Ashtanga Yoga Montreal

I went to see an acroyoga-​dance show. Paid a 10 $ donation to enter. The show was based on the improvisations they came up with this week. In spite of the little time they spent preparing it was very nice and enjoyable. Yet, the studio had a wide supporting beam right at the center of the hall, which blocked the view of the full «stage» area. Also, the cushion seats on the floor were not comfortable for a long time (for me at least). They did have some chairs in the back, but because of the obstruction in the center, I think the view was not very good from the back. Anyway, it was fun and the atmosphere was good, but I will not be back for another show.

I took class here twice on a short weekend visit to Montréal. I like to try different yoga studios while traveling and sometimes it can be a little intimidating (clique-​y, snobbish, no explanations given). Ashtanga Yoga Montréal is the opposite of all that. I was relieved the minute I walked in the door and was warmly greeted by the teacher, Allison, who I later found out is one of the studio directors.
The space — it’s on the 2^nd floor in an office building, above a café. There are 3 studios, all non-​heated. I know hot yoga is all the rage these days, but for those of us who like their yoga room temperature, this place is great. There is a large reception area with room for shoes and coats. The change rooms themselves are very small. There is mat storage available for regulars. You bring your valuables into the studio since there are no lockers. The washrooms are shared and just across the hall. The studio overlooks Rue St. Catherine and have plenty of props and blankets available. The general atmosphere is home-​y and cozy, rather than some studios that are going for a more spa-​like or modern/​minimalist aesthetic. Yoga mats are available for rent and the mat rental is free for your first class (which is $ 10) or for lunch time classes.
I took a multilevel class with Alison and a level 1 – 2 class with Tania. Both were led classes, but if you prefer mysore style, they offer that too. Both teachers I had were good. So many studios offer ashtanga-​influenced «flow» or «vinyasa» classes, but I appreciated that these classes were tied closely to the traditional ashtanga style (moving through postures from the primary series mostly). Alison was exception and really went above and beyond when it came to hands on adjustments and useful alignment tips. She also made a point to orient me at the beginning and ask me how the class felt afterwards. A lot of studios seem to ignore you until you become a regular, so it was nice to feel immediately welcome. The multilevel class gave lots of options for beginnings and more advanced practitioners alike. The makeup of the class was diverse — not just the skinny, bendy, lululemon-​clad, Caucasian female stereotype of yoga (nothing wrong with them, of course, but it can add to the intimidation factor for some when everyone is like that!).
Prices are really reasonable and there are student discounts. They also offer different workshops, including acro yoga. Both classes I attended were led in English (with a little French sprinkled in).
This is a great, no frills place to practice ashtanga yoga. I would recommend it to anyone!

Travelling from Ottawa to Montréal for work. This place was conveniently located near my hotel, so I decide to check it out after work. The studio was easy to find and very spacious and clean. There are 3 studios and each are large enough to fit a medium sized class. Instructions were very clear and easy to follow. The various level of classes makes it really nice to practice at your own pace with other yogis that are similar in ability. First time practitioners only 10 $!recommend to check it out :)

NOT FRENCH NOR GRINGO ASHTAGA: First the positives: the studio is quite beautiful, the staff is very nice, and the students are fit. The strange: the class was listed as «Ashtonga Yoga», but it had no resemblance to any Ashtonga class I have taken either in the USA or in France. It started off instead of with the sun salutations with the class sliding across the floor on blankets. It ended instead of with the finishing sequence with doing a series of core and back exercises using foldable metal chairs. This seems to be a local specialty because another studio bragged on its web site that it had an excellent collection of chairs for yoga. Anyways, I would skip this French Canadian Ashtanga and instead go for a run along the river (fantastic) and then head to «F-​Bar» (1485 Rue Jeanne-​Mance,
) for a celestial delight of Portuguese-​French fusion cuisine (Mackerel, coco beans, almond milk to start and then Halibut black raisins for the main course). The Ashtanga in Paris and Strasbourg (not to mention Encinitas) are much better and the run will balance out the calories from dinner and skipping chair yoga will save you back injury so will save you the cost of a massage and balance out the cost of dinner. I promise F-​Bar is worth it even thought it is pricy by USA standards.

lots of changes in my life since i moved here in mid-​2005 but one constant from February 2006 to the present– Ashtanga Yoga Montréal. i love practising yoga here (1−2x/week). the teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and have so much to share. my favourites teachers: Alison, Jessie, Elizabeth and Terri. everyone is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed. AYM has several membership options (including deals for students), classes are usually bilingual, and they also (increasingly, it appears) hold special workshops. big thumbs up!