10 years of Yoga High!

“Of course, working together can make or break couples,” says Anne Marie. “It hasn’t been an issue for us, and I think that comes down to me having my responsibilities and strengths, Mic having his, and both having such passion for yoga itself.”

“We didn’t come into things with business acumen. I was a schoolteacher and Mic was a tradie. We’ve learned so much along the way – and are still learning.”

What exactly does it take to build a yoga studio? Tender, loving care. And grit. 

Anne Marie, her father Sebio and Mic put their own muscle power into gutting out and totally reinventing the space they secured for the studio. Mic’s carpentry background definitely came in handy.

“We had to find a space with enough ceiling space to install a commercial gas heater suitable for hot yoga,” says Mic. They found one on Barrie Road, in Tullamarine’s backstreets.

“We’d come in almost every night after work and tear things up,” adds Anne Marie. “We had some help in building the studio, but it was the three of us that really prepared it for building.”

“We knocked down partition walls, ripped back tiles, there was a sea of cables to sort out in one of the rooms. Bikram also had his requirements on opening a hot yoga studio, so we took guidance from that,” says Mic.

The business was originally named ‘Bikram Hot Yoga Tullamarine’ and was the first Bikram Yoga school in northwestern Melbourne. Then came the time for a name change.

“Rebranding and reidentifying as Yoga High was a milestone for us,” says Mic. 

“We are so grateful to be able to have done this. Running yoga studios has absolutely enriched our lives,” says Anne Marie.

“We don’t just feel like yoga studio owners – sometimes we take on the roles a parent or counsellor would. We embrace our diverse community beyond running their local yoga studio and we’d not want it any other way.”

Yoga High is “the students’ studio”. “It’s their community,”Anne Marie adds. “They respect it so much and they’re quite protective of it. Almost territorial. When we have newbies, Mic and I don’t really need to do much! The regulars will take care of them and encourage them.” 

Yoga retreats both here at home in Hepburn Springs and overseas in Bali were introduced, where connections sparked and friendships were formed. Anne Marie and Mic have been touched to see the majority of attendees to the Hepburn Springs retreat be repeat visitors. “It’s more than about having the common denominator of yoga and the retreat. It’s about the friendships.”

There also is a walking friendship group that has been born out of the Hepburn Springs retreats. The group meets monthly to go on big walks around Melbourne and regional Victoria. Post-walk brunches at newfound places are perhaps the best part.

“We’ve even had couples meet in the hot room and a few have gone on to marry. Yoga High has steered the love boat!” 

The Yoga High community is also “active in making some sort of contribution towards society”. A team of teachers and students recently did The Bloody Long Walk, a challenging 35 kilometers dedicated to supporting people affected by mitochondrial disease. “We’ve signed up to do the 24-hour MS Mega Swim next year,” says Anne Marie.

We are incredibly grateful for the “family” that’s rallied around a love for movement and connection. We are where we are now because of each and everyone of you. Thank you would seem to not be enough to express our deepest gratitude and love. We didn’t think we’d get this far – but here we are and we just wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than being on this magical ride and getting high on life!