[email protected]

There’s a way to bend in Lexington without breaking your wallet.

The yoga community in Lexington has grown considerably over the past several years. Community yoga, which means the classes are free or donation based, are a big thing in Lexington. Two of the most popular community yoga classes offered in Lexington are at West Sixth Brewing and The Livery.

Community yoga classes began at West Sixth in 2012 when Anne Dean Dotson, established the community classes. Dotson has been a certified yoga instructor since 2010.

“I saw an advertisement for a yoga class at a brewery in Charleston, S.C., and knew that was something that needed to happen in Lexington,” Dotson said. “West Sixth provided an amazing community already and welcomed us with open arms,”

Dotson said community yoga provides opportunity for beginner yogis to delve into the lifestyle in a low-stress environment.

“People love free yoga, but they also crave community,” Dotson said. “It is amazing how not scary and intimidating it is to come try yoga for the first time with a large group of folks who are made up of all kinds and are the most loving group of people I have ever met.”  

During the colder months, West Sixth Community Yoga takes place inside the beer garden. During the summer months, yoga is taught outside in Coolavin Park. West Sixth Yoga meets every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. in the beer garden at West Sixth Brewing.

All of the yoga instructors at West Sixth Yoga volunteer their time for the community classes. Dotson teaches the first Wednesday of the month and other instructors teach on a rotating schedule.

Molly Hogan currently teaches for The Livery, which hosts community yoga every Tuesday. As soon as The Livery started discussing the potential of community yoga, Hogan knew she needed to be a part of it. Hogan has been a certified yoga instructor for seven years.

“The Livery’s goal is to help the yoga instructors build their business and get their style out there,”  Hogan said, as well as helping community members to enjoy yoga.

Hogan said she loves teaching this class because The Livery is a wonderful space and the classes allows for the community to come together.  

“This brings in people from all walks of life and that’s one of the things that I love about yoga to begin with,” Hogan said. “It can be two people that would never meet each other, but they’re in the class with the same intention, doing yoga, and that’s what is so awesome about it.”

Hogan’s yoga class is power vinyasa, a more intense form of yoga.

Although Hogan’s classes move faster than most, everyone is welcome to come and move at their own pace. She does not want anyone to feel intimidated while attending her classes.

The Livery Yoga is offered Tuesdays at 5:45, but doors open at 5 at their studio on East Main Street. The Livery Yoga is on a rotation, so every couple of months, new teachers rotate in.