Heather Gagnon, class of ’87, stands with sweat rolling down her face and a dozen people watching her every move. No, she’s not being picked out of a criminal lineup, but instead teaching a Vinyasa yoga class at her yoga studio, Peace Yoga.
Owned and operated by Gagnon, the brand new yoga studio that opened on Jan. 3 is located on Main Street. Peace Yoga is the only studio in Harford County exclusive to yoga.
After graduating from JC, Gagnon became an elementary school teacher, earning her bachelor’s degree in science and her master’s degree in education. However, Gagnon started staying home with her children and tutoring students for Enhanced teacher Ann Drummey. Soon after, she became a certified yoga teacher.
“I had been teaching yoga for four years and knew that there wasn’t a studio in Harford County dedicated exclusively to yoga, so I just decided to do it,” Gagnon said.Even though Gagnon has always been very active and living a healthy lifestyle, yoga wasn’t always a part of her routine.
“I was a competitive gymnast from seventh grade to freshman year of high school, but stopped because John Carroll didn’t have a gymnastics team. After that, I was always a gym rat and went to the athletic club every day,” she said. “I took [my first] yoga class about four and a half years ago.”
“I loved it because it connected the physical aspect of working out with the mental,” Gagnon said.
Peace Yoga offers a variety of classes, “whether you’re a beginner, or for those who have been practicing for 20 years,” Gagnon said. Classes for athletes, prenatal classes, and Vinyasa, which is for building strength and flexibility and for more experienced yoga practicers, are also offered.
Though Gagnon runs the studio by herself, there are four other teachers at Peace Yoga.
Starting small for now, Gagnon doesn’t know if Peace Yoga will move to a larger location, but “it would be nice to have a little room for retail,” she said. “We’re just excited that we have yoga right in town and I’m just taking it day by day.”
Taylor Schafer is the Lifestyle Editor for “The Patriot” and jcpatriot.com.