Dixon goes to the mat with police

Outreach to Somali girls and women brings fun and fitness of yoga to the neighbourhood

In the bowels of a highrise in north Etobicoke, down a steep set of stairs in the concrete basement, you can find a little om on Wednesday nights.

Every week, colourful mats are splayed out on the floor of the apartment complex at 320 Dixon Rd. for a free yoga class.

It’s a bona fide workout and an exercise in community for several dozen young girls and members of the Toronto police. And increasingly, mothers and even grandmothers are coming along to stretch out in downward dog.

On a recent chilly Wednesday night, Toronto police Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu was at the front of the class, calling out the next moves and checking in — “How we feeling tonight?” — as she turned up the music.

Sidhu’s voice is familiar to many in the city’s media circles. Normally, she works in the corporate communications unit at Toronto Police headquarters, keeping Toronto updated on the latest crimes and the progress of police investigations.

But on Wednesday nights, she swaps her uniform for workout gear and puts her yoga certification to good use.

The classes, which began in November 2014, were jumpstarted by a grant from ProAction Cops and Kids. They are an initiative of the Toronto Police Somali Liaison Unit.

The specialized unit was created to make inroads with Toronto’s Somali community, many of whom live close to Dixon Rd. and Islington Ave. It’s a high-crime area and a priority neighbourhood for police.

Sidhu, who spent five years as a liaison officer for the city’s Muslim community, said face time in an informal setting encourages trust between officers and residents. Other female officers from the Somali Liaison Unit also regularly attend the class.

“You have an officer there who is not enforcing anything. I’m there interacting with the girls, working out with the girls, so there is a comfort level,” Sidhu said.

“It’s created a relationship where, if they have any questions, any concerns, I’m a resource or a tool that they can approach. They even have my phone number, my email, so that if they ever need to talk or there is something bothering them, I’m there.”

Throughout the recent hour-long class, Sidhu guides the girls and women through a challenging workout, reminding them to engage their core, straighten their hips and remember to breathe.

During difficult poses, there are groans and laughter, sometimes one followed by the other.

Recently, Sidhu wandered around the class, making modifications and encouraging the girls to try any poses they’ve declared “impossible” — “You got this!” she told them.

“It’s great to stretch your body and it’s great for your health,” said 12year-old Saluma Mohiadin, who attends every week with her two sisters.

“Officer Jeniffer does a great job of teaching. She makes it fun.”

MARTA IWANEK PHOTOS FOR THE TORONTO STAR Jen reaching out Initially, not all of the girls knew Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu was a police officer. She thinks that when the word got around, it actually upped the popularity of the class. “Even more girls showed up to the class because they thought...

Jen walking through class With her experience as a liason officer for Toronto’s Muslim community, and her certification as a yoga instructor in the Vinyasa style, Sidhu feels the class is a “perfect fit” for her. “When I was approached to work with...

Big class When Sidhu held the first yoga class a year ago, only four girls showed up. Today, there are more than a dozen regular attendees and sometimes well over 30 people. “There was word of mouth with the young girls that there is an officer...

Urwah Faheem Urwah Faheem and her mother, Shomaila Zafar, took their first class this past week. Faheem got straight to work on the mat, listening to the instructions and mimicking the moves of those around her. The teeny 7-year-old had been hearing...

Warrior 1 The class size sometimes ebbs and flows throughout the hour-long class. Some girls come each week, others not as often. (“You came baaack!” Sidhu says excitedly, when a familiar face arrives late to class.) She is happy no matter how long...

Marwa Marwa Ali, 11, was the first to arrive for class and took a mat right at the front. She eagerly tackled every pose. “Yoga makes you stretch, and it can also make you a little bit flexible. And I thought that being flexible would be good. I also...