“The constant pressure to market was just not what I wanted to do anymore,” said a saddened Angie Hay at the conclusion of the last Yoga Enlarged class at Replenish Spa at 124 S. Washington Ave.
“It was one of the best things that I was ever a part of,” said yoga teacher and co-founder, Joyce Eubanks.
Yoga Enlarged is a fantastic idea. Eubanks and Hay, two experienced yoga teachers with generous souls and bodies, created a yoga program for the plus-sized women who had trouble relating to the typical size 2 yoga teacher. As Hay said, “I grew really frustrated taking yoga classes with teachers in gyms or fitness centers who didn’t offer any modifications or couldn’t empathize with someone my size.”
Eubanks and Hay created the Big Asana program at Yoga On High in 2014 then moved to the wonderful renovated carriage house studio downtown at Replenish Spa in 2015.
“Replenish was always very supportive of us and our students,” said Hay. The women who own Replenish also have a firm belief in making yoga accessible, so all the classes taught there are donation-based.
The Yoga Enlarged classes were popular. They were full of intelligence and respect. Many students expressed how empowered they felt after taking them. Hay mentioned that she was particularly proud of how her students started taking silhouette photos in the garage door opening of the studio.
“It just started spontaneously … everyone really got into it,” she said. “These are not yoga selfies; it is a supportive and really fun.”
Several of Hay’s students from Yoga Enlarged plan on joining her in Clintonville as she starts teaching yoga at It Looks Likes It’s Open (ILLIO) where she has taught dance classes for four years.
“They are a very welcoming space,” she noted. ILLIO also hosts Queer Yoga, meditation and various experimental music events.
Hay is a truly unique individual. How many people have both professional accordion playing and tribal dancing on their resumes? Not to mention that she is a 500-hour certified yoga teacher which is considerably more work and classroom experience than a weekend yoga teacher class online. Hay also deliberately keeps her lifestyle simple so that she doesn’t have to sacrifice for choices that she wants to make.
“Not many people would look at me and think ‘professional belly dancer’” notes Hay, but she is, and her work for Sacred Shimmy brings lots of joy to her students, families and audiences.
It is sad to see a worthy yoga program close, but the flavor of Yoga Enlarged continues with Angie Hay’s general yoga classes upcoming at It Looks Like It’s Open at 13 E. Tulane Rd. in Clintonville. For more information, visit angienever.com.