Meet Erin
Meet Erin
MEET Erin Hanehan, ONE OF OUR WHOLE MAMA YOGA COLLECTIVE MEMBERS
Tell us about the work you do outside of teaching yoga?
Outside of teaching yoga, I am a drama teaching artist. I teach drama (& sometimes improv) to kids! Primarily I work with students age 2 to 8, but I’ve also worked with middle & high schoolers. Currently, I am teaching a class called Story Drama Together at Raleigh Little Theater where I get to work with students under 5 & their caregivers. It is one of my favorite classes to teach.
I also do a little bit of freelance marketing work for small businesses that I love & am excited to tell other people about…so I’ll name drop them right now…Skylark Music School, Little Dipper Sleep, Tiny Earth Toys, Kitty & Vibe & oh yeah…Whole Mama Yoga :)
“...the most transformative thing I’ve ever experienced is pregnancy, labor & becoming a mother. I believe there is magic inherent in every mother, just like there is magic inherent in nature. And to be any small part of someone’s journey in motherhood is a true gift. Also, this magic…this power…has been ignored & suppressed & sanitized for a long time, so to uplift mothers & to support them through my work is my own tiny revolution. ”
What draws you to work with birthing people?
The magic. There are so many ways to lean deeply into the human experience, truly, but for me the most transformative thing I’ve ever experienced is pregnancy, labor & becoming a mother. I believe there is magic inherent in every mother, just like there is magic inherent in nature. And to be any small part of someone’s journey in motherhood is a true gift. Also, this magic…this power…has been ignored & suppressed & sanitized for a long time, so to uplift mothers & to support them through my work is my own tiny revolution.
What brings you joy in your work?
The completely wide open, uninhibited confidence of a young performer’s imagination. The tenderness of watching a new mom massage her baby’s tiny feet. The opportunity to be silly. Writing about experiences in parenting. Lesson planning with so many incredible children’s books.
What do you find challenging about your work?
My current challenge is finding a balance in the amount of energy it requires. I think this challenge is familiar to a lot of working parents. But for me specifically right now, I am trying to trust more often that what I am showing up to class with will be enough. Children are a very supportive & forgiving audience, but I also take my work with children very seriously. I think that teaching children about storytelling is very important. But it’s also helpful for me to remember that my work is supposed to feel good!
Do you see any connections between your work in yoga? What are they?
I know that for me, drama & yoga are deeply related. I began cultivating a theatrical practice way before I knew anything about yoga, but when I discovered a yoga asana practice I found so much of it familiar. The community. The discipline. The connection to your body. The necessity of staying present & focused. But at its most basic, I know that the connection between teaching drama & teaching yoga to kids is that in both I am helping kids connect to their breath & to their bodies. I am helping them practice standing tall. I am teaching them to find their own voice.
How can folks find out more about working with you?
Follow me on Instagram at @ehanehan - I share things about my journey in parenting & my work! And make sure you receive the Whole Mama Yoga emails. I currently teach all of my drama classes at Raleigh Little Theater. Find out more about their education department here! I am also available via email at erin@wholemamayoga.com. Feel free to reach out!
Practice with Erin
You can practice with Erin online every Tuesday evening from 8:15-9:15 PM EST in a class called Embodied Mothering Yoga. Learn more & register here! You can also join Erin in-person every Thursday morning at the JCC in Durham where she teaches Baby & Me Yoga at 9AM & Toddler & Me Yoga at 10AM. Drop-ins are welcome! Find out more about these classes on our classes page.