Equinox yoga instructor Briohny Smyth sparked both controversy and conversation this past January when she was featured in a YouTube video wearing skimpy lingerie while performing an awe-inspiring yoga routine. To date, her video The Contortionist has received over 4 million views.
Now, Smyth is stirring things up again – but this time around she has a partner in crime. In her latest video for Equinox, Smyth is joined by her yoga instructor husband, Dice Iida-Klein, in a gravity-defying (and incredibly sexy) couples’ practice, called Acro Yoga.
“I could do all of these poses on my own, but I have never been very good at trusting people, which is something that most of us women gain over time—especially when it comes to men!” says Smyth. “It was a real challenge for both of us to go from singular practices, where we had full control, and release some of that control to one another.”
Smyth and Iida-Klein began practicing Acro Yoga two years ago after seeing acrobats, gymnasts and fellow yogis exchanging techniques on the green by the Santa Monica Pier in their hometown of Los Angeles. It was there that they met Ernie, a former circus acrobatics trainer, who agreed to teach them the practice.
“It’s a way to enjoy ourselves, have fun, stay healthy and do something together that strengthens our communication,” Smyth says. “Bringing somebody else into your world and trusting them is very therapeutic. We really hope to inspire people.”
Below, check out Smyth and Iida-Klein in The Balancing Act.
