Lately, there has been an undercurrent of nostalgia for the long-ago days (i.e. mid-20th century) when yoga was considered “weird.” The inimitable YogaDawg has sparked an unofficial campaign via a viral macro image, and Wanderlust has created an official social media contest, #keepyogaweird, in advance of their Austin festival.

This clip from l’Institut National de l’Audiovisuel in France takes us back to the good ol’ days. Filmed in 1950, Chez les Yoghis is a “report at the Academy of Hatha Yoga in Paris, showing a yoga session led by Professor FERRER. Her students perform the same movements as him, then men, at their place of work, doing yoga exercises.” (thank Google Translate for the quirky translation.)

Click on the “yoga” keyword to find other great INA archival footage from the days of yore – including a 1970 interview with French pop songstress and style icon Françoise Hardy about her yoga practice.

[via YogaDawg on Facebook]