Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Lin and Lillian Lin.
Mark, Lillian, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My sister, Lillian, and I have always had a close sibling relationship. I even went so far as to attend the same university as she did to maintain that sibling bond. Not surprisingly, we both ended up in Dallas as well. But we could not have foreseen what we’d eventually become.
The turning point came after our discovery of acroyoga and our completion of yoga teacher training (RYT200) together at The Yoga Movement in Dallas. When we started that training, we only sought to deepen our yoga practice. We didn’t expect that the journey we were embarking on would lead us on a path to self-discovery and love that would ultimately inspire us to become teachers.
Yoga and acroyoga fundamentally changed the way we viewed ourselves, relationships, and how we communicated with others. Yoga taught us to open our minds and hearts and take the time to properly listen, increasing our awareness of both mind and body. Because acroyoga is a partner based activity, every acro pose and transition requires clear communication and trust to create the desired outcome. Acroyoga taught us to apply patience and compassion to every conversation whether it was with our own bodies or with our partners. Through acroyoga, our sibling bond became stronger and we felt compelled to share what we’d learned with the world.
And so, the AcroSibLins were born.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Lillian and I are an acroyoga sibling teaching duo. Acroyoga is a blend of acrobatics, yoga, and Thai massage. Acrobatics is the physically demanding aspect (the solar side) of acroyoga while Thai massage is the healing aspect (the lunar side) of the practice.
Our backgrounds differentiate us from typical yoga teachers. Lillian is a creative designer of experiences. She architect’s user experiences, communicating with people via digital media. I am a software developer and cyber security engineer. I tackle the technical side of digital media, innovating to create robust backend solutions that make better user experiences possible. As acroyoga teachers, we co-create together, combining our backgrounds to create unique kinesthetic learning experiences for our students.
Because we regularly collaborate in teams in our day jobs, we draw parallels between problem solving on the acroyoga mat and problem solving in the workplace. We use acroyoga as a vehicle to teach connection, trust, communication, and team building. Practicing acroyoga fosters an environment where you have to stop your internal conversations and listen, because you are lifting or balancing on your fellow humans who require your immediate attention. Your success together is determined by whether all of you are capable of speaking up and listening to each other in a compassionate manner, whether communicating through verbal or nonverbal means.
With every class, our goal is to:
– Challenge the way people think of themselves in a group
– Teach people how to use words objectively and positively
– Teach people how to contribute more effectively when working in a team
– Create a supportive environment that allows people to feel comfortable in their own skins in order to foster creativity
– Create experiences that allow students to have fun and get fit and healthy in the process
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
I think that the role of artists has definitely changed. The artist has become more important, because art has the ability to convey messages in a more poignant manner than other mediums. To us, art is not only about self-expression, but it’s about conveying messages that touch the hearts of those experiencing the art. As acroyogi’s in particular, we want to spread a message that emphasizes the power of connection and understanding. The world is very diverse. Acroyoga celebrates the differences between people by fostering an environment where different people of different backgrounds can co-create something together.
When I watch the news, there’s no shortage of voices that promote hate, spewing more and more divisive rhetoric. Our hope is to counteract those notions with a message that emphasizes the power of love, acceptance, connection, and community. Acroyoga has become a global phenomenon for good reason. I can show up anywhere in the world and connect with other acroyogi’s within the global community. Each successful acroyoga pose or transition is beautiful, because it represents a unique connection resulting from the meeting of different minds and bodies.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
We craft and provide fun acroyoga experiences regularly for students on Tuesday nights at 8:30pm at:
The Yoga Movement Dallas
4931 Airline Rd, Dallas, TX 75205
We can be engaged to teach team building corporate workshops and also offer special workshops at various yoga studios and yoga retreats. Check our website (www.acrosiblins.com) for more information and follow our Instagram account (@acrosiblins).
We are also excited organizers of an event called The Yoga Markets where we invite different yoga teachers to teach at the Dallas Farmer’s Market and turn it into a fun event aimed at bringing together invigorating yoga classes, fresh healthy food, and amazing supportive people to create a conscious community here in Dallas. Learn more by visiting the website: www.theyogamarkets.com
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.acrosiblins.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acrosiblins/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acrosiblins/
- Other: http://julianplacino.com/117-team-building-with-acroyoga-the-acrosiblins-mark-lillian-lin/
Image Credit:
Jennifer Martell
Dally Ross
Joy Ripart
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
