How did you get started at Dfly and what was your yoga/barre experience before Dfly?
We had dabbled in Pilates (Tom) and yoga (Karen) and wanted to try hot yoga. We went to one studio but found it to be quite intense and not welcoming for newcomers. We started hearing good things about a new studio near our home called Dragonfly, so we decided to check it out. The Dfly teachers were so helpful and supportive to us as beginners. They taught us how to modify poses and develop our own yoga practice. We really felt a sense of community.
What do you enjoy most from attending Dfly classes?
In class, we enjoy being present and quieting our thoughts. While working on poses, we think about how good we’ll feel after class. Nothing feels better than a post-yoga shower! We expected the physical benefits—the mental benefits were a pleasant surprise. The classes also fit our work and personal schedules.
Have you experienced any changes in your total well-being since taking classes?
Thanks to yoga, we’ve become stronger overall and have seen our balance improve, which is so important as we age. We’ve started playing pickleball and have noticed the positive impact of yoga on our strength, flexibility, and endurance.
How often do you attend classes? Favorite class?
For about the first 12 years of our practice, we always bought class passes, because our attendance was infrequent (Tom: 1-2 classes per week, Karen: 1-2 classes per month). Now we are finally monthly members and have been attending 2-3 times per week. Our favorite classes are Flow 60, Slow Flow 60, and any class taught by Kelly Perna! We’ve also enjoyed barre, fascia, and yin. Combined, we’ve taken almost 1,000 classes since we started (one-third Karen, two-thirds Tom).
Please feel free to share any other thoughts you have about Dfly, hot yoga, or your life as we would love to know more about you.
We have two adult daughters who currently live out of state. They have been joining us at Dfly for years and still come to classes with us when they’re in Madison. We’re retiring this fall and plan to spend a lot more time visiting them. We’re looking forward to Dfly being a major part of an active retirement lifestyle.
Instructor Meredith C.: “It’s such a joy to see Tom and Karen in their favorite back corner on Sunday mornings! They are wonderful examples of what listening to your body and honoring what you’ve brought to the mat looks like. It has been such a pleasure getting to know them both and sharing in our love of good music! Thank you both for bringing some extra joy into our space!”
