Say Namaste To Noir Yoga, Bed-Stuy's New Black-Owned Yoga Studio

Noir Yoga opened this month on Ralph Avenue in Bed-Stuy.

[This story first appeared on Patch.com on August 29, 2024, and was written by Local Editor, Miranda Levingston.]

BED-STUY, NY — Bed-Stuy local Mason Mason has been practicing yoga for 20 years, and he has almost always been the only Black man in his classes, he told Patch.

That's why he opened Noir Yoga, his own yoga studio, this month on Ralph Avenue in Bed-Stuy.

His studio, which opened on Aug. 1, prioritizes diversity and making yoga accessible to everyone.

In service of this mission, Noir Yoga has classes for all different skill levels and price points, even "pay-what-you-wish" classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Soon, he said he plans to add a hip-hop yoga fusion class, a heated class and a breathwork class.

"I want people to know that this space is for everyone, for all body types, for all gender expressions, for all sexualities, and for all ethnicities and races," Mason told Patch. "We truly are inclusive. Our staff represents that, and this community represents that."

Many studios claim to be inclusive, but Mason said he's noticed that the demographics of the teachers and clientele often tell a different story.

When it comes to Noir Yoga, he is walking the walk — he has a workshop called "Yoga for Black Men" coming up in a few weeks, and most of his teachers are people of color.

Though he's been practicing yoga for most of his life, he said he never thought he would open his own studio.

Mason has a PhD in education and has taught schoolchildren for many years. Now, by day, he works in big tech in addition to running Noir Yoga.

"About two years ago, I was just going to these different studios and trying to find a yoga community I could connect with, and I wasn't really able to find it," Mason said. "Then I started to think seriously, What if I created the community I wanted to see?"

His professional background has helped him create a thriving studio, he said.

He's in talks with a local preschool to bring his yoga classes to the youngest Brooklynites, and the studio is outfitted with high-tech touches like iPads, a mobile app and top-of-the-line speakers.

"I'm kind of building the plane as I'm flying it," he said. "But I love it."

Noir Yoga is located at 109 Ralph Avenue in Bed-Stuy.