DC-Area Studios

The Washington, DC area has a thriving yoga scene, thanks to the abundance of cosmopolitan, open-minded and health-conscious professionals that populate the area. It may not have the "gurus-to-the-stars" of Los Angeles or the trend-setting weight of New York City, but it does have an international dimension. In the District, studios tend to cater to a younger crowd, recent college graduates who are just getting started in their careers and need a place de-stress. In the suburbs, a more mature following (soccer moms and even adults eligible to join the AARP — like me) will be found.

There is no preference or logic to this listing of yoga studios. I have concentrated on Washington, DC (within walking or Metro distance from my work) and the Montgomery County, Maryland area (within driving distance or near the Metro Red Line). There are many fine studios in Northern Virginia, but I just don't know many and rely on other people's recommendations.

I should also mention that another option for finding a yoga learning environment is by hiring a yoga teacher for one-on-one or small group classes. Many of these spring up in churches or schools, and run on an irregular basis. It would be hard to compile a list of these teachers so I am just going to suggest that you ask in yoga studios about private classes. And there' s always the option of taking classes in an area gym.

Teacher Training: I have added links to those studios that offer teacher training. This is a sign of the studio's professionalism and scope of services, so it's useful in picking a studio. The training programs are all accredited with Yoga Alliance.

Mid Atlantic Yoga Association (MAYA) has a listing of affiliated teachers in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. Useful for references.

Please drop me a message if you want to recommend a studio.

Maryland

• Thrive Yoga : one of the few studios in Rockville, MD with great atmosphere and spacious facilities. So roomy, it should be the envy of most studios downtown. I take at Thrive in exchange for hosting and maintaining the website. Schedule ISHTA Yoga Teacher Training
• Unity Woods - run by John Schumacher this Iyengar-school set of studios (Bethesda, Woodley Park, Arlington, and two smaller venues) could technically be placed in all three zones.
• Willow Street Yoga Center - Suzie Hurley's center in Silver Spring and Takoma Park. Anusara yoga predominates. Teacher training . Offers a 108-hour Anusara Immersion program, which is a prerequisite for the teacher training.
• Relax Frederick is Heather K. Whittington practices Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, making her one of the few in the Washington area so I am including here for easy reference. She also teaches meditation. Her website has MP3 downloads for meditation and a body scan.
• Inner Reaches in the Kentlands, Gaithersburg
• Balance Pilates has two studios in Rockville and one in Bethesda.
• Sacred Space (Rockville ) is Kim Groak's new studio
• Olney Yoga and Wellness is where Dawn Houston lays down her mat.
• Bikram Yoga - Rockville

District of Columbia

• Flow Yoga Center is Debra Perlson-Mishalove's venture near Dupont Circle. Just coming out of a major expansion, taking over the second floor. It's become my preferred center downtown. I go there once or twice a week with my daughter. Teacher training
• TransquilSpace »» Schedule Kimberly Wilson has made this center extremely popular, too much for my comfort because of the elbow-to-elbow classes, too much of the color lavender and go-girl boosterism for my taste. All the teachers that I met there over nearly 12 months were excellent. Multiple levels of Teacher Training .
• Ashtanga Yoga Center (Friendship Heights) David Ingalls runs the shop, and friends tell me that it has great classes.
• Down Dog Yoga is affiliated with Baron Baptiste and his power vinyasa yoga. Just off M Street, near the C&O canal. Teacher training
• Georgetown Yoga is located next to the C&O canal. Predominantly an Ashtanga studio. Yoga Works Teacher Training
• Boundless Yoga Studio 15th and U Street, NW. Teacher training
• Studio Serenity located in Adams Morgan Teacher training Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training - Level 1 Intensive, 200-hours
• Inspired Yoga "Helping DC Breathe" has two locations on Columbia Road in Adams-Morgan and U Street. Formerly 18th and Yoga
• DCYoga on Connecticut Ave, just above Dupont Circle Teacher training now offering an initial 40-hour module towards 200-hour program.
• Bagheera Yoga small studio run by Bobbi Poncé-Barger in Adams Morgan neighborhood
• Sprial Flight Yoga: another Georgetown yoga center and highly recommended. Teacher training multiple programs - Kripalu, Kundalini, Circus Yoga, Radiant Child, Birthworks
• Circle Yoga: near the Maryland/DC line, it is an Anusara studio founded by Annie Mahon. She also has a Budding Yogis for kids, teens and families.
• Kundalini Yoga DC with a list of Kundalini-certified teachers ::: Yoga House - Kundalini-style yoga near the Howard University campus. Teacher training 220-hour program
• Bikram Yoga Dupont or Tenleytown
• Shakti MindBodyStudio: near the Convention Center, 7th and New York Ave., NW
• Cleveland Park Yoga
• Capitol Hill Yoga
• Hot Yoga , near the National Catheral on Wisconsin Ave. or Try Yoga in Bethesda. Teacher training 200 and 500 hour programs
• Woodley Park Yoga is an Ashtanga shop, run by Faith Scimecca, who is an Ashtanga teacher authorized by Pattabhi Jois, a rare breed.

Virginia

• Sun and Moon Studio J.J. Gormley's yoga center in Fairfax, VA. Plenty of articles and other resources on the site. Teacher training - 300, 700 and 1200 hour programs with flexible format.
• Pure Prana Yoga Studio in Alexandria, VA. Teacher training
• Bikram Yoga - Falls Church
• Margaret Townsend's River's Edge Center in Alexandria: Ashtanga, Jivamukti and Anusara styles
• Beloved Yoga in Reston, just off Reston Parkway.
• Little River Yoga in Annandale/Alexandria.
• Health Advantage Yoga follows the Anusara approach and is located in Hearndon. Teacher Training

Meditation

• Insight Meditation Community of Washington Zen Buddhist meditation with Tara Brach. This group has meetings all around the DC area. Consult the webpage for specifics.
• Shambhala - DC - affiliated with Shambhala International, a worldwide network of urban meditation and retreat centers. Shambhala was founded by Tibetan meditation master and scholar Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
• Meditation in DC Vajrayogini Buddhist Center offers the path of Kadampa Buddhism.