K K.
Yelp
I came to One Down Dog with high hopes, but unfortunately had two very troubling experiences with one of the teachers, Dylan, that left me questioning the studio's values.
In my first class, I extended some transitions in my vinyasa (such as moving from eka pada to chin stand, or from knee-to-elbow into eka pada). With over 16 years of practice, I know how to listen to my body and safely deepen my practice. Dylan singled me out and told me not to do this. When I thanked him at the end of class, he rolled his eyes and looked away, not responding to my thanks. I brushed it off, assuming he might have been having a bad day.
On my second visit, I overheard him scolding a student for over five minutes, telling them they were "a distraction," that they "needed to follow the sequence," and that "if they wanted to do their own thing, they should practice at home." As both a long-time practitioner and a teacher myself, I was disturbed to see a student treated this way. Yoga is meant to be a safe space for self-study, compassion, and inner connection- not a place where students feel shamed or bullied.
What made this worse was that when I approached the studio directly to share my concerns, I felt brushed aside. There was no genuine care or accountability in how my feedback was received. That left me with the impression that creating a safe and respectful environment for students is not a priority here.
Because of this, I cannot recommend One Down Dog. No student should feel unsafe, dismissed, or judged on their mat.