HOT YOGA GETS CREATIVE TO STAY AFLOAT by Pattie Cinelli
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lasses were plentiful, innovative and usually full to capacity in the “old days” at Hot Yoga Capitol Hill studio on H Street NE. The “old days” I’m referring to are those before COVID shut down all non-essential businesses in March 2020. “We were doing great. We had summer camps scheduled, a teacher training going, a retreat on the books and even offered classes at no charge for a group of students with disabilities,” said Lara Atella, director. Then the shutdown occurred. Hot Yoga transitioned to virtual classes within 10 days. “Classes were free the first couple of months even while we continued to pay our rent and pay all instructors full salary,” said Atella. “We didn’t know or expect the shutdown to last as long as it did. I had saved money for a slow month, but I never dreamed we would be making nothing – no income. Some members who kept their membership active kept us going.”
Once Hot Yoga began charging for online classes Atella asked for whatever anyone could pay. “If it was nothing that was fine,” she said. Eventually she held steady at $14 or the purchase of an unlimited monthly package. “Even now we negotiate with people who can’t pay full price.” The landlord reduced rent during the summer which helped Hot Yoga to survive, said Atella. “I was still losing money every month.” Hot Yoga did not qualify for the PPP (payroll protection program) funds that were being given out to small businesses because Atella said her instructors were not full time employees. Businesses like Hot Yoga fell through the cracks. “I am the only full time employee. We only received a very small local grant.” Atella also had to pay back all the prepayment for the retreat and the summer camps. Atella, who lives on the Hill, has refinanced her home twice. She also took out a personal loan. She has
Dante Settles provides yoga and other services to individuals with special needs.
depleted her savings and her kids’ college funds. A researcher before becoming a studio owner and yoga teacher full-time, she is now back working at a research position even though her heart is in the studio and on the mat. “I do have a family to support,” she says.
Innovative Efforts to Stay Afloat
With the current DC indoor mandate, some students continue to practice, but many have dropped out.
When fitness facilities finally got to re-open the DC government wouldn’t allow hot yoga facilities to open until three month later. Once Hot Yoga did reopen, business was beginning to bounce back. Then the worst happened. DC regressed into an indoor mask mandate in August. “Literally the day DC issued the directive, people cancelled memberships and stopped coming. I think is was a combination of fear and not wanting to wear a mask in a hot yoga class.” Once again Atella became creative. “We brought the temperature down in the room a couple of degrees. It seems to help because the students who stayed said it’s ok doing yoga with October 2021 ★ 97
