How to join the B&B virtual yoga studio
WELCOME
Have you signed up to join our virtual yoga classes yet? If not you can do that HERE
If you have signed up here is what you need to know to join our virtual studio classes...
Tech: For the best experience, you’ll want to join us from a device with a video camera and microphone, so that we can both see and hear you (like a laptop, iPad, or smartphone).
We are using Zoom as our videoconference platform, and it works with all of the above devices. We highly recommend heading over to zoom.us and creating a free account linked with the same address you used to register with us. Download and install the mobile app for your Apple or Android device, or the desktop client for your laptop. Sign in from your device, test your audio and video, and you should be all set to join your first class!
Accepting Class Invites: Keep your eyes peeled for your B&B class invites! These emails will arrive from hello@beautifulandbeloved.com, and will contain all the date/time information as well as the all-important Zoom link that you will need to sign up for the class!
Follow the registration link and sign up to add your name to our class roster. Your confirmation email will include instructions for joining the meeting, plus a link to save the event to your calendar.
We highly recommend saving the invite to your Google or Outlook calendar, and setting your reminders so you don’t forget! We’ll send reminder emails out the night before, but you should set your own reminders too so you’ll be sure not to miss it.
Joining Your Class: Follow the Zoom meeting link in the Class Invitation email or calendar appointment, which will automatically open the meeting in your Zoom app or in your browser. Please make sure you’re signed in, so we can keep accurate attendance!
When you arrive in the room, your microphone should automatically be muted. This is to reduce any audio feedback, and keeps the virtual meeting space from becoming an echo chamber! As a general rule, keep your microphone muted unless you want to speak, and then feel free to unmute yourself. As long as you’re not interrupting anyone else, don’t feel you have to raise your hand…. the teacher can’t necessarily see everyone who is in the room!
A broadband internet connection is highly recommended since the video does take a lot of bandwidth. If your connection gets sketchy during class, try turning off your video camera (so you can still see us, we just can’t see you). That can take a big chunk out of the demand you’re placing on your device and internet connection.
The Virtual Class: Take a few minutes to get situated when you first arrive (the actual class will start about 5 minutes after the meeting start time). Create a space for yourself where you have some room to move, a good wi-fi signal, and minimal background noise.
Orient your screen and mat in your space so that you can best see the teacher in a variety of potential poses. A mat is not required, but helpful. A hard floor with a yoga mat gives you the best balance of stability and cushioning. A yoga mat on a cushy carpet is squishy, but not as stable for balancing on. (A towel instead of a mat on a carpeted floor can sometimes work better.)
The teacher will greet people as they arrive in the room, and point you in the direction of any props or resources you’ll need for class. Depending on the teacher and class of the day, this might include:
Props: like a blanket or towel to sit on or cover yourself with, a yoga block or sturdy water bottle to bring the floor up to your hands in certain poses, or a long strap to improve stability or sensation in certain poses.
Music: a link to a Spotify playlist that you can use to create an atmosphere in your home studio space. (The virtual studio doesn’t play well with music piped in from the teacher’s space… it competes with their voice and causes audio loss.)
Within Zoom, you have the option to change what you see on your screen. You can choose between “Gallery” view (where you can see a bunch of different talking heads in smaller windows) and “Speaker” view (where you see only person currently talking, in a large window). “Gallery” is nice before and after class so you can chat and recognize friends. “Speaker” view is usually best for the actual class.
Classes should be about 20 minutes long with some time after for discussion in the chat or with your microphones. We are so looking forward to this opportunity to move with you! See you soon!
