Elevate Yoga and Wellness brought aerial yoga to MonOrchid on Monday night, kicking off a new weekly event that welcomes different experience levels with a donation-based fee.
The event coordinators brought bright hanging silks, which supported the first group of aerial yoga participants. Nine spots are available each week for participants, which can be reserved ahead of time.
Aerial yoga is similar to regular yoga, except yoga performers are suspended in silks and elevated. Brandi Boers, owner and instructor of Elevate Yoga and Wellness, said aerial yoga helps decompress the neck and spine, elongate muscles, and build strength and power.
She wanted to keep the classes affordable, resulting in a fee where attendees pay any amount to the studio. Donations will help push Elevate Yoga toward the goal of opening their own permanent studio, allowing for more classes while traveling and providing “pop-up” yoga and private classes.
“Yoga can be expensive, so we just figured if we keep it donation-based and keep it a community thing, we give back to the people,” Boers said. “We want to bring everybody together,” Boers said.
Boers was inspired to start Elevate Yoga and Wellness when the studio at which she taught closed down. She inherited the materials needed for the class when the owner of her former studio moved away, and all she had to do was find a place to continue her practice.
The unique MonOrchid location became home to Elevate Yoga after she saw the gallery area while visiting the building.
“I came in here and grabbed some food from the coffee shop one day and I was just wandering around,” said Boers. “We were like, this could work.”
Boers brought aerial yoga to downtown Phoenix in hopes of combining the community-based feel of downtown with the tightness of the yoga community.
“We wanted to keep everything that we enjoy about it [downtown], and be able to bring it to aerial yoga,” Boers said. “It kind of helps you overcome fears.”
The class welcomes both beginners and more experienced participants and was met with positive feedback.
“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be, and it was actually really calming even though you’re a little bit scared,” said Jillian Karner, first-time aerial yoga goer.
Aerial yoga is meant to be very relaxing and stress relieving. “We want to keep everything we enjoy about it,” Boers said.
Other more advanced aerial yogis also enjoyed the event.
“It was really relaxing. I needed it,” said Jazmin Hidalgo, an experienced yogi.
Classes are held on Mondays at 5 p.m. Participants can preregister for classes here.
Contact the reporter at bfroney@asu.edu.
