When I come across angelic beings I get a magnetic pull towards them. That is what yoga teacher Angel Singmin (aptly named!) did for me when I first met her. Introduced through mutual friends, we quickly bonded over a love for yoga, well let’s be honest, her passion and my desire to get better. She became my private instructor and we chatted further outside of sessions on spirituality, owning businesses with soul and passion infused into it, and occasionally we swap, share and give away pretty pieces of clothing and accessories with one another.

I witnessed Angel take the brave step of building her passion into a multi-platform business, at the time she was one of the first of my friends who had the courage. Having experienced her graceful instructing I just knew she’d succeed. She and Matt (her DJ husband and co-Founder) put a twist on what you’d expect from a yoga class, and the Future Sound of Yoga was born! A fusion of yoga and music, after my first class I was spinning with excitement and boasting of it’s affects. The adrenalin rush of dancing and yoga-ing in one was unique to the Sydney market, and also a preferred alternative to spending my Saturday nights in a pub.

Angel also has a corporate arm, Dandelion Yoga, teaching yoga in offices, a collaborative project with local instructors in Bondi, Modern Yoga Collective, as well as presenting at loads of different festivals like Bali Spirit Festival, Byron Spirit Festival, and Playground Weekender. In 2012, she and Matt also started the Phoenix Weekend, a mini annual festival consisting of yoga, dance, music and meditation.

Angel’s got a special something – it’s a knack for intuitively reading a class, plus the ambition to commit to her dreams and create a new type of yoga experience for people. Here are her insights on how she got there…

L: What does having a ‘passion’ mean to you? Can you define it in your own words?

A: It is something that you love and that you have a natural instinct and desire for. It’s embedded in every part of your being. Even if you are unsure or uncertain that ‘it” exists. It is there! Everyone has his or her own passion for something.

L: What is your ‘passion’ in life, how would you describe it?

A: My passion in life is primarily exploring different forms of movement – mainly through yoga and dance. Observing how movement can affect your body, mind and breath is amazing! My other passion is music – listening to music and different beats and rhythms. So combining the two (movement and music) as a concept seemed very natural despite it typically being a non-traditional approach to yoga!

L: What led you towards it?

A: I have always loved yoga/dance/movement from a young age. To me, it was always more than a hobby. When I went to university, my priorities changed and I found it challenging to keep dancing everyday as I had to study for my business degree – so I started feeling like I was going backwards with my dancing and then that is when I discovered a different form of movement – yoga. I practiced yoga everyday, either at a yoga school or at home in the living room. When I practiced at home, I would always have music on so for me it felt very natural to practice yoga with music. I found the music helped me sustain the practice and take me to a deeper place.
After university I went on to work in marketing / advertising agencies. Whilst I enjoyed aspects of working on projects and campaigns and loved the people and the fun agency spirit, I always knew that my underlying passion was for something else. So I trained as a yoga teacher and set myself a goal to leave my role within 6 months. I shared this goal with friends to help me become accountable and to stick to my commitment! The skills I learnt from working in the ad industry have been invaluable to the foundations of my yoga business today.

L: Can you describe the feeling you get from your passion of movement and music?

A: I am happy that I can design the days, weeks and months of my life as I wish and that I get to connect with like-minded people. I love offering something that I hope people can enjoy and benefit from. I also love working with my husband and business partner – we make a good team and it helps to have someone to share the experience with!

L: Can you talk me through what life was like before you stepped into Yoga teaching?

A: Life seemed much more “safe” – I knew what I would be doing and just had to do it. I knew what my monthly salary would be. I knew what each day would look like for that week and the content of each day could remain the same potentially for the next year ahead. Now, each day is different. Each day feels like a creation and I am responsible for each decision I make. It is empowering and life feels more rewarding.

L: What have you learned about yourself by pursuing your passion?

A: To believe in myself and to go for it. Even if it is daunting or feels scary – there will always be family and friends around you who will support you through finding your passion and making your transition. Once you have acknowledged what your passion is you are half way there!

L: What makes you persist, or keep the momentum?

A: I like the idea of offering something to the planet, or to others that makes a difference and an impact in a positive way. That is what keeps me going.

L: Do you have any advice for people feeling a little stuck on what they could be passionate about, or holding back from getting started?

A: Go for it. Don’t look back. No matter how old or young you are. Have a clear plan with goals and stick to it. Surround yourself with like-minded people who will offer support.

If you’d like to try the Future Sound of Yoga for yourself and experience some of Angel’s magic, here is some further information about the experience, I HIGHLY recommend it!

The Future Sound of Yoga is a sensory experience involving music and movement. Angel guides the class through Hatha poses, vinyasa sequences and freeform dance, while Matt DJ’s and creates a soundtrack made up of cutting edge electronica, atmospheric bands/artists, classical music and film soundtracks. Artists they draw on include: Massive Attack, Aphex Twin, The Chemical Brothers, Trentemoller, Sigur Ros, Feist, Radiohead, Philip Glass, Debussy, Beethoven and many more…

Angel can be reached via:
Dandelion Yoga
Future Sound of Yoga
Modern Yoga Collective
or on the good ol’ telephone: +61 404 757 507