“The first day is when it begins,” said Jerry Marcom, a long-time teacher at Yoga on High, and student participating in the first yoga class held at the new Yoga On High location at 1020 Dennison Ave. in Victorian Village.
After pioneering yoga in Columbus and 18 years on North High Street in the Short North, Yoga On High has moved into Victorian Village on the second and third floors at the corner of West Starr and Dennison Avenues. Extensive renovations involved laying new “floating” floors as well as wall and door work. The new facility includes three yoga studio rooms with large windows and access to off-street parking.
“I am very excited; the floor is so clean!” noted a student at the first yoga class on Wednesday, August 1.
“We are especially grateful to all the folks donated to our build-out fund donation request,” said Marcia Miller, co-owner of Yoga on High. “This will all go a long way to helping Yoga on High be a community resource for a long time.”
In addition to its yoga classes and a long-running yoga teacher training program, Yoga On High sponsors two yoga in prison programs, multiple hospice programs, and classes for amputees and with Multiple Sclerosis.
“We have had so many amazing and inspiring moments and students,” said Miller. “I have one student who has been to class with me every Wednesday night since Yoga on High opened. She never misses except a couple of times a year when she is on vacation. She inspires me each time she comes to class.”
“Another woman I taught had experienced some very difficult events in her life,” continues Miller. “One day after she had been coming to class for over a year, she sat up out of savasana with a look of joy and amazement in her face. She told me that she had not relaxed in years. After that, she became a mentor for the other women. Her influence was very strong because they knew she knew some of what they had been through as a veteran.”
Over 120 past and present Yoga on High students and local yoga teachers came together on July 29, 2018 for a special last yoga class and procession from the old to new studio. The spirits of past students and absent co-founders Martha Marcom and Linda Oshins were often invoked as Yoga On High co-owners Miller and Michelle Vinbury encouraged those attending to take their fond memories to the new location. Yoga on High will continue to host many visiting yoga teachers of renown such as David Keil, Anne Douglas, and Rodney and Collin Saidman Yee.
“We are really happy with our plan to stay in the Short North,” noted Miller.
Tim Kaskewsky of Fasten Design was the architect for the project, and Kevin Lykens is the building owner.
The new Yoga On High yoga rooms studio feature large west-facing windows and attractive new wood and cork flooring. Open containers are not permitted on the studio floors. Staff informed students via email that, “There are blessings from our donors written underneath the new floor; the floor is like a giant prayer rug.”
Yoga on High is now located at 1020 Dennison Ave. Parking after 5 p.m. is available in the lot East of the building. The front desk can validate 1-hour parking periods in the Castle garage.
Visit yogaonhigh.com for more information.
All photos in article by Nancy Alkire, unless otherwise noted.