Just Do It

Iyengar Yoga Party

by Dana Henry

Iyengar Yoga Party

Fri., Dec. 5, 7-10 p.m., $10 suggested donation, Studio 34, 4522 Baltimore Ave., 215-387-3434, studio34yoga.com.

Born to extreme poverty in a remote village in India, Iyengar suffered from malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis and formally received little more than a sixth-grade education. Yet his worldwide accomplishments in the practice of yoga have outdone his humble beginnings (in 2004, Iyengar appeared on Time magazine's list of 100 Heroes & Icons). But rather than take his fame and fortune on the talk-show circuit, Iyengar founded the Bellur Project, an ongoing initiative to improve conditions in his home village.So far, they've created better water access, farming, and built schools and hospitals.

To celebrate Iyengar's 90th birthday, Philly yoga teacher and longtime Iyengar student Helen White is holding a party with dance performance, a sitar player, food, art and an Italian coffee bar. There will also be a silent auction for items that include local artwork, tickets to shows at World Café Live and the Kimmel Center, and a weekend vacation in the Poconos, all in support of the Bellur Project. "I went to that village and saw how remote it is, absolutely in the middle of nothing," White explains. "We really want to introduce people to Iyengar yoga and ... to a man who's dedicated to bettering society."