Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Harris.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was very fortunate to be first introduced to yoga by watching Lilias Yoga and You on PBS with my mom in our living room in the 70’s. Then when I was in Middle School my mom got me a yoga book that I used for my own yoga practice in my room to help me with all my “nervous energy” as my parents politely put it. I had a lot of energy as a kid and had sleeping problems as long as I can remember.
The yoga stretching & breathing really began to help me wind down at night so I could maybe get some better sleep. I was involved in many different sports growing up including being an avid runner for about a decade but focused in on Cheerleading and gymnastics which brought me the most joy and success. Unfortunately, it also brought me many sports injuries in high school and college, some of which include multiple concussions with whiplash, back injury, sprained wrists and ankles, hyperextended elbow, just to name a few. My yoga practice at the time was very athletic as well, only focusing on the physical. It wasn’t until after I became a mom that really made the mental shift in my life and my yoga practice to begin nurturing my body, mind, and spirit as a whole.
We were living in Arlington at the time our first child was born and I attended my first yoga class in person. It was life changing! I still had all my extra baby weight and at the heaviest and most out of shape I had ever been in my life, but at that moment in class the yoga teacher said something that made me feel so “at home” and I simply made peace with my body and felt the most comfortable in my own skin that I had ever been before, even back in my prime at tip-top physical shape, I had always been so self-critical and self-conscious about my body. It was then that I realized how powerful this practice was in healing and mending not only my physical body, but my emotional issues due to stress, and how much peace and acceptance I found each day with yoga and meditation.
We moved to Midlothian after the birth of our second child and it was at that point that I discovered there was nowhere in Ellis County that offered yoga classes. I did manage to find a few classes but was very disappointed that they were not authentic yoga. My husband suggested that I enroll in a Teacher Training Program and become a yoga teacher myself. This was a daunting thought since I have two small children, but I enjoyed the challenge and the self-discovery that took place over that year-long process. I first started teaching yoga classes at the Waxahachie YMCA and then branched out from there taking other teaching positions as an independent contractor for the City of Cedar Hill, Ovilla Wellness Center, Mains Street Gym, Paws for Reflection Ranch and several other locations around Ellis County and South Dallas areas for the next decade.
With this foundation and experience, I then opened Crescent Yoga Studio & Eco-Boutique in our hometown of Midlothian, TX. This move allowed me to be more involved in the kids’ schools, booster clubs, and also in the community by joining the Midlothian Chamber of Commerce and also serving on the board of Keep Midlothian Beautiful. I truly believe my personal yoga practice has made me a better person, wife, and mother. I had really never imagined how rewarding this journey of sharing my experience and knowledge of yoga with others could be. I have met so many amazing and wonderful people over the past 19 years. I have seen first hand how their health, healing, and quality of life has improved with their yoga and meditation practice. And I’m so happy to have made some lifelong friends along the way.
Has it been a smooth road?
Being an independent yoga teacher was all wonderful and things were going great, but I found myself spending most of my time driving all over teaching one class here and one class there. I called myself the yoga gypsy and my slogan was “Have mat will travel”. So, when the opportunity arose for me to open my own local studio it just made sense to put down roots. We opened Crescent Yoga Studio & Eco-Boutique in April of 2010 creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere offering a variety of yoga class for EveryBODY.
Remember this was in the lull of the housing market and everyone thought we were crazy, but we had the existing clients and all the numbers worked, so we went for it. Owning a small business is always challenging and ends up being more work than you may have originally thought. For example doing everything from the taxes, inventory, payroll to the social media and cleaning the toilet. But it’s all worth it when it’s your vision and you see it providing so much healing benefits to your students.
We made many sacrifices as a family but it has all been well worth it. I am so happy and feel very blessed to be able to offer yoga classes to our community so people can experience a happy and healthy lifestyle, build friendships and camaraderie and self-confidence in a nonjudgmental atmosphere with us at Crescent Yoga Studio.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
“Empowering a Healthy Lifestyle!” is our motto at Crescent Yoga Studio & Eco-Boutique. Our goal is to help you on your path to better health and wellness. We offer a full schedule of various styles of yoga classes (18+ classes/week), specialized workshops & series, private yoga/Reiki/nutrition sessions, & yoga events. Our CYS instructors are caring, certified, and excited to be sharing their passion of yoga with the Midlothian community and surrounding areas of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and Ellis County.
It’s very sad that our society has made this ancient discipline into an exclusive designer experience only for the elite or simply made into a fitness class in a cold gym setting. Here at CYS, we are proud to offer a traditional yoga studio experience that is affordable and open to all walks of life. We are here to break the notions or beliefs that yoga is only for the flexible, the strong, the fit, the skinny or the young. We teach yoga beyond the Asanas (poses) as well as yoga for everyday life and EveryBODY – big, small, tall, short, inflexible, flexible, weak, strong, young and old.
Our intention is to break the idea that you must look like a supermodel and able to put your foot behind your head or even touch your toes to practice yoga. There are many health benefits to practicing all kinds of yoga here at CYS and we are here to guide you safely through the learning process.
Most other studios only offer one style of yoga, which is usually whatever the latest fad or craze is at the time. I think that’s what sets us apart from other studios. We offer a wide variety of styles of yoga and also offer many variations and options of the poses to accommodate each student no matter their age or fitness level. Yoga shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Yoga is a very personal practice that encompasses much more than just the physical, but also the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect of each human being.
Additionally, CYS is a green yoga studio and a proud member of the Green Yoga Association and the Take Care of Texas program. We practice the 3 R’s (Reduce~Reuse~Recycle) using only recycled paper products and green organic natural cleaning products. The CYS Eco-Boutique provides ethically made products that are local, organic and good for the environment. We also participate in local Citywide CleanUp Days as part of Keep Midlothian Beautiful.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, I feel Midlothian is a wonderful place for our yoga studio. It was much needed here and I’m so happy to be providing these healing services to our community. Before we opened our studio local residents would have to drive North to Ft. Worth or Dallas to find the quality and variety of yoga classes we offer right here in Midlothian.
A successful fitness routine has very much to do with convenience. If you have to spend 30min. to an hour driving to a studio to take a class, you’re more likely to talk yourself out of going because it takes too much time and effort to get there.
Midlothian is just starting to grow and offer more local shops and businesses now, which is great for our local economy. More and more families are moving to Midlothian because of the top-notch schools of MISD and convenient location to the DFW metroplex.
Pricing:
- Special Introductory Offer: 2 Weeks Unlimited Yoga for $20! (new students only)
- New Year~New You: January Sales – get 10% off all Memberships & Packages
Contact Info:
- Address: 812 Alex Lane, Midlothian, TX 76065
- Website: www.CrescentYogaStudio.com
- Phone: 469-285-3559
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crescentyogastudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrescentYogaStudio
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrescentYoga
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/crescent-yoga-studio-midlothian?osq=yoga+studio
- Other: https://plus.google.com/+CrescentYogaStudioMidlothian
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
