Yoga is one of my favourite forms of exercise. I’ve never left a yoga class and regretted the time I committed to practice. Hip hop is one of my favourite music genres (who doesn’t love a little Biggie Smalls?). What happens when you put these two together? Something wonderful. I’m talking about a special Friday night yoga class at Studio 330. Here’s the class description on their website:

“Power Party – You know when you listen to wicked music and feel really fucking cool? We’re going to harness that power of inner-awesome for outward expression on our yoga mats. On Fridays at 5:30pm, join dallas for a 90 minute power yoga class with an unedited hip hop soundtrack. – explicit lyrics will be played in this class.”

Studio 330 is a beautiful yoga space located downtown on Princess street north of Clergy. It’s one of the few donation-only studios I’ve been to – it might be the only one in Kingston. It’s painted a calming burnt orange with minimal mirrors and exposed brick. The yogis who run the space are reassuringly exactly what you would expect– inviting, warm and encouraging. They run strictly on an honour system, bring what you can afford and drop it in the mailbox at the front of the studio. If you don’t have cash, you can donate online.

I attended a class with another hip hop enthusiast strictly for the benefit of the music, but I really enjoyed the challenge and would definitely attend a class sans 2pac. Though who doesn’t want to start their Friday night with a good stretch and serious head bob?

I encourage anyone to try out Studio 330! It’s a nice space to practice in and it’s suitable to any budget – though I recommend not donating under $10 to guarantee they are able to afford to keep their doors open. You can find out where the donations are allocated in this helpful infographic.