My First Time at NoDa Yoga
My First Time at NoDa Yoga
I’ll never forget my first time walking into NoDa Yoga back in 2017. Once you start walking up the steps off of N. Davidson St. to the studio, you get a little smile on your face and once you open the door you instantly are welcomed and feel at home. My first class there was with Sydney Duarte (if you don’t yet know Sydney you should).
Sydney Duarte, Instructor at NoDa Yoga
To be honest, I never really thought I liked yoga until taking a class at NoDa Yoga. I had this preconceived notion that all yoga classes were full of Chaturanga pushups, moving a million miles a minute and 110 degrees in the studio (I was wrong and I’ve learned that over the course of three years running SweatNET). BUT I vividly remember taking my first class at NoDa Yoga, the first Gentle Yoga class I had taken and leaving feeling more open and relaxed — who knew yoga could be gentle?!
Before I even took my first class at NoDa Yoga I grabbed coffee with Jillian, the owner, at Trade & Lore. She’s an incredibly kind and welcoming person so it’s no surprise that her studio puts off the same feeling. Jillian told me all about the mission of NoDa Yoga and about their Yoga for Veterans program ($5 classes for Veterans and scholarship opportunities). They also have an annex location that offers accessible yoga to those who may need with this new wheelchair accessible space.
Jillian Longsworth, Owner of NoDa Yoga
It’s no secret that a lot of studios are struggling right now. Studios were forced to close with the shutdown here in Charlotte, NC on March 26th but many studios shut their doors before that. NoDa Yoga closed their doors on March 17th — that’s roughly 5 months with no in-person classes while the studio continues to pay rent and pay instructors for teaching online. The governor says it will be roughly 4 more weeks that studios will remain closed but we really don’t know what will happen with the next announcement as we get closer toward that September 11th date. Recently, NoDa Yoga started a GoFundMe — this money will go toward paying the instructors who continue to teach online and pay for operating costs of the physical space.
NoDa Yoga Class 2018
More recently, with the COVID shutdown, we had the opportunity to film a few classes with Carey Sims who teaches chair yoga amongst other accessible classes at NoDa Yoga. You can check out one of his classes on our streaming page here! (streaming is free for SweatNET members – not yet a member? Use code: STREAMFREE to get your first month free).
We hate seeing the studios and owners we love struggle and we can only hope that more studios will not be affected over the next few weeks. If you’re able to support not only NoDa Yoga, but any other studio that you love or frequent, please do! Whether it is as simple as a google or Facebook review, purchasing a gift card or class pack, a little goes a long way!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYQpoqfwcRE[/embedyt]
Back in 2018, we filmed a SweatDate at NoDa Yoga. Take a peek inside the studio so you can visit them once they open back up!
Sydney Duarte, Instructor at NoDa Yoga
To be honest, I never really thought I liked yoga until taking a class at NoDa Yoga. I had this preconceived notion that all yoga classes were full of Chaturanga pushups, moving a million miles a minute and 110 degrees in the studio (I was wrong and I’ve learned that over the course of three years running SweatNET). BUT I vividly remember taking my first class at NoDa Yoga, the first Gentle Yoga class I had taken and leaving feeling more open and relaxed — who knew yoga could be gentle?!
Before I even took my first class at NoDa Yoga I grabbed coffee with Jillian, the owner, at Trade & Lore. She’s an incredibly kind and welcoming person so it’s no surprise that her studio puts off the same feeling. Jillian told me all about the mission of NoDa Yoga and about their Yoga for Veterans program ($5 classes for Veterans and scholarship opportunities). They also have an annex location that offers accessible yoga to those who may need with this new wheelchair accessible space.
Jillian Longsworth, Owner of NoDa Yoga
It’s no secret that a lot of studios are struggling right now. Studios were forced to close with the shutdown here in Charlotte, NC on March 26th but many studios shut their doors before that. NoDa Yoga closed their doors on March 17th — that’s roughly 5 months with no in-person classes while the studio continues to pay rent and pay instructors for teaching online. The governor says it will be roughly 4 more weeks that studios will remain closed but we really don’t know what will happen with the next announcement as we get closer toward that September 11th date. Recently, NoDa Yoga started a GoFundMe — this money will go toward paying the instructors who continue to teach online and pay for operating costs of the physical space.
NoDa Yoga Class 2018
More recently, with the COVID shutdown, we had the opportunity to film a few classes with Carey Sims who teaches chair yoga amongst other accessible classes at NoDa Yoga. You can check out one of his classes on our streaming page here! (streaming is free for SweatNET members – not yet a member? Use code: STREAMFREE to get your first month free).
We hate seeing the studios and owners we love struggle and we can only hope that more studios will not be affected over the next few weeks. If you’re able to support not only NoDa Yoga, but any other studio that you love or frequent, please do! Whether it is as simple as a google or Facebook review, purchasing a gift card or class pack, a little goes a long way!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYQpoqfwcRE[/embedyt]
Back in 2018, we filmed a SweatDate at NoDa Yoga. Take a peek inside the studio so you can visit them once they open back up!
Erin Garber
Erin is a Co-Founder of SweatNET as well as a NASM certified personal trainer and fitness/health/lifestyle blogger living in the Queen City. She's on a mission to spread inspiration and show people that living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated nor does it have to consume your life!