Upside Yoga is mindful and joyful movement in the heart of Durham. Our rooftop vinyasa classes emphasize moving at your own pace, listening to your body’s cues, and flowing with your breath. From our rooftop perch, amid the sounds of the city, we look at the upside of the present moment, with gratitude and awareness for things just as they are.
Teachers
Lara
Lara Goodrich Ezor came to yoga with a tired body and an anxious mind, and — though she still has those things — she discovered a present-moment peace that kept bringing her back to the mat. She strives to teach the type of class that she would want to take — grounding, compassionate, invigorating, and rooted in the here and now. She’s honored and grateful to teach on the rooftop, which has long been one of her favorite places to roll out her mat. Learn more about Lara and her offerings on her website.
Angela
Angela Tara Hsu found her way to yoga via competitive skydiving, looking for more flexibility and strength to enhance her freefall routines. What she found along the way was so much more. In addition to enjoying the physicality of the practice, the mental and spiritual benefits quickly came to light, and yoga became an integral part of her life. Thus, her classes are not just a series of poses you do on your mat, but an invitation to connect with the parts of yourself you’ve forgotten. Incorporating various styles of yoga, Reiki, myofascial release, sound healing, meditation, and breath work, she strives to create nourishing experiences for all. Learn more about Angela and her offerings on her website.
Kate
For Kate Van Dis, yoga is a path to the heart, to our truest selves. Whether it’s moving on the mat during a physical practice or finding stillness in meditation, yoga has helped Kate expand her sense of self in ways she didn’t know were possible. Also a fiction writer and former public school educator, her classes offer creative, thoughtful flows and a deep undercurrent of empathy. Kate hopes her students can find the same spirit of self-compassion she discovered for herself on the mat. Find Kate at @FirstPersonYoga on YouTube, @katevandis on Instagram, and @MidlifeSentences on Substack.
Lindsay
Lindsay Michel is an adventurer, mom, people leader, and a longtime Durham-based yoga teacher who is passionate about creating grounded, welcoming practices. Over the years, Lindsay has guided clients, colleagues, and friends through a unique array of experiences designed to improve mind-body connection and personal clarity: from vinyasa flow and outdoor yoga hikes to meditation and yin yoga, from forest bathing and women’s circles to corporate mindfulness and wellness workshops.
Lindsay is excited to join Upside Yoga and make space for practitioners of all experiences and skill levels to move authentically, breathe with intention, and feel more connected – to themselves, to community, and to nature.
Shanté
Shanté Webster creates inclusive, welcoming spaces where students of all levels can move, breathe, and reconnect with themselves. Her classes blend intentional movement, strength, mobility, and mindful recovery. As a runner, triathlete, fitness instructor, and longtime advocate for healthy movement, Shanté especially loves helping people discover how yoga can support an active lifestyle, improve mobility, and create balance both physically and mentally. Her philosophy is simple: yoga doesn’t have to look a certain way to belong to you. Come as you are, move in a way that feels good, and leave feeling a little stronger, lighter, and more connected than when you arrived. Find Shanté on Instagram and her website.
Emily
For Emily Fletcher, yoga is more than just the physical movement; it is a practice of using breath and movement to cultivate awareness, quiet the mind, and find a sense of peace that extends beyond the mat and into everyday life. In her classes, students are encouraged to connect with their breath, move mindfully, and meet themselves exactly where they are. She strives to create a welcoming and supportive environment where students of all experience levels feel comfortable. Her hope is that students leave each class feeling more grounded, connected, and able to carry that sense of calm and wellbeing into the rest of their day.
Ling
Ling Beisecker came to yoga looking for a way to balance the demands of sport, school, and life — and found a practice that helped her slow down, breathe, and connect with herself. She loves creating space where people can move mindfully, settle their nervous system, and leave feeling a little lighter. Her classes blend strength, curiosity, and calm, with an emphasis on letting the practice meet you where you are.
Claire
Claire Sanguedolce’s classes are about curiosity, courage, and connection through powerful intention, mindful breath, and grounded movement. She specializes in vinyasa; a style of yoga focused on flowing through transitions and linking breath with movement. She holds space for folks to slow down, explore, play, practice self-compassion, and, at times, challenge themselves. Through yoga, she believes it’s possible to navigate life with more openness, love, and flexibility.
Claire recently moved to Vienna, but she plans to substitute-teach on the rooftop when she’s back in town!