One of DC’s most famous yoga studios has earned a place in my heart as my home away from home.
My most recent trip to DC was more stressful than ever before. I usually go as part of a work conference and conduct interviews with a teammate. I could focus on human interest stories—which are my strong point—and my peer would ask more detailed, product-oriented questions. This time, I was working alone. Though it was something that I knew I could handle, the tension of the unknown left my body in knots.
I was relieved to take an evening yoga class on my first day in town. Tranquil Space wasn’t the closest studio but it was the one that caught my attention on the MindBody app. Primarily, I liked the detailed class descriptions. I opted for the On-the-Go class for my first visit and a Yoga 2 class for my second visit later that week.
Prices at Tranquil Space are higher than I’m used to. My home studio has a drop-in rate of $10. Drop-ins classes at Tranquil Space were $17 for on-the-go students and $2o for other classes. Add on a $2 mat rental and I more than doubled my home studio price.
My complaints stop there. Every staff member that I encountered was incredibly kind and helpful. I received a tour of the studio, which include a cozy gift shop, tea and cookies lounge, several changing rooms, and three levels of studios. While that sounds monstrously large, it’s arranged in a way that still feels warm, intimate and inviting. 
On-the-Go class is a good starting point for beginners who want to familiarize themselves with a new instructor and a new place. Siobhan Carranza is great with hands-on assist and verbal instruction. The class was perfect for releasing the kinks in my body. It also helped me to rediscover my lung capacity amidst the chest-clenching anxiety that I felt. It wasn’t too strenuous, though I did work up a nice sweat.
Yoga 2 is on a higher level of the building so the classroom is naturally warmer. It had a hint of a heated class without the 100+ degree commitment. There were float-back transitions during sun salutations, chair twists to side crow transitions, wheel, and an opportunity for other inversions. I took that opportunity to practice pincha mayurasana. My instructor Aviva Klein supported my first attempt, which I fell out of in a matter of seconds. She then recommended that I try using a strap across my biceps. It helped SO MUCH! I was able to maintain it for 12-15 seconds. I felt pretty darn invincible. Glorious.
With a kind staff and supportive instructors, I recommend a stop to Tranquil Space for anyone visiting the DuPont Circle area.