Yoga Circle Downtown has existed in Downtown Los Angeles in some form since 1999. We moved into our current space at 400 S. Main St. in 2003.
There have been many moments of kismet in my life that set me on the path to opening Yoga Circle. In retrospect, yoga has been part of my journey even before I knew in my conscious mind what yoga was! I’ve been practicing yoga instinctively in some form or another since childhood. I distinctly remember using my breath to enter meditative states that allowed me to calm my fears, ease pain, and achieve a sense of complete peace.
When I was 19 years old, I took a class called Movement for the Theater at Louisiana State University. Our teacher, Rick Nye, incorporated elements of yoga, tai chi, and qigong to teach us the possibilities of our bodies’ energy through movement, breathing, and intense focus. It was in this beautiful wooden room where I once again encountered that feeling of absolute peace in our final resting pose, shivasana.
From there, I went on to learn more about yoga and incorporate it into my passions for movement and dance. I moved to San Francisco in 1985 and sought out yoga wherever I could find it—classes at San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, the local park, and a buddhist temple. Yoga studios weren’t as prolific back then as they are today, so my friends and I would gather in a circle and share our yoga knowledge and practices with each other. These “circles” inspired the name Yoga Circle.
In 1989, I relocated to Los Angeles as an actor, dancer, and performance artist. My yoga teaching career evolved out of leading my fellow performers through various yoga poses as a warm up. I continued to learn as much as I could about yoga and working with students, and held apprenticeships under Steven Earth and Peter “Hutch” Hutchinson. In Hutch, I found a true mentor and kindred spirit. He passed away in 1998—Yoga Circle Downtown is dedicated to his memory.
In 1997, I accepted my first official yoga class. I was blessed to teach a group of women aged 55 to 84, twice a week, at Northridge Athletic Club. Over the next few years, I added classes at various Los Angeles-area rec centers and studios… anywhere someone would give me space to teach in!
One of these was a class I taught out of a friend’s loft in what is now called the Arts District. The classes gained traction, and as more and more people started coming, this one class grew into a full-fledged yoga studio, Yoga Circle Downtown. We moved to Downtown LA’s Historic Core District in 2002, and have been there ever since.
What keeps you dedicated and passionate about what you do?
I’m a yoga therapist, and I see myself as a conveyor of the ancient wisdom that is yoga. I feel so lucky. We, as humanity, were given this gift that can save lives. Every day, I come to work, and I see the benefits. Every time I see a student come in feeling better, I know from the bottom of my heart it’s the yoga. And it’s not just the poses that helped, although they’re fun. It’s the breath.
Scientific studies have shown that yoga works—breathing, keeping in the moment, and keeping your body supple and moving. I know yoga’s saved my life. And I know I’ve used it to save lives by teaching it. This is big stuff. I’d like to see a world where one’s yoga practice becomes as intrinsic to daily routine as brushing one’s teeth—both are essential components of routine self care. It likely won’t happen in my lifetime, but that’s my mission: to make sure the word gets out about yoga and to start a dialogue that could save lives. This is why I do what I do.
Which aspects of Yoga Circle Downtown make it unique? What separates you from other yoga studios?
At Yoga Circle, we adhere to yogic tradition to the fullest extent possible. Yoga culture in the West is ever-evolving, and I feel that it’s become all the more important to have a place that specializes in traditional yoga and yogic philosophy. What we’re here to do is bigger than physical fitness—yoga is a practice for the body, mind, and soul. The workout happens, but it’s a side effect.
Yoga is for every body. Simply put, we deliver real yoga for real people. I want everyone to come in and feel comfortable practicing here. All of our classes are designed to be inclusive and accessible and cater to mixed levels (with the exception of our Power Flow class, where we recommend students come with some prerequisite knowledge and conditioning). Our teachers teach from the heart and prioritize the breath. We build from the breath to find the poses, and in the poses, we find the moment.
Yoga Circle Downtown is a donation-based studio at heart. Tradition states that a student should never have to pay to be instructed, but the student should never ask to be instructed without first offering a gift. No one should ever feel like they don’t have enough money to practice yoga. Keeping a roof over our heads remains a necessity, but those with limited financial means are always welcome and encouraged to give back with time, services, or energy. I encourage everyone to let karma be their guide.
I really believe that it’s become more and more important to have places that don’t have computers. I want Yoga Circle to feel like an undisturbed oasis in the middle of the hustle-and-bustle of urban life… a place where people can truly disconnect from the outside world, find community, and go within. To keep the energy in the studio clean, I’ve kept the presence of computers in our studio down to the bare minimum. With the exception of a phone and equipment needed to process payments, I keep all technology needed for clerical work outside of the studio.
Now, what makes any space special (be it a yoga studio or otherwise) is the type of people who gravitate towards it… the community that grows around it. Each individual has their own special path that led them to us at Yoga Circle, and it’s the combined energies of this cast of characters gathering to teach, learn, and explore yoga that embody our studio’s heart and soul. I feel their sincerity and see their realness.
Where would you like to go from here? (Future plans?)
One thing we teach in yoga is that each pose never ends. There is no final destination. Rather, each asana or pose is an energy tool that continuously evolves. In that vein, I want to see Yoga Circle evolve into a healing center. I’ve always viewed yoga as energy work, rather than an extension of the fitness industry. This year, I became a certified yoga therapist, and I want to spread the word that yoga doesn’t just prevent illness—it heals, too. And, I’m very excited to train the next generation of yoga teachers who will help spread this message.
Other Online Presence
Web: www.yogacircledowntown.com
Instagram: @yogacircledowntown
Twitter: @yogacircleLA
You can also check out our students’ feedback on Yelp.
01/10/2023
10/02/2021
08/08/2021
08/02/2021
06/03/2021
05/27/2021
04/16/2021
04/04/2021
03/25/2021
03/10/2021
