Very early this morning (5:30 a.m. PT) a handful of talented (and lucky) people will get an extremely cool call from their publicist, letting them know they have been nominated for an Oscar. I’m sure for most of them, it will be a dream come true. As vapid and socially insignificant as award shows are, I can’t deny my guilty pleasure and love of the Oscars. Every year I go see all the nominated movies and throw an Oscar-night party for my friends and family, with food and drink themed around the nominated movies.

This is what they call Red Carpet Season in Hollywood, and I thought I would bring a little of that red yoga-mat glamour to the Daily Downward Dog and put out my very own nominations for Best Asana, Best Supporting Asana, Best Director, and Best Seva Artist for the coveted YOGARS!

After a great deal of self-reflection and careful review of my past year of cool yoga experiences, the Daily Downward Dog is pleased to announce the 2010 YOGAR nominees.

Best Asana

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose): Pigeon proved itself again and again in 2010, with awesome hip-opening performances.

Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand): Always a risky asana to take on, this ego-pose could just pull off an upset in the best asana category.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog): Last year the downward dog ran away with the votes and took home the YOGAR. This year the heels touched the ground, making the dog a huge contender and the critics’ choice to take home a repeat win.

Best Supporting Asana

Vrksasana (Tree Pose): It takes a lot of tree poses to gain your balance. If it weren’t for tree pose, we may never have achieved garudasana (eagle) or utthita hasta padangusthasana (extended hand-to-big-toe pose).

Balasana (Child’s Pose): Who hasn’t gone to child’s pose for support during a difficult class? You know this asana always has your back, providing a safe haven to relax and catch your breath.

Savasana: Giving tree and child’s poses a run for their money, the always formidable savasana gave a year of truly awe-inspiring and restorative performances.

Best Director

The Best Director YOGAR goes to the yoga instructor who pulled it all together to lead an incredible yoga class experience.

Deirdre Sargent: Yoga instructor extraordinaire (Yoga Lounge and LifeSource Yoga), great music, innovative classes, responsible for providing my first yoga meditation instruction in 2010 and challenging me in a supportive way to get into my first tripod headstand.

Kreg Weiss: The cofounder of MyYogaOnline, who also happens to lead some kick-ass classes like Deep Energy Flow and Cycling Energy.

Clara Roberts-Oss: My go-to video gal on MyYogaOnline. Clara has incredible flows and verbal cues all wrapped up with a great message and voice. I’m especially fond of the Moving Meditation Vinyasa Flow and Swimming in the Stream classes.

BTW, all the nominees are winners in my book. I think the best award any yoga instructor can get is a kind word expressing how much you enjoyed their class or letting them know they have helped you on your yoga journey.

Best Seva

Okay, help me out here; I’d like to get some nominations for the person or organization that is truly practicing seva. If you are not familiar with seva, it is the spiritual practice of selfless service and the desire to uplift and assist people, giving help and compassion to others with no thought of what is to gain or what is to be lost by doing so. The practice of seva becomes a path to self-realization, which is the essence of yoga.

Cast Your Vote TODAY!

The red yoga mats have been unrolled, and I’m opening up the YOGARS for additional nominations and votes, so please leave a comment below and nominate or vote for your favorite asana, supporting asana, director, and seva artist. The results will be announced on Monday, February 28.

All this YOGAR talk has got my creative head spinning, and now I’m thinking I really could take this a yoga mat farther and nominate in the categories of Best Playlist (musical score), Best Costumes (yoga gear), Best Picture (style of yoga), Lighting, Choreography, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. Hmmm, stay posted…