Tao Porchon-Lynch & Vard were a ballroom duo from Season 10 of America's Got Talent. They withdrew from the competition before the Judge Cuts.
Background[]
Tao Porchon-Lynch was born in French India. She has trained and certified hundreds of yoga instructors, since founding the Westchester Institute of Yoga in 1982. Tao has over 70 years of yoga practice and more than 45 years of teaching yoga to students in India, France, and the United States.
Having studied with Indra Devi and Aurobindo and BKS Iyengar in Pune and Mumbai, Tao learned how to tap into the power all individuals possess but only few can access. She has made over twenty-five trips to India with her students because she believes that such visits offer enlightenment about the true spirit of Yoga. Tao continues to teach workshops at many yoga centers, including the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Integral Yoga Institute in Manhattan and the Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville, Buckingham, Va. In 1995, Tao attended the Yoga for Peace International Peace Conference in Israel with Indra Devi to try to help bring peace to the Middle East through yogic principles. Tao believes that following the principles of yoga can heal individuals and by extension, help heal our planet.
Tao has received much media attention, including an interview on the NBC “Today” morning program, a taped segment in the upcoming documentary on extraordinary older women, “I Know A Woman Like That,” feature articles in the Journal News ,Westchester Magazine and Prevention Magazine; an appearance on the Martha Stewart Show and a CNN interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Recently, Tao was a workshop presenter with Dr. Terri Kennedy at the Newark Peace Conference and sat on the Panel for Peace with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Before teaching yoga, Tao had a long and varied career. Tao was an actress in England, France and the USA (under contract to MGM) in the 1940’s and 50’s, wrote screenplays and made documentaries in the 60’s and 70’s. She made several documentaries in India including,"To Light A Candle," about 100 year- old philanthropist, Dr. Welthy Fisher and her work in education and literacy in Lucknow. Tao also worked for Unitel and helped in their efforts to try to introduce television to India in the 1950’s.
Tao teaches discipline and control of the body and mind through Yoga. As she elevates and balances her body in classic poses, she demonstrates how to tap into the primal spark of energy that all of us receive from the universe. Tao’s philosophy is “There is nothing we cannot do if we harness the power within us.” Her current passion, in addition to yoga, is ballroom dancing.
Tao has published her first meditation book, Reflections: The Yogic Journey of Life. This book includes several guided meditations. As a bonus, an added CD of Tao's meditations with music by Valerie Romanoff. [1]
Vard Margaryan is Tao's ballroom dance instructor.
Audition[]
Tao Porchon-Lynch & Vard's audition in Episode 1003 consisted of ballroom dancing to Pitbulls "Fireball." Tricks included Vard lifting Tao, Vard spinning Tao in the air, and Tao bending over backwards to touch the ground. Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Howie Mandel all voted "Yes," sending the duo to the Judge Cuts round.
Judge Cuts[]
Tao Porchon-Lynch & Vard did not perform in the Judge Cuts round because they had only agreed to appear during the auditions. [2]
Trivia[]
- On August 13, 2018, Tao turned 100-years-old.
Death[]
- Tao Porchon-Lynch passed away on February 21st, 2020 at the age of 101. [3]
External Links[]
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