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Frontiers second annual yoga guide offers a peek into some
of our favorite studios around town
Dancing Shiva Yoga & Ayurveda
 Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, led by Spiritual Director
Mas Vidal, is a whole center devoted to “the practice,
education and lifestyle of the great Vedic sciences of
Yoga and Ayurveda.” Ayurveda is the world’s
oldest science of health and well-being, and that, in combination
with yoga practices, provides a complete way of living.
Situated above Beverly Boulevard, the healing center offers
a wide array of classes in meditation, chanting, tai chi
and various levels of challenging yoga. Customized, rejuvenating
treatments are also available for every mind and body type.
The goal here is simple: to educate each student to approach
their yoga practice and lifestyle according to his or her
own needs. The instructors at Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda
are well-trained in various methods of healing, including
Reiki and Qigong.
A great instructor to try is Zè Coquenao, featured
above. Yogis of all levels can take Zè’s classes
together because he has that uncanny ability to be attentive
to the well-being of each student. Whether you’ve been
training for a few weeks or a few years, Zè offers
alternative poses in varying degrees of difficulty. And if
you fall asleep during the final meditative pose, rest assured
that you aren’t the only one. Besides, Zè will
wake you when it’s over. —DAVID KAUHA
7466 Beverly Blvd., 2nd Flr., Los Angeles
323/934-VEDA (8332)
www.dancingshiva.com
Single class: $15
Karuna Yoga
I have had a love-hate relationship with yoga over the
years; I love the benefits but I often hate doing it. Of
all the yoga studios in town my longtime favorite is Karuna
Yoga on Hillhurst in Los Feliz. It’s a small and personal
place with the perfect touch of the East blended with the
West without it seeming either like an ashram or a characterless
corporate-style gym. From the moment you get there the
atmosphere lends itself to inner restructuring—a
tree-shaded sitting area by the entrance around back lulls
you away from the noisy street to get ready for your class.
There are several classes a day teaching styles from Kundalini
to Hatha and Iyengar, and they cater to most standards
of capability. The single room is dark and well ventilated—not
too warm in the summer and not too cold in the winter.
My favorite part is that there’s always herbal tea
and animal crackers in the back after class, to buffer
you from your re-entry to the harsh so-called real world. —JOHN
SIMMONDS
1939 1/2 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz
323/665-6242
www.karunayoga.net
Single class: $16
Earth’s Power Yoga
Having traversed the L.A. yoga landscape, I have to say
that Earth’s Power Yoga is the friendliest studio I’ve
yet encountered. Founder Steven Earth Metz is a celebrated
teacher and for good reason. Though their line is that
it’s “Home of the toughest class on earth,” and
it is indeed rigorous and challenging in ways you probably
won’t experience elsewhere, Metz is a gentle, attentive
teacher, and his enthusiasm for the practice is infectious.
Metz’s signature style is athletic, dynamic, and
graceful, and because he is well-studied and traveled,
he knows how to instruct without pushing his students to
injury. As a yoga student with a tendency to ask too much
of herself, Earth’s Power Yoga allowed me to accept
my bodily limitations, and give me something concrete to
work toward. It’s a fine workout for mind, body,
and spirit. —KORINA JOCHIM
7901 Melrose Ave. #208, West Hollywood
323/655-9642
www.earthspoweryoga.com
Bikram's Yoga College of India
With new studios popping up faster than pimples on a teenager,
it's no wonder some consider Bikram’s to be the Starbucks
of yoga. Yet despite its notoriety, there is a reason why
Bikram’s has become so successful: Their customers
get results. The Bikram system is a series of twenty-six
postures performed in a studio where the air is heated
to around 100 degrees. All postures are performed twice
and held for a specific period of time. Newcomers may find
the heat and poses challenging but within a few weeks start
to notice serious improvements to their circulation and
muscle tone, not to mention their complexion (hey, sweating
does wonders for your skin). Experienced yogis searching
for more spiritual sessions will be disappointed, as the
teachers stick to the poses and there’s never any
singing or chanting. As with any studio, your mileage varies
according to your teacher. For someone knowledgeable and
fun, try Loren or Ashley at the Silver Lake studio. —MICHAEL
MEDAGLIA
1862 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles (also in Silver Lake)
310/854-5800
www.bikramyoga.com
Single class:$17-$20
City Yoga
These days, a new yoga studio opens as often as a new Pinkberry.
Undoubtedly, this makes it difficult to find authenticity
in practice. Fortunately, City Yoga in West Hollywood offers
just this. In this studio, the original Anusara school
in Southern California, there are no mirrors, no loud music,
no competition. This style of Hatha yoga combines biomechanics
with inner spirit, encouraging students to learn about
themselves, their bodies, and their potential. The classes
run the gamut of fitness levels from Beginner 101 to teacher
training seminars. But no matter what your level, try the
beginner class, taught by studio owner Anthony Benenati
for a really special experience (Mon./Wed./Fri./Sat 8:30-10
a.m.). Students of all levels flock to this class, for
Benenati’s personal touch, his “average guy” yoga
insights, and his gentle encouragement to expand yourself. —JULIET
KASKA
1067 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood
323/654-2125
www.cityyoga.com
Single Class $16
Yoga Loft
A view, a view, and yoga too! Situated in the heart of
Manhattan Beach, Yoga Loft offers vigorous Vinyasa-flow based
yoga classes that build strength, improve balance and flexibility,
and quiet the mind. Before class even begins, the sweeping
ocean and pier views alleviate stress, lower blood pressure,
and promote relaxation. No matter if you’re a novice
or experienced practitioner, this studio has a great class
for you in which you work at your own pace regardless of
experience. Yoga Loft also regularly hosts guest teachers,
workshops, and specialty classes, and promotes a multitude
of charity events and fundraisers to raise the collective
conscience of the community. “The more you learn
about yourself on the mat, the more awareness you have
off the mat,” says Fisher, who believes a yoga studio
should be at the center of a community. At Yoga Loft, you
become part of this community. — J.K.
1112 Ocean Dr., Manhattan Beach
310/372-7334
www.yogaloftmb.com
Single class: $16
YogaWorks
Though YogaWorks is a chain, with various locations scattered
around the Westside, I like to think of the Larchmont Center
for Yoga as the hub—even with many studios under one
roof, it still has that boutique feel to it. And you won’t
find another studio in town with so many styles offered—take
your pick from traditional Mysore Ashtanga, Vinyasa flow,
Iyengar, gentle, prenatal, Anusara, Hatha, their signature
YogaWorks blend…there’s even a free HIV class
offered! My personal fave is former Broadway singer Whitney
Allen’s flow class; this petite blonde will put you
through the traces in an hour and a half class that starts
slow with breathing exercises, and will take you through
vigorous sun salutations, inversions, and standing postures,
all ending in a delicious guided savasana. Unlike many studios,
the instructors here are not afraid to use music in their
classes, which makes for a truly transportive yoga experience. —J.S.
Larchmont Center for Yoga
230 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles
323/464-1276
www.yogaworks.com
Single Class: $18
Yummy Yoga
In yoga, a good environment is crucial to a positive experience,
and Yummy Yoga in Los Feliz offers one of the most inviting.
Located in a former house, the interior space is warm and,
at the risk of sounding too hippie spiritual, evokes a
sense of calm amidst the hustle of L.A. traffic happening
outside. Music is tailored to fit a particular class’ tone,
so expect smooth eclectic tunes during chill out Candlelight
Flow, and organically building beats for more intense classes.
(And trust us, those beats are important for the workout
awaiting you in Level 2&3 classes.) Students are a
creative and fun mix, from work-at-home locals to experienced
practitioners who found this oasis after much searching.
Add in relatively small class sizes—emphasis is on
proper form and helping you improve your practice—and
it’s no wonder why Yummy has been kept a secret for
so long. —RICHARD ANDREOLI
1717 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz
323/953-8449
www.yummyoga.com
Single class: $16
A Gym Bunny Can Be a Yogi Too!
BY MICHAEL ANTHONY
All weightlifting and no yoga can make for a seriously sore
gym bunny. But putting down the to-be-pumped iron and stepping
into a yoga studio can be intimidating, even for the most
muscular of men. However, there’s no need to fear;
your foray into yoga may be as close as your key ring’s
gym pass. So, step into your hamstrings’ softer side
and break your yoga-cherry with the classes offered at your
local gym.
24 Hour Fitness
Classes at 24 Hour Fitness are perfect for the enthusiastic
athlete that wants to align their chakras, while not getting
overtly spiritual; in short, you won’t have an emotional
epiphany on your yoga mat, but you will burn calories and
learn how to touch your toes. 24 Hour’s remodeled
studio harkens a comfortable yet urban setting, with its
faux brick wall and low lighting; the space can easily
accommodate up to 80 students, and it often does. Be sure
to arrive early, as weekend and evening classes fill quickly.
Students range from the ever-beautiful actor/model crowd
to downtown business professionals and bohemian types.
Here, yoga-enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels are
truly welcome.
6380 West Sunset Blvd., Hollywood
323/461-2024
www.24hourfitness.com
Cost: Free for members / $15 for nonmembers (which also includes
an all-day gym pass)
Bally Total Fitness
Boasting the most multi-ethnic crowd in the bunch, Bally’s
classes are geared towards the fit individual that is trying
to maintain and tone. The 60–90 minute classes move
at a fierce clip, although the instructors do make a special
effort for beginners. Held in a traditional 40 x 80 multipurpose
workout room, the sessions (which vary from 5 to 30 students
depending on the season) are more fitness driven than spiritually
enlightening.
1628 North El Centro Ave., Hollywood
323/461-0227
www.ballyfitness.com
Cost: $3-$5, depending on package, for members and nonmembers
alike
LA Fitness
Located in the heart of Hollywood and Highland, one might
expect LA Fitness’s yoga classes to be filled only
with aspiring male models and female back-up dancers; and
although they are, there’s no need to be intimidated
here. Plenty of 9-to-5 working stiffs drop by to get in
a quick stretch before jetting home on the Metro. Typically
held during lunch and evening hours, this location caters
mostly to a beginning and intermediate crowd, offering
only basic yoga courses; in short, it’s a great place
to get your starting-out chakras wet.
7021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
323/462-5199
www.lafitness.com
Cost: Free for members / $20 for non-members (which also
includes an all-day gym pass)
Crunch
This Sunset gym features the perfect
fusion of old and new school stretching. Traditional yoga
classes are held to service students of all levels, while
newfangled takes (like Luna Yoga, which calls upon guidance
from the moon’s
lunar circles) expertly challenge students that are looking
for a deeper mind/body connection. Classes are generally
well attended with an athletic and attractive mix of men
and women, both gay and straight, ranging from mid-20s
to mid-40s.
8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
323/654-4550
www.crunch.com
Cost: Free for members / $24 for non-members (which also
includes an all-day gym pass)
Equinox
For all-things yoga, Equinox is the place to get your stretch
on. Offering an extremely diverse curriculum (Anusara,
Vinyasa, Hatha, Iyengar and more), there is a class to
push and pull even the most expert yogi. But don’t
feel left out, newbies; special courses are curtailed specifically
for those that have never downward dogged. The gym’s
aesthetic, spa-like and serene, makes for the perfect upper-class,
post-yoga mental unwind. But definitely remember to wear
your best sweats; people in these classes dress to impress,
and this is where paparazzi hide out to see and celebs
go to be seen.
8590 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
310/289-1900
www.equinoxfitness.com
Cost: Free for members / $5 for nonmembers (but you must
attend with a member)
Gold's
Although famous for its muscle demographic, Gold’s
also boasts a multi-faceted yoga program. So says Director
of Sales, Karen Genendlis: “There are lots (more) men
coming lately, as previous years used to be more female… Not
anymore. And we don't have that intimidated factor. If you
are not limber or don't know the poses or the names, you
won’t feel lost.” But don’t let that fool
you. In traditional Gold’s style, the classes (capped
at about 20 students) are impassioned and push even the most
hesitant beginners. Also keep in mind that you can hear the
loud music of the gym during class, so don’t expect
serenity.
1016 N. Cole Ave., Hollywood
323/462-7012
www.goldsgym.com
Cost: Free for members / $12 for nonmembers
Hollywood YMCA
Held in a beautiful old social hall with lots of California/Spanish
charm—think hardwood floors, hand crafted wooden
beams and brown tiled walls—the Hollywood YMCA’s
yoga classes are free for members and their guests. Multiple
styles are offered to fit any interest or fitness level,
including beginner’s foundation yoga, Anusara, Ashtanga,
Hatha, Kundalini, power yoga, pre/postnatal, and even aqua
yoga for people wanting to do it in the pool. Best of all,
yogis are super friendly so you’ll get good instruction
without any of the attitude found at certain self-important
studios in Hollywood or Beverly Hills. Check out the website
for full class descriptions, then try great-spirited Jody
if you can practice at 6:30 a.m., Adam’s fun Hatha
classes, or either Joseph or Rose of Sharon’s power
yoga for good, hard workouts. —RICHARD ANDREOLI
1553 North Schrader Blvd., Hollywood
323/467-4161
www.ymcala.org
Initial registration fee: $100/ Monthly membership fee: $49
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