Studio Review: Mirepoix Wellness Studio

I had been wanting to check out Mirepoix for a while since hearing about them on a podcast (Coldsweat Chicago). And I’m so glad I did. I went to a late Friday morning Power Vinyasa class and it was such a great way to wrap up the week.

The Space

This studio perfected minimalism. Like if I were to design a yoga studio it would basically be Mirepoix. It’s a fairly small space, but in a way that gives it that local neighborhood studio vibe. I walked in and there was a small entrance and counter where you check in and leave your bags and shoes. Behind that it immediately opened into the long narrow studio.

Between the clean white walls, light pine wood floors, beautiful glass light fixtures, and the natural light streaming in through the wall of windows in the front, the entire room felt light and calm. When it was time for class to begin the instructor simply pulled a sheer white curtain across the room to block the entryway and windows, while still letting the light in.

The provided mats were nicely spaced so that I wasn’t close to hitting my neighbor when my arms were extended, which I loved. Plus the class was not heated, which felt like a nice relief from the majority of studios I’ve been to. I love the occasional moderately heated studio, but it was kind of nice to not need to wipe sweat off my face in the middle of class.

For those who like to shower and get ready for the work day after class, it was missing a locker room, but since I usually go directly home that’s not usually a priority for me. It also feels less necessary since you’re not sweating a ton in class. Plus, they have kombucha on tap so what more could you really need?!

The Class

The power vinyasa style class was led by Lauren Bellagamba and it was exactly what I was looking for this morning. The music did not include your typical serene yoga sounds, as Lauren is typically known for her hip hop yoga classes. It was a fun change of pace, especially since this wasn’t a super early class and I was already awake and into my day.

The flow built up to poses that required more and more strength and balance. However, even when I started to lose balance in a pose, I felt comfortable to readjust and get back into it rather than embarrassed like I can sometimes feel in other studios and with other instructors. In the end I left the class feeling both empowered and refreshed. I’m sure every teacher and every class is slightly different, but overall I loved this local neighborhood studio. Now, if only it was within walking distance to me.

If you want to check out this studio for yourself, Mirepoix is on classpass, and available for a fairly low number credits! And if you’re interested in other studio reviews check out these other posts: AIR Aerial Fitness, The Space Between, and Yoga 2.0.