Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Baker.
Hi Amy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m Amy Baker, and my journey with Urban Yoga began in 2010, two years after having my daughter. At the time, I was deeply disconnected from my body and my nervous system. I’d spent nearly 15 years in corporate real estate, pushing through stress, ignoring the signals my body was sending, and finding myself in a place that was far from healthy. A series of health issues finally got my attention, and with the support of my husband, the desire to be present for my daughter and the grounding, healing tools I found at Urban Yoga, I began slowly finding my way back to myself.
During those first few years of practice, the founder of the studio, Surya Barrow, invited me to train as a Barre instructor. I completed my training in 2012 and began teaching weeknight classes, something that brought me joy, confidence, and a sense of purpose I didn’t expect.
Then, in 2013, everything changed. I experienced a life-threatening medical emergency where my heart literally broke open and I underwent open-heart surgery at the age of 43. Looking back, I truly believe that the three years of movement, breath, and self-awareness I had cultivated at Urban prepared my body, especially my heart, to survive and thrive through recovery. I returned to teaching, left my job in real estate, and stepped more fully into a path of health, presence, and alignment.
Over the next several years, I completed 2 yoga teacher trainings, became increasingly involved in the inner workings of the studio, and in 2019, the founder asked me to step in as owner. I wholeheartedly said yes. Six months later, the world shut down. Instead of walking away, a small group of our instructors and I pivoted to an online platform within days. With their dedication and the unwavering support of our community, Urban Yoga not only survived the pandemic, we emerged stronger, clearer, and more connected than ever.
Now, as I enter my sixth year as owner, I feel more certain than ever that every step of my journey, every struggle, shift, and breakthrough led me exactly here. I’m healthy, deeply grateful, and excited for what’s ahead as we move toward 2026. Urban Yoga has recently been invited by Lauren Wessinger of the Daily Well app to join her global online community, expanding our reach and allowing our teachings to support students far beyond our studio walls. We’ll also begin our third Yoga Teacher Training in April 2026 with an incredibly talented and strong group of women. These are just a couple of the offerings and evolutions we’re planning for the new year and beyond.
Without a doubt, I would not be walking this earth were it not for my Family, Urban Yoga and the community that holds it all together. It has been both my refuge and my rebirth, and I’m honored every day to continue shaping its future.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but every challenge has shaped the person and leader I am today. When I first found Urban Yoga, I was disconnected from my body, overwhelmed by years in corporate real estate, and facing mounting health issues I had long ignored. The most profound turning point came in 2013, when I experienced a life-threatening cardiac event that led to open-heart surgery at the age of 43. That period tested every part of me physically, emotionally, and spiritually but it also revealed the strength I had been rebuilding through my practice.
Later, stepping into ownership just months before the global pandemic forced us to shut our doors brought its own set of challenges. Pivoting the studio online almost overnight, keeping our community connected, and sustaining the heart of Urban Yoga through such uncertainty was demanding and at times overwhelming.
But each struggle clarified my purpose. These experiences taught me resilience, humility, and the power of community. They showed me that healing is not linear, leadership isn’t always graceful, and growth often arrives through the most unexpected openings.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work today is the beautiful culmination of everything I’ve ever loved – movement, creativity, anatomy, art, and connection. I studied art in college in the 90s, focusing on graphic design, painting, and art history. I was also deeply inspired by dance, especially ballet, but like many young artists, my attention was easily pulled toward fun over discipline. I eventually completed my degree with a BAAS and stepped into a career in real estate, a more a stable path, but far removed from where my passions lived.
In 1998, I joined a dear friend in the Fort Worth real estate market, and while we were successful and had a great time, I still felt the pull toward something more creative and embodied. Ultimately, my body made the choice for me. Through my healing journey at Urban Yoga, I stepped into movement instruction and have now been teaching Barre for nearly 15 years. Barre became my creative outlet and my way of shaping, guiding, and supporting bodies and minds toward strength, fluidity, and confidence.
I’ve curated the Urban Barre program into a distinctive, whole-body strengthening experience. It blends ballet-inspired movement with Pilates technique, isometrics, dynamic sequencing, and the grounding wisdom of yoga but it also goes beyond traditional barre work. My own health setbacks profoundly shaped the way I teach and the way I approach this program. They taught me that strength and flexibility mean very little without awareness, recovery, and respect for the body’s deeper systems.
Because of that, Urban Barre places just as much emphasis on how the body feels after class as it does during the workout. Post-class recovery is an essential part of the method, incorporating fascia release, breath work, and nervous system regulation. This approach supports mobility, reduces inflammation, and helps integrate the work more sustainably. Gentle myofascial techniques encourage hydration and resilience in the tissues, while intentional breathing improves circulation, calms the system, and increases the overall impact of the class.
Together, these elements create a program that builds long, strong, dancer-like lines while honoring the body’s need for restoration. The result is not only a toned and powerful physique, but also a healthier, more balanced relationship with movement – one that supports longevity, vitality, and well-being far beyond the studio walls.
However, what I’m most proud of is the environment we as a whole family have created, one that is inclusive, nurturing, and rooted in integrity. What sets my work apart is the combination of lived experience, artistry, and a deep understanding of how movement can transform not just the body, but the entire nervous system and sense of self. I believe Urban Yoga stands out because it is as heart-centered as it is effective and because it was built from a place of resilience, creativity, and profound gratitude for what movement can restore.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
My relationship with risk has evolved over the years, and I’ve learned that some of the biggest leaps in life aren’t always dramatic they’re simply the moments when you choose yourself. I’ve taken several major risks, though at the time they didn’t feel optional; they felt necessary for survival and growth.
Leaving a 15 year career in real estate was one of the first big risks I took. It meant walking away from stability and stepping into a path that was far less predictable but infinitely more aligned with who I was becoming. Later, taking ownership of Urban Yoga just months before a global pandemic forced us to close our doors was another defining moment. Keeping the business alive, pivoting to online classes, supporting our teachers, staying connected to our community was both a logistical and emotional risk, but it was rooted in deep belief.
I’ve also faced risks that weren’t chosen. Battling major health issues like open-heart surgery, cancer, the long road of recovery taught me that the greatest risks are sometimes simply waking up and deciding to keep going. Raising a child and trying to show up as my fullest self through all of life’s uncertainty has required its own kind of courage.
One of the constants that has made these risks possible is my family, not only my husband and daughter who have supported and inspired me through every chapter, but also the chosen family of powerful, wise women who continually lift me. My husband and daughter have been my greatest supporters and cheerleaders from the beginning, believing in me, reminding me of my strength, and knowing, often before I did, that I could do anything I set my heart and mind to. Alongside them, the steady presence of the strong women in my life has grounded me, encouraged me, and given my heart purpose. Their unwavering confidence has given me the bravery to keep moving forward, even when the path ahead felt daunting.
For me, risk-taking isn’t about thrill or impulsiveness. It’s about listening to the quiet inner voice that says, “There’s something more for you here,” and trusting the people who hold you steady along the way. Every risk I’ve taken has brought me closer to authenticity, to meaningful work, and to a deeper trust both in myself and in the support that surrounds me.
Pricing:
- New Student Unlimited Month – $59
- 6 Month Unlimited Members – $115/mo.
- Urban Yoga at the Daily Well – $49/mo.
- Drop In Class – $24
- Student/Military/Educator Special Prices – $18drop in, $120 unlt mo.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.urbanyogafw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbanyogafw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbanyogafw/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/urban-yoga-fort-worth
Image Credits
Amber Shumake Photography & Hayley Roebuck Photography
