by Chuck Cascio, Author and Former South Lakes Teacher
Creativity can take many forms and lead individuals in different directions. Christiane Sabo Popperwell says her creative instincts were stimulated by her Reston childhood, particularly "performing in the annual Conservatory Ballet performance of ‘The Nutcracker' at Reston Community Center" and training as a ballerina. That creative drive has led Christiane, a 1992 South Lakes High School graduate, to pursue many unique endeavors, including theater performances in New York and Los Angeles; establishing Wildfire Productions, with her sister Jocelyn Sabo; creating Wildfire Wellness; and becoming the Lead Yoga Teacher and Corporate Trainer at Yoga Six in Burke and Ashburn.
"I was an English major at Duke University because I love words," she says. "I love writing poetry and songs. I also had a keen interest in Shakespeare, as I love to perform and work on stage." Christiane graduated from Duke in three years and "moved to New York City to pursue my dreams of a life in theater."
During her nine years in NYC and six in LA, she "met many gifted people in film, TV, and music." Despite successes that included a record deal for her album "Saltwater" and off-Broadway theater productions with Jocelyn, Christiane says, "I always imagined that someday I would build yoga into our production company.”
Yoga had brought Christiane great comfort during a particular time of physical and mental stress: "When I was 25 years old, I suffered a major fall down some stairs while on vacation, and I literally could not walk. Jocelyn pushed me in a wheelchair through the airport to get me home to New York. I was in constant pain." She eventually incorporated yoga into her recovery. "After one week of daily yoga classes, the pain decreased! But even more importantly, I felt empowered in body, mind, and soul."
Shortly after 9/11, Christiane started her own yoga practice in NYC, creating for herself and others "a feeling of safety. It became a huge piece of how I walked after 9/11 with strength, resilience, grit, and love. The more I practiced yoga, the more I believed in myself. Changes that I noticed on my mat bled into every aspect of my life. That is what I love to spread...one step, one breath at a time...anything is possible."
In 2011, Christiane says, “I moved home to Reston 'temporarily' with a plan to travel the world teaching yoga. Then Joe Popperwell, who was a friend at yoga teacher-training, asked me to come for a visit to Australia where he was living, but he wound up here instead, becoming my husband! We live in Reston with two beautiful children and a cute puppy."
Christiane's creativity has led to many yoga-related pursuits, including signing on in 2020 with YogaSix franchise owners Darren Nilsen, also a SLHS graduate, and his wife Milena. YogaSix is a vertical of Xponential Fitness, a leader in health and wellness brands. "Working at YogaSix is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made," Christiane says. "I love teaching in the studios and helping train YogaSix teachers across the globe."
A couple of years ago, Christiane talked with her friend Dave Eggar, a nine-time Grammy nominated cellist “about doing something for fun at the yoga studios. I said, 'How about, I teach, you play, and we finish with a song?’ That was another new dream—combining my passion for music with my passion for yoga."
As a result, the second sold-out Yoga and Music Retreat will take place in February at Casa Om Potomac in West Virginia "where we share a weekend of yoga, guided meditation, chanting, music, and more," Christiane says with the enthusiasm that has fueled her commitment to making a unique impact.
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