PORT TOWNSEND — The Madrona MindBody Institute will host a 10th anniversary open house and day of free classes Saturday.
Founders say they are celebrating a decade of life-changing movement.
Madrona co-founders Allison Dey and Aletia Anna Alvarez invite the community to the 110-year-old historic gymnasium in Fort Worden State Park, 200 Batter Way, which they renovated into a “Northwest Sanctuary for Conscious Living and the Moving Arts.”
“We hope that you will walk in the door and that your body will instantly feel that deep sense of ‘ahhhhh,’ ” Dey said, “and that there will be a feeling of connecting at a deep level with peace, creativity and freedom in mind and body.”
Throughout 10 years of offering workshops, concerts, teacher training and daily classes, Madrona has developed a following of students, some of whom travel from as far away as Port Angeles and Bainbridge to the wellness center in Port Townsend, according to a press release.
There’s the teenager at Saturday morning yoga, the mom who drops off her child at preschool and rejuvenates with Nia dance, the 85-year-old who looks 65 and swears thrice-weekly classes keep her young and the Soul Motion regulars who attend “dance church” on Sunday mornings, the press release said.
A cadre of local teachers leads classes in Nia (Dey’s specialty), Soul Motion (Alvarez’s specialty), various styles of yoga, Open Floor, Feldenkrais and drumming.
The 10th anniversary open house includes a full day of free classes, starting with all-levels yoga at 8:30 a.m. and ending with a cake reception at 4 p.m. In between, try Nia, Feldenkrais, Soul Motion | Open Floor, yoga or a sampler of class offerings with the noontime “Madrona Movement Mash-Up.”
“We aim for the feeling of a ‘playshop’ versus a workshop,” said Dey, who will be leading Nia “moving arts fitness” at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
All open house classes last 45 minutes and start on the hour. Visit madrona mindbody.com for the full schedule.
For children, a puppet show and activities are offered at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Free chair massages by Deborah Wood and Jet Mullen and henna art by Cheri Croff and Lelah Wright are offered from noon to 3:30 p.m.
A raffle will offer unlimited class passes, massage sessions and other gifts. Winners will be drawn that day at 4 p.m.
As a 10th anniversary special, new students who purchase class cards at the open house will receive two free classes in November.
