Cornelius Jones Jr

Next up in our Teacher Feature series...

Cornelius Jones, Jr. keeps us moving and shaking here at Ompractice with his special high energy Full Body Barre (Tuesdays at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT - 45min) and MoveYoga (Fridays at 4pm ET / 1pm PT - 60min classes. He's also bringing us the second class in our Vitality Series this year, Creative Expression through Seated Gentle Flow (30min) on Thursday, January 11th, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT.

If you're curious about Cornelius's classes, check them out in the Video Library before signing up for a live instance:

• MoveYoga
• Full Body Barre

Who are your classes for? What kind of vibe can people expect in your class? What is your teaching style like?

The [upcoming] Vitality class is completely different from the high-paced and highly active Tuesday's Full Body Barre and Friday's Move Yoga class. (Cornelius's regular classes are described as "fast-paced" and "challenging". From a current student: Cornelius was kind, friendly and engaging. He gave shout outs throughout class and was encouraging. Most importantly he clearly explained exercises and demonstrated proper form with all exercises. Cornelius made the class fun and gave no time for the mind to wander. He moved to each exercise quickly maximizing the 45 minutes. He was energetic and focused with a twist of fun!")

How did you get into yoga?

I was initially introduced to yoga in undergrad as a course requirement and my classmates and I innocently made fun of it; butchering the poses and sanskrit. I [eventually] reunited with yoga shortly after suffering a painful injury while dancing in The Lion King on Broadway only to abandon yoga after gaining full physical recovery. At the point of completing my master’s program at NYU, I was burned out emotionally, to add I was suffering in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. Yoga found me again and I knew the relationship I needed to focus on and cultivate was my relationship with yoga. So I rededicated my body and my mind back to the physical practice. With this new sense of self, I was given an opportunity to move to the West Coast. I accepted and that's when my yoga life began to fully flourish.

What's the most valuable lesson you've learned from your own practice? What does yoga mean to you?

Yoga is continuous self-care. You can never not have enough. When my mood is off and my body feels out of alignment, yoga will remind me to get back on the mat because it really does improve my mental health.

Do you have any pets? We love our #petsofompractice ❤️

I do. I had a mini-schnauzer named Boogie who was with me for a good 14 years before he passed away. Now my best friend is Chance The Doodle (like Chance The Rapper). Chance is a 2-year-old mini-goldendoodle.

Tell us a bit about your morning routine and what gets you revved up/excited for the day.

My morning routine starts in bed. I go through my gratitude list of 3 things I'm grateful for, and then I do some BedYoga to warm up and stretch my back and hips, followed by some toe crunches and heel raises while sitting on the bed. Some mornings I'll journal for 5 minutes as well and then I'll go on a 30-minute walk with Chance followed by an occasional 15-minute jog. That normally gets me in the right mental space. Oh, I forgot my morning tea of either CCF Tea or Cinnamon Apple Spice.

Tell us a bit about your theater background. How does theater inform your yoga teaching and/or practice? How does yoga support you in performing? Is there an upcoming theater project you are working on /excited about that you can share with us?

Well, I've been a professional theater artist for the past 25 years. I've had the pleasure of working on 2 Broadway shows, most notably THE LION KING. I was part of THE LION KING for 10 years of my professional career. I've also been blessed to have appeared on a few television shows such as CRIMINAL MINDS, LAW & ORDER: SVU, SWAT, and GENERA+IONS. Theater and Yoga are all physical practices. Before stepping on the stage every performer needs to warm up the body and strengthen the muscles. It's all about conditioning, like athletes, so that you'll have longevity in your career. This is why yoga is a great practice complement to a performer and athlete's lifestyle. I just recently wrapped a production of BEAUTIFUL the Carole King Musical. I played one of The Drifters and sang the solo "Up on The Roof."

We know you love using music and tempo in classes - do you have a favorite playlist you'd like to share?

Sure follow these spotify playlists I've created:

• Sweat & Move by CJ
• New Sculpt 2023
• Barre Spring/Summer 2023

For fun, we always like to have a few extra credit questions:

• What's one life-changing product under $25 you'd recommend? CCF Tea (Cumin Coriander and Fennel) I make it myself with the seeds and grinder. I purchased the seeds from a local Indian Market which can cost anywhere from $7-$20 depending on how much you want. I found the grinder through a Groupon for only $5. The tea is amazing for digestion and overall gut health. I discovered this tea during my certification to become an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor.

• Most delicious bite of food lately? Hmmm... it's the holidays I've been cheating! I had some delicious turkey wings that were brined in thyme rosemary and garlic. So flavorful

• Best books on your shelf? THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron but currently I'm reading THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel Van Der Kolk

Find Cornelius outside of Ompractice at:

• Instagram: @corneliusjonesjr
• Facebook: Cornelius Jones Jr
• TikTok: @corneliusjonesjr
• Website: getyogaburn / corneliusjonesjr