Conversations with the Inspiring Shelby Holly-Page

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Holly-Page.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Shelby. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I got started doing what I do (yoga, meditation and figure modeling) about nine or so years ago. At the time, I was attending the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. Yoga and TM (transcendental meditation) were course requirements and most students had to take yoga classes while all students were expected to meditate every day twice a day for 20 minutes.

Eventually, yoga grew on me and I began practicing outside of class, on my own. I would practice at home in the living room, at the gym, outside at the park, in the town square, you name it. I couldn’t afford private or group lessons and wasn’t quite sure how I would be able to pursue this passion without a teacher. I was determined enough to learn and decided to take action into my own hands. YouTube videos/tutorials, Instagram, ashtanga books, the list goes on. Getting my hands on anything I could that was yoga-related, was my way of learning and becoming my own teacher. There were yogis I followed on YouTube who posted amazing flows, gorgeous photos and thorough breakdowns of certain asanas.

The more I dove into my practice and the more research I did, I found out how excluded black women (and women of color) were within the westernized yoga community. From that very moment, I can recall concluding that I would make a name for myself. I wanted to be a strong black woman for others to look up to in yoga. The opportunity to provide some diversity in such a secluded field was a goal of mine.

A few years later, I moved to Colorado and found interest in figure modeling. One group turned into three groups, which turned into five groups and so on. My name got around and more artists expressed interest in wanting to work together. During this time, I was also participating in lots of artistic nude photoshoots.

Now, here I am, all the time later, still doing what I love and only expanding and going up from here. I will be hosting high-end yoga retreats in 2020 that I have written and created myself, which I am extremely excited to share with you all. My website is in the works and should be ready to debut within the month.

Has it been a smooth road?
Of course, there have been difficulties, struggles and obstacles to work through. As I have talked about in many other interviews, I always felt like an outsider whenever I practiced with others. Most of the studios I attended were heavily lacking in diversity and inclusivity. I’ve been called out in yoga classes simply because I stood out. Friends and associates from back home were asking me why I was posting yoga photos or why I was practicing when yoga was a “white girl thing” (I can’t even begin to explain to you how many times I heard that one).

When I first began taking nude yoga photos (around the same time I’d started figure modeling), I can recall lots of different reactions. Some people were supportive while many others made crude comments in regards to my lack of clothing.

There are a handful of situations I can think of when my family members complained to me as well as my mom, about my life decisions and why I felt the need to “expose myself” online and on social media.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Chocolate Yoga story. Tell us more about the business.
I shoot with local and non-local photographers in and outside of Colorado. Some are nude and some are clothed. I’ve been on the cover of a few local magazines and had the chance to showcase my work that way as well. You can find me posing for one of many figure drawing groups throughout Colorado as well. Some classes last for three hours while others last for an entire week (typically having to be present at the workshop for 8-9 hours a day).
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to walk in the Denver (as well as the Latin) Fashion Week the last two or three shows in a row and will be walking in this coming up Fall show, November 9th – 17th.

Another focus of mine as a certified yoga teacher is to provide as many students as possible with one on one private lessons. That is the best way for me to spread my knowledge of yoga. Giving hands-on assists, corrections and adjustments allowing my students to get everything they can out of my services. Teaching smaller groups will begin to branch out a bit more once 2020 hits and I start hosting my body positive high-end retreats. They have all been written by me and I’ve spent a lot of time trying my best to perfect them. My dream is to keep people coming back for more.

As we speak, I have a website being constructed and beautifully pieced together. It will offer my modeling services, yoga sessions, merchandise that will be available for purchase as much more. So, that is super exciting for me. Id love for people to stick around and see what else I have up my sleeve that I am working on. There is a lot to share and it would be amazing to have the support of others.

I am most proud of the artwork I have collected of myself. Some really sweet artists were nice enough to gift me with some of the work they had created of me. It’s so magical and surreal. There are times when I find myself sort of in awe at the cool nude photo shoots I have been a part of. To see my face on something so majestic professional is always a new and fresh feeling for me.

What sets me apart from everyone else? I AM ME! I don’t know anyone else like me, to say the least, lol. I am unique because of the way I communicate, how I carry myself, how I interact with others and the world around me, how I teach, how I shoot with photographers, how I express myself… and so forth. I am my own individual person with so much to offer those around me. I’m a yogi but I still have my headstrong personality. I am a young woman but have often been told I possess an old soul. I completely agree.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
There are so many women who have inspired me throughout my journey, I’m not even sure I have time to name all of them. Tons of black yogi goddesses on Instagram have helped pave the way with me. Funny enough, I get so much of my inspiration and motivation from women online that follow me.

Pricing:

• virtual lessons – $100/hr
• private lessons- $120/hr

Contact Info:

• Email: chocolate_yoga@yahoo.com
• Instagram: @chocolate_yoga

Image Credit:
1st image: Sean Turner @coloradopograohy

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.