Schoolhouse Yoga Opens Fifth Studio on McKnight Road

On a bright, cool Saturday morning, shoppers stop and go along McKnight Road in Ross Township, filling up parking lots and creating a steady flow of traffic.

But at the Schoolhouse Yoga studio at 7210 McKnight Road, with its A-frame roof, soothing colors and wide-open feel, it's surprisingly easy to forget that you're perched just yards away from McKnight Road.

Inside, class-goers of different ages and of both genders sit quietly on their mats. Kendell Romanelli, a yoga instructor, begins the chakra flow class by playing a slow, soothing song, part of a mix she compiled for this beginner-level class.

Within a few minutes, the class is chanting a series of "ohms" and there already is a noticeable calm in the air as the sun beams in, glistening off of the hardwood floor,

The McKnight Road location is the fifth Schoolhouse studio in the Pittsburgh area. It opened earlier this summer and is spread out in an upper level building next to and Miracle Ear.

Leta Koontz, Schoolhouse Yoga's founder who trained at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India, opened the first location in the Strip District in 2002.

“We decided to open a studio in the North Hills area due to student requests. Yoga students in the area wanted a yoga school, a place that was dedicated solely to the study and teaching of yoga, that offered a range of classes,” Koontz said.

"We fell in love with our current location on McKnight Road when we were looking at potential spaces. The high ceilings and large windows create a wonderful open, airy feel.”

The benefits of yoga have been touted for centuries. Those who actively practice yoga report sleeping better, feeling more in-tune with their bodies,  and less stress and anxiety. Because yoga is non-competitive and does not require a certain level of athleticism, it can be practiced by the old and the young alike.

The North Hills location offers several classes. In addition to chakra flow (an energizing multilevel class where some experience is needed), different instructors offer beginner's yoga and gentle yoga and meditation. The latter, says Koontz, offers a slow and careful introduction to yoga and is ideal for the new student who is older, or who is recovering from an injury or illness.

But, Koontz said, if you're unsure whether yoga is for you or if you're intimidated by the terminology and not being “flexible” enough, a gentle yoga class is a good start.

“I attended my first yoga class on a whim — but ended up loving the way I felt afterward,” Koontz said. “Everyone should feel that way.”

Class schedules and costs for classes at the North Hills Schoolhouse Yoga studio, as well as at the other Pittsburgh locations, are available online at www.schoolhouseyoga.com. 

Editor's note: Editor AmyJo Brown has attended yoga classes at the Schoolhouse location in the Strip District.