Folk Yoga NOPA (formerly Yoga Garden) — Local services in San Francisco

Not coming back here.

Studio: The studio is very clean and neat. There are props available like blocks, straps, blankets.

Class: The class I took was flow & restore with Christie. The class itself could have been better, but this review is mostly about the instructor.

Instructor:

-The instructor did not bother to introduce themselves (and we were also pretty early to class)

-They didn't really greet anyone in the class

-They started with really awkward poses rather than warming up first

-They made almost no effort to explain the poses as you were doing them. I have some yoga experience and training in contortion, so am familiar with how to stretch safely and not hurt myself. However- I brought a partner who is new to yoga and isn't aware of how to do certain poses.

-My partner mentioned to the instructor that he was new - and Christie completely ignored this. I spent half my time during the class trying to quietly give my friend tips- telling them how to square their hips, not overextend their knee during a lunge, or suggest gentler, alternative poses, since the instructor did not suggest ANY.

-Christie did not ask anyone about injuries or accomodations, which I feel is pretty standard at the beginning of any class. It seems they just assumed everyone could do every single pose, and did not take this into consideration at all.

-Randomly noticed- there wasn't even music, which made the whole thing even more awkward ?

-At one point they announced that they would come around to adjust some people, but they didn't make a point of asking for consent to touch anyone. In any case, I only saw them do one adjustment the entire class?

The whole thing was awkward and uninviting. I feel terrible for bringing my partner here, especially as he was new to yoga. Glad he still managed to have a good time and not get hurt!

I have to say, this is probably the most disappointing instructor that I have had in yoga. They were completely aloof, and made no effort to connect with the class. They gave very limited instructions and only intervened (verbally) when someone was already doing a pose wrong- at which point someone could have already hurt themselves...

They stood at the front of the class most of the time, but would often say the name of a pose without actually doing it themselves, which was confusing for anyone unfamiliar with what the pose was. I'm grateful it wasn't just me and my partner who were confused by this- I would look up and often see a few others trying to figure out what we're actually supposed to be doing.

The entire class felt like it was just being phoned in.

I get the sense that the instructor is either inexperienced, or just not invested in this. Possibly both. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt and consider that maybe it was an off day for them- but it's a huge deal breaker for me when I have instructors who don't at least care about safety and accessibility.

I will echo one of the past comments about the overall vibe of this studio - it does not feel very community oriented. I found that it was not an encouraging environment, and also does not seem focused at all on inclusivity or...

Came here after the recommendation from a few friends. There's another yoga studio near my house so my first thought was "why would I want to take MUNI to go to another studio that's further away?", but I did and I'm glad that I did! Each studio (like each teacher) has a different style and personality. A few things that stood out to me already in the times I've visited is (again, just compared to my experiences at other studios, yoga and otherwise): Sense of community: I will admit, right before my first class with Roy I was feeling she in the new studio and more than a bit apprehensive as it was my first "hardcore" class since pandemic started, but the front desk staff (sorry, didn't catch the name!) was so friendly and welcoming. During the class, Roy knew my and other students' (regulars I assume) names, which really helped with feeling "seen" in a large class Didn't feel too "strict": I (unfortunately) was a little late for a class due to poor weather and delayed transit, but there were no issues with entering the class late but quietly. Mat storage: I don't take advantage of this since I like to visit different places, but my understanding is that membership students can store their mat at the studio - a nice perk! YTT: I haven't taken teacher training here, but am considering it. I went to the open house to learn more and also followed up via email with my additional questions, and have liked everything I've heard so far. Administratively they have multiple trainings with different focus/styles/leveling which seem fun/informative even if you have no intention of becoming an instructor. Can't wait to be back for more - if you try it, yoga'na...

I’ve always enjoyed the classes and the teachers at Folk; they’ve been fantastic. However, I'm extremely disappointed with the management and how they've handled the closure of the Sunset location.

I initially purchased a 6-month membership primarily to attend the Sunset studio, which was conveniently located within walking distance for me. Unfortunately, a few months into my membership, the location closed. Their other locations don't work well for me due to their distance and my work schedule. I’ve been trying to resolve the issue of a refund since then. It’s been almost 10 weeks since my first contact with management, and I've had little luck. My emails are mostly ignored, or it takes weeks to get a response.

I was offered a refund in the form of studio credits, but it wasn't prorated. They proposed to refund the full price of my 6-month membership and then charge me for each month I used at a significantly higher monthly rate, resulting in a much lower refund than expected. They also refused to provide a monetary refund instead of studio credits. While I understand that a no-refund policy is reasonable under normal circumstances, I don't think it's an acceptable option in the event of a studio closure (and according to California Consumer protection laws, such service disruption normally constitutes a breach of contract).

I don’t normally write reviews and prefer not to speak negatively about any business. However, the lack of response from management and not being able to reach a resolution for over 10 weeks prompted me to share this experience (as well as consider taking a...