The yoga world has been one of the many industries to take a hit in response to the global COVID-19 outbreak.
Ra Yoga is one of Long Beach’s beloved yoga spaces. They have been constantly finding new ways to adapt to the quickly changing environment they find themselves in.
Ra Yoga does have several locations, a few in Orange County, but just one in Long Beach at the LBX Hangar.
While the other locations have been able to re-open and test the waters of teaching in person classes during a pandemic, the Long Beach location remains closed.
Madison Canary, one of Ra Yoga’s Master Teachers, shared that their studios “actually had more opportunity because people want to focus more on trainings…it allowed me to grow our program bigger than if it was still in person.”
Ra Yoga is known and loved for its studio class settings but also for its training facility, which has been one of the main factors allowing the studio to remain afloat during these unique times.
Some of the ways they have adapted to these new circumstances is by transitioning almost completely into a virtual setting. Integrating platforms such as Zoom and Vimeo into their new routine.
When asked about how this transition has been for Ra, Madison said, “The transition onto zoom was pretty seamless. The transition off of zoom will be difficult due to students that are out of the state and out of the country.”
Madison also believes that despite the challenges of the new environment that it has “given us more opportunities and growth than not.”
Stephanie Serrano, the manager of the Ra Yoga Long Beach location, shared the difficulties of what it has been like trying to manage a studio space in a pandemic setting.
The Long Beach location was only able to re-open one time earlier on in the pandemic. She said that it was difficult trying to ensure all staff were on the same page about the new way of operating.
“I had to be a leading example for social distancing,” she said.
Some other changes she had to endure was the new normal of “reminding folks to have masks on” and “all signs changed to focus on precautions for covid.”
Unfortunately, after one trial run of being allowed to re-open, Long Beach once again was forced to close until further notice due to regulations in LA County.
Stephanie said, “Just when people got the hang of things we had to re-close again.”
When asked about how these changes affect the community, Stephanie said, “What is different now is the organic sense of connection.”
She does hold optimism for the future, “Long term picture I know that things will go back to normal.” Though she did speculate this still may not be the case until late 2021.
Madison shared similar concerns. “I was worried that I wouldn’t feel connected to everyone and everyone wouldn’t feel connected to each other,” she said.
The “great thing about yoga is that it teaches us to be flexible,” Stephanie said. Even such a simple statement holds immense amounts of truth.
Despite all these unforeseen challenges Ra Yoga has faced, Madison says, “Ra has been through many storms…It will only get bigger and better.”
