Iyengar Yoga Institute

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
In a suite of the Flatiron building, an unpretentious, rag-tag group of all ages gathers. Like the unadorned environs (high ceilings, bare windows, wood floors), these students are notably unaffected--seemingly impervious to commercialized yoga culture. The vibe instead reflects a balance between tolerance for individual needs and a collective seriousness for the practice. Evening classes sometimes fill to the brim with 35 serious practitioners.

The Services
The Iyengar method is orderly and progressive, placing special focus on the accuracy of correct body alignment through a consecutive repetition of standing postures. Chairs are used to assist in several poses (i.e., spinal twists and backward bends). The great defiance of physical limitations, however, may be this institute's ability to offer over 50 weekly classes in two small studios.