IG Live Work Out with Joel Hanna
World renowned professional dancer and choreographer, Joel Hanna, will lead you through an inspiriting workout on our Instagram Live on Mondays at 5:30pm.
Website: Joel Hanna
Instagram Handle: @Joel_hanna
Homebase: Vancouver and New York
Tell us about yourself. How long have you been a professional dancer and choreographer?
I started dancing when I was five years old, did the competition thing internationally a bunch, then got my big break in 1997 when I joined Riverdance and spent the next 20 years plus touring the world. Since then I've been immersed in many circles of the international dance community. I’ve been really lucky and been able to do some really cool shit like create my own show at the Joyce Theater in NYC and be a featured soloist in some giant shows on some of the most holy of stages all around the world. I’ve worked with legends of the entertainment industry like Pete Seeger, Andrea Bocelli, Charles "Cholly" Atkins, Jimmy Slyde, Jeni LeGon, Dianne Walker, Brenda Bufalino, Jason Samuels Smith and Black Eyed Peas. I’ve also done some special shows and projects for various royal families, political leaders, and the United Nations.
I also get to do real things like a project I helped build called Shakti Caravan in India. It’s an Arts & Education program with the Vanaver Caravan from NYC, through which I started the women’s martial arts program Fighting For Change, which is still (literally) kicking ass!
That sort of just scratches the surface of what I've been up to over the past little while. You can pop over to my website if you want to learn more about my dancer/fighter/dreamer journey.
Where do you usually teach IRL?
In several cities across Canada, New York, and Asia.
When did you start doing virtual classes and aside from your own account, what other accounts do you do classes on?
This will be my first on Instagram.
How would you describe your classes? And what kind of music do you like to play to work out to?
As a dancer and life-long martial artist I’ve spent the majority of my life trying to find sneaky ways to get better at these two things that I love. I will be borrowing from various styles of movement, including yoga, ballet, tai chi, wushu, and capoeira and incorporating passive, static, dynamic and isometric stretching as well as isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions during bodyweight exercises. I will also throw in various breathing methods and postures to get us looking and feeling like badass ninjas!
I like world music to work with. Groove and feel is really important to me.
What days/times do you teach on IG Live? And how long do you think you’ll be doing virtual classes?
I will be starting out with Mondays at 5:30pm and probably go about 30 minutes to 45. Depending on how that goes I may add more frequent classes.
Your IG Live classes are free but if someone wants to make a donation, how do they go about doing so?
You can make a donation at paypal.me/joelwhanna
What’s been the biggest challenge for you living in quarantine?
To be honest, I do a lot of the same stuff I regularly do. I just decided to make the most of it.
What’s been a pleasant surprise about life in quarantine?
I think I’m coming out of it in better shape than when I came into it. It also pointed out the necessity for me to keep a task list so I don’t fall into that evil pit of procrastination. Also, I’m talking to all my people a lot more. I think this whole thing has reminded us all of how important our connections with our tribe is.
What do you do when not teaching fitness classes?
Hunt dragons. Then I read a lot. I like to learn new things so I pick an interesting subject and kind of geek out on it. I practice and train every day too and meditate regularly.
What’s the first place you’ll travel to once it’s safe to do so?
Ideally, outer-space. I was supposed to go to Asia last month and so I will. Philippines and Japan are first on the list.
What’s your dream travel destination?
To the past, but I’ve never been to Egypt. I really want to hang out by the pyramids and know what that feels like.
What’s your perfect meal?
Something with fish and a root-beer. I’ve always wondered what a cloud would taste like. Cotton candy, I think.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee early… tea later.
Beach or mountains?
A beach near the mountains.
Sunrise or sunset?
Sunset.
Summer or winter?
Summer, winter is cold ass.
Morning person or night owl?
Night panda.
