Take a break from finals week and destress with a yoga flow at one of these studios near Foggy Bottom.
Even if you’re new to practicing yoga, all these studios offer classes for beginners. Close your laptop, enjoy a walk to the studio and let a slow-flow class take your mind off all your exams and papers.
Epic Yoga DC
For only $5, Epic Yoga DC’s weekly community class is a steal. While walking past Dupont Circle’s nightclubs at 11 a.m. on a Saturday may be a sobering reminder of last night’s mistakes, the studio itself was a haven from the D.C. bustle. With exposed brick walls, varnished hardwood floors and string lights hanging from the ceiling, entering Epic Yoga’s second-story walk-up feels like a visit to Dan Humphrey’s Brooklyn loft in “Gossip Girl.”
The weekly community class is taught by recent graduates of Epic Yoga’s teacher training program. My class was in the ballet studio, equipped with a ballet barre and a mirrored wall. The course was accessible to all levels, but the instructor could have offered more modifications — alternative poses that are less challenging — to accommodate beginner yogis.
Pricing: One-time drop-in: $25; Unlimited monthly membership: $129.
1323 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. The course schedule can be found here.
Alo Yoga
Paying $32 for a yoga class on the top floor of a branch of Alo Yoga, a company with a $10 billion valuation, perfectly captures how the West has commercialized and commodified yoga. Still, I can’t deny that the studio is stunning. The high ceilings, lightly stained wood floors and tall windows that fill the room with light make practicing in the space a rejuvenating experience. The Georgetown studio is one of four Alo Yoga studio locations in the world.
The instructors I’ve practiced with were all top-notch. The smaller class sizes allow them to be attentive to everyone’s needs, and they offer frequent modifications to the poses. The spacious studio ensured mats were spaced far apart, preventing attendees from bumping elbows with neighbors. The Flow, Slow Flow and Yin & Meditation classes are most suitable for beginners. These classes are slower and generally spend more time focusing on safely and correctly positioning your body to get the most out of the stretch.
The studio has no cubbies to leave your items or water refill stations. Crucially, with no walls or barriers between the studio and the stairs that lead to the retail floors below, on busier days classes are often interrupted by sounds of customers and loud music.
Pricing: One-time drop-in: $32; Unlimited monthly membership: $199.
3200 M St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20007. The course schedule can be found here.
Yoga Sangha
I visited Yoga Sangha on a Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. for its weekly Sound Bath & Meditation. When I entered, there were prearranged mats on the floor centered around an array of crystal and bronze singing bowls, a triangle and other instruments.
A bit nervous as I had never experienced a sound bath and frenzied after running late to the class, I was kindly greeted by the instructor, who told me to grab a selection of props and situate myself on a mat. Like a kid in a candy store, I acquired bolster pillows, blankets and blocks that the studio had available and tucked myself in, copying my neighbors who laid their heads on bolsters and layered blankets on themselves. I drifted in and out of sleep for the next hour, enjoying the guided meditation, accompanied by the vibrations of singing bowls, instruments hit with mallets to produce long ringing sounds. If you’re looking to destress and rest your muscles, I would absolutely stop by and experience Yoga Sangha’s sound bath.
As for regular yoga classes, Yoga Sangha offers a variety of all-level yin and slow-flow sessions accessible to beginners. The studio, formerly Dupont Circle Yoga, reopened under new ownership in November.
Pricing: One-time drop-in: $20 (student discount), $25; Unlimited monthly membership: $110 (student discount), $130.
2032 P St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. The course schedule can be found here.
Flow Yoga Center
The first person I encountered at Flow Yoga Center was founder Debra Mishalove, who greeted me in the stairwell leading up to the third-story studio. Having made the trek to Logan Circle, unfamiliar territory to me as a D.C. transplant, Mishalove’s welcoming staff made me feel at home.
The class was full of students and everyone was facing toward the center of the room where the instructor had their mat and was livestreaming the class. The studio was spacious, with windows on the west wall lighting the room that comfortably fits about 20 students. The instructor offered ample modifications and advice on alignment, making the space feel safe to explore and play on the mat. While the class was accessible, its fast-paced nature might be challenging for beginners.
After our class, we were offered complimentary tea and cold towels. Students stayed to converse with Mishalove in the center’s lounge, which is furnished with a long bench covered in pillows, fluffy rugs and yellow drapes. The mix of plants, hanging lanterns and a kind staff invite you to stay in the space and connect with one another.
Pricing: One-time drop-in: $30; Unlimited monthly membership: $135.
1450 P St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. The class schedule can be found here.
