Rachel Cannon: Blonde, Hot and Flexible [part 1]
INTERVIEW BY SAM PAGE — PART 1/3
THE NIGHT WE MET RACHEL CANNON, I could tell my (gay) husband Bronson had a girl crush. On the roof of Fiesta Cantina in West Hollywood, he recounts the moment with near butterflies:
“The moon was full and its light on her dewy skin and reflecting in the pools of her eyes was intoxicating,” Bronson says. “Okay, maybe it was the margaritas… but nonetheless, it made me feel like I was meeting Kira the Muse (Olivia Newton John) in Xanadu. All we needed was roller skates. I was buzzed, but it didn’t compare to the buzz of having this gorgeous, madcap woman focusing all of her flawless, Tulsa, OK attention upon Sam and me.”
Yes, Rachel is HOT. And blonde. A rising star in Hollywood. But most fascinating to me is her athleticism. Because Rachel Cannon is one of the most sought-after yoga instructors in this city. I’m honored to have her on my team at Sam Page Fitness, and I think it’s time you got better acquainted.
SAM: Okay, talk to us about…you!
RACHEL: Growing up in Oklahoma and Texas, there are a few things that are given… as a girl, you will be a girl scout, a basketball/softball player or a dancer. At the tender age of three, I made the choice to be a dancer. I was in ballet for ten years and it was what I lived for. The Nutcracker and my recitals became the air in my lungs. Until I was old enough to be a cheerleader of course. So, I hung up my point shoes and hiked up my skirt for a few years doing high school and college dance on the Pom Pom Squad. At OU, our cheer practices came five times a day and consisted of running in plastics with the wrestlers, lifting weights, dancing until we dropped and not eating too much so we could still squeeze into those tiny uniforms. Although grueling, athletes were Gods at OU, so you did what you had to in order to stay on that squad. Even if that meant additional workouts (kickboxing, pilates, swimming, ballet, etc).
All those sports and you hadn’t discovered yoga?
Well, I threw my hip out doing a switch leap at a dance practice. I went to the chiropractor— a 300-pound lug of a man in a doctor’s coat put me through what felt like initiation into the UFC world championship! So when that didn’t work, I decided to try yoga.
What was that first experience like?
Well there was this little yoga studio on campus corner led by a soft spoken crunchy granola man named Andrew. I took my first class with Andrew that day and 15 minutes into class… my hip was back in place!! And I had sweat dripping off my body in places I couldn’t even explain. Being an athlete and dancer my entire life, it was rare to find a workout that challenged me… and this one had me hooked! I went five times a week to an ashtanga yoga class (2 hours each). It was the only workout I had ever done that challenged me physically as well as mentally.
When I was on my mat, my head was clear, my breath was pure, and my heart was centered. It made me feel alive and spiritual and clean. I adored every one of my 120 minutes each day.
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May 7th, 2008 at 6:36 am
[...] Hollywood’s Hot Blonde Yoga Phenom: Rachel Cannon INTERVIEW BY SAM PAGE — PART 2/3 [...]
May 10th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
who is this hottie???? why isn’t she already a television star?
November 21st, 2008 at 7:41 am
HELL! *I* have a girl crush! Baby.