Local business offers free introductory yoga class

By Ashley Emert

After exams are over and students have moved off campus or to another house for the summer, stress levels will most likely be skyrocketing. Discovery Yoga hopes to help reduce that stress by offering a free introductory class on May 12. The class will start at 6:30 p.m., but it is suggested that participants arrive early to fill out a release form.

Instructor Anita Sansey will be teaching a little bit of everything that night to show students the different types of yoga that are taught at Discovery. One type is called DansKinetics, which is a combination of yoga and partner yoga. It is not necessary to bring a partner to the class, though.

DansKinetics is described as “an experience of inner rhythm and expressive motion, a high-energy dance with roots in the Kripalu tradition of yoga,” said Sansey. Deva Parnell, the owner of Discovery, was trained at the Kripalu center in Massachusetts before returning to Florida and opening Discovery Yoga in 1999. People travel from all over the world to train with Parnell.

Sansey explained that students do not need to have previous yoga experience. “You can come to the Yoga Basics class and get started there, or just come to an advanced class and Deva will work with you to get your postures correct,” she said. “You can have either 10 years of experience, or walk in off the street and take the class.”

After being a professional dancer and having her own studio in New York, Sansey returned to Florida and heard about Deva while she was in the Danskin outlet store. Sansey said that she was delighted to find such an amazing yoga teacher in town. “I didn’t find such a fabulous teacher in New York, I had to come to St. Augustine to find her,” she said.

Sansey teaches yoga at local schools and instructs students on how to breathe to reduce stress. She also teaches gymnastics and dance classes. She said, “I tell my students that long after they can’t do back handsprings, they’ll still be able to do yoga.”

Discovery Yoga is located at 3 Davis St. off of West King Street. For more information, call (904) 824-7454.