Gloga draws students to yoga, meeting new friends

Kendall George|February 7, 2019

Backs arched as students from all walks of campus life came together to bask in neon paints and black lights, practice yoga and listen to psychedelic instrumental music for “Gloga.”

This event has taken Chico State by storm, bringing 165 people to the BMU Auditorium Tuesday night from 6:30-8 p.m. Incorporating yoga positions, meditation and social interaction, glow yoga, or “gloga,” featured five instructors, glow sticks and free body paint to participants. In the past, this event has been held at the WREC, but due to increased attendance it has been moved to the BMU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bz_wWAZivA

“I’ve been doing yoga for about seven years,” Selena Hennessey, a yoga instructor at The WREC, who has been an instructor for Gloga for the past two semesters, said. “Gloga is cool because it is really good for people who aren’t necessarily into yoga or just want to try it,” Selena Hennessey said. She is a yoga instructor at The WREC and has been an instructor for gloga for the past two semesters.

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There were five student instructors at the event to guide the crowd through an hour yoga session. Photo credit: Mathew Boe

“It’s a good way into yoga because it’s not fully yoga and you have that other community fun aspect of it.”

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The session included poses such as, “downward dog,” and, “sphynx” Photo credit: Mathew Boe

The yoga event started with students coming in and getting settled on their mats. Instructors and workers came around to bring students glow sticks and help them cover their bodies with fluorescent paint. The yoga session started at 7 p.m. and lasted an hour. Students were encouraged to take pictures, mingle and have fun during the session.

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Students wrote on their bodies in glow-in-the-dark paint which was highlighted under the blacklights lining the room. Photo credit: Mathew Boe

“We originally started in The WREC group exercise rooms and we had so many folks come out that we collaborated with AS Programs,” said Brooke McCall, a WREC programs coordinator who helped organize Gloga.

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165 students were signed up to participate in Gloga. Photo credit: Mathew Boe

“It allows us to utilize the space and incorporate more and more folks which has been amazing.”

Many different types of students came to this event, including individuals from the Chico State rowing team. Matt Markell, a freshman studying mechanical engineering, said that he likes yoga because it helps him stretch his muscles after rowing practice.

“I usually go at The WREC – you definitely should come out because it’s a lot of fun,” Markell said.

Although Gloga only happens once a semester, there are yoga classes offered at The WREC almost every day. For those interested, a list of all exercise classes can be found on The WREC’s Instagram.

Kendall George can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kendallmgeorge.