{"id":12012,"date":"2024-05-17T20:45:15","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T20:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?p=12012"},"modified":"2024-05-21T13:23:27","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T13:23:27","slug":"theres-no-judgment-or-lululemon-in-durhams-naked-yoga-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2024\/05\/17\/theres-no-judgment-or-lululemon-in-durhams-naked-yoga-class\/","title":{"rendered":"There\u2019s no judgment (or Lululemon) in Durham\u2019s naked yoga class"},"content":{"rendered":"
As you walk into the studio, you spot a couple of people sitting on their mats and your eyes dart away instinctively. You debate which row to claim with your mat \u2014 the front, where everyone will see you; the back, where you\u2019ll see everyone; or in the middle, where, well, all of the above. You opt for the front. The arrangement is a little tight, and the back of your mat grazes the one behind you.<\/span><\/p>\n In an ordinary yoga class, this might not be such a big deal. But here, everyone is naked.<\/span><\/p>\n Twenty-five bare bodies, evenly spaced in three rows, twist and stretch as Electric Light Orchestra\u2019s \u201cStrange Magic\u201d flows through the room. A muscled couple in the front row lie on their backs and spread their legs confidently. They\u2019ve been here before. A man in the back row sways back and forth in a deep squat. Nipple piercings and rainbow tattoos dance asynchronously to the song\u2019s fitting refrain. A mirror on the front wall doubles the already dazzling sight.<\/span><\/p>\n The room only looks like this once a month. This is Margot Schein\u2019s nude yoga class, hosted by Durham\u2019s Threehouse Studios since June 2021. The class costs $20, and it is all-gender, all (adult) ages, and completely naked (except during COVID, when participants wore nothing but masks). There\u2019s always a waitlist.<\/span><\/p>\n I made it into two classes recently and got the full experience. Turns out, nude yoga attracts a very wide range of characters. And, it\u2019s not as uncomfortable as you might think.<\/span><\/p>\n * * *\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It starts like this: You enter the cozy lobby and are greeted by a smiling Schein, who offers optional hugs and, often, details about her latest adventure in baking. You put your shoes and phone in a small cubby before entering the main room to undress. Brick walls and gray floors glow in the natural light, but the windows are too high and thick for anyone to see inside. Each spot is marked by a pair of yoga blocks that Schein carefully laid out before your arrival.<\/span><\/p>\n