Triangle Yoga

My friend recently used the phrase «yoga charlatans» in reference to the kind of studios and instructors who know all the right words but are lacking the soul. Triangle Yoga is not a place for engaging the spirit. If what you are looking for is a exercise in an over-​crowded room, go for it. But if you are looking for something a little bit deeper from your yoga practice and from your instructors, seek elsewhere.
(A notable exception is instructor Olynda Smith. She is the real deal. She teaches at several other studios around Durham and Chapel Hill as well).

Lovely studio filled with natural light and very nice vinyasa flow class taught by Nicole — she personally greeted me and inquired about my practice and any injuries. Very welcoming front desk staff, although was given a rather hard sell on buying a class pass rather than paying the drop-​in rate (full disclosure — if you buy a class pass your first class is free and that was the main point they made to me).
Low lulu-​ratio (% of yogis/​yoginis wearing Lululemon) and nice mix of class participants in basically all categories (age, ability, gender, race/​ethnicity, etc).
Studio is on 3^rd floor (up 3 flights of stairs) and parking is free (lot on site).

Good instructor, but the management insists on squeezing 15 people into a small room instead of revising class schedules. There are better options in this community.

My daughter did aerial dance here so this review will not speak to the yoga classes.
We have both taken aerial at 3 locations in the triangle so I feel fairly qualified to evaluate the class my kid took. It was multi-​age and multi-​skill level which was what we thought we wanted.
To start with, there were too many children in the class and there was little to no spotting when students were high on the silks. Sometimes the instructor asked other children to spot each other while she was in the connected room and out of sight of the students. This was not something that thrilled me and parents are not allowed to spot for «insurance purposes.» How kids spotting kids fits that bill is beyond me.
There also not enough pads to go around under each set of silks (one of which was alarmingly close to a running ceiling fan) and some of the kids had various pillows and yoga mats under their silks. Aerial silks are fairly high; you want a thick, high quality pad under each set of silks.
Because there were so many kids, there was also almost zero instruction and an often loud and rowdy class. My daughter has been doing aerial for two years but she did not learn a single new skill. The kids were just set free to do whatever moves they wanted to work on. A few times older girls tried to teach her some moves. My kid LOVES aerial but she grew to really dread this class. We ended up skipping the last two.
I recommend the Levin JCC or Legacy studios for aerial classes if you are in durham or chapel hill.

Amazing Anusara yoga with Paul and Summer. They’re both great instructors.
Summer has a a soft and soothing voice so classes with her feel very peaceful. She’s great with beginners and really stresses form.
Paul is great and he pushes you to the next level in a good way. I don’t particularly like to be upside down and never thought I’d be able to do a handstand… I thought wrong, Paul had me doing one in the very first class, it was awesome!
The studio is clean and serene. I would have never stopped going if it had not been out of my budget.

I am obsessed with Triangle Yoga for several reasons.
1) The Anusara classes are phenomenal, intense, inclusive, and challenging.
2) The studio is clean, well-​equipped, and flooded with daylight
3) Now that the groupon madness has subsided, the parking lot is back to normal (kind of)
Yes, some of the classes are gentler than I would like, but if you start working with a teacher you like, there is definitely a progression.

I’ve only been here five times so I’ll update as time goes by.
The studio is beautiful, clean, and well-​equipped.
My general impression is that studio caters to the 40-​somethings crowd, those new or coming back to yoga, or those wanting a less intense practice. If you are in 20s-​30s looking for a seriously intense workout, this might not be the best studio for you.
The classes I have been to were ‘ok’. I found them lacking in the light-​heartedness, laughter, and fun aspect, and the teachers rarely give adjustments to correct alignment or to get students deeper into poses.
Hannah’s class was particularly good and exception to my comments above, though.
Generally, it would be nice it they offered some one-​hour or 75 minute classes on week nights. The instructors tend to keep you an extra 10 minutes and so a scheduled 1.5 hour class usually translates to 3 hours of time dedicated to yoga (after accounting for travel time, prep, and classes running late). On a week night this can be too time consuming.

The stimulus passcard is where it’s at! I strictly do the Anusara classes and they are excellent. Sommer and Paul have been kicking my ass for years. If you need to sweat out some toxins or realign your chi, this is the place. I leave you with a few lines from Forgetting Sarah Marshall:
Peter: «What’s up? My legs, that’s what.»
Prana: «We’re doing quiet headstands today.»
Peter: «I’m doing a handstand, motherf***er! I’m doing a handstand.»

I am so happy that I am back in California, but one thing I do miss about Chapel Hill… I truly miss Paul and Sommer’s classes at Triangle Yoga. I am so thankful to have found them and the wonders of Anusara yoga practice. I would look forward to their classes all week long, and leave each class feeling refreshed, accomplished, and flowing with grace and positive energy. If you are in the Chapel Hill area, I HIGHLY recommend checking out one of their classes, or any class at this yoga studio! Your body and mind will thank you!