The ancient practice of yoga is a therapeutic way to help people improve their health, posture and wellbeing holistically through exercise, nutrition and meditation. While some may join a yoga class for mental clarity or to alieviate pain, others just want to have fun and spend quality time with friends. Whatever the reason, each studio is as unique as its clients, and philosophies, techniques and dynamics vary.
The number of fitness and yoga centers in North Texas is exploding, so it looks like we're safe from the danger of topping America’s fattest city list for another year. We've put together a list of 10 local yoga studios you may not have tried, to help you determine where to get in sync.
BalancingEnergy
1444 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 319
BalancingEnergy is home to a range of holistic services including infrared sauna sessions and holistic nutritional counseling to help optimize health and well-being.
The yoga company’s mission is to serve North Texas by offering health and wellness workshops, alternative healing services and continuing education to promote self-control and self-discovery. In addition to the nutritional counseling and yoga training, private Pilates classes are offered, and a healthy recipe – such as this month’s vegan lentil salad – is also posted on their website.
The program is “completely individualized for each client based on his or her physical, mental, social and nutritional background,” the website reads. “All of our yoga classes focus on the breath first and the poses second – as the breath is what keeps us calm and present on or off the mat.”
Dallas Yoga Center frequently throws mixers in its warm and inviting lobby so clients can get to know one another.
2545 Lemmon Ave.
For more than a quarter of a century, Dallas Yoga Center’s mission has been to educate, enrich and inspire Dallasites “to lead more mindful, meaningful and healthier lives.”
“In 2010, the Dallas Yoga Center opened its doors to an adjoining 4,000-square-foot Holistic Wellness Center offering a full spectrum of integrative medicine and healing arts,” the center’s website reads. With more than 90 classes to choose from weekly as well as workshops, retreats and other holistic services, the center seeks to “serve and educate our community and provide the tools for healing, growth, and self-exploration.”
Classes range from physically challenging to calming, restorative yoga and yin yoga which relaxes and soothes the nervous system. Belly dancing, stress reduction and gong therapy are a few other sessions that are available. And for Dallas Arboretum members, there’s even an early bird class held on the arboretum lawn for added serenity.
The center will host a Spring Fling: Yoga and Wellness Tour from noon to 5 p.m. April 29 for those wanting to learn more. Tickets cost $15 to $20.
YogaSport's homebase is on Lemmon Avenue, but they often take classes outdoors, like this one in Klyde Warren Park.
4140 Lemmon Ave., Suite 280
There are no mirrors on the walls of this yoga studio, which allows students to reflect more on their inner selves. To further prevent distraction, there's also no music of any kind. Classes are available for all ages and fitness levels, and focus on Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga, a mentally and physically challenging form of yoga. “We make it fun to sweat,” YogaSport's website reads. “You won’t find any yoga snobs here.”
Namah Shivaya Jyoti Yoga
6464 E. Northwest Highway, Suite 345
This yoga studio strives to make yoga accessible for everyone. Beginner, meditation and restorative classes are available as well as some for children and the more advanced. “The program helped deepen my understanding of the body-mind connection,” reads a testimonial by Barri Candy. The studio also helps those interested in teaching yoga classes develop skills through its teacher training programs.
Uptown Yoga
2636 Thomas Ave.; 7330 Gaston Ave.; 6800 Windhaven Parkway, The Colony
Uptown Yoga’s three locations give guests a clean and modern place to practice yoga. The open settings are simply decorated to enhance relaxation. Yoga mats are provided at no additional cost, and fully stocked showers are also available.
Along with its yoga sessions, Uptown Yoga offers instruction in nutritional wellbeing and their yogis-on-the-go program delivers around-the-clock yoga to schools, businesses and other organizations.
Their yoga instructors “understand how to work with the subtler aspects of the body, mind, energy and emotion,” reads Uptown Yoga’s webpage. ”They can teach you how to use yoga not only to strengthen your arms and stretch your hamstrings, but to balance your mood, cope with grief or anger, find your center and move with more ease and grace through your daily life.”
BKS Iyengar Studio
5539 Dyer St.
Developed through 65 years of yoga mastery, this program focuses on precise alignment as well as therapeutics to eliminate aches and pains and improve posture. The BKS Ivengar system incorporates a yogic breathing method known as Pranayama. According to BKS' webiste, “In Pranayama, one learns to withdraw the senses from external objects and cultivate a peaceful state of mind. Smooth subtle and controlled breathing is far easier to master than the mind – when the breath becomes smooth and steady, so does the mind."
Body and Brain Yoga Tai Chi
5920 Belt Line Road, Suite 320
Body and brain’s philosophy is that “overall health starts with a healthy brain, since it regulates all bodily functions, emotions and thoughts.”
Rick Wedgeworth loves who he has become since working out at the facility. “What an amazing place to learn about who you are,” his client testimonial reads.
Classes use a blend of brain-based and East Asian approaches and are taught in yoga, tai chi, detox, meditation and rhythmic movement. In addition to yoga classes and workshops, belly button healing is also practiced, which the studio says promotes healing via belly button stimulation.
"As good as it gets for body, mind and soul,” writes one Yelp reviewer.
Hiking Yoga
3505 Maple Ave.
Three-mile yoga hikes take place Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. along the Katy Trail. The workout turns into a social activity during the one-and-a-half-hour long hike.
“Integrate a body, nature, spirit practice in the beautiful parks and trails along the Dallas Katy Trail,” instructor Natalie Cummings says on her webpage. “Our teachers set a brisk pace toward beautiful vistas with yoga intervals suitable for all levels.”
Cummings also assists entrepreneurial yogis with website design and is an advocate for moving yoga out of the classroom and into business settings.
Mats are provided at Rescue Yoga, but you can also purchase one of your own — or even win one in an auction.
1933 E. Frankford Road, Suite 180, Carrollton
Believing that a body should stay in motion, Rescue Yoga offers all types of fitness including yoga, thai chi and Pilates as well as private lessons, workshops and studio rentals. Mats and props are provided (but you’re welcome to bring your own), and class sizes are limited to 20 people to ensure a specialized yoga experience.
“I step into a little heaven on my mat every time I visit,” writes Dori Briggs Bonitatibus on Facebook. “Regardless of your age or level of fitness or flexibility, this yoga studio has your back.”
Lululemon
3201 Knox St., Galleria, NorthPark and other locations
Although Lululemon athletic apparel stores can be found scattered across Dallas, Fort Worth, Southlake and Plano, a Lululemon phone representative tells us that the stores are not franchised.
While you will likely find the same merchandise when visiting the different stores, the programs offered will probably vary. She says that’s because individual stores have the freedom to craft their fitness programs depending on what is popular within their community, whether that be running, yoga or other types of fitness activities.
It may be best to give the store a call or visit their Facebook page for a heads up on what’s happening beforehand. Lululemon Athletica Dallas’ Facebook page is a social media conglomerate of the three stores that helps keep everyone in the loop.
“I had a great time with old and new yogi friends,” writes Brittney Hall of the retailer’s Spring Salutation yoga event. Richard Goodis posted that his dog Gus always finds something he loves at Lululemon as well.
