Survey Results

We received 122 responses to our Student Survey! Thank you so much for being such an awesome, engaged community of people!

I wanted to take this opportunity to respond to some of the reoccurring questions, comments, etc.
  • Music - Most instructors use music and some instructors do not. I leave it up to the instructors themselves to make their own playlists (although the studio has some available to use as well). They are in charge of the studio environment once their class begins. Also, I know that our music system sometimes cuts in and out and we are working to rectify this. Because our system is wireless it relies on our internet connection and as you know, this is not always perfect - we are working to find a reliable back-up.
  • Bike racks - I put in a request with the City to install bike racks on October 11, 2011. I heard it can take up to a year for them actually to be installed.....
  • Pricing/Student Discounts - My pricing at $15 for a drop-in, one hour, HEATED Vinyasa class is competitive with other studios and the Chicago market. As many people know and have taken advantage of, I have purposely made ways in which those on a fixed budget can fit yoga into their lives (not just students) - once a week free classes, once a month donation classes, you can share memberships and class packages and they never expire! I have also run 3 specials so far for discounts on packages and will be running another in April. Finally, I will be offering a new class package for those of you that want to make a year's commitment to yoga at a deeper discount - One Year, Unlimited at $1200.
  • Unheated classes- I know it feels like summer now, but it's really not :) We will be turning the heat off for many of our classes starting in June. Stay tuned!
  • Beginners/Advanced classes- I am a big believer in Mixed level classes. I think that beginners can learn so much more and see what is possible when they see more advanced students in the room and the advanced students benefit by consistently being reminded of alignment and the general basics of yoga that they can continue to build upon. That being said, I will be adding one Advanced class for seasoned practitioners to work more on advanced poses that may not be possible in a Mixed Level class - 2:00pm on Saturdays with Diana AND we will be working on a Beginner's Workshop series that we will hold a few times a year that will serve as a good starting point for a yoga practice.
  • Retail- We will be getting in some more Tanya-B and Be Love clothes in the coming weeks. I am also looking into FOAT Design as another potential unique yoga clothing offering at Tula.
  • Online Calendar - We are aware of the 'cutting off' of the names of classes on the calendar and we are diligently working on a fix for this. In the meantime, I will be modifying the schedule so that the number of minutes of the class is easier to see and if you have any questions, please call the studio at 773.620.9945.
One comment on the survey that actually made my heart sink a bit was that we were not a Beginner's Studio because of the 30-day "brag board" hanging in the front. The 30-day challenge was one of the most inspiring, fun things that I feel that Tula has done (so far). I know that a number of people that took part in this challenge were very new to yoga and doing this has inspired them to keep up a regular practice! One of them even went to Yoga Teacher Training because of it! So it was not meant to be a 'brag board' - it was an inspiring and motivational way to track people's attendance (that wanted to, of course). I hope that whoever wrote this comment is willing to see this other side. It will definitely be an annual tradition at Tula.

Overall, the comments and ratings were overwhelmingly high and positive and I feel we are on the right track with what you as the community wants in your local yoga studio. If you have any other thoughts, please do not hesitate to email me at maile@tulayoga.net or you can give us a review on YELP and let others know about our amazing community.

Namaste.