Dogtown Yoga is bringing yoga to you with outdoor classes in Argenta Plaza at no cost.
Ann Thompson and Shontel Lee started Dogtown Yoga in April of this year with the mission of making it accessible amid COVID-19 concerns. The duo wanted to be able to provide an opportunity for people to relax without having to be indoors.
“It’s organically grown, we’ve put in effort, but it’s taken a life of its own,” Thompson says.
Thompson and Lee worked with the parks department, who helped them move their classes to Argenta Plaza. Through collaboration with the visitor’s burueau, they began to promote and host events on Wednesday nights. The visitor’s bureau has provided tents, water, props, masks and any equipment needed for a session is provided at the plaza.
For attendees, the classes are completely donation-funded.
“We didn’t want people to have to have memberships, we wanted people to bring their kids, if they can’t pay that’s fine,” Thompson says. “In times of need for a person, sometimes money isn’t avaialable and we want to be there in those moments. We are here to give back to the comunity and we want to meet that difference.”
Lee and Thompson have both been teaching for a year and a half and have been praticng for six years with Circle Yoga Shallah. They focus on two different forms of yoga, included restorative (Hatha yoga) and active classes.
“The two of us hit all of the spectrums of what people need,” Thompson says.
“Everything has fallen into place incredibly easily,” Thompson says. “It has all unfolded the way it’s supposed to. We are very, very happy with what we are doing right now. If anyone comes out, we have all of the supplies for someone to have a successful yoga practice. Just bring yourselves.”
Classes are on hold until 6 p.m., Sept. 8, due to the hot temperatures throughout the end of August, but they will offer all of the same benefits when they come back. Thompson and Lee tend to run four to five week courses at a time and take breaks in between.
For the future, they are looking for an indoor space where people can still feel comfortable with distance, but will also keep people warm as they practice in the winter months.
For more information on Dogtown Yoga, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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