Yoga in City Hall? Only in Manitou

Yoga at City Hall? Only in Manitou Springs.

Shannon Solomon, a Manitou city councilman/construction worker/yoga instructor, has been teaching free yoga classes for the past year, starting in Kinfolks, the local bar/outdoor shop, then moving to Mansions Park behind City Hall when the weather improved.

As time went on, the class grew from three people to 30 or more, and Solomon was looking for a location that could hold the group come winter. On Tuesday, the rest of the City Council unanimously approved allowing Solomon's class to use City Hall for free and, Thursday morning, the yoga class celebrated with scones and juice to go with their downward-facing dog.

"This is so appropriate for this to be happening in Manitou Springs," said Laura Ettinger, one of Solomon's students. "Manitou has its origins as a health resort."

Solomon started the classes after finishing a yoga instructor's course. His teacher told him to go out and teach for free for a few weeks to polish his skills. Solomon rounded up a few friends and started at Kinfolks. After six weeks, the class had grown to six people and Solomon figured, why stop?

"I said, ‘You know what, I'm having a good time, let's keep going,'" he said. "It's very informal. It's no fluff. It's just down and dirty yoga."

Solomon, 34, also teaches a class on Mondays at the downtown YMCA, but free suits his temperament.

"I'm a construction worker and I've made more money in my construction world since I've been teaching for free and not worrying about it," he said. "I get a lot out of it as a teacher."

Although, he added, it's not popular with everyone.

"I've gotten some flak from some other yoga teachers saying, ‘You're destroying the yoga economy,'" Solomon said.

Dave Strawn was one of Solomon's early recruits.

"I was down at Kinfolks having a beer," he said. "I'm 62 now. I'm stiff and out of shape, and he said, ‘You ought to come down.'"

Now, Strawn comes every week - Solomon teaches power yoga on Tuesday mornings and regular yoga on Thursdays. He was one of the 30 students who attended Tuesday's City Council meeting. He made a list of the top 10 reasons the council should approve the move. No. 10? "It's soooooo Manitou."

"It's a wonderful way to start your day," Strawn said.

Sue McGarry moved to Manitou Springs just a month ago and almost immediately heard about the class.

"I think it celebrates community spirit in this town," she said. "This is a unique place. I had no idea what I was getting into."

Renting City Hall would have cost $200 a day if the council hadn't made an exception. (Solomon recused himself from the vote.)

"This is a good opportunity for the city to give back and say, ‘We want you guys to be happy,'" Solomon said.

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Contact the writer: 636-0275 or awineke@gazette.com