Yoga for Dancers at Modo Yoga NYC

Trying to find a yoga studio in New York is easy. Trying to find the right yoga studio is not easy, simply because of how many there are. And when you add in concerns about injury prevention and seeking out instructors who truly understand what dancers need from a yoga class, it is nearly impossible.

After a trip to my hometown in Colorado and a class at CorePower Yoga, I realized I had forgotten how great yoga could be. CorePower is great for dancers: a focus on the center, like Pilates, is key to the studio's philosophy.

I had been looking for a good yoga class ever since I moved to New York.

It had been three years, and I still hadn't found one. Dancers are picky about their cross-training. It has to be challenging, but not so challenging that it ruins your performance the next day. 

I tried Pure Yoga, which is wonderful, but it costs an arm and a leg.

I tried the yoga classes at Equinox, which were also wonderful, but their studios were freezing cold. For dancers, this is a hard sell. We're used to having to warm up in freezing theaters, but for our workout, we shouldn't have to worry about it.

Bikram classes, on the other hand, are much too hot. Because dancers are already incredibly loose, there is a risk of overstretching in such a hot room (I learned this the hard way.)

After a while, I started to think that I wouldn't find anything like CorePower. I started to think that I was destined to attend yoga class in cashmere sweaters for the rest of my career.

And then I found Modo.

Modo Yoga NYC in the West Village caters to an elite, fashionable community of West Village glamazons. Including Katie Holmes, apparently, though I've never seen her there.

But in contrast with its chichi clientele, the classes are very affordable. In addition to the glamazons, Modo is also frequented by a great deal of dancers. And for good reason: the teachers at Modo understand how to instruct dancers. Some are dancers themselves.

The classes are heated, but kept well below the scorching and slightly dangerous temperatures of a Bikram class. Technique and alignment is especially important, but none of the instructors are condescending about it. They just correct your alignment if you need it. Rather like a dance teacher.

I've been practicing yoga at Modo for a year now, and it is an amazing recovery for my body as well as a strengthening and cardio class. I also find that coming to Modo changes my perspective; it takes me out of the dance sphere, and provides me with a chance to move in a place where I'm not trying to make a good impression on anyone.

Modo Yoga is located at 434 6th Avenue between 9th and 10th streets.