Now available on Om Video

For such a Zen guy, Kevan Gale has been very busy. The yogi and cofounder of Stil Studio (740 Legacy Place, Dedham, 781.407.9642) just rocked a teaching gig at Vermont's Wanderlust festival - a Lollapalooza for the Lululemon crowd. And this month, he releases his first DVD, PranaVayu Yoga with Kevan Gale ($24.95), available at stilstudio.com and pranavayu.com. The DVD is even getting a release party from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, at the Liberty Hotel (215 Charles Street, Boston, 617.224.4000), complete with a live performance by Donna De Lory, the singer-songwriter who provided its soundtrack. (De Lory actually spent nearly 20 years as yoga mama Madonna's backup singer and touring partner before shifting to world-music-focused solo work.) A copy of the DVD comes with your party ticket ($50), which you can score by calling Stil at the number above. Before the big bash, we got Gale to share a few breaths with STUFF.

How did you design the DVD program? And how does it differ from other yoga DVDs? I wanted to craft an intermediate/advanced yoga DVD that would be challenging yet accessible. There are intermediate-level PranaVayu yoga DVDs out there. I wanted to take this further, adding more advanced poses. What I hear most often from students is that they never thought they would be able to get into this or that pose. They're often astonished at what their bodies can do when offered the opportunity. So this DVD offers a systematic approach to more challenging postures . . . and ends with a guided-relaxation and mind-training exercise that helps students achieve greater happiness.

How did you wind up working with Donna De Lory? Were you a fan of her solo stuff or her Madonna-related work? I first met Donna in a yoga class. As a teacher, I knew her music and incorporated it in many of my playlists. But hearing her live and seeing the energy she brings to her music took my appreciation to a whole new level. I invited her to Stil Studio for a concert class, and we got to know each other better and discussed using her music for the DVD. We wanted to capture the beauty of yoga as an art form and accompany it with other beautiful art. I didn't know she spent so many years with Madonna, but I probably sang along with her without knowing. Really, who hasn't belted out a Madonna tune in the shower?

How does the DVD capture the uniqueness of the PranaVayu style? PranaVayu is built on the belief that we help make the world a better place by personally working toward the full realization of our highest potential as a happy, healthy, and truly open human being. With that goal in mind, we incorporated pranayama [breathing] practice, asana [pose-based] practice, and meditation to help students achieve happiness, health, and an open mind. In PranaVayu, we have a systematic way of opening the body so the physical practice follows a flow to achieve just that. 

What makes the summer a great season to stay true to your yoga practice? The summer is a great time to practice outdoors and take advantage of natural warmth to help keep the body open. Actually, we are offering a number of opportunities to do yoga outdoors, including at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum [in Lincoln, Massachusetts]. Summer is a time to enjoy nature and eat healthy. Farmers' markets offer an abundance of fresh foods. A day by the beach or in the mountains can do a lot for your practice.