Location: 700 Bryden Rd. Suite 242, Columbus, OH 43214

Tell me about your position and your company.

I am the co-owner of Raw Yoga 614. We are one of the only black owned yoga businesses in Columbus, Ohio.  We teach weekly yoga classes as well as private classes, teachers training, and kids yoga classes.

Tell me about your yoga journey.

My partner took me to a yoga class as a date. A month later someone told him that he should get certified. Me being the free-spirited person that I am, I was like yeah let’s get certified. Our training started with 44 people. He and I were two of four people of color in our entire training. That includes the instructors. Every micro aggression that you feel as a black person in a white space, we felt it in the yoga space. That is what prompted us to do our own thing and make sure that when other people of color come to yoga that they feel comfortable. They feel like it is their thing.

What type of yoga do you teach?

I am trained in power, which is more of a cardio based, strength training, kick your butt sweat. I teach a slower flow. My class is called R&B yoga flow. We do yoga to R&B and sometimes a little bit of jazz. We are teaching you to breathe and move in your body. I am teaching you how to take full body breaths because those breaths are the ones that help you relax, and it slows your heart rate. But; then, you are also learning how to move in your body. When you are born you can put your foot in your mouth, and you are super flexible. When we start school and start to sit in those desks all day long, your body forgets how to move. Yoga is teaching you how to move in your body again.

Do you have a drop-in fee? Membership fee?

We have both. We have a $15 drop-in rate. We have a $90 unlimited membership fee. We have a new student special. You get two weeks of unlimited classes for $35. We do in person and virtual classes. Virtual classes are a little cheaper if you want to do the class through Zoom.

With virtual classes and in-person classes, do you correct people’s form?

Because of COVID we don’t do a whole lot of manual adjustments. When I teach, I que you to tell you how to move your body and what positions to put them in. So, virtual is a little more difficult because you are looking in a screen. Any person who comes in class, I am going to call you out and tell you to fix your body. For example, your foot is a little flat, come up higher on your toes, get a little taller through your body, point your nose to your knee, etc.

Sidebar: I think correction is one of the main advantages of taking an in-person yoga class (other than connection and community). My philosophy is, if I can’t do it correctly, then why do it? That might cause injury or diminished results.

What is the average class size?

The average class size is from 5 to 8 students.

How does someone connect with you?

You can find us at rawyoga614.com or on Facebook and Instagram @rawyoga614.

Is there anything that I didn’t ask you that you think I should have asked you? If so, go ahead and answer that question.

Who is yoga for?

Yoga is for everybody. Beginners and advanced students will feel comfortable in our classes. If you can’t touch your toes, you will still feel comfortable in our classes.

Sidebar: I felt like she sized me up (called me out) and knew I couldn’t touch my toes. I love it!

Her comment when I joked about it:

I know most people can’t touch their toes. I will get you to touch your toes.

Sidebar:

That sounds like a guarantee. Time will tell.