A yoga studio is set to have a new place to do cobra, grasshopper and tree poses in Shaw in the coming days.
Shaw Yoga is slated to move less than a black away from its temporary home at 1240 9th St. NW to a permanent location at 907 N St. NW next week, according to an email from the studio today. The entrance will be across from Sundevich in the Naylor Court alley.
The studio has to announce when exactly it will open its new location. But it intends to tell its customers about the opening date Monday.
Until the move, Shaw Yoga will continue to have classes on 9th Street.
Since it opened last year, Shaw Yoga has shared its space with the Beyond Collective photo studio above the Lost & Found bar.
“We have loved our time in the White Room, sharing space with Beyond Collective,” Shaw Yoga’s email says. “The practice space has been beautiful and serene and transformative. Nevertheless, we are bursting with joy for what our new space will mean and allow.”
Photo via Instagram/Shaw Yoga
Locals interested in learning some new yoga poses might be wise to take advantage of a coming citywide event.
45 D.C. area yoga studios are slated to offer discounted or free classes between May 16 and 22 during D.C. Yoga Week, an “annual gathering of yoga and meditation practitioners and enthusiasts,” according to its website.
Participating venues include Corepower Yoga, VIDA Fitness, Yoga Heights Yoga District and Shaw Yoga.
The week will conclude with a free yoga gathering on the National Mall next Sunday starting at 10 a.m. Classes during the gathering include children’s yoga, an all-levels class and a primer on meditation.
Photo via Twitter / Shaw Yoga
One of the Golden Triangle BID’s most popular annual events will make its triumphant return next month.
Fitness instructors will hold yoga and pilates classes in Farragut Park and barre sessions in the plaza at 2100 M St. NW every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening starting May 17, the BID announced this week.
People practicing yoga poses are slated to flock to Dupont Circle park for a yoga “flash mob” at 1 p.m. today.
The event, organized by members of D.C.’s Dharma Yoga community, invites locals to “take 15 minutes away from work and offer a pose to celebrate the life and offerings of our teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra, who will be turning 77 this May.”
A new yoga studio appears to be in the early stages of coming together in Shaw.
A construction permit issued by the D.C. government yesterday shows that a new yoga studio is planned for Jefferson Marketplace, a mixed-use development located at 1550 7th St. NW. The permit was issued to an LLC doing business as “Yoga Shawla,” and reads:
FIRST TIME TENANT LAYOUT IN NEW BUILDING FOR YOGA STUDIO SUITE C. TOTAL OCCUPANT LOAD-43
A representative for Jefferson Marketplace did not know when the studio might open or if the studio would indeed be called “Yoga Shawla.”
Jefferson Marketplace is currently home to Beau Thai Shaw and the forthcoming La Jambe charcuterie and wine bar.
Photo via Jefferson Marketplace
Dupont residents will be able to try out CorePower Yoga’s newest location for free tonight.
The Denver-based yoga company will open its newest location at 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW tomorrow, said studio manager Grace Lindahl. To celebrate the grand opening, prospective clients can try out the store at no charge during open classes this evening at 6 p.m.
Attendees can choose between the studio’s Sculpt and C2 classes, both of which are held at above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Light refreshments will be provided following both classes.
“We expect there to be a lot of people,” Lindahl said via e-mail. “It’s a really great way for people to check out the studio the day before we officially open [tomorrow].”
Lindahl said participants are encouraged to bring their own mat, towel and water. The studio also will have towels and mats available to rent.
A yoga studio that aims to guide yogis of all fitness abilities is slated to open on the 14th Street corridor within months.
YogaWorks is expected to begin classes “for everyone” in “early 2016” at 2303 1/2 14th St. NW, near Florida Avenue NW, according to its website. Signage recently went up at the address announcing its upcoming arrival.
Memberships will cost $115 per month. But the studio is offering memberships of $75 per month online before it opens.
A planned CorePower Yoga appears to be one step closer to opening on Connecticut Avenue NW.
Workers covered the windows at 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW with a sign advertising the forthcoming Denver-based yoga company earlier this week.
As for what the studio might hold, the CorePower website says it’s slated to house “three large and luxurious yoga rooms, as well as a range of amenities including changing rooms with showers and private lockers.” The studio will also include a retail boutique selling “activewear and accessories.”
Though a representative from CorePower could not be reached for comment, the company’s website says the location could open by the end of fall.
CorePower Yoga has plans to open a new location on Connecticut Avenue NW.
A building permit issued on Sept. 4 shows that the Denver-based yoga company seeks to transform the lower level of the former RadioShack space at 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW into a yoga studio.
The national yoga chain currently has locations in Georgetown, Glover Park and Arlington.
A representative from CorePower Yoga was not immediately available to comment on the forthcoming studio.
Down Dog Yoga, a local chain of yoga studios, held a class in the Dupont Circle park to raise money for the Africa Yoga Project.
Participants in the 10 a.m. class were asked to donate $10 or more to the Africa Yoga Project online or at the event. The Africa Yoga Project teaches yoga to children in East Africa.
Representatives for Down Dog Yoga could not be immediately reached for comment, but a tweet about the event promised a “fun and sweaty” time.
Photo via Twitter/ Down Dog Yoga
Garrison Elementary School will hold an outdoor yoga class this Saturday to raise money for extracurricular field trips and arts events.
The yoga class will take place at the school (1200 S St. NW) from 9-10 a.m. The class is $20 and participants must register online by this Thursday to secure a spot. All those who reserve a spot will be entered to win five free classes from Shaw Yoga.
Attendants will also get free water and apple juice courtesy of Costco, granola courtesy of Michele’s Granola of Maryland, and lip balm from Fabulous Frannie.
Garrison’s Parent Teacher Organization hopes to use funds raised to support a Saturday art workshop that it plans to launch this school year in partnership with Wolf Trap.
Image courtesy of Garrison Elementary
Dupont residents can find inner peace for free tonight in Dupont Circle.
Amy Rizzotto, founder of MOARfit and co-founder yoga studio Yoga Heights, will lead an all-levels yoga class tonight at 6 p.m. in the park that surrounds the fountain.
“Every teacher lends their own style to these classes,” Rizzotto says. “I typically teach a pretty powerful class, but I can’t let people get away without some hard work.
Attendees should expect yoga poses, stretching and some meditation.
Though participants are encouraged to bring their own mats, Rizzotto says having one isn’t required.
“If you don’t have one on hand, you can still come and do the standing balances. It’s also just a fun place to hang out,” she says. “Don’t let a mat stop you.”
Attendees are also encouraged to bring their own water because drinking from the fountain is definitely not encouraged.
Photo via Event’s Facebook Page
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Yoga pants: Do NOT walk around in them, unless you’re going to class. (Rachel Nania)
This is another post about one of my fashion pet peeves. I’m only going to say this once: Gym clothes are meant for the gym. You wear them to the gym. You can wear them home from the gym. You can wear them to run errands BEFORE or AFTER you have gone to the gym.
However, you SHOULD NOT wear them out to the grocery store, coffee shop, hair salon, etc, if you aren’t planning on going anywhere near the gym. (And don’t try to tell me that you wear your gym clothes out because you may end up at the gym. You are either going or you aren’t)
But Dafna, you might say, my yoga pants are SO comfortable…why shouldn’t I wear them out? Of course yoga pants are comfortable. You have to bend your body into unmentionable shapes, the least your pants could be is comfortable, not to mention stretchy.
Yoga pants, and gym clothes over all, started out like other horrible fashion trends. They were something practical with a purpose. Look at Crocs. Crocs had a purpose: comfortable footwear for people who had to stand on their feet the whole day.
Doctors, for example. But then people started wearing them at home. And then to the grocery store (because who cares what you wear to the grocery store, right?). And then, people started wearing them all the time. Because they are oh-so-comfortable. Guess what? They are also uglier than one of those hairless cats.
Women, specifically, seem to gravitate towards clothes they can wear to the gym and then, without changing, go out for a night on the town. Maybe it’s because Lululemon’s prices are so high, they feel the need to attach more purpose to their gym clothes. Maybe it’s because they want to show off their firm… ahem… assets after all the hard work they did in Bikram. Who knows? All I know is that whenever I see women out and about wearing yoga pants, it makes me want to scream.
Solution? Wear a T-shirt and jeans. Or funky patterned leggings and a sweater. It’s comfortable, but makes you look like you actually took a shower today.
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Yoga training steps from you. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Kent Barnes. Follow him on Twitter @KentBarnes, email him at kent[AT]borderstan.com.
Any discussion of the toughest athletes in the world must include New Zealand’s world champion rugby team. The 2011 Rugby World Cup winners intimidate their competition before dominating them on the field. How do they stay on top? Hours of practice, a grueling weight lifting routine and…yoga?
That’s right folks, yoga isn’t just for girls (and guys attempting to impress them). The rugby team, known around the world as the “All Blacks,” is just one example of professional athletes turning to yoga in order to improve their performance on the field.
LeBron James, an NBA MVP, does yoga. So does Baltimore Ravens all-pro linebacker Ray Lewis and Super Bowl champion Victor Cruz of the New York Giants. The entire Liverpool soccer team practiced yoga during their preseason fitness routine.
Yoga is the perfect cross training exercise, and can provide a significant boost to your athletic performance in a number of different ways. Not only does regular practice help improve balance and increase your core strength, but enhanced flexibility can boost speed and prevent pesky muscle strains.
When injuries do occur, many athletes add yoga to their rehabilitation routine since it provides a low impact opportunity to maintain strength and cardio stamina. Other athletes may simply appreciate the opportunity to just close their eyes, breathe deep and relax.
Local Yoga Studios
Ready for yoga to take your game to the next level? Start your training at one of these local Borderstan studios:
- Tranquil Space on 17th Street NW offers unlimited yoga for your first month for $50.
- Flow Yoga Center on P Street Street NW, with many options for classes. First month $45.
- Yoga District has locations in Dupont Circle and on 14th Street NW and offers new students a two-class one-week pass for only $10.
- The Studio DC has locations in Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan and offers newcomers two weeks of unlimited yoga for $20.
- Crank up the heat. Bikram Yoga Dupont offers one week of unlimited yoga for $20.
- Boundless Yoga Studio on 13th and U Streets NW is offering new students a terrific holiday deal. Buy a 10 class pass for $100, and if you go to class twice a week for five consecutive weeks you’ll get your money back in full.
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Join YOGAVOTES this weekend for a one-of-a-kind call to action. (Photo credit: Kristin Adair, courtesy of YogaVotes)
From Melanie Hudson. Email her at melanie[AT]borderstan.com.
What do politics and yoga have in common? Except for both being very popular among Borderstan readers, not much, right? Well the organizers of YOGAVOTES think differently. They believe the same values yogis embrace on the mat – mindfulness, connection, compassion, awareness – should be an essential part of yogis’ lives off the mat, as well.
YOGAVOTES is a project of Off the Mat, Into the World and is a nonpartisan push for greater electoral participation among the 20 million Americans who practice yoga. By motivating people to think about why voting is important, YOGAVOTES and Off the Mat hope to encourage yogis to practice “mindful” voting.
This Sunday that idea will be tested here in DC with an event they are calling “Yoga the Vote: Vote Your Heart.” This “yoga variety show” will include a free yoga class with several teachers including Kerri Kelly, a concert by Mike de la Rocha, who is a musician activist touring with Rock the Vote, and a talk and meditation by internationally known teacher and author Max Strom.
Along with the yoga celebrities in attendance, participants will be encouraged to ask questions of themselves: what do I stand for and how? Why will I vote and what am I voting for? Why is it important to me to be active in my community? Ultimately, the organizers hope, yogis will unite around the ideas of voting from their hearts, getting connected, getting involved – and expressing those values of compassion, mindfulness and awareness.
Kristin Adair, a yoga instructor (in northern Virginia and at Embrace in Adams Morgan) and DC Community Builder with Off the Mat, has said they expect 100-150 people to turn out this weekend. Her background as a Hill staffer, presidential campaign aide, and lawyer and lobbyist for nonprofit causes has prepared her well for this new role encouraging more active civic participation and awareness.
“I had lots of opportunities to see inspiring aspects in my work, but also disheartening aspects. Yoga and politics can go together – they aren’t separate. We need to bridge the gap between knowledge about the political process and our yoga space.”
She is also aware of her critics, some of whom are yogis unconcerned or uninformed about politics. Kristin says that your individual yoga practice can influence your participation, and that you can get involved in a way that is meaningful to you.
For example, when thinking about elections, many of us have a very partisan view and often a very negative view of the other side. YOGAVOTES encourages bringing mindfulness and unity and compassion into the lens through which we view politics, and actually listening to people on the other side of a debate.
“It’s interesting to think about yoga: everyone is welcome – all abilities, all viewpoints, it doesn’t matter. That is different than politics. So if we bring a mindset of being present and listening to the other side, and not assume because they are on other side they are wrong – this is a revelation for me.”
For me as well. I could have used that advice so far in this campaign cycle.
To find out how you can get involved:
- Download materials including a voter’s guide, workshop curriculum, debate watching guide.
- Visit a VOGAVOTES partner studio supporting the campaign to gather more information and join fellow yogis in debate watch parties and discussion. Borderstan studios include Yoga District (two locations: 1635 Connecticut Avenue NW; 1910 14th Street NW ) and Flow Yoga Center (1450 P Street NW).
- Pledge to vote on the YOGAVOTES website and vote in a mindful way in November.
- Attend the Yoga the Vote D.C. event on Sunday, October 21 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at 23rd and Constitution Avenue NW (near the Lincoln Memorial). RSVP or just show up – it’s free! Bring yoga mats and water. Beginners and experts welcome.
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