“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” –Buddhist Proverb
By Jessica Thomas
When Ally Hamilton was a senior at Columbia University, the death of her Stairmaster’s demise was prophesized. The countdown began after she took her first Yoga class with Dharma Mittra at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York City. First the machine collected dust, then became a coat rack, and was eventually evicted and put out with the trash.
At a crossroads in her life, Hamilton made a life-altering decision. “I had no desire to go to step class, or an abs class, or to lift weights while listening to my walkman,” says Hamilton. “I did not want to plug in, tune out, and focus on aesthetics. I wanted to tune in and find out who I was.”
It turned out that she was destined to become a Yoga instructor, but it would be five years before that calling was fully realized. “When I first began practicing, I never thought I would teach,” says Hamilton. “I had a huge fear of speaking in public. But eventually my love of Yoga overpowered my fear of putting myself out there.” Hamilton has now been practicing for 20 years and teaching for 15.
In 2009, after teaching at Bryan Kest’s donation-based studio in Santa Monica for five years, Hamilton felt a surprising call to open her own studio. “It was never an intention of mine to own a Yoga studio,” says Hamilton, “But sometimes the universe gives you a huge kick in the ass, which is usually preceded by several smaller ones you may have ignored.” Hamilton opened the studio Yogis Anonymous (YA), with her husband of six years, musician, composer, and tech wizard Dorian Cheah.
YA and Hamilton’s daughter Devyn were born on the same day. “I’m still learning how to balance being a mom with two little kids and being a full-time teacher/studio owner, says Hamilton. “I’ve been good about making sure I prioritize my own practice, which I didn’t do after I had my son [Dylan, now four]. With my daughter, as soon as I was ready, I hit the mat at the studio and gave myself that time and I think it has kept me sane.”
The studio has a family feel to it, unsurprising as it is run by a family. Hamilton greets her students like old friends, asking about their kids while giving advice on how they should modify their practice to deal with bodily changes due to pregnancy or injury. Cheah manages the daily operations of the studio and handles the website and marketing aspect of the business. On Thursday evenings Hamilton leads her “Hurts So Good” mixed levels class to the beat of her husband’s expert musicianship (he studied at Julliard, and his CD Ara is a Yoga playlist must-have). Alongside his wife, Cheah plays his electric violin and guitar and then records and loops the music to bring a fresh, live element to Hamilton’s class.
Brent Laffoon has been teaching regular classes at YA since March, says that he admires Hamilton’s balance between being a mother and a businesswoman. “She’s grounded in herself and she loves what she does,” says Laffoon. He also mentions the selection of teas available after class and how occasionally someone makes cookies or brownies (frequently master baker and yogi Joshua Nelson, whose vegan or gluten free treats are in demand). “It’s like home,” says Laffoon.
While YA may exude a home-grown, local energy, its influence spans the globe. Hamilton is entering living rooms and studios across the world because of the online live-stream service she offers via the YA website. “I’m not a techie person at all so I didn’t really understand what Dorian was so excited about while he was immersed in building the YA streaming site, but I really got it the first time we streamed a class,” says Hamilton. “I got emails from people in Australia and Hong Kong and London and it hit me, ‘Oh…global Yoga.’ So, so awesome.”
Leah Kim, a vinyasa flow teacher from Santa Monica who now teaches in London, has known Hamilton for nine years and attended Hamilton’s classes when living in the Los Angeles area. Kim says one of the most difficult aspects of moving was no longer being able to go to her home studio. “The streaming classes are the next best thing,” says Kim.
Charlie Samos, a YA teacher who has been with Hamilton since the studio’s inception, says that a Seattle-based woman flies into Los Angeles two to three times a year for the sole purpose of taking classes at YA. When in Seattle the rest of the year, this dedicated YA student accesses classes through the live-stream system. Samos says she sent him a video of herself and her children taking his class online. “I was amazed,” says Samos.
Hamilton says she is “grateful for all the twists and turns” that have forced her out of her comfort zone and ultimately lead her to opening her own studio. “It feels like a family and people are always commenting on the fact that you can feel all this love when you walk in the door. There’s usually a lot of laughter, too. There’s a genuine community.”
Yogis Anonymous is located at 1221 2nd Street in Santa Monica. Hamilton’s live-streamed classes can be purchased online by buying a 24-hour ($5), seven day ($10) or monthly pass ($15). There are also four free online classes available to whet your appetite.
Jessica Thomas is part of the Yogis Anonymous family in Los Angeles (she met the editor of this magazine when they were both taking class in the studio) and online, from her current home in London.
