Class Session #16
Fall - 2002
Of the 229 teacher trainees that managed to sweat through their grusome 9-week intensive Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Session in the Fall Session of 2002 and received their Bikram Yoga Teaching Certificates, here are some of the facts:
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46 - the number currently owns and manages a Bikram Yoga Studio
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20.09% - the percentage of Class owns and manages a Bikram Yoga Studio
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165 - the number of women at the class - 72.05%
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64 - were men - 27.95% - one of the best places in the world to find a woman
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31 from California - 13.54%
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21 from Texas - 9.17%
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20 from New York - 8.73%
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19 from Canada - 8.30%
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34 from outside the USA & Canada - 14.85%
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53 from outside the USA including Canada - 23.14%
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8 were 50 or older - 3.49%
Where are they Now?
Well, Suzanne did anyway!
Derek and Suzanne Cummings got pregnant at the Fall 2002 Teacher Training (extra hard work while in the Eagle Pose during posture clinic)! They moved to Beaverton ("Cummings in Beaverton?", You asked? For real! I did not make this up. Should send this to Late Night with Jay Leno), Oregon to direct the studio there for 18 months before moving to their new home in NE Portland and now direct the BYCOI Fremont Street, the second oldest studio in town with the help of their awesome yogababy Sutter!
Mercedes Y. - Seattle, Washington, said right before her graduation,
" The best thing I've learned here so far is that I'm a beginner at everything. The moment I walked in this door I'm a Beginner, from the moment I approach the pose I'm a beginner and that way I always challenge myself. When I'm done with the training I'm going back to Seattle and I'm going to teach this yoga to my dad at the studio I practice at. Then I'm going to fall in love and have kids and own a house, in a year."
(Mercedes, Please email us and tell us if you have kids at least! 1 out of 3 is Major League batting average -- editor)
Almost a short 2 and a half years later, the following members of the Class of Fall 2002 are already either directors or co-directors of their own Bikram Yoga studios. Out of 46 studio directors, 30 are women -- a whopping 65.22% women - owned and managed business, ratio of almost 2 to 1 women versus men. In the Yoga World, Women Rule!
Bikram, Rajashree and the staff at the Bikram Yoga College of India salute the pioneering spirits of these Movers and Shakers of the Fall Class of 2002 for successfully venturing into cities and countries that have never experienced or had a Bikram Yoga studios there before.
*Editor's note -- If we've omitted any members of the Class of Fall 2002 who are currently Bikram Yoga studio directors, we apologize for the oversight. Please email your corrections to Webmaster@BikramYoga.com (02/15/2006)