Lately, everyone is talking about yoga. People from all walks of life—from supermodels on talk shows, to your co-workers and neighbors—seem to be singing its praises. Yoga studios are popping up everywhere. And grocery stores have taken to stocking yoga mats beside the broccoli. But what exactly is yoga? It's such a personal practice that if you ask five different people, you might hear five different definitions. If you've never experienced yoga, it might elicit images of something exotic and Eastern involving chanting, incense and candles.
That's exactly what Kerry and Zach Maiorca are working to change. In November 2004, the wife-husband duo opened Bloom Yoga Studio, a sunny yoga emporium located on Rockwell Street in the new Rockwell Crossing building. Their inspiration for opening was precisely to do their part to change the perceptions of yoga and spread its joy to others. "I had taught at so many places that I began to think about what we could do if we opened our own place," explains Kerry. "We wanted to make yoga non-intimidating for people. We wanted to create a whole community that's based around helping people live healthier lives."
There are as many variations of yoga as styles of dance or approaches to teaching. People swear by specific types, such as Bikram yoga that is practiced in rooms heated to 100 degrees or even disco yoga. Bloom Yoga Studio offers classes in a variety of approaches to yoga that are tailored for different lifestyles. "What I love about our teachers is that they don't do cookie cutter teaching at all," says Kerry. "Each has their own way of teaching, but with one thing in common—they all know their alignment." The essence of yoga is moving through a series of ancient poses while connecting your movement with your breath. Those who practice it experience both physical and mental benefits, as it helps align both body and mind while developing the ability to concentrate. "When you're concentrating on a pose and your breath, you don't have to think about anything but the moment," says Kerry. "Before yoga, I was always a forward looking or backward looking person. Present thinking comes easy for Zach, but it's always been harder for me."
Although the essence of yoga is common to all classes at Bloom Yoga Studio, every class focuses on a different aspect or benefit. Some are designed for people who want to do yoga to restore and relax. Other classes are more strenuous to help with strength building. But all yoga classes help you learn control of your body's alignment and placement in a way that you can apply to other sports—or just life. "One of my students told me a story the other day about being stuck in a traffic jam, and how learning yoga helped him get through it without getting frustrated," says Kerry. "He used what he learned in yoga class about drawing awareness to the breath and got through the moment."
Bloom Yoga Studio has a vibe like a chic spa crossed with the fun and playfulness of an elementary school. It's bright, open and welcoming. Two large studios are available so that different classes can go on simultaneously. Everyone is welcome at all levels, from beginners to experts. Students are encouraged to let their instructors know if they have special needs or an injury, and the instructors will be happy to adapt their classes accordingly. Average class size is about 10 people so that the instructors can give personal attention to everyone. "When you have above a certain number of people in a class, there's a great energy that comes from a big group of people," explains Kerry. "But our instructors like to work with people individually during the classes to help modify the poses based on their needs. And you just can't do that as an instructor when the class is too large." About 10 instructors teach yoga at Bloom Yoga Studio, each bringing his or her own vision and experience to their students. The rest of the Bloom Yoga community consists of birth and parenting specialists, as well as five massage therapists. "When we were hiring teachers, I went to tons of yoga classes and looked for the people who I felt would best fit this community we are creating," explains Kerry. For those who feel more comfortable in a one-on-one setting, both private and semi private lessons (for two people) are available at a surprisingly affordable hourly rate.
 Flexibility is one of the great features of the class offerings at Bloom Yoga Studio. With the exception of an introductory series that's four weeks long, none of the classes require a weekly commitment. Students can drop in anytime and pay the reasonable rate of $15 per class. You can also purchase "Class Cards" in units of 5, 10 and 20 classes per card, or a one month unlimited use pass. Every month, Bloom Yoga Studio offers a free introduction to yoga class. Call 773.463.YOGA or check www.bloomyogastudio for information about the next free session. It's a great way to find out what yoga is all about without having to make a big commitment. You can even rent a yoga mat for only $1. If you're new to yoga and interested in learning more, the Intro Series provides you with a solid framework as you learn the basic yoga poses.
Bloom Yoga Studio offers classes for all stages of life, with a special focus on pregnancy and childbirth resources. Kerry brings her training as a doula, or labor assistant, to moms- and dads-to-be to help them prepare for a new baby. "I've always had an interest in pregnancy and birth," says Kerry. "San Francisco had a great community that provided resources about natural birth and that connected people with doulas. I thought it would be great to create something like that here." Parents can take pre-natal yoga classes, mom and baby yoga classes and family classes where everyone is welcome—moms, dads, kids, grandparents, you name it. A number of educational options are available that treat birth as a normal, healthy part of life, such as breastfeeding classes, classes in parenting, support groups and a free monthly group for people interested in home birthing options. "It fits in with our approach to integrating yoga with your everyday life," explains Kerry. "Pregnant women tend to respond instantly to yoga, because they are so much more in touch with their bodies during that time."
The classes, support groups and resources are all part of the healthy community that Kerry and Zach are building at Bloom Yoga Studio. Soon massage therapists who can soothe your aching muscles after a long yoga session will be working out of the studio. "We really feel that massage should be more than a once a year thing you do to treat yourself," says Kerry. "Massage does things that yoga can't." Zach explains how one of their resident massage therapists did an excellent job on his stressed-out shoulders: "Part of massage is to help reprogram your muscles so that the stress doesn't go into one particular spot." Rotating shows of artwork from local artists add to the studio's atmosphere, currently featuring photography from Marcia Rose. Artists interested in showing their work should contact Kerry, who believes that it's important to give artists new opportunities, especially when they are first starting out.
Outside the studios is a charming boutique with handpicked items that both Kerry and Zach have fallen in love with. Of course there are lots of books on yoga, philosophy, pregnancy and healthy living, as well as yoga essentials such as mats, blocks, straps, mood music and fragrant eye pillows for relaxation. But there are also a few surprising items like small works of art and Atomic Mama baby clothes made from quilt-like combinations of vibrant fabrics. And for adults, there are t-shirts for the studio, Natural High hemp garments and a selection of yoga clothes from Blue Canoe. "They are soft, comfortable and made from organic cotton," says Kerry. "We liked the clothes and found out they also don't harm the environment, so it's a win-win situation."
Kerry and Zach arrived at Bloom Yoga Studio by way of California. Both grew up in the Chicago area, but lived in California for a number of years before recently returning home. Zach grew up in Norwood Park. "My parents still live in the house I grew up in," he says. Kerry grew up in Wilmette, then studied dance in New York at NYU. After graduating, she danced professionally for a small troupe where she had the opportunity to explore choreography. When she took her first yoga class in 1996, it literally changed her life. "It totally clicked right away," says Kerry. "As a dancer, I was always a very stretchy person. So it just seemed like a totally natural thing." Not long after taking her first class, Kerry decided that she was destined to teach, so she enrolled in a short teacher training program in New York. After moving to San Francisco, she attended an intensive two year program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute, the oldest teacher training program in the United States.
 Zach started practicing yoga when he met Kerry about seven years ago. As an MBA student, he concentrates on the business side of Bloom Yoga Studio, but still practices yoga regularly. Zach and Kerry hit it off by chance on a blind date. He was home in Chicago after finishing a year of study abroad, and had been working as a temp at CNA insurance. "The people I worked with thought that the boss' daughter would be a good match for me," laughs Zach. "Of course, I was really apprehensive about it." Kerry was similarly prepared for the date by her dad. "One day he said, 'Oh and by the way, we really think you might like this new temp at the office,'" recalls Kerry. The only thing they knew about each other was that they were both vegetarians and they both liked the arts. Amazingly, their meeting was a success that led to both marriage and a business partnership. They both knew early on that they wanted to open a yoga studio. "We really wanted to commit to doing this," explains Zach. "Some places start small and grow, but we decided to jump into it and do exactly what we wanted from the start. We really wanted to be part of the community here in Lincoln Square."
Selecting where they would open their yoga studio was an important element of their business plan. Zach and Kerry looked in a variety Chicago neighborhoods for the ideal spot, from Lincoln Park, to Lake View, Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park. When they were living in California, they did extensive research that led them to the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce Web site. "We fell in love with the neighborhood, even so far away," says Kerry. "We just loved that there seemed to be such a strong community here." They looked everywhere until they found a raw space on Rockwell, then hired architect Dan Kraiss to help them combine the three retail spaces into one warm, welcoming studio. "People are getting the ideas that we wanted to communicate just by looking at the space," says Zach. "They keep saying how welcoming and inviting it is, and that's just what we wanted it to do." Kerry and Zach loved the neighborhood so much that they moved to Ravenswood Manor, just a few minutes walk away.
While they were building out the space, Kerry and Zach answered questions from curious neighbors wondering what new business was coming to the community. "People were so friendly," says Zach. "Everyone was knocking on the door and asking when we were opening. We met a lot of people who said that they couldn't wait until they could take classes." For the studio's grand opening in November, Kerry and Zach advertised a free class to anyone who stopped by. "We were expecting about 20 people to come and about 60 showed up," laughs Kerry. "Our studios could hold only so many people, so we gave out vouchers so the people who we couldn't accommodate could come back later." Passers-by are still popping their heads in to welcome Kerry and Zach to the neighborhood and to pick up class schedules. Other merchants in the neighborhood have been reaching out as well. Recognizing the importance of a strong business community, Kerry and Zach are teaming up with local entrepreneurs on promotions to bring everyone new business. In January 2005, Bloom Yoga Studio is having a special promotion for members of its Childbirth Preparation Class, who receive a 10% discount when they dine at participating local restaurants after the class, including Rockwell's Neighborhood Grill, Cafe Selmarie, Essence of India and Toucan Chicago.
Bloom Yoga Studio is well on its way to creating the healthy community that Kerry and Zach were hoping for. Its yoga classes, birth and parenting classes and social groups are drawing all types of people from the Lincoln Square neighborhood and beyond, at different points in their lives. Special events such as Midnight Yoga cater to those who want to celebrate the weekend and meet others without going to a bar or nightclub. Once a month on Fridays from 10:30pm to 12:00am, Bloom Yoga Studio brings in live music for a late night yoga session by candlelight, followed by a reception and a chance to meet your classmates. Time-pressed workers can stop in for Commuter Yoga, a 30 minute morning session held a few times a week for only $5 per session. There's also a January 2005 special available with one month's worth of unlimited classes for only $99. "I'm a strong believer that any yoga you do is good," says Kerry. "As a teacher, I feel very rewarded when I see the changes taking place. It's interesting to see what yoga brings to each individual." Zach loves to watch the metamorphosis of new students. "I love when you can see who it clicks with and who it impacts," says Zach. "You can see it in their eyes." If you're intrigued by yoga and what it can bring to your life, visit Bloom Yoga Studio to experience it. It could change your life, too.
Bloom Yoga Studio
4663 North Rockwell Street
Chicago, IL 60625
773.463.YOGA
www.bloomyogastudio.com
Hours
Monday through Friday -10:00am to 8:00pm
Saturday and Sunday -10:00am to 5:00pm
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