808 squad
COURTNEY SMITH
Thug Yoga ®️/ 808 & Medit8 Founder & Bawse
Originally from L.A., Courtney ended up in N.W.A. through high school. (In case you’re confused: LA = Lower Arkansas and NWA - Northwest Arkansas ). She also grew up visiting
family in Atlanta and still has an affinity for and connection with the A. From the roller rink to law school, she has always embraced rap music and hip hop culture, attributing the power of beats and bars to her mental toughness through stressful times when one needed to “keep your head up”.
Believing “The Sky is the Limit”, she soon left Arkansas for Australia and has since lived in 5 different countries and traveled to 63 and counting. She began practicing Astanga Yoga in Australia and continued her yoga education while living in Europe, completing a 200hr teacher training with Brian Cooper.
The 808s
Courtney & Kelli met during Courtney’s travels through Panama and instantly connected through their passion, respect and love for the practice of yoga and culture of hip hop. They both recognized that through many of their life struggles, rap music and yoga were the forces to lift them up out the mud. Now they want to share that force and balance with all communities.
So ride with us! Listen to the stories behind the lyrics, move your body to the beat, and let the movement and mindfulness make a positive impact in your life.
Thank you Hip Hop. Thank you Yoga.
"One, two, three and to the four,
Court NamaShred and CocoKell is at the door
Ready to make an entrance so back on up
Cuz you know we bout to fuck shit up”
(Thanks Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre!!)
When her brother said, “come ride wit me, lemme show you where we kick it at”, Courtney moved to Aspen, Colorado in 2007 where she created and trademarked Thug Yoga® for the shredder homies who didn’t vibe with traditional styles.
Often seen bumpin’ Biggie & Pac (yes, still!) as much as Dolph & Glock, Courtney continues her daily Astanga practice, snowboards 100+ days a year, goes to every rap/hip hop show at Belly Up Aspen and shoots tequila like it’s water. It’s called balance. And that’s what she aims to give to her students on the reg. She encourages mindfulness in all movements, including a good twerk.
Do less, feel more, be your saucy self and own it.
Kelli Farris
Thug Yoga ®️/ 808 & Medit8 Badassador
Kelli is a 200RYT (yoga instructor) from Kentucky, currently based in Central America and traveling between the United States and Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Her training, like Courtney’s, is based in Ashtanga yoga and she appreciates its connection to the traditional Indian philosophy, pranayama, and meditation practices. She also has 75 hours in Yin Yoga and Myofascial Release.
While fitness has been a life-long passion for Kelli, she found yoga as a way to balance out intense workouts and quickly realized that the breath and body connection also stimulates mental awareness and mindfulnessl. This blissfulness brings peace within oneself.
Now an official Thug Yoga® Badassador, Kelli credits hip hop and rap music with a major part of who she is today, having influenced her life from a young age. She deeply relates to the culture as it defines not just simply music, but a lifestyle - an expression of hardship and perseverance. For more info: cocokelliwellness.com
photo by Seth Beckton
