Updog Yoga — Local services in Rochester

My experience with Updog Yoga over the years has grown into a deep appreciation for the place. As a youth, I came to Updog when it was the library and spent so much of my time there that my parents would joke that they should drop me off with a sleeping bag on Friday and be back before school on Monday. It has changed a lot since then, and so have I. Plenty of my growth has taken place right inside the beautiful and professional space;

I first came as a student of yoga and have been entirely enriched simply in that experience. The teaching staff is of extreme quality. I now work as a teacher at Updog Yoga and continue to understand that my colleagues are top notch. Since I started working at Updog Yoga in 2010, I have taken on much more than teaching classes. Under the guidance of Duane Utech 500 E-RYT, owner, teacher and yogi, I finished my 500 hour teacher training (master's level so to speak, with my "bachelor" or 200 hour from Ethos Yoga in Holly, MI originally). Through this certification program I also received direct instruction from Natalie Mitoraj, 500 E-RYT. I have worked to learn the business aspect of the yoga studio. Updog Yoga made it possible for me to learn in a serene, safe, responsible and forward progressing environment. On top of all of that, I feel a part of a great team of people, even so far as to say a small work family.

People come in to yoga with all different body types, limitations, desires, professions, backgrounds, mind-sets, beliefs, needs; I have shared in bliss at Updog, I have shared in mourning and grief, I have witnessed extremely strong bodies building stronger, minds relaxing, hearts opening, some people even feel spiritually fulfilled from yoga classes. And other people come to exercise. So, I really see a lot of different types of people all going through life and it's ups and downs. Updog is a place where community comes together. I feel respected there and I feel very honored to practice and teach there.

I travel and have taken many different yoga classes. I have also taught yoga workshops in various cities and at different festivals, and events. Whenever I return from work outside of Updog, I am appreciative for the beauty of this special studio. Also, to mention the Om Squad, which Duane Utech created; a professional yoga on the go serving our underprivileged community in the Detroit area - also worked with Baldwin Center serving food for the soup kitchen, collected donations for people in need during the holidays and otherwise. This year, Updog Yoga adopted a family of 10 during the giving season.

I am forever in gratitude for places like this on Earth where people can enjoy whatever yoga experience they choose; Intro to Yoga, meditation, gentle, basic, flow classes, hot classes, traditional Ashtanga, yin, kid's yoga, teacher training and thai yoga massage training. Really, people can have any experience there they choose. But that's enough out of me....try it...

PREVIOUS REVIEW WAS DELETED BY OWNER / GOOGLE

I’ve spent enough time at UpDog Yoga to share that while the space itself is beautiful and many of the instructors are kind, the energy of this studio is overshadowed by the owner’s dark presence. It’s important to know before spending your money here that the person at the helm of this business is, frankly, the opposite of the peace and warmth that yoga is meant to cultivate.

The owner carries a cloud of negativity that seeps into the environment, and it becomes impossible to ignore. For a practice that centers around presence, humility, and peace, it’s deeply ironic to witness how transactional the atmosphere becomes under her management. It feels like every decision made in that studio is rooted in squeezing as much money out of students as possible, rather than fostering genuine community or spiritual growth.

Yoga is about creating a space where people can feel safe to grow, breathe, and heal. It’s disheartening to see someone so disconnected from these principles running a space that should be sacred. If you’re seeking a true yoga community that values you as a human being, not just as another credit card swipe, I would encourage you to look elsewhere.

There are so many studios with owners and teachers who live their practice, who radiate the calm and compassion they teach. Sadly, that is not the case here. If you’re considering UpDog, I recommend attending a class only if you find an instructor who truly resonates with you, but know that the leadership here does not reflect the peace and mindfulness that yoga stands for.

Life is too short, and your peace is too precious, to give your energy and money to someone who treats yoga as just another business transaction while embodying none of its spirit. Let your intuition guide you toward a studio where the owner’s energy reflects the practice you are seeking. This simply...

My wife went for the first time today to Updog Yoga. My mother had gone before and had had a good experience, but I have 0 positive expectations for this business following tonight.

My wife is pregnant and wanted to stay healthy for herself and our baby. Updog Yoga was offering a free first visit (positive and a great way to get people interested in their health. I won't say bad about the good they're doing). She started her yoga poses with the instructor and had strong belly pain as some of the poses were too much for her. She went to leave, but was told by the instructor she couldn't leave as it would disturb the "energies" in the room. This is atrocious behavior what person thinks it's okay to tell a grown adult they can't make their own choices let alone a pregnant woman in pain she can't make her own choices to protect her baby. This is unbelievably disrespectful to the people who on their own time and free will choose to attend your classes.

I understand this may have been a new instructor, all of the other reviews are positive (along with my mother's experience), if so I hope those who are leading Updog Yoga make it clear that this is not okay and don't let this become their...