GET ACTIVE: Yoga & Wine blends fitness, fun, friendship at The Brightside

The Brightside Music & Event Venue will host Yoga & Wine Wednesday on March 29. PHOTO BY LIBBY BALLENGEE

The Brightside Music & Event Venue will host Yoga & Wine Wednesday on March 29. PHOTO BY LIBBY BALLENGEE

Sips and sun salutations – wine and yoga pair beautifully at The Brightside.

The Brightside Music & Event Venue will host Yoga & Wine Wednesday on March 29 in its UpSide Loft. Instructor Elesha Snyder hosts the beginner-friendly class, which focuses on fun and friendship as well as fitness.

“You could definitely do it without having done yoga before,” Snyder said. “A lot of people come to Yoga & Wine as their first real yoga experience. I think it makes it more accessible and less intimidating.”

Yoga has long been touted for its physical and mental benefits from increased flexibility and balance to reduced stress and anxiety. The Yoga & Wine class includes the added benefit of socializing.

Dee Drumm, who now practices yoga regularly, got her start in one of Snyder’s Yoga & Wine classes.

“I really enjoyed the whole energy of the class, the fun and the people,” Drumm said. “It really is fun when you bring a lot of like-minded people together.”

The Brightside Music & Event Venue will host Yoga & Wine Wednesday on March 29. PHOTO BY LIBBY BALLENGEE

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The event begins with time to socialize, enjoy a snack and fill your wine glass. The slower-paced class – with a focus on breathwork and energy renewal – allows for plenty of time for sips of wine in between poses.

“We even do a fun balance pose with the wine glasses,” Snyder said.

Once Drumm took the class she was hooked on yoga.

“Yoga gives me power in body and mind,” Drumm said. “I feel like you can control a lot of things through breathwork.”

She now starts most days with yoga.

“It helps me get off on the right foot,” Drumm said.

The Yoga & Wine class is just one of the many wellness classes hosted by The Brightside.

“We host so many concerts and weddings, it can get pretty stressful,” said event creator Libby Ballengee. “It’s nice to build in yoga, dance and other wellness pop-up events to remind ourselves to take a time out for some self-care. They are great events to offer both to our staff and the larger community.”

For more information on Yoga & Wine Wednesday, visit The Brightside Music & Event Venue on Facebook.

Yoga & Wine Wednesday

What: A gentle yoga class accompanied by wines, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks

When: March 29, 6-8 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Where: The Brightside Music & Event Venue, 905 E. 3rd St., Dayton

Cost: $20, Venmo payments @elesha-snyder

More: Bring your own yoga mat and props

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