Yoga Agora

Life changing yoga class.
I was kind of intermittent with my practice, but stumbled on this studio when hanging out with my sister in Astoria and for the bargain price of $ 8 I figured I couldn’t go wrong. I was 100% right. I cannot believe how such a great class is so affordable in NYC.
Mentally and spiritually it was exactly what I needed to destress and refocus my life. Physically it was challenging with the right amount of guidance and a great combination of various different practices like vinyasa, power and bikram. Anna was a great teacher. Very patient and encouraging, taking the time to know all of our names.
All in all it was exactly what I needed to reawaken my inner yogi.

Great deal for yoga in the neighborhood. I am a regular here and love that I can leave my mat free of charge. Yay to not having to lug that thing to and fro.
The teachers keep the class going at a comfortable but challenging pace. It’s been humid out and sometimes the classes get a tad too crowded. The AC is definitely on but all the body heat from my fellow yogis is overwhelming and I have to sometimes retreat to child’s pose.
Highly recommend this yoga studio!

This review is long overdue. Came here once with a friend and loved it, it was my first time doing yoga. I can see it being effective for my anxiety so I am planning to go back soon. It can be a bit advanced and challanging for beginners. Classes also can get crowded so a tip is to come a few minutes early. Very affordable, $ 5 per class.

I love Yoga Agora! The atmosphere is calm and the studio has a wonderful community feel. I am totally rejuvenated after class. The classes are challenging and would be best described as Vinyasa. The teachers really stress the importance of meditation and breathing. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to challenge themselves mentally and physically.

Yoga Agora is a yoga studio in Astoria. The closest subway is the Broadway stop on the NQ trains.
The studio is located on the second floor, go around the corner to buzz in for access. Big windows let you have a birds eye view of Broadway, and there’s a juxtaposition between your calm zen state and the bustling street below.
Classes are $ 8 with mat rental included. Special classes are $ 10.
I took a special class with Nick on a Friday night that included a live cellist playing for the entire 90 minutes. It was my first yin class so the poses were slower, longer, and more relaxing.
Highly recommended. Nick seems like an experienced teacher with good alignment cues and hands-​on assists.
Tips: Come 10 minutes early for the busier classes. You can’t reserve spots, so it’s first come first serve until the class is full!

I love this studio. The classes are usually full and the price is right. Teachers are great but they don’t do a lot of hands on adjustments which I miss. I love taking class in the summer here when they open all the windows.

I had a great yoga session at this studio. I went to an intermediate class by donation. The room may seem decent in size, until mats fill the floor and many moving hot bodies fill the space. Waych your elbows, legs, hands, butts, and heads folks! The cramped class isn’t necessarily a negative tho. I found it neat to feel the synergy and collective energy from everyone, moving together as. nearly one. There’s always that one person who falls over or is one pose behind (me). Also, many bodies in small space = hot room. It’s better for the flow :) The room is on the second floor with walls made up mostly of windows and a few bright skylights. Very bright and welcoming.
The teacher had a pleasant voice and confident instruction. The flow sequences were a bit faster than I’d prefer, but enjoyable regardless. I liked the variety of the 1 hr class, moving from sun salutations to warriors, to a number of poses on the back, and stomach, then also a number of meditative ones at the end (not just one!).
I liked how it was by donation, and first come first dibs on mat space. That structure allowed my partner and I to pop in to this class easily, being from out of town and on a spir of the moment kind of schedule. I would return!

–i Went for the first time on a Sunday night, amazing class can’t beat the deal only $ 8 $!!! I live over on ditmars but i will definitely be going back! And with several so many classes throughout the day there’s really no excuse to miss .
*Very clean friendly atmosphere !
–I do suggest arriving 15 minutes early the class books up fast

Price: ⁵⁄₅
Instructors: ⁵⁄₅
Atmosphere: ⁴⁄₅
My Mecca. My happy place. My place to just –pause–
Yoga Agora is a wonderful gem in the heart of Astoria, right off the Broadway stop and surrounded by plenty of shops, restaurants, and the like. I found this studio after countless effort comparing different studios in the neighborhood and around my office in midtown NYC, and its reviews really reflected how great it is.
Disclaimer: yeah, they really pack you in. If you’re not comfortable practicing closely next to other people, then maybe avoid 5 pm or 7 pm weekday classes here. It can get crowded. It took some time getting used to, but by taking in the core tenements of yoga of patience and focusing in internally, I’ve learned to find stillness while inches away from a neighbor’s leg and still getting a great workout in. The benefit of this is that they’ll make space for you when you’re running in a minute before class begins. Again, it’s a super welcoming studio.
Prices in 2016 hiked up to $ 8, however, that now includes a mat rental. I’ve seen improvements throughout the studio over the past few months, so I’m happy that the price premium is going back to making a better experience for the students.
Yoga Agora deserves its 5 stars for its amazing instructors. By far, Jodi is my favorite. She’s made such an impact on my life and on my attitude towards yoga, and my best friend and I make it a conscious effort to attend one of her classes every week (currently it’s Tuesday’s at 7pm). She always starts class off with an overarching theme and more often than not, I’ve found a way to relate my life to the lesson she’s trying to teach. I’ve been slowly improving over the past few months, not without the help of her gentle yet firm pose adjustments throughout class. And she never makes you feel like you’re never flexible or good enough — she’ll often admit that a certain pose took her a while to perfect, or that she’s still learning to perfect it. If you don’t have time for yoga classes often, I urge you to try out a Jodi class at the very least (though I might regret recommending this since I don’t want her classes to overcrowd, my own selfish motive).
Nick, the owner of the studio, is a really challenging instructor in the most gratifying way. During my first class with him, he cheered me on during a super difficult transition move and it made all the difference in my confidence with yoga. Rikki and Kelley are sweet and simple instructors, though their classes aren’t as challenging and dynamic as Jodi and Nick’s. I really enjoyed the one class I took from Randi, and she seemed open to students’ criticisms and ideas to improve her future classes. Special shoutout to Kajuan, who no longer teaches at Agora, but taught the most energizing and exciting yoga classes I’ve ever attended.
Net: I love this studio. If you live in Astoria, you’ll love it, too.

Yoga Agora is such a gem. The studio prices are great ($ 8 + free may rentals), and the space itself is intimate (which usually isn’t a problem, but sometimes it can get a little crowded). I always get there 20 minutes early, so I never feel pressured to get a spot.
My favorite thing about YA is that the teachers are so diverse. You will never go to the same class twice. I’ve really enjoyed classes with every instructor I’ve had — but Jodi is my absolute favorite with Matt coming in a close second.
HIGHLY recommend.

I’ve been going to Yoga agora on and off for a year. After an incident where I was turned away from a packed class, I swore that I was done with Yoga Agora. However, Yoga Agora is like the annoying ex-​girlfriend that I keep coming back to. I stopped practicing yoga for a few months and I noticed that I had less energy and my joints began to feel sore. I knew it was time to return to yoga. Due to a student loan situation, I couldn’t spend that much money on yoga. Hence, I returned to the yoga studio that I love to hate.
Like I said in my previous reviews, women make up the majority of yogis. However, yoga is beneficial for everyone who practices it. Even a Defensive Tackle can benefit from yoga. In addition, once you hit the magical 3 – 0, your body requires extra maintenance (I speak from experience).
All yoga classes are inherently the same, whether you take it on the Upper East Side or East New York. They consist of downward dogs, upward dogs, planks, sun salutations, an occasional wheel or headstand, and savasana. However, the quality of the studios varies. Yoga Agora is not one of the better studios. Nevertheless, practicing yoga at a mediocre studio is better than not practicing yoga at all.
Pros:
Inexpensive (though they recently increased the price. $ 8 a class is still somewhat cheap)
Multiple Classes 7 days a week
Friendly instructors
Convenient location (near Broadway on the N and Q and Steinway Street on the M and R)
Lots of bars and restaurants on Broadway so you can relax after an arduous class
Cons:
Crowded and cramped studio (though the weekend classes are slightly less crowded)
You can hear the traffic on Broadway
No elevator– this is not an issue for 95% of the clientele, but suppose an elderly or injured person wanted to practice yoga?
Slippery mats– it literally felt like the mat was covered in oil. I could not get a firm grip on the mat
Every yoga studio in Manhattan is better than Yoga Agora. However, all of them are more expensive. Only practice at Yoga Agora if you cannot afford to practice elsewhere or if you live in the area and for whatever reason can’t get to Manhattan. If you’re taking the weekday evening classes, get there 15 minutes early and be prepared to have someone’s ass in your face

I love this place and like how affordable it is. It allows you to practice often without breaking the bank. The classes do get packed, so get there early. Wouldn’t recommend it for an absolute beginner as the classes do move a little fast, but if you have had a couple of classes and are familiar with the basic poses, this might become your new favorite spot.

Yoga Agora is one of the top reasons why I love Astoria. This small studio is passionate about providing a high quality, yet very affordable practice. Classes are taught throughout the day, accommodating those who work even the most absurd hours.
Like some other reviewers have noted, the space is about as large as a studio apartment and packs as many as 40 people into the space during peak hours (usually the 7 – 8:15 block and the donation based 2 – 3 class on saturdays). Yet every instructor I’ve had has been able to competently manage the number of people and teach a challenging flow.
I’ve taken classes with most of the instructors and here’s how they break down:
–Rikki and Nora both incorporate meditation and mindful breathing especially well into their practices. They both are also good with adjustments.
–Jodi and Gadi both use central themes to frame the class around, either a body part/​pose or a concept, such as endurance, pauses, back bends, etc. Makes for fun, varied classes.
–Kelley, Nicholas, and Randi have especially energetic, athletic practices while also encouraging modifications to suit each individual practice.
–Nick excels at beautifully explaining each pose and challenging you at the same time.
Pro tip: You need to arrive at least 15, even sometimes 20 minutes early to get a spot. Some reviews have complained about being turned away, which is preposterous. With a place this affordable and popular, filling up is bound to happen.

Pros:
–Price — $ 5 and donation based beginner classes
–Nice quaint little space
–Jodi and Anna — great teachers, patient and genuine
Cons:
–Over crowded — they pack you in and keep making you move and shift until you’re on top of each other. Your practice truly suffers this way, I don’t care how centered you are. NOTE: All the photos they show are before class begins, so it looks spacious… they should show a photo when it’s packed with everyone’s mats roughly 1 inch (yes, 1 inch) away from each other.
–They let people ring the bell until 5 minutes after sometimes. Distracting and disrespectful to those who made it in time. I believe they do this to give everyone the opportunity, but there should be a hard and fast cut off that is simply respected by the practitioners. It would not bother me at all if there was enough room for them to simply drop there mat in the back and join in. But instead, we’re often shuffled up and to the sides to accommodate them after we’ve already been settled in our spots. This can happen 2 or 3 times after class has begun.
I really want to love this place because of some of the teachers and the affordability. But they need to allow for fewer people in the space so we can stagger mats comfortably and they should have a firm cut off at the start of class time.

Wow! Yoga Agora is exactly what one needs to get your daily prescription of relaxation and strength. Instructor Juan is amazing at teaching his class and ensures poses are executed. Plus $ 5 a class along with $ 1 mat rentals with it’s conveniently located class in Astoria makes it impossible not to name Agora as one of the best possible damn yoga studios to exist in Queens. As a customer I am extremely blessed to have crossed paths with this phenomenal yoga studio and I can’t wait to come back!

You get what you pay for and $ 5 isn’t much… I went to a late class here and it was just about at capacity. The space is pretty nice and was dimly lit. The instructor was just off. He was giving us the instructions really fast and kept telling us to go slow. This was really annoying me as I go to Yoga to get rid of negative feelings. Anyway, when I was trying to do a head stand, I needed a spotter, he stood by me and I thought he was going to spot me, but when I tried going up and he walked away. This happened a couple of times. Thanks! I didn’t go up because I didn’t want to fall. I know falling is ok, but you know what isn’t ok? Falling on someone else because the place is packed… It was like he wanted me to fall, this was annoying to me as well.
I’m not claiming to be some all knowing yogi, but there was some lack of what I think is pretty simple etiquette. I noticed him walking on people’s mats, not even trying to avoid. I think it’s rude unless you are helping correct someone. He continues to give fast instructions, but telling us to go slow. Then, mentions that, «It looks like someone wants to get out of here.» That person wasn’t me, but I’m thinking where is the exit? Yogi etiquette would tell me that that would be just plain rude. Darn it! I’ve completely lost focus, interest and any hope for a calm non irritating moment. Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, we were instructed to move to the wall without our mats (mostly windows, very little wall…) and to stick our legs up. Someone’s mat was near the wall, I really didn’t want to lie on it, he says to me,” Go over there people share.” Fml. I went and got to lie in someone else’s sweat. He says close your eyes and relax. Really, dude? I’m swimming over here and it’s not at all pleasant.
It wasn’t a good experience to say the least, but the space is beautiful. Hopefully, they can get some more experienced teachers in and or just teach them that some people may not want to share mats and sweat…

I’m usually not a fan of yoga, but a friend took me to this place and changed my mind. You climb up these decrepit stairs and think you’re headed to nowhere, when you walk into a beautiful studio. It’s relaxing and energizing, and just has a vibe that is completely the opposite of the commercial hustle bustle right outside. It’s very affordable and if you are careful to be punctual, you’ll get a spot. The instructors are each interesting and you can find a class that meshes with your level and style.

Love this place! I come all the way here from flushing. You can’t beat $ 5 a class and as a newbie yogi, the instructors are so kind. It’s a small little studio but just perfect

I’m having trouble. There are so many great things about this place, but my one complaint is a big one!
Price is AMAZING. Location is awesome. Teachers are good. Classes are great.
My complaint. Multiple teachers are selfish and honestly misuse the people’s time. Many different times the class is scheduled for one full hour, starts on time, I’m totally in the zone and loving it, and when class is over, i look at my clock and it’s been an hour an a half! In some ways, it’s like «wow! You are getting even more yoga for such a small price!»
But I am a busy person and was going to race home and shower before heading to work. I have been late to work because of this issue.
I shouldn’t HAVE to wear a watch and be bothered looking at it during class.
Get my drift?
Fix this and all is well.

I’ve been going here for over a year and yes, it’s crowded — but it’s $ 5 yoga with great instructors, why wouldn’t peak time classes fill up? If you get there at least 15 minutes early you’ll get a spot. The late night classes are much less crowded also and a nice way to end your night.
The instructors:
Anna — really nice straight forward class good for all levels and she’ll push you a bit which is nice. A lot of core work
Jodi — classes are usually focused on one concept or theme which always changes. Nice change of pace from a standard class and solid playlists!
Kajuan — his classes are aggressive. Very fast paced and don’t expect any coddling. But fun and the class goes fast if you’re not afraid of a good work out.
Rikki — super relaxing classes. Nice flow and she gives you a chance to focus on your basics. Great for late nights.
The advanced class is doable if you have the lingo down well enough even if you’re not super flexible (I’m not).
Anyway, if you’re on the fence, check it out. You get used to the tight space and it’s nice having a good crowd to practice with. Don’t be anti-​social. Do be prompt.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to get yer’ butt kicked by a 120 pound kid with a sunny disposition; look no further. The boo and I came here for a vinyasa class for our first time (she had taken same instructor for a meditation class before and liked him) but we had no idea we’d be crawling out of there by the end of class.
We started off in the normal fashion, breathing exercises followed by light stretching and then ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE when the instructor kicked it up anywhere from 3 – 2,722 notches. We sprang from pose to pose with no breaks, testing our body, minds and cardio to the limit and beyond. We pushed ourselves, and when we couldn’t quite make it, he was kind enough to offer individual instruction. We worked up a sweat, or I did at least, to the point where I felt like it was bikram all over again! A great workout, great instructor (wish I had caught his name) and great studio.
Only negative is that it was PACKED in here, literally we were mat-​to-​mat, and doing the bending-​over poses: butt-​to-​face. Unpleasant regardless how nice yo’ booty is. I wish they had limited it to 5 people per row instead of 6. Other than that this is a solid place for an amazingly terrifying… err, terrific… workout.
This is the stuff of beasts.
Namaste.

This place is great! I come on Saturday mornings and although the class gets packed, it’s still super relaxing and a great workout. I’ve gone to classes with a couple instructors, but Anna is my favorite by far. Make sure to get there at least 10 minutes early on the weekends because they really do fill the classes to capacity — but for $ 5 it’s a great value.

Always wanted to try this place since so many people go here. For $ 5, you cant really expect much. Did not enjoy my class here as the instructor was very monotonous and there was no background music. All that is ok but the thing that turned me off the most was the mats at this place. Im not sure if they even wipe it down after use because the mat had a terrible smell of sweat. They need some type of ventilation because it smells really bad with everyone all cramped up. I couldnt focus because the smell of the mat and the room was unbearable. I guess for 5 bucks you really cant expect much at all

$ 0 – 5 yoga classes, great instructors, crowded, convenient.
What a find! Even if it were a bad class, $ 5 is so worth it. But the instructors are amazing and the space has such nice light. I couldn’t ask for more! The 9a class seems to be less crowded.
Super convenient too! Right by the NQ train, about 15 min from Manhattan.

Unacceptable treatment of customers. 7pm class was full, and instead of them putting up a sign downstairs that says «FULL» they simply don’t answer the door bell.
Well guess what? If they don’t answer the door bell folks, just ring the door bell of their neighbors. That lady in the apartment next door will kindly let you in!

What an amazing way to start your day… Getting in touch with the mind and body at an early hour really will brighten your day and bring a positive energy… This isn’t my first time here but this place is truly a gem in Astoria. As previously stated in numerous reviews, the classes are $ 5 which is amazing and you can’t beat that! Place is quaint and cutely decorated. 7am class full but not as packed as I’ve seen it and it was with April. She’s awesome. Very calming and motivating. Good pace also… I really enjoyed this mornings class and will attempt to go more. ;) namaste

Before I even moved to Astoria, I had Yoga Agora bookmarked «to try». Yoga Agora is great because the studio encourages a sense of community with their affordable prices, modest space and their donation based classes. The studio is one large room that simply decorated, but its very inviting. I’ve enjoyed the classes I’ve taken there and plan to continue coming here.
I deducted a star because as a lot of reviews mention the space fills up quickly. It’s not uncommon to be inches away from others on all sides of you. This doesn’t bother me that much since I get that they want to accommodate as many people as possible to practice together.
One thing I think they can improve on is identifying class levels on their schedules. Not all the instructors go at the same pace or do flows as challenging as others. It would be nice to have it on the schedule since some days I want something more chill whereas other days I might want to sweat it out.

I love the aesthetic space of Yoga Agora, and I love the classes I’ve taken with Jodi, Juan, and Anna. I don’t mind that it’s crowded. If you get there 10 minutes early you’ll have a good spot– just plan ahead.
However, I just took THE most unpleasant yoga class of my life with Kajuan. As someone who does appreciate music during yoga (i think Jodi’s soundtrack is especially good) I found his taste in music to be totally wrong for the practice he was trying to help us achieve. There was rap, dub, and Beyonce blasting in my ear for the better part of an hour. I’ve also never been to another class where the poses felt so disjointed. My body actually feels less symmetrical now. He also publicly humiliated a woman at the beginning of class for feeling uncomfortable walking to the front of the room to find a spot, which set a poor tone overall.
This is a fabulous studio overall, but I can’t understand why anyone who wants to achieve the primary emotional and physical benefits of yoga would want to take a class with Kajuan.

I feel very fortunate to have a yoga studio in my neighborhood that offers inexpensive classes. I used to do work study at Jivamukti, which is my favorite place in the city (not just favorite yoga studio, but favorite actual place), but when they ended their work study program and made everyone start paying $ 22/​class, I had to quit. Let’s face it, Jivamukti is yoga for rich people.
Agora is a beautiful little studio that welcomes everyone. You don’t have to be skinny, and you don’t have to be decked out head-​to-​toe in Lululemon. You’ll see beginners there, even during open classes.
The instructors are really varied. There are a couple I love, whose classes are just as challenging as the classes at Jivamukti. There are a couple who are really disjointed; I almost left once because the teacher couldn’t seem to decide if it was a flow class or a «hold this pose for five minutes while I talk» class. I debated whether or not to say the name of my absolute favorite, but the room is always so packed anyway, I might as well. Kajuan freakin’ RULES! He’ll push your limits to the max, and he’s sweet and funny and just generally wonderful. Kelley is also really good.
The major drawback is that it’s uncomfortably crowded. Morning classes are better, but be prepared to get kicked in the face during evening classes. (This actually happened to me.) There’s barely an inch between mats.
If Agora would limit the number of people, it would completely change the experience of practicing here. I understand they’re trying to welcome as many people as possible. I understand they have to pay the rent. But if they added one more class a day (there are already a lot) and took 10 people out of each one, it would make a world of difference.

$ 5 cash for some of the best yoga in the tristate area.
I kid you not.
What I appreciate most about the open community that lives up to the studio’s name is the difference in practice styles. The instructors all have a shared vision, and most of the class will be familiar territory for most students, but each instructor brings their own «flavor».
If you want to be talked through a visceral journey, go to Nick.
For an experience that takes you out of your comfort zone and into awesome yoga territory, go to Corey.
For boundless encouragement, go to Anna!
And so on.
I don’t think a single instructor is a weak link — try them all and see who you want to go back to.
The room is intimate, and classes at more popular times can get really crowded — but honestly? I find it easier to work through a pose when I’m surrounded by dozens of people working and breathing through it.
2PM classes are almost always packed to the gills; 11AM classes can be full too. 9AM is your best bet. (I don’t go on evenings or weekends.) Rent a mat for $ 1, or bring your own (you can even store your mat there). Water is $ 1.
No memberships, no pressure, no ego.
My only word of caution: If you don’t like to be touched while you’re practicing, let your instructor know BEFORE class, as I don’t think any of them ask during.
Namaste, bitches! ;)

$ 8, cash or card, for some of the best yoga in the tristate area.
I kid you not.
What I appreciate most about the open community that lives up to the studio’s name is the difference in practice styles. The instructors all have a shared vision, and most of the class will be familiar territory for most students, but each instructor brings their own «flavor».
If you want to be talked through a visceral journey, go to Nick.
For an experience that takes you out of your comfort zone and into awesome yoga territory, go to Corey.
For boundless encouragement, go to Anna!
And so on.
I don’t think a single instructor is a weak link — try them all and see who you want to go back to.
The room is intimate, and classes at more popular times can get really crowded — but honestly? I find it easier to work through a pose when I’m surrounded by dozens of people working and breathing through it.
2PM classes are almost always packed to the gills; 11AM classes can be full too. 9AM is your best bet. (I don’t go on evenings or weekends.) Rent a mat for $ 1, or bring your own (you can even store your mat there). Water is $ 1.
No memberships, no pressure, no ego.
My only word of caution: If you don’t like to be touched while you’re practicing, let your instructor know BEFORE class, as I don’t think any of them ask during.
Namaste, bitches! ;)