Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Kalajian.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The Yen Yoga and Fitness story started in 2010, when a group of like-minded people decided to open an inspirational fitness space to foster community.
Through the years, Yen’s clients may have come through the doors to sweat and move, but they always left with a sense that they had found something special they hadn’t seen before.
Yen’s dedication to an outstanding client experience has made it the premier fitness facility in northern Michigan. Its state-of-the art studio at the Delamar Traverse City, combined with multiple award-winning yoga partnerships at local venues – Mari Vineyards, Black Star Farms, M-22 – has spread Yen’s reputation throughout the Midwest and beyond.
It isn’t just the location, which is on West Bay in beautiful downtown Traverse City. It’s also the teachers who make Yen an extraordinary place. Yen is very proud of its teaching staff, most of whom have been with the studio in some capacity since it opened in 2010. The majority of our faculty have advanced training in their specialties; thousands of rave reviews reflect this dedication.
We often hear from clients, “There is nothing like Yen anywhere.” We believe this is true not only because of our dedicated staff and beautiful facilities, but also because of personal touches like post-class eucalyptus towels, infused water, complimentary tea and members-only special events and birthday gifts.
So, welcome to Yen Yoga and Fitness! It’s a place where you come in to move, sweat and tone … but leave feeling like you are known, appreciated and part of something special instead.
Yen Yoga and Fitness is a not-for-profit venture that gives back to its members and the northern Michigan community in various ways, such as free classes, scholarships and donations to other ventures making a difference in the world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think like many boutique studios, Yen experienced its nadir during COVID. We sadly closed the old studio at 332 E. Front St. in the fall of 2020. However, our diligent and courageous director Sara Harding established two ways to keep our small community together: a virtual class schedule and an in-person venue that would accommodate the six-foot spacing requirements at the historic Cathedral Barn at the Grand Traverse Commons. For $49 a month, members could attend unlimited classes, which kept our teachers employed and people connected in a lonely time. Meanwhile, Sara was visiting other sites to re-open Yen, which happened in June 2022 at the Delamar hotel in downtown Traverse City. The studio was built after the hotel gutted its southeast corridor. The new space includes a welcoming lobby, full shower/locker rooms for men and women, a hot yoga studio and a studio that is temperature-controlled. Access to the Delamar’s incredible facilities is the cherry on top: Maison Cafe, Artisan restaurant, multiple bay-side and bayview relaxation areas, plus two pools, a sauna, hot tub and workout facilities. We absolutely love our partnership with Delamar!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am one of four members of Yen’s leadership team, which is headed by Sara Harding, our director. My colleagues Jennifer Evans and Leslie Simionescu round out the team. Together we have been a part of Yen’s community since it opened; all three of us have been teaching there for 11 years and more. I handle marketing/communications/special events/building operations. Jen is our MindBody specialist and Leslie is the human resources/teacher training lead. Together, we have built Yen’s reputation as the premier teaching studio with community as the backbone to everything we do. Our staff excels at remembering each client’s name, making sure everyone feels welcome, known and loved. We also do this through our sparkling clean studio, relaxing lighting, comfortable and clean bolsters/blankets and other props, plus the famous eucalyptus towels we give clients during the last five minutes or so of class when they are resting and resetting. Our location offers free parking plus access to the Delamar’s incredible amenities (two pools, sauna, hot tub, fitness room with Peloton bike) vis a vis the Premium Membership package for $199 a month which is about $7 a day. Members can also opt to take unlimited classes at Yen for $169 a month, which equates to about $5.60 a day and includes free parking at the Delamar.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Our studio is very much a bhakti studio, which is a Sanskrit word for devotion. Our teachers exhibit this devotion in many personal and private ways, whether it’s through religious study, meditation or volunteerism. We aspire to be a light in whatever small corner of the world we find ourselves in.
Pricing:
- Drop in $25
- 5/10 class pack $115/$220
- Unlimited Membership $169/mo
- Premium Membership $199/mo
- Couples unlimited or premium discount 10% off any two people
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yenyogafitness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yenyogafitness/
