Conor Yates

Usually when you walk into Tangerine Hot Power Yoga, nestled in Brooklyn Heights, you are greeted by the owner's two Maltese puppies. The studio has a vibe that is at once modern and homey. The front desk has temporary tattoos and nuts available as well as an array of beautiful postcards with mantras on them. Although the waiting area and locker rooms are small, they have a very unique and welcoming vibe. I usually aim to take a hot yoga class in the evenings but opted to try Conor Yate’s 8:30am Tuesday morning class. I was feeling particularly anxious about a work situation and decided to try to take a yoga class before heading into the office. Best decision ever. Conor, who also practices Thai Yoga Bodywork and is a Reiki Master, immediately had a very calming and gentle vibe to him. He seemed to have known at least half the students in the class and made a point to introduce himself to the other students. We started class with a series of backbends to warm up, so to speak, while Conor asked us to concentrate on our thoughts throughout practice. What thoughts are necessary and which can we let go of? Which of these help your practice and which distract us? Throughout class Conor consistently reminded us of this which was extremely helpful in staying focused in our practice. I tend to get distracted by music (which, in this case, was an awesome playlist of classical and light electronic) but Conor did an incredible job of reminding us to stay focused on our thoughts and intentions. The class was challenging, especially considering it was a morning hot yoga class when all I had was coffee so far (note to self). Conor built sequences that were a bit longer, linking together multiple and various poses, each ending with a side plank hold for 5 breaths. Building heat and strength were on the menu for this morning, as was our breath-centered flow. Conor ended class how we began, with a series of backbends, this time leading to a cool-down. Savasana was followed by a short reading about misconceptions and how our yoga practice can help us seek out truth. As we were leaving, Conor told us about some exciting workshops happening at Tangerine and stayed around to answer any questions. Exiting the studio I felt completely calm and confident to approach my work situation knowing that what we feel, even if negative, just needs to be addressed. Conor’s class was a great way to kick off the morning and his positive and soothing energy is not to be missed.

—Olga Ryrakhovsky for Yoga Sleuth Tuesday 8:30-9:30am

Intermediate Drop-in classes are $22 with towel and mat included. New student special: 3 classes for $36. Tangerine Hot Power Yoga

225 Schermerhorn St. Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 855-8622

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