Kelly is not the only inspiring teacher in this space. Erin, another dedicated instructor, leads a yoga barre class on Sundays and yoga for kids on Thursdays, among other classes. 

 

The atmosphere is one of creativity and healing. “This place is just so inspiring. You can walk around and just feel the life of it. Everyone has put their heart and soul into it,” Kelly says. The energy of the place is palpable, filled with the artwork, energy, soul, and joy of the Hudson Valley InterArts community.

Kelly’s journey into teaching yoga to the disability community was unexpected but profoundly fulfilling. “I never actually saw myself working with the special needs community, and it sort of just fell into my lap. From the first day, I’ve done it, I’ve thought, oh my gosh, this is meant for me,” Kelly shares. She admires the beginner’s mindset they bring to each class, keeping the practice fun and lighthearted. “They are a huge part of bringing life to this place. It’s an honor and a privilege to be here.”

 

With over 16 years of personal practice and more than eight years of teaching experience, Kelly has taught everything from chair yoga for seniors to yoga in a neurosurgeon’s office to prevent spinal surgery. “Teaching for me is an opportunity to share what yoga has given me. Yoga is such a beautiful practice to cultivate emotional, physical, and mental strength and flexibility,” she explains. For Kelly, yoga is about finding peace and gratitude amidst life’s chaos. “Yoga is near and dear to my heart; it changed my life, saved my life.”

 

Since starting to teach at this location in May of last year, Kelly has seen her class sizes grow exponentially. “People who I never thought were going to do yoga peek their heads in and be like, ‘Oh, it’s yoga, I’m not doing that today,’ now do it every week and love it,” she says. The transformative power of yoga is evident in her students’ experiences.