Don’t let the quiet, soothing Sanskrit music fool you: this is not Yin yoga. North End Yoga is a traditional yoga studio which draws dedicated, seasoned, and serious yogis (no corporate takeovers here). Serious yogis mean serious, professional, well-seasoned teachers; the cream of the crop. Which is exactly what Tim Kelleher is. He sequences beautifully, cues specifically, and adjusts safely. If you are looking to improve your practice, get yourself (ASAP) to North End Yoga and let Tim Kelleher take you on a journey.
The class was an hour and fifteen minute All-Levels Vinyasa. Tim guided us through a heart opening sequence that can best be described as a slow burn. Each pose opened the heart and chest while another part of the body was building fire and supporting the shape. We worked into advanced poses like King Pigeon and Eka Pada Koundinyasana (Google it). The class followed a typical Vinyasa class sequence, which is mainly to ensure safety and allow the body to warm and open before moving into advanced poses: Supine heart opening, Sun As, Sun Bs, standing poses, hip openers, backbends, twists, savasana.
Everyone and their mother teaches yoga in Boston but not everyone has the skill to teach other teachers. North End Yoga instructor Tim Kelleher is the teacher that should (and does) develop teachers. Throughout class, not only did he reference readings from the Bhagavad-Gita and specific quotes and teachings from the Sutras, but he also pointed out specific muscle groups and relevant anatomy terms to help students better understand their movements. In other words, we were blown away by the depth of his knowledge and teaching experience. Our room was filled with his dedicated students that follow him around town and abroad. Tim is phenomenal.
North End Yoga is what a yoga studio should be: dimly lit, quiet, clean, tranquil, inviting, and relaxing. There is a large reception area when you first enter where you can relax and browse the small retail section or purchase a Vita Coco before class. The studio has three practice rooms, all with wood floors, large windows, and bright colors. The website claims the practice rooms are “”India-inspired”” adding to the traditional yoga studio feel but we’re not sure we’d say that.
Additionally, the studio has bathrooms, changing rooms, and cubbies lining the hallway, but only one shower. The shower does have shampoo, conditioner, and soap for students to use. The class we took was in the afternoon, but we can only imagine the cluster it would be to try and get the shower after the early morning classes end before work – no thanks!
256 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113 North End Yoga $
North End Yoga
North End Yoga, Barre, Pilates $
256 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
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North End YogaYoga
This lady is powerful, exuding strength as she speaks with a voice that carries throughout the large yoga studio. And while volume isn’t typically something appreciated in a vinyasa flow class, we found the ability to clearly hear the poses being cued more refreshing than disturbing.
Shuli’s commitment to her yoga practice is evident, as she was able to demo all of the poses she had in store for the class, and she flowed thoughtfully from one sequence to the next without any awkward transition periods. This class was geared toward a wide range of levels, with the instructor offering poses for both basic and advanced students. Our only complaint was that more attention wasn’t given toward advanced poses; you either knew how to do them or you were stuck with a lower skill level. You still work up a “glisten” in this class, but don’t expect a full blown sweat. Based on the large number of people in attendance, Shuli’s back-to-basics approach makes her a popular instructor at North End Yoga.
North End YogaBarre
Barre Fusion at North End Yoga gives a solid dose of “OM” to your typical barre class. The studio is intimate and relaxing, but provides a legit barre experience. While not our absolute favorite among the many Boston barre studios, it’s still a high-quality, enjoyable practice. If you’re around this side of town, we recommend you make a pit-stop between pizza slices at North End Yoga.
Let us just set the scene for you first: The studio for Barre Fusion is tiny (like, North End closet tiny) and doesn’t have any mirrors. We’re not saying this is a good or bad thing–just a “thing” you should know before you go. Also, if you like hiding out in the back of a 30-person class, just know that Barre Fusion at North End Yoga maxes out around 15 people. So instead of staying hidden, be ready for extra special attention and teacher modifications.
After a quick warm up and a sumo-squat position arm series, we we’re at the barre. This was probably the most “standard” aspect of class, incorporating first position pulsing and chair pose. The core series of class was significant, and we utilized weights and that pesky green ball. We really enjoyed the variety in this class and mixing things up. After a quick stretch we were out the door, strutting down Hanover Street toward Mike’s Pastry…er, home. We were strutting home, ahem.
Brittany Sousa seems like a cult-favorite instructor. She pretty much knew everyone’s name in the room and acted as though they were regulars. You know–lots of “hey, girl!” being thrown around. We really appreciate that about Brittany. But unfortunately, we didn’t feel cool enough for the “it” girls of class, as Brittany didn’t introduce herself or ask our names. Petty gripes aside, Brittany was a wonderful instructor. She captained that ship effortlessly, and it was clear this wasn’t her first time at sea.
