The Future of Yoga in Hudson Valley Teachers and studios rethink what it means to ‘do yoga’
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by Sarah Matteo
A
s they continue to navigate a changing landscape, yoga studios and teachers are finding new ways to connect with students and discovering opportunities to rethink what it means to “do yoga.” It’s safe to say that some of the changes they’ve made will be here long after Covid-19 goes away. At press time, New York State had announced that yoga studios would be allowed to open in September. Studio owners’ plans going forward, like the adjustments they’ve already made, vary widely throughout and beyond Hudson Valley.
New York State has announced that yoga studios will be allowed to open in September. Make Room or Zoom Many studios have decided to wait to reopen until next year, if they return to in-person classes at all. David Hollander, studio owner and director of teacher training at the Yoga Society of New York, recently made the decision to close his
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David Hollander teaching class WakeUpNaturally.com
private studio, having determined that the only way to continue was digitally. “We’re in this transition for the long haul,” he says. “Getting back to normal goes beyond a vaccine, because people are going to need to get comfortable being in a packed space again, and that’s going to take time.” Studios that are continuing with inperson classes are dealing with standard constraints: Classes capped at reduced capacity, hands-on adjustments discouraged, props less likely to be provided. They’ve also gotten creative to accommodate for social-distancing regulations, moving classes outdoors to a public space or even to a studio member’s backyard. While Hollander says he misses assisting students in a crowded class, he’s enjoying forging a sense of intimacy in this new medium. “There’s something very powerful about broadcasting from our homes with our dogs and cats and kids running around in the background,” he says. “We’re not putting on a public face.”
