We want to hear from YOU!

Here is what others have told us about their experience at Dogwood Studio.

Simply Wonderful

“Dogwood Studio Yoga is great!! May it never cease.”

“Sam has been invaluable in our lives. Have learned so much about my body in her classes!”

“You are the anchor of my wellness program...everything flows from there”

“Many yoga students approach poses with the goal of aligning one’s body into ‘correct’ positions- obedience to the eye. Yoga from the outside.”

“My husband and I are both regular participants in the Mindful Movement and Heart Centered yoga practices offered by Dogwood Studios. Sam and the very talented team of instructors she has brought in and nurtured are all exceptional - each in their own unique way contributing to our good health and well being. Most notable to us in the last year, since being introduced, is the Heart Centered Yoga & Meditation practice led by Amanda Dzengeleski. We begin each Monday morning with her which enables us to start our week in a mindful way with a positive and affirming gentle series of movements that warm up the body and build upon our flexibility and strength. Amanda is phenomenal in her communication skills guiding us all with clarity and grace in the various poses she leads in her practice - and with a voice so soothing that on its own is calming and restorative. Her warmth and caring spirit shine through each and every time we’re with her. We’re totally addicted to her and her practice!!!!” -Anne F.

“Sam’s class is different. She begins her instruction with starting poses from the inside. She encourages students to first go into their bodies to sense and work with fascia, bones, and muscles, and to then use that inner work to shape a pose: an outward manifestation of the inner work. Yoga from the Inside out.”

Knowledgeable

“Sam is an outstanding teacher. She educates and supports her students. She is so well informed and a delight as a teacher. Her enthusiasm and sense of inquiry makes each class fresh.”

“Sam is a wonderful yoga instructor. I have taken yoga classes with her for years (in person and now online). I continue to learn as Sam’s practice evolves.”

“Sam is an inspiration to us all in her teaching of mindful movement, yoga therapy and meditation practices. She draws from her own medical background and training to provide her students the knowledge of how to stay healthy and address one’s own unique physical challenges. In experiencing several shoulder and back injuries, the time with Sam in private practice as well as small group sessions has enabled me to recover more quickly from injuries and even prevent them going forward. Her approach to yoga is a functional one where she assists each of us in developing a yoga practice to address one’s own unique needs. She’s regularly in training with top leaders in the health industry and does a wonderful job of incorporating what she learns into what she brings into the classroom. We’re grateful for Sam’s presence in our lives!” -Anne

Community

“Sam's classes have been a life saver for me during this time of quarantine. Besides having the opportunity for great yoga classes, she offers the time before and after class for us to see and say hello to friends we have practiced with in times past. These classes are the best gift to myself I could ever give.”

“The online classes provide me a much needed connection to a community that I cherish. It feels as if I’m back in the studio with Sam and others. This is my satsang and I need it more now than ever for my well-being. I wish everyone a safe and healthy future.”

-Mathi

Safety and Well Being

“I find Sam’s sessions with the small group format to be grounding within and with outer/other space while providing a sense of community. The mindful nature of poses and transitions give a measure of ease even during difficult states. The invitation to explore and humility of attitude as an instructor/coach while maintaining respect for one’s body and others gives a sense of safety as well.”

“I love Sam and Dogwood Yoga. I always feel better after a class...more relaxed, centered and calm. I also love the feeling of community that Sam’s teaching cultivates. I look forward to the time when we can practice together in person with more regularity.”

Functional Movement for Any-Body

“So it turns out camel isn't impossible for me after all. I can't believe it! All I have to do is think about the bowl and tuck, tuck, tuck and really get inside that area (consciousness), and miraculously I bend back.

Doing bridge is another one -- I've been doing it using mostly the wrong muscles. Even though I learned to zip up and make the core solid over the past months, which helped, I was still mainly using my upper back muscles and leg strength, and that's why I always get so tired in the pose. But amazingly, if I bowl-and-tuck-it, I stay up with half the effort.”

“I especially appreciate the mindfulness approach to these sessions and find the anatomical explanations of positions as applied to everyday tasks of living very useful.”

Flexible Approach

“I particularly enjoy having different teachers on different days of mindful yoga emphasize different aspects of practice.”

“I appreciate the flexibility provided by On Demand classes.”
“This was my first ‘online’ yoga class ever. Surprisingly, it was very much like being in the studio with SAM. I found it easy to follow her prompts — I had to move my iPad from place to place so I could always see her clearly, but that was not a problem at all. It was the first time in several days that the ‘virus’ did not dominate my mind. Thank you for a class that offers me refuge from the fear that seems to be taking over my life. I needed that class. I’ll be back on Wednesday.”

- Sandy

“Today's class and the private sessions you and I have done lately have been so illuminating. First, in the private sessions -- especially the most recent one -- I became aware of which muscles I use and which ones I routinely ignore. When I told you that I was using everything BUT the low back muscles to move my low back, I meant it. There's been a real disconnect. What I used to use was basically a combo of glutes, abdominals, muscles on my sides, pretty much every muscle in my upper back, forearm strength, legs, you name it. Becoming aware of all that and really feeling it was crazy good! All week I've been doing mini cat cows, focusing on the lower back muscles.”