Black Swan Yoga — Local services in Austin

I want to like Black Swan... I love what they're about with their accessible yoga policy. And I do think their instructors know what they're doing. But I just don't think this studio is for me. At the two Monday 5:30p classes I've gone to, the music is so loud that you can't hear the instructor. That, plus the very creative ways into certain poses, means that it's hard to know what you're supposed to be doing. I feel like I'm constantly craning my neck to see what others are doing - which is bad for the neck.

I've been to hot yoga before, but this one is a hair too humid for me. It's honestly unsafe for me because I feel like one wrong move and I'll slip and hurt myself - which also means that I'm never really fully giving myself to the pose because I'm bracing for fear of slipping. I have done hot yoga before and have a high end mat so it's not the mat.

Anyway, loads of people like this place. And it's worth checking out because of how accessible it is. But I wanted to leave a review for the newbies. Definitely get there with enough time to try to get in the middle where you might hear better. Bring a large towel. And I'd recommend pants + tank that covers your whole torso and core so you have some fabric to absorb the copious amount of sweat that will pool on your mat. And don't be discouraged if this place isn't for you! There are other options out there. I've done yoga for a decade and every place I've gone to is unique. You just have to find the right fit for...

I’ve been practicing hot Vinyasa for many years and I’ve experienced a lot of different studios. As a busy mom, what I love about the studio is how many class times they have, and the flexibility and affordability of the donation based approach. Since I often have to take breaks from yoga because of a sick toddler and have a constantly shifting schedule, this flexibility has been great as opposed to many studios with expensive monthly subscriptions and limited class times. I also really enjoy the diversity of this community.

My favorite classes are the weekday mornings when it’s not too crazy, but there’s still enough energy and feeling of community.

The cons of this studio mostly come down to the fact that the facility itself could use some updates. Mirrors only span part of the studio, the big open ceilings make it sort of echoey and really hard to hear some instructors, and the floors often still feel sticky between classes. Another bathroom stall would also be a huge help since some classes have 80+ people and there’s without fail a bathroom line before classes with only 2.

Instructors are mostly good, although I do often wish that they would put more focus on giving specific cues for alignment since that’s really where many of us can grow and learn and relearn the nuances in our practice. Overall a...

I’ve only been to Black Swan once so maybe they had a bad day, but I feel like overall this place is one of those hipster cults that exploits the practice of yoga beyond the recognizable. It was recommended that we arrive 15 minutes early to class, so I spent those 15 minutes waiting in a large winding line outdoors in 100+ degrees to get in. Once the doors opened it was a mad rush to the mats and no real room between students. I couldn’t hear the instructions above the music but people seemed to be doing whatever they wanted anyway. No options/modifications were given that I could hear. There wasn’t much of a flow, more of a weird peacocking scene of who could show off the most progressive position. Also, I really can’t stand when they don’t tell you ahead of time (class description or otherwise) that it’s a hot yoga class. I wanted to get up and leave so many times because I was so nauseous but there were so many people and I was super far from the exit. Made it to the end where they passed out free...