Something was drawing yoga instructor Nicole Christianson to the Cornerstone building a few months ago, days after she decided she would pursue her new dream of opening a studio in the St. Michael area.
Luckily, she listened to that instinct. Last month, after weeks of preparation and a little help from her husband, Gary, as well as a number of friends, Christianson opened Live True Yoga studio, located on the second floor of the downtown building.
“It was really good timing,” Chrsitianson said. “We had lived here, and then moved into Northern Minnesota where I had been teaching and practicing yoga for about 10 years. We’ve been back about 18 months and I was teaching all over the place – Heat Yoga in Maple Grove, the Rockford Community Center and at InFit – and I thought it would be great if I just had one place where I could do it all.”
And do it all, she does. As of now, Christianson is teaching about 20 of the 24 different classes offered at Live True. That includes four different types of yoga, from the low-impact and moderate to cardio-yoga that “definitely feels like a workout.”
Nicole Christianson poses in her new St. Michael studio, Live True Yoga.
She’s getting help from one of the area’s experts in Jennifer Derham, owner of Minnesota Yoga magazine and a yogi herself. She also has two yogis coming on staff in April who will teach classes for seniors and kids, as well as the main “menu” of classes. Michelle Walker and another instructor are also spending time at the studio with Christianson.
“It’s definitely reaching people, and we want to get out in front of people more and more and let them know that yoga is all about feeling great and getting healthy. So it’s not just for those who are flexible, or those who have tried yoga before. It’s really something for anyone,” she said.
As for the location, having SNAP Fitness downstairs and a chiropractor right in the building makes it “an absolutely great set up,” Christianson said.
“I really wanted to be here [in St. Michael] because this community should have its own studio space. But it wasn’t going to happen unless everything fell into place perfectly. Fortunately, it all did.”
For more information on Live True’s classes, check them out online at LiveTrueYogaStudio.com. Classes are held daily, with monthly memberships available. Or, just “drop in” on a class for only $14.
Live True is also on Facebook and Twitter.