Looking for the best yoga studios in Charlotte, North Carolina? This guide presents a curated selection of top yoga studios in the area based on various factors such as class offerings, community engagement, and wellness philosophy.
We went out and interviewed yoga studios in Charlotte. The following 5 are our top picks:
- Top Pick: Atha Yoga
- Top Pick: Charlotte Family Yoga
- Top Pick: Studio Fire
- Top Pick: The Coterie
- Top Pick: Yoga6
Top Pick: Atha Yoga
Located at 9852 Rea Rd D2, Atha was one of first Charlotte studios to use infrared heat- the most hygienic and comfortable ways to heat a space. By the way, far red light has nothing to do with dangerous UV rays that many think of when discussing the sun.
With classes available to all levels, this studio offers a hot yoga-style class for everyone. Temperatures vary for each type and range from 90 degrees to a whopping 107 degrees.
Dr. Olga Dadalko Shares Her Vision
Atha owner, Dr. Olga Dadalko, uses her background in neuroscience, coupled with her passion and regard for hot yoga, to create a unique experience for the members of her yoga community.
When I asked what separated Atha Yoga from other studios in the Charlette area, she explained, "Our classes are rooted in time-proven yoga and meditation traditions while enriched by methods we acquire from contemporary biomedical research: movement therapy, exercise science, and neuroscience. Having one foot in the ancient yoga tradition and another in modern science, we provide our community with well-rounded practices effective for all three: body, brain, and soul."
When I asked what her studio's philosophy in wellness was and how they embody it in their classes, she discussed how they infuse mindfulness tools like meditation and breathwork into the lessons. The infrared heat helps to intensify the practice.
Community is one of the most important aspects of Atha's mission. Dr. Dadalko strives to offer a safe environment where practitioners and teachers can practice together and support each other's journey. She explains:
The result is a supporting, inclusive community, where each person feels at home, safe to explore into the depth of their psyche, while cultivating strength and flexibility in the body
Features of Atha Yoga
Atha offers various classes that suit different levels and interests. With class offerings such as Atha Vinyasa, Hot 26, Yoga Sculpt, Candlelight Flow, and Yang Yin classes, there's something for every experience level.
The studio also offers workshops and a yoga teacher training course.
Top Pick: Charlotte Family Yoga
Charlotte Family Yoga has two locations. One is in Charlotte at 1630 Oakhurst Commons Drive, and the other is in Concord at 8230 Poplar Tent Rd. Both sites offer a variety of classes to explore, workshops, and a 200-hour yoga teacher training course.
They offer different payment types: memberships and one-time "drop-ins," so you can try a class out before investing in a membership or pass.
Kara Vincent Shares Her Vision
I got to sit down with one of the two owners of Charlotte Family Yoga, Kara Vincent. They are celebrating the fifth anniversary of their partnership.
When I asked how your studio engages with and impacts the local community, she excitedly described how they have connected to the community. She explained, "We created a non-profit called Yoga Girls Tribe. This non-profit was created in 2020 to ensure yoga was accessible to girls ages 6-12 to build self-esteem, have an outlet to share their feelings and thoughts through crafts and circle time, and create their own yoga practice.”
She also mentioned that the studio offers a discounted rate to teachers, and they make blessing bags for the homeless.
When I asked what their studio's wellness philosophy was and how they embody it into their class offerings, she explained:
Our mission has always been to love, serve, and support our community. We offer a variety of classes for all types of people, from beginners to seasoned yogis.
Features of Charlotte Family Yoga
Charlotte Family Yoga has a little bit of everything. They offer Hot Power Fusion, Beginner's Yoga, Yoga Sculpt, Yoga Flow Express, YogaFit, sound baths, and live stream classes.
Their yoga kid's class is for kids between five and twelve, including some fun crafts. Since they offer a sliding pay scale, the class allows for more kids to get a chance to practice yoga and explore their feelings in a safe space.
They also offer a New Student Special which is 2 weeks for $50. There is no limit on the amount of classes taken in this period
Top Pick: Studio Fire
Studio Fire currently has two locations: one is in Columbia, SC at 2917 Rosewood Drive, and the other is located in the specialty Shops SouthPark in Charlotte at 6401 Carnegie Blvd. Suite 7A.
Their studio offers a unique combination of creativity, like dance, cardio, and meditation, mixed with vinyasa yoga, sculpting, and breathwork. They use infrared heat to warm the room for a hot and sweaty experience.
Hannah Gorman Shares Her Vision
When I asked Hannah Gorman, owner Studio Fire, how she incorporates wellness into her class offerings, she stated, "Our Philosophy has always been, come as you are. Studio Fire was created out of going to countless studios and feeling unwelcome and intimidated. We wanted to create a space where you're immediately given a warm welcome and tour around our space when you walk in the door."
The studio also offers the first class free to make the studio experience available to anyone who wants to try it out.
I asked her what her aspirations for the studio were over the next five years, and she said that Studio Fire would expand nationally as they recently launched franchising.
She also mentioned that her goals locally were to open more studios in different neighborhoods and incorporate their other business As Well As, which they have at their store in Columbia. As Well As is a one-stop wellness destination with an organic coffee/ smoothie bar, boutique, and spa housed within the yoga studio itself.
Features of Studio Fire
Studio Fire offers a variety of different classes. Fire Flow is a traditional hot yoga class. Well Flow includes a full-body workout combined with vinyasa. The Formula combines sculpt, vinyasa, and core.
They also have a resistance training class, cardio dance, and a slower yin-style class. The studio offers various payment options. There are unlimited yearly memberships, smaller packages, and one class options.
Top Pick: The Coterie
The Coterie is located at 2135 Thrift Rd, Suite 102, Charlotte. The Coterie focuses on three yoga styles: Peace, Prana, and Power. They also offer your first class for free so you can try their studio out with no risk.
Caitlyn Sheff Shares Her Vision
Caitlyn Sheff, the owner of The Coterie, told me that after the pandemic, so many studios had to close, including the one that she worked at, so she knew it was her time to step up and create her very own yoga studio, The Coterie.
When I asked her what sets The Coterie apart from other studios in the area, she explained that her teachers have a good bit of freedom in teaching their classes. This allows for a certain authenticity for teachers and students to thrive.
But their sliding-scale shed really explains them and sets them apart. "We are based on a sliding scale, meaning students pay what they can rather than one set price. This helps lower the barrier of entry in a financial way, allowing more people to participate in the practice."
As far as their studio's philosophy on wellness goes, The Coterie focuses on the mental, emotional, and energetic bodies and the physical body. To ensure this, The Coterie "offers monthly breathwork and sound baths, quarterly Yoga Nidra sessions, and weekly Yin Yoga classes to make sure that our mental and emotional health continue to be priorities." She strives to connect to the students in the community by supporting their small businesses and connecting to the other local wellness-based spaces.
When we discussed The Coterie's five-year plan, she explained, "I want a bustling lobby full of friends and family, people embracing each other like they've known each other for years. I want to be a safe space for as many people as I can hold for as long as I can hold them."
Features of The Coterie
The Coterie offers three different yoga-style classes.
- “Prana” is a vinyasa-style class that focuses on combining breath and movement; this class is heated with infrared to 85 degrees.
- “Peace” is yin yoga, which is more slowed down and relaxing with 3-5 minute longer holds.
- “Peaceful Prana” is a unique class that combines the foundations of both Prana and Peace.
They have a 200-level yoga teacher training course and an online subscription where you can practice with them at home.
Top Pick: Yoga6
Yoga6 is located at 14815 Ballantyne Village Way, Suite 105. Yoga6 is part of a larger franchise, Xponential Fitness, a global boutique fitness company. They offer on-demand online classes and 200- and 300-level teacher training courses.
Tanya Demattia Shares Her Vision
I asked owner Tanya Demattia about her personal story and mission, and she said her mission was to meet the people where they are. She also mentioned the importance of the connection between mind and body.
"Yoga allows us to slow down for a minute. And really feel into whatever it is that you're feeling, whether it's stress or depression or even positive emotions."
So, when I asked her how Yoga6 embodied their philosophy into their classes, she talked about how emotions play a role in your health and wellness. This is why they offer six different styles; someone might need something different daily.
She says that a runner may need a restore class to slow down. However, someone with a desk job might need cardio or a hot class to get the heart pumping.
So, by offering six different styles of yoga, there's always something for everyone, no matter what their day or week has been.
Features of Yoga6
Yoga6 features six classes:
- Y6 101
- Y6 Restore
- Y6 Slow Flow
- Y6 Hot
- Y6 Power
- Y6 Sculpt & Flow
Each of these classes is designed to focus on a specific benefit. They also offer a “Y6 Mix” and a “Y6 TRX” class, which incorporate a little bit of all the classes together.
Other Great Yoga Studios in Charlotte
A couple of other great studios in Charlotte deserve to be mentioned.
Y2 Yoga
Y2 Yoga Cotswold is located at 274 S Sharon Amity Rd. This location features two levels with both heated and non-heated studios.
Features of Y2
Y2 Yoga offers Single-Shot and Double-Shot flows, Intense Super Flow, and slow stretch classes, each offering something different.
Pricing included memberships as well as one-time class prices. They also offer 200 and 300-level teacher training courses.
Okra Yoga
Located at 1912 Commonwealth Ave, Okra Yoga offers a variety of yoga classes and packages. They also have Reiki and massage. They offer 200 and 300-level teacher training courses.
Features of Okra
Okra offers many different classes to choose from for all levels. They have yoga sculpt, vinyasa, primal yoga, yin, deep stretch, and more. Okra offers payment plans that vary from memberships to packages and one-class pricing.
What To Look for in a Yoga Studio
When choosing a yoga studio, you want to consider a few things. Let's review some of the important factors to consider before deciding where to go.
Consider the Yoga Style
You'll first want to ask yourself what your needs are.
- Are you looking for a class that also incorporates breathwork or meditation?
- Do you want a bit of sculpting or resistance training for an extra push?
- Are you searching for a slow, restorative, or hot, fast-paced flow?
You may want a studio that incorporates all these things so that you can choose something that fits you on a daily basis.
Consider Your Age Group
You also want to investigate what age group they serve. Do they have classes that fit your age, and will you be comfortable with the asana they teach?
You may also want to find out if they offer prenatal or postpartum-style classes. Each studio is different, and some may cater more than others to a specific age group.
Offers Other Features
There are also some other personal factors that you should look into.
- Are you looking for group classes or someone who offers 1-to-1?
- Are you looking for a men-only or a women-only class?
- Are you specifically looking for a place that offers infrared heating?
Or perhaps it's important that the studio offers added workshops or training that you can take.
How big are the classes?
Are you looking for a more intimate setting to get to know the teacher personally, or do you want to feel more anonymous in a larger group?
Which Studio Will You Choose?
Now that you know some great yoga studios in Charlotte, NC to choose from, it’s your turn to find one that suits your needs. Remember, you can always try one out first to see if the studio resonates with you. Hopefully, you can find the perfect place to grow your practice.
Before you go, please read our disclaimer. This blog is intended for informational purposes only. We are not providing legal or medical advice and this blog does not create a provider-patient relationship. Do not rely on our blog (or any blog) for medical information. Always seek the help of a qualified medical professional who has assessed you and understands your condition.
