PULSE: Yoga Grooves and Tabla Workshop Fundraising for SEED

Be moved by an Ujayi Pulse class which links breath to rhythm and movement. This will be followed by an Introduction To Tabla workshop. Proceeds will support Students for Education, Empowerment and Development.

11am – 12pm: Ujayi pulse class lead by Diane Bruni, music by Rakkatak

12:15pm – 1:15pm: Introduction to Tabla workshop lead by Anita Katakkar

Yoga Grooves $10
Tabla workshop $10
Both $15
(January 2nd event info here)


Ujayi Pulse (11am – 12pm)

Diane Bruni, founder of the Ujayi pulse class, will lead you in exploring breath and movement. The music provided by Rakkatak will honour the need for space while also trying to capture the mood exuding from the class. You will hear a plethora of sounds including tabla, drones, beats and melodic samples. Rakkatak has released two 'Yoga Trax' albums featuring music that link breath to movement.

Introduction to Tabla Workshop (12:15pm – 1:15pm)

Within an introductory workshop, Anita covers concepts such as: the language of tabla, the history of Indian classical music, the construction of a set of tabla, the concept of taal (North Indian rhythmic system) as well as important tabla terminology and concepts. Each participant will get hands on experience playing tabla with drums provided in the workshop. In addition Anita will talk about the benefits of a daily practice. No drums or experience necessary!


Diane Bruni

Diane Bruni has been practicing yoga for 35 years, teaching students for 20 years, and training teachers for nearly two decades. Diane was the first Ashtanga yoga teacher in Canada. She co-founded the Downward Dog Yoga Centre (DWD), and hosted an internationally aired television series called Breathing Space Yoga.

For 16 years, as well as devoting herself to DWD, Diane contributed to the growth of a worldwide yoga community. The Ujjayi Pulse classes she created, with their euphoric blend of breath, movement and live drumbeat, drew scores of people to DWD.

In 2012, Diane was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She followed all conventional medical recommendations, and completed treatment 8 months later. Her healing journey with cancer has changed her perspective, given her new strength, and refocused her energies.

A pioneer and charismatic leader, Diane has devoted her life to the practice of yoga, to spreading its teachings, to the growth of the yoga community at large, and to serving others on their healing journeys towards wholeness. As Diane’s yoga journey continues to evolve, refine, and adapt itself, it reflects the very living, vital tradition that is Yoga.


Anita Katakkar

Anita Katakkar (a.k.a. "Rakkatak") has developed music to accompany a moving yoga practice, through collaborating with yoga instructors. Anita Katakkar has studied tabla in the Lucknow tradition since 1995 with Toronto composer Ritesh Das and living legend Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri in California and India. She began accompanying yoga classes in 2005 when encouraged to do so by Toronto yoga instructor and mentor Jeannine Woodall. She had no idea that this was the beginning of a journey where she would become aware of the power of breathing. Anita provides rhythms that can be used to gauge the breath in a class setting. In addition, her music reflects the intensity of the class's vinyasa. Anita honours the need for space while also trying to capture the mood exuding from the class. When accompanying yoga, she brings her tabla and her laptop with a plethora of sounds including drones, beats and melodic samples. She has released two 'Yoga Trax' albums featuring music that link breath to movement. Anita also continues to perform, compose and produce for her collaborative music collective Rakkatak.