring their service.

Join us for a conversation about what it will take to end homelessness in Santa Cruz County!

This conversation will be courageous, safe, focused on what we can do now, and will create a reasonable plan that we can all get behind.
People who are homeless, who have experienced homelessness, who work with people who are homeless, who care about this issue, and the general public are all invited.
This conversation will be guided by data. However, we are mindful of the fact that it can be challenging to get quality data when it comes to homelessness, and that we will not have all the data we need.
There will be a safe place for folks to store their belongings during the meeting.

Tandy Beal and Company presents ArtSmart Saturday Family Concert Series, seven concerts from October through May!

Discounts on the full 2019-2020 Season, Half Season, Family Discounts, Group Tickets, and more at www.tandybeal.com!

Extraordinary artists in music and circus bring high-quality, interactive, and affordable concerts for families in downtown Santa Cruz. This is an opportunity to bring the family together, for children to invite parents, grandparents, and friends to a concert with an inspiring adventure in art and wonder! These concerts are exciting and accessible for people of all ages.

Performances include:

October 5th at 11 AM: Ka-Hon Latin Percussion Ensemble!
Come hear these Grammy-award winning artists! Ka-Hon shares music, songs and global rhythms from the artists’ birth countries of Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Spain and Venezuela. This interactive concert takes us on an adventure in Latin percussion to discover an explosive array of songs and rhythms from around the world that can be played even on a simple wooden box – called the cajón.

November 9th at 11 AM: Art Lande and Paul McCandless in Oregonia
A Family Jazz concert! Re-imagining the iconic lyrical jazz group Oregon, Art (piano), Paul (sax & clarinet), John Guenther (woodwinds) and Tim Wendel (guitar) play the melodic compositions of Ralph Towner & Paul McCandless.

December 12th at 11 AM: Wowie-Zowie! — Jeff Raz, the One and Only!
Meet star of Cirque du Soleil and Pickle Family Circus, Jeff Raz! This zany performance brings us all into the wonderment of circus and physical comedy. Musical juggling, astounding feats of balance, and many interactive sections to bring joy, wonder and inspiration!

February 1st at 11 AM: Coventry & Kaluza!
This fast-paced, fun music and circus show features hoops, harmonicas, plate spinning, juggling, comical characters and general zaniness! “The best comedy/clown act” in American Circus Festival!

March 7th at 11 AM: Celtic Colors!
Delight to the folk tunes that capture the musical imagery of the Celtic countryside. This music is a joyful celebration of life – like the gaiety of laughter with family in a crowded kitchen or the poignancy of remembrance – an emotional souvenir of time. Featuring Neal Hellman (dulcimer), Deby Benton Grosjean (fiddle) & Shelley Phillips (harp & flute).

April 4th at 11 AM: Rhonda Benin and The Voice, The Hands, The Feet!
Rhonda Benin, vocalist extraordinaire, is joined by her band members Lorenzo Hawkins (piano), Ruth Davies (acoustic bass), and Javier Navarette (percussion). Starting with the first instrument, the voice, and a simple melody, they add multi-layered rhythms with feet, handclaps and hand percussion. Then to round out our “rhythm section”, they add the piano and bass. In the oral tradition of call and response, the audience becomes part of the music. Rhonda was last heard in Santa Cruz in Linda Tillery’s Cultural Heritage Choir, with whom she has sung for 30 years.

May 2nd at 11 AM: Magic Carpet World Dance and Rhythms!
Dancers and musicians are chosen from various continents to provide a range of global cultures in a performance where children and their friends, parents, siblings, and grandparents can witness identity, tradition, culture and geography, gaining a larger sense of our world and greater appreciation for their own heritage, all while experiencing the beauty of our world through dance and music. You get to see the dazzling dances and rhythms from around the world… without a passport!

Photo by Cliff Warner

Join the tribe of free thinkers, truth seekers, warriors and lovers… all are welcome in this temple.

Join Yoga Church Mondays at the Santa Cruz Veteran’s Hall (a lovely space downtown across the street from Verve Coffee on Front St, next to the post office).

These classes will have most of the same elements of Hannah’s beloved Monday night former Live DJ Bhakti Flow class, integrating a HUGE DOSE of LOVE along with skillfully sequenced alignment-based flows, myth, mantra, amazing music and more – PLUS some sweet changes we are STOKED to share with you:

1. COMMUNITY YOGA for ALL: these classes are intended to be accessible + inclusive to anyone who seeks to open their heart, body & mind; not just those who can afford it. Self-care is a radical act: as we learn to love + take care of ourselves, we extend that love + support to others more abundantly, and it ripples out into our communities. So in the interest of community love and support, we offer to you every Monday night:

// sliding scale prices: $10 – $20

// veterans are free

// no one turned away for lack of funds

We seek to serve the entire community, anyone and everyone willing to show up and be present: underserved populations, young and old, rich and poor, all walks of life. Those of you can afford to pay $15 or more will not only be offering yourself the gift of a replenishing practice, but you will personally be making it possible for us to serve the greater whole. We welcome everyone. We welcome YOU.

2. beautiful TEMPLE SPACE: we are in love with this gorgeous room with tree-lined windows, wood floors, high ceilings, an amazing sound system – and so much high vibes! (Same room where we are thrilled to host the ROOTS training this year too.) There is also easy parking: a low-cost parking garage at Front St/River St, or bike, walk, hula hoop your way to this central location.

3. TIME: 5:30-7 pm allows you to practice after a full day of work/play, plus still have time for dinner and downtime after. (I’m hoping some weeks we can have community dinners together after class – since we will be downtown near so much amazing local food!)

4. YOGA CHURCH: it’s a new paradigm ya’ll – this is independent yoga for free thinkers, truth seekers, warriors and lovers. Atheists, agnostics, religious devotees, mystics and spiritual seekers alike are all welcome to this church – so don’t let the name throw you off. The name came when I posed the question last year to a blissful post-Monday night class of yogis: “if you could name what we do here, what would you call it?” Many wonderful ideas flowed from this creative group, and nearly all of them used words like “church”, “temple” or “ceremony” – citing that just calling these Monday night experiences “yoga” was not enough. Although it’s all yoga, I get their point – we live in a world where people are calling various things/styles/methods/brands yoga, so it’s helpful to be descriptive. And as you all pointed out, the incredible energy and transformation we co-create on these Monday nights should be honored with a name that honors the magic, the community, the reverence, the heart of these sacred gatherings…

Welcome to Yoga Church.