Posing Something New: Fresh Ideas on Yoga from a Fresh Face
By Tris Anderson
Five years ago, Courtney Brooks opened her first yoga studio. At just 23, she was admittedly naive to the challenges ahead of her, but willing and excited to bring a different way of doing yoga to the shoreline of Connecticut.
Although Courtney has run into a variety of bumps in the road, she was eager to introduce a new business to the area, and the community of people she grew up around were encouraging and supportive of what she was bringing to the table. Of course, as the “honeymoon phase” of opening a new business faded, she had to work doubly hard to build and maintain a loyal following for Soul Sweat.
Courtney says the most challenging part of starting her business was the judgment from her fellow yogis. Although being young did have its benefits in the beginning, she has struggled with being underestimated by yoga teachers who have years or decades more experience than her.
"The balance of power gets blurred between a young new business owner with a passion for yoga compared to teachers that have been in it for years, some longer than I’ve been alive.” —Courtney Brooks
In her short career, Courtney has already learned that yoga is not always peace and harmony, and can even feel a bit cut-throat at times. But she is passionate, has a deep and meaningful love for yoga, and wants to bring it to everybody, and anybody, who will try it.
Courtney openly discusses how intimidating the practice can be and how the ways of traditional yoga can feel intense and not always the most welcoming to newcomers. She knows that a lot of experienced yoga teachers or business owners aren’t exactly fond of the “new age” yoga that Soul Sweat thrives on.
But this is Courtney’s bread and butter.
Her studio is hot, always has fun music playing, and emphasizes that what matters most is that you’ve shown up — that is exactly how Courtney likes it. What some might downplay as being too trendy, she praises for its high energy and open feeling which gets people on the mat and builds the confidence to keep coming back again and again.
"I strive to be authentic to myself and what feels right to me. At 28, I don't claim to have life experience where I can heal or change people's lives. My goal is just to offer people a good time; let them feel relaxed and better than when they arrived.” —Courtney Brooks
Courtney knew what drew her to yoga and what kept her connected — and luckily a lot of other people did too. Recently, with hard work and unconditional support from her family and loyal students, Courtney has opened a second studio in New Haven, proving that extra effort, a unique angle, and resilience make it all work.
Visit Courtney or another Soul Sweat instructor for a class at one of their two locations:
Old Saybrook Soul Sweat
455 Boston Post Road
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
(Located in Saybrook Junction Plaza)
New Haven Soul Sweat
300 Crown Street
New Haven, CT 06511
(Located in Eighteen High apartment building, ground floor)
See studio schedules online at: soulsweatct.com
