Conversations with Andrea Marcum

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Marcum.

Hi Andrea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I bumped into yoga for the first time at a gym nearly 30 years ago, totally skeptical and barely interested. It was contrary to my type A mentality- but that first downward dog got my attention and has kept it ever since.

I’ve now been teaching for over twenty-five years. During that time, I’ve prepared celebrities for the Oscars, worked with athletes (Matt Kemp, LA Dodgers – NFL Network, U.S. Tennis Association) collaborated with global brands (lululemon, Vogue, Equinox, Travel & Leisure, NBCUniversal, Well + Good Yoga Journal, Om Yoga Magazine), created content for Medicare’s Silver & Fit, .owned a studio on Wilshire Blvd in an Art Deco building that looked out over the DTLA skyline, led retreats all over the world, taught teacher training and at festivals worldwide, written a book called Close to OM published by St Martin’s Press- and when the pandemic hit, I created my own international online platform andreamarcum.com.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I believe that challenges are opportunities- on and off our mat.

Yoga has seen me through many ups and downs in my life, which makes me all the more passionate about facilitating yoga for others. Nothing lights me up more than hearing from the people who are practicing with me – learning about their challenges and how our connection through yoga has illuminated opportunities… We have a true international family at andreamarcum.com. The pandemic challenged all of us, but it also brought us together in wonderful ways we might not have discovered otherwise.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I believe that how we do our yoga is how we do our life.

Kicking up into a handstand is a metaphor for kicking up into the unknown of a new job, first date, crazy idea, creative adventure, travel journey… you name it!

I like to lead people where they are unsure they can go. Sometimes that’s on retreat- using our yoga mat as a magic carpet to look into our lives and to see the world. Sometimes that’s online where we chat from all over the world 10-minutes before my livestream and have become friends (some of whom then meet in person on retreat which is soooo cool).

I weave my classes around a theme- one that’s accessible but also stretches us. Though I’m known for my core work and quality time in warrior two- if you ask those who practice with me, they will point to our “work in” more than they will our workout.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I invite you to join our community at andreamarcum.com from anywhere, anytime.

And I’d love for you to join us on retreat. I have a number of exciting opportunities upcoming including Greece and Guatemala. Om Yoga Magazine just featured my Morocco retreat in their latest issue, and Vogue and Travel & Leisure have done so with other retreats in the past too.

Pricing:

• Get 7-days free at andreamarcum.com by using this link https://www.andreamarcum.com/7-days-free
• For a limited time save $400 on my Guatemala retreat https://www.internationalyoga.com/retreats/weaving-yoga-culture-in-guatemala

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.andreamarcum.com
• Instagram: @andreamarcum
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ustudio.yoga.7/?ref=settings
• Youtube: Andrea Marcum Yoga
• Other: Retreats: https://www.internationalyoga.com/teachers/andrea-marcum

Image Credits
Dave Gould Patricia Pena Dimyana Marie