Meet Master Trainer, Nani Berger

Hear from Nani Berger, Master Trainer as she dives in to share more about Buti MVMNT's Vibe+Flow format.

Hello Nani, Welcome to the Buti Blog! Tell us all about yourself and your practice.

I found Buti as part of my fitness journey. Fitness and working out became my hobby in college where I double majored in Economics and Accounting in 4 years... group fitness classes and deep water aerobics were a great way to get a mindful reset. I continued making fitness a priority into my financial work life, went to dance, Pilates, tried a yoga class, and was encouraged to become a fitness and yoga instructor. I thought I would take trainings to learn but didn't have the intention or desire to teach others.

Upon taking my first yoga class, I immediately felt at ease mentally and my body felt like it already knew yoga movement. As I learned the philosophy of yoga, it felt like the words were put to thoughts and ideas I already had to my core. I believe the practice of yoga on the mat is a reflection of our thoughts, behavioural patterns, and reactions. I strive to live in kindness, harmony, level headedness, honesty and logic - without judgement or expectations. Actions speak to me, much louder than words. I intentionally do not entertain drama or gossip and stop any energy to receive or participate in it.

My personal yoga experience and education before Buti were in Anusara, Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa, and Rocket from Ashtanga. I think every BODY can move, workout, or practice yoga. Your body is designed to support you in any shape or size. Love it. Accept it. Take up your space and embrace your power.

I attended my first Buti class at the teacher training certification and was at home in my body with a sense of belonging, connection and purpose. Buti made me want to teach yoga and use my education. My goal as a teacher is to create a space of trust and acceptance. Each class is an experience to tap into your own personal power, let go, embrace the moment, and thrive in acceptance. My classes focus on movement with purpose and proper body alignment, while smiling and motivating people to extend their limits.

I did embrace the energy calling me to become fitness teacher and found my passion leading but and I saw a future with Buti. I took the advanced teacher training in January 2016, was accepted into the master trainer program. Began my trainer journey in April and in June 2016 was an official master trainer. Teaching teachers is my purpose, I love to see the potential in someone and push to bring out that light. The power is when the person sees their light and owns their unique confidence. I'm honored to have led over 125 Buti teacher trainings and a mentored countless Buti teachers and trainers.... watching each thrive is beautiful.

I grew up in Hawaii, moved to Portland, OR for college, and now find it interesting to see all the yoga training and practice in Hawaii. Growing up there I never even heard the word yoga, lol.

I'm a Yoga Alliance 500hr E-RYT, 200hr E-RYT & YACEP Teacher, Fitness Instructor and a Lead Buti Master Trainer.

In my spare time you can be find me practicing hot yoga, cycling, doing jumpboard pilates, dancing, or on my paddleboard in the water.

Buti MVMNT hasn't released a certification since 2019. We bet there's lots of excitement + inquiries about this new certification, Vibe + Flow. What can you tell us about it?

VIBE + FLOW is Vinyasa Inspired Buti Empowered. The practice incorporates intuitive vinyasa sequencing focused on creativity to retain the spirit of out of the box inventive transitions and continuous yoga flow, functional and safe use of props + modifications, beat blended movement to allow students to get out of their heads + into their bodies, and our powerful signature Buti® shaking, spiralling, and dynamic mobility leaving out the cardio all combined towards an expression of your intention.

The VIBE + FLOW class is low-impact, places emphasis on muscle engagement, joint alignment, mind + body awareness and connection, focused intention, and builds strength + flexibility with graceful movement into an intricate, creative flow to provide a deeper dive into the intuitive piece of the practice leaving students feeling the Vibe.

The VIBE + FLOW class experience is formed to ALIGN the body with awareness and engagement, promotes purposeful and intentional movement to focus on FLUIDITY, and synchronizes the musical beat with motion, breath, and flow to establish the mood and set a vibe.

The VIBE + FLOW format may offer the intentional use of props, modifications, or advanced variations, utilizes anatomical and innovative continuous flow sequences to support an intention, and layers in personalized music, yoga philosophy, and dynamic movements to set the foundation and purpose of your vibe while challenging the class to stay present in each body movement.

What was your role in developing this new certification?

As the Buti practice has evolved and grown I saw the consideration at trainings and online to slow down and the need for more modifications to the HIIT class. With approval a couple years ago I was adding props to my Buti classes, especially Hot since there's no plyometrics, and saw the potential for a prop focused format. The Hot Vibes class on Buti TV is one of my favorites to teach, have had lots of questions on who can teach it, needed consistency for teaching the class, + suggested a few years ago we develop a structure to create certification.

I wrote the manual, created movement with blocks + a band, + developed education for each yoga asana, such as benefits, intention, energy, modifications, joint motion, and how to incorporate props. I added knowledge + the application of yoga concepts related to the koshas, doshas, + gunas and how to use the yoga philosophy for inspiration + set an intention.

In addition, included ways to elevate a teacher's skills with cueing, sequencing, and creativity.

How is Vibe + Flow different from a traditional vinyasa class?

Vinyasa classes can be structured and planned or unplanned, have a set series, organized on the spot to adapt to students needs + levels, have repeat sequences + layered sequences, or created based on intuition, most typical one side like right then left. Vinyasa means to place in a specific way and refers to linking or sequencing yoga asanas together for a reason, goal, or peak.

All vinyasa based classes follow a universal outline from warmup to cooldown; VIBE + FLOW focuses on intuitive sequencing, not immediately going right to left, with mindful vinyasa principles of lower to higher gravity postures, closed to open, easier to more difficult or different, + proper joint preparation with muscle activation with added musical beat blended dynamic movement in asanas + layers the set intention throughout the class into each of the 5 subtle yogic bodies - physical, energetic, emotional, intellectual, + bliss.

What does someone who is interested in learning more need to know right off the mat?

VIBE + FLOW keeps the power and style of a Buti class but slows down the practice by removing the cardio element, this resulted in the Hot Vibes class. To roll-out the class into a format we've added education and props, allowed for modifications, removed Hot since you can practice with or without a heated environment and retained the Buti integrity of innovative transitions, intuitive sequencing, industry disruptive out of the box spirit, and beat driven dynamic movement... while establishing an intention to set the vibe.

Vibe + Flow is now open for online + in-person certifications. Are there any major differences between these two offerings?

The difference is the participant presenting a live demo to show their understanding of the format + how to create a class experience. Online the demo is submitted via video recording.

If someone is interested in Vibe+Flow, but not quite sure... where can they learn more information?

Head over to Butiyoga.com to read more about this format + upcoming certification offerings. If you're already a Buti TV subscriber, stay tuned for regular releases of VIBE + FLOW dropped on a monthly basis.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about this incredible, new certification?

Props! They are so fun to play with for support, modifications, challenging, and add stability and accessibility to a yoga asana practice. Props are not required but this training will have you looking at props in new way.

What piece of information for the Vibe+Flow certification are you most excited to share with others?

How to use intention + movement together to create balanced, challenging, + inspired yoga flows... being so present in the moment + moving intuitively with your choice of music that as a teacher you just feel rather than think. Let go, trust + tap into your powerful potential.

Thank you Nani for your time to share with us. Find out more about our latest Vibe + Flow offerings below!

You can also attend our community classes on August 14th, 18th, + 25th, 2022! Find out more about our classes here