The Demo Method

Part 1 of a three-part series

Ever taken an Iyengar yoga class? If yes, you’re probably watched a yoga “demo,” short for demonstration. Teacher performs pose, step-by-step, with verbal instructions. Students watch and then try the pose themselves.

What’s your opinion of the demo method of teaching?

Last year, I very belatedly read Lois Steinberg’s opinion piece, “We Do Not Know How To Teach,” Yoga Samachar, Fall 2018/Winter 2019. It’s worth reading.

Lois finds that demonstrations aren’t always effective in teaching, especially if students are beginners. Demos can be slow, stilted, and boring. She believes that beginners need dynamic teaching, so she eschews “come and watch” demos* and, instead, stands in front and leads students into poses.

She emphasizes that beginners learn from movement, not from watching. I see her point. When I demo for beginners, they instinctively copy my movements. They need simultaneously to see and to do.

If beginners watch a long demo, they can’t remember what to do, even a moment later. That figures. To teach people how to tie shoelaces, I wouldn’t perform the whole rigamarole and then say, “Now you do it.” I’d have them follow each step in real time.

Lois teaches new students Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose) without a demo—and, at the time of writing, she was considering ways to teach even Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand) sans demo! She believes that demos are effective only with serious, longtime practitioners who can appreciate the subtle details shown in demos.

What Established the Demo Method?

Having studied at RIMYI in Pune many times, Lois has observed that the demo method is uncommon there. Demonstration-style teaching is done primarily during intensives for keen international students. With limited time, demos make sense. Demos are an efficient means to highlight key points. But, to teach the general public (local Indians), teachers are dynamic in their approach. To “verbally instruct, manually correct,” she says, is Pune style.

She explains that the demo method became entrenched outside India due to the certification process. In timed teaching assessments, the general rule became for candidates to demo first, teach second. It makes sense; a demo is an efficient first look at whether someone has rudimentary knowledge of a pose.

Lois emphasizes that teachers must differentiate between assessment teaching (demo each pose) and real-life teaching (demo only when necessary). “It goes without saying,” I thought to myself. But she must have seen teachers doing just that.

Initial Thoughts About Demos

I agree with Lois that demos can be stultifying, if too many and too long. That said, demos are a worthy hallmark of Iyengar yoga teaching, second only to individualized corrections, in my opinion. Why?

• Visual Learning We learn visually as well as verbally; some poses are best learned by watching them done. Words can be confusing or distracting. I’m reminded of a post I wrote on Timothy Gallwey, influential sport psychologist, who discovered that people are often stymied by fastidious verbal instruction. He posits that visual demonstrations, with minimal “how to” cues, encourage intuitive learning. In Iyengar yoga, demos typically include lots of verbal cues, too—so the method accommodates both visual learners and verbal learners.

• Language Barrier If there’s a language barrier, visual methods, such as demos and “follow the leader,” are imperative.

• Peer Demos It’s one thing to watch a teacher adeptly do a pose. It’s another to see a classmate attempt it. For beginners, it can be reassuring to see demos by other novices.

• Genuine Fascination Some people are genuinely fascinated by demos. The “come and watch” routine is not boring to them! They learn by watching others’ bodies and applying their observations to themselves.

Assumptions About Demos

Lois’s article raised questions in my mind:

1. Are demos inevitably slow and tedious?
2. Are dynamic classes necessarily strenuous and acrobatic?
3. Do most students actually dislike demos?

First, I believe that demos can be concise and engaging. Time frame is a key factor. Demos need not take forever. Most of my demos take 30 seconds—and I don’t demo each pose. Like Lois, I often lead people into poses. But a brief demo has value. It offers a visual “road map,” especially for beginners who have never seen a pose—or who don’t recognize pose names. For complex poses, demos might take longer, but can nevertheless be efficient and even stimulating.

Second, “dynamic” to me simply means “one pose after another”—with limited stops. Lois’s examples of dynamic classes are physically demanding. Indeed, it’s common to equate dynamic sequences with jumping and rolling and acrobatic poses, but to me that’s an overgenerality. When I teach Surya Namaskar, I’m obviously doing a dynamic sequence. But a sequence of long-held forward bends can also be dynamic, moving from pose to pose. According to Merriam-Webster, “dynamic” means “marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change.” A class need not be heart-racing and sweaty to be dynamic.

Third, I know my preferences, but wondered, “What do others think about demos?” I can guess at students’, classmates’, and colleagues’ preferences. But there’s nothing like direct inquiry. I surveyed a bunch of my yoga students—and will share their comments with you.

Stay tuned for two further posts on the demo method. If you’re an Iyengar yoga student, you probably have your own take on demos. Please comment and share your thoughts.

Images: I never tire of watching cats. Their physicality is compelling, their composure even more so. They know exactly what they like and what they dislike. They know when to leap, when to let go. Watching a cat in repose is an impeccable demonstration of restorative yoga.

Pictured in this series are Shey and Tai. Born in 2001, they were brothers and lifelong companions who lived for more than 16 years with my yoga colleague Valerie Speidel, Studio-be. I was delighted to find them together at home in Kitsilano, Vancouver, in May 2014.

*When teaching experienced students, Lois employs the demo method, often using students’ bodies to illustrate her points. In “We Do Not Know How To Teach,” she’s focusing on how best to teach people new to Iyengar yoga.