Mountain Rose Yoga and Valley Glow Yoga are two popular yoga studios in The Valley that have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As social distancing restrictions lift, however, the owners are planning cautious reopening strategies. One studio has already started offering outdoor classes and the other is developing an outdoor yoga plan as well.
MOUNTAIN ROSE YOGA
Mountain Rose’s yoga studio in Waitsfield is currently following state guidelines; therefore, the studio is only open for retail. However, now that groups of 10 or less are allowed to participate in outdoor physical exercise, studio owner and yoga teacher Ana del Rosal began offering outdoor yoga classes for a maximum of nine students on Wednesday, May 20. Students are required to preregister and prepay or use their class package. Additionally, they must bring their own mat and any other props they need to practice yoga. “We will be adhering to physical distance guidelines of 6 feet or more,” said del Rosal. People have the option to use a mask or not.
“When we are able to open the studio, we will be limiting class sizes again to adhere to state guidelines,” said del Rosal. In this indoor yoga situation, there will be hand sanitizer available as students walk into the studio and students will be required to bring their own mat to class.
For those who are not ready to participate in group classes, Mountain Rose will continue to offer online classes. “We are grateful for the continued support of our community and look forward to serving them now and in the future,” said del Rosal.
VALLEY GLOW YOGA
Although regular classes at Valley Glow Yoga in Waitsfield are canceled, owner and instructor Misa Dikengil is staying busy. She is currently leading weekly online chair yoga sessions for both special needs and all abilities students in partnership with Upper Valley Services, planning a trauma-informed yoga series for veterans with Vermont Adaptive and finishing a “yoga for addiction recovery” training online.
When asked about her plans to open the studio, Dikengil said she’s brainstorming opportunities for yoga in outdoor spaces along with online classes. “A few of us are brainstorming some blended online/in-person series for the summer and hoping our first outdoor events will happen in June. Our emphasis is really going to be on collaboration, connection and healing,” said Dikengil.
There is no definitive opening date for Valley Glow Yoga, but Dikengil suspects that when the studio does open again, everything about it will be different. “I think many of us at VGY have used this time to turn inward and reevaluate what yoga means to us and how we can offer it in a way that feels authentic and builds true community. I imagine everything will be different,” said Dikengil.
