Confession: before I walked into Jayne Gottlieb's ALIVE LA VIE class I was scared. Which is funny, because after raising three boys, not much scares me anymore. A dance class should not make the list, especially since I love to dance, but this ALIVE LA VIE class is not just dancing, it’s asking you to release your blocks and abandon yourself and your body to the music and the class.
Formerly known at Aspen Shakti, Jayne has rebranded her studio to ALIVE and LA VIE is one of four classes in Body ALIVE, the signature movement program created by founder Jayne Gottlieb (the others are ALIVE POWER, ALIVE BREATHE and ALIVE FEMME). ALIVE LA VIE blends dance, yoga, functional movement and breathwork with somatic and tantric principles, all set to carefully curated music. Jayne describes it as "part fitness, part ceremony, part empowerment, part liberation."
Since I knew I'd be writing about this, I tried to pin down what exactly I was scared of. Not nervous. Scared. What stood the most strong was someone telling me to just let go, in public, in a yoga room. Believe you me, I know how to let go but it’s usually in a dark night club in NYC, or through breathing on a yoga mat. For me, someone asking me to just let go tends to make me want to run away instead of joining the pack, similar to when someone tells me to smile. What if I don’t feel like smiling at that moment? Part of it is that I’ve been spending more time in the weight training room over the yoga room and so instead of feeling limber I’m stiff and not moving so well. I’m also dyslexic, and often find myself facing everyone in the room when they are all facing me, and my silliness kicks in. Taking a hip hop class with a dancer from DanceAspen taught me that I love to dance in my kitchen, not in a room where I have to follow along. I also have the type of body where everything is always spilling out of my yoga clothes, which lately is inflamed causing me to move with all the agility of a bull in a china shop. And in my mind, I'd already invented a lineup of Aspen women with perfectly sculpted bodies.
When I asked myself where I was holding back, shaking my booty in Jayne’s studio was a fun and easy one to challenge myself with. I’ve always loved Jayne’s effervescent and vibrant energy, and she couldn’t have been more receptive to my request to have her hold my hand just a little for this class.
When you visit Aspen Shakti, if you’re lucky, you’ll meet Jayne’s big, dignified and completely adorable dog, Baxter, lounging on a sheepskin-covered ottoman like he owns the place (he does). The studio feels cozy and romantic, with calming scents filling the air, low lights and African sconces casting sacred shadows across the ceiling, and it’s a relief that Jayne keeps the lights low during the class, just bright enough to follow along. You can't worry about how you look when nobody can really see you, setting the scene for following along until you find that flow.
Jayne started the class off with us seated on her mat. On the stage with her were two other practitioners who radiated great energy. The stage was lit with a string of twinkle lights. As she talked to us about how lucky we are to feel our bodies, how letting out our inner wildness connects us, and how sweating and losing control a little is exactly the point , I felt my nervous system unclench. “Basically, we get to be alive together today,” Jayne said. Very Aspen. I was in.
So how did my fears play out? The women weren’t the perfectly manicured lineup I'd invented in my head. While they were indeed beautiful it was more because they moved with confidence and aliveness.
Then came the surprise: I could follow along! I found my own groove, forgot to care how I looked, and got so into it that I almost cried from how much I've been holding back. Jayne and the other women said that happens all the time. There's no judgment, just great energy, a teacher with a production background and a bootie that makes you feel as if you too have one.
I left wondering who put me in this little box of "you're too old for that." Oh right, that was me. Here's what I know: you only age out if you let yourself. So I'm going to keep trying new things, keep dancing, keep moving, and especially keep doing the things that scare me. It turns out scared shrinks down to a little nervous once you walk through the door, and I can work with nervousness.
“In a destination defined by excellence, ALIVE LA VIE is a rare offering—an immersive experience that fully embodies the original Aspen Idea: the elevation and integration of mind, body, and spirit. After living here for over 25 years, it really has become part of my life's work to bottle up what makes Aspen so special, so loved, so ALIVE . . and bring it to the world.” ~ Jayne Gottlieb
Know before you go
- Where: 535 E. Hyman Ave, Aspen
- How to join: ALIVE runs on memberships. A 21-day challenge is the easiest way to start, and drop-ins and short punch passes are limited in high season.
- Contact: 970-925-1655 or Connect@aspenshakti.com
Is there something you've quietly decided isn't for you anymore? Consider this your permission slip to try it anyway. If you take a class, tell them Aspen Real Life sent you, and let me know how it goes. Bonus points if you say hi to Baxter.
