Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, businesses everywhere have closed their doors, some possibly for good. In the search to find out how the Colorado yoga community was fairing, I spoke to five resilient teachers and studio owners that all pivoted to do their best to continue supporting their students. In this new weekly series, we will highlight these owners and their practices, show a little love for Colorado yogis and try to navigate these unprecedented times together.

Our newest addition — Cheryl Anders, yoga instructor and owner of Yoga Center of Steamboat.

How did coronavirus impact your studio/practice?

Cheryl Anders: We had to shut down the second week of March, which meant that we lost our typical spring break revenue. Yoga Center of Steamboat has been around for over 20 years, so for things to shut down that quickly was a little jarring.

How did you respond and shift in order to ensure your business continues to thrive?

CA: Online classes went live for us the first week of April. I was resistant at first, but there was a large push from our teachers so we gave it a go. I felt really vulnerable on camera, since it was a very different teaching experience. Now that we’ve found our groove, things have been going pretty well. We offered Zoom classes through June and have slowly transitioned back into the studio. We are staying mindful and informed when making decisions to ensure compliance with all local health orders.

What are you trying to move towards to accommodate an evolving yoga community?

CA: Right now, I’m just trying to stay calm and keep moving forward slowly. As things are opening back up, we are offering limited in-studio classes with about 10 people practicing six feet apart. Our outdoor yoga classes on top of the Steamboat Gondola start mid-July, and we have dates set for our fall yoga teacher training. We will keep leaning into change as best we can through inquiry, movement and meditation. We hope our community finds some peace through our offerings during these ever-changing times.

How do you see your company changing going forward?

CA: I crave sharing space together and am so happy to have face-to-face interactions again. The most important thing to me is fostering a sense of community. We offered free 30-minute lunchtime classes through June and continue to offer community assistance for people who would benefit from financial assistance. One of our main goals is to foster a friendly environment where people can heal. I’m hopeful the community feels that, and we will continue to offer these practices as long as we can.

Visit yogacenterofsteamboat.com for more information.