Yogi in the Community: Atlanta Yoga Scene

This week’s Yogi in the Community is the woman behind Atlanta Yoga Scene! Leah Fulford keeps the Atlanta yoga community in the “know” when it comes to new studios, unique yoga events, and the latest happenings. What is so unique about this week is that Leah and I took the opportunity to talk with each other about the intention behind our blogs and why we choose to cultivate community through yoga (check out my interview here).  It was such a thrill to chat with Leah!

What (or who) inspired you to create Atlanta Yoga Scene?  I moved to Atlanta in April of 2010 and was looking for a yoga studio. I practiced power yoga in college and really wanted to get back into it after a couple months away. There wasn’t a power yoga studio nearby so I went on a quest to find my new yoga calling.

I tried a lot of places and found a studio that I liked a lot and settled in. Then I realized that I enjoyed my quest of trying all of the styles, studios and teachers in the area! I started looking for a website that had a summary of all the studios or events in Atlanta but couldn’t find one, so I made it myself! I figured that certainly other people would be interested in this kind of resource too, and so far, I’ve been right!

What has been the most rewarding experience you have encountered through your blog?  When Dan Wilf from Yoganonymous called me out of the blue to help him set up Wanderlust: Yoga In the City for Atlanta. Atlanta Yoga Scene wasn’t even six months old and here was a national event coming to me for advice on partner studios and who the headlining yogis should be. I was flabbergasted and so excited to be part of it! I helped rally 1,000 yogis to practice in the largest yoga event our city has seen.

What is your dream project?  I’m working on it now! I hope to have community classes bi-weekly or monthly to bring together dozens of Atlanta yogis to do yoga, hang out, eat food together, and really bond. I’m hoping to bring the AYS community to a different studio each month to try a new class or teacher all together. It can sometimes be intimidating to try new things, but when everyone is new, everyone feels open, playful and exploratory.

Atlanta is such a spread out city that it can be hard to get around to a new studio, especially during the workweek rush hour. I hope this can bridge a gap help meet each other despite the physical distances between us. There’s so much to learn from trying new things in your yoga practice!

The Atlanta Yoga Scene has certainly been growing in terms of studios, teachers, and overall interest. Do you have any recommendations for yoga instructors who are trying to start their career here in the ATL? 

 Every studio has their own flavor and style. And I mean every single one. Find the one with the flavor and style that you most like and stick around until they need a teacher. Offer events and workshops to studios you like and trust. Luckily, Atlanta yoga teachers can teach all over the place, too, which can maximize your exposure to the scene! Oh, and follow Atlanta Yoga Scene, I get tips all the time about open teaching jobs 😉