Stories of Resilience: Down Under Yoga
Stories of Resilience is a series focused on profiling local businesses in the city and sharing their success and challenges in dealing with the COVID Pandemic of the last 2 years. This entry we talked to Down Under Yoga.
COVID-19 and the Future of Yoga
Down Under’s team pivoted nimbly with speed, strategy, and faculty-focused care, transforming their entire schedule of 3 studios hosting 40 classes a day to a virtual school. Transparency was key – writing weekly to staff and students, the owner told our community candidly that we’d need help to survive. The result was beautiful: students showed up grate-fully to class supporting their teachers; faculty allowed their pay to be capped so as not to lose managers. Not a single soul was fired or furloughed in the process. In fact, Down Under went global, reaching communities around the world who longed for the opportunity to study with their renowned teachers.
Justine Cohen and Michael Ponte - “Weathering the Storm”
Justine Wiltshire Cohen and Michael Ponte, owner and manager at Down Under Yoga School of Yoga in Boston, talk with J about what how things have been going since Justine was last on the show three years ago and what they are doing to meat the challenge of the pandemic crisis. They discuss Down Under’s transition to making their teachers employees, responding to the needs of teachers and staff, important keys to their success, efforts they are making to survive the shut down, and the core principles that are guiding their choices.
Virtual Yoga Comes of Age During the Pandemic
More people are turning to the practice of yoga via the internet as state and local officials stress social distancing, close parking lots to beaches, shut down sports in parks and shutter indoor places to exercise.
Justine Wiltshire Cohen, director of Down Under School of Yoga with locations in Brookline, Cambridge, and Newton, teaches seven different styles of yoga at her school, where students learn to connect movement to breath, leaving them physically strong, but mentally quiet.
Products and Services That Are Making Remote Life Easier
After closing its doors in Brookline, Newton and Cambridge, Down Under Yoga will now offer online classes through Zoom. The studio has an online streaming schedule with classes held throughout the day, and customers can pay to sign up for any number of classes.
Boston Fitness Studios Find Deeper Connection with Community Online
Down Under School of Yoga is offering over 20 live-streamed classes a day at a variety of times throughout the day and evening, with one location near campus in Brookline.
Boston-themed streams to watch and listen to while staying home
Down Under School of Yoga has a library of free audio classes as well as live-streaming of its full schedule of classes via Zoom.
These Boston Fitness Studios Are Streaming Virtual Workout Classes
For members of Down Under Yoga and newbies alike, visit the Boston-area yoga studio’s “Down Under @ Home” page. If you have passes already, you can use them for the online offerings. There are also packages you can purchase ranging from $18 for one class and $80 for its monthly “Yogi Pass.”