Greenhouse Holistic

This is a review of the yoga classes in both locations.
I absolutely love some of the teachers here. Ola and Lauren are my favorites. However, I have been to some classes here that I really didn’t like at all, which is disappointing. I recommend reading the class description and teacher bio before you try any new class. Even still, it may not mention something really important– for instance I love a few oms to start and end a class, but extended chanting/​kirtan is not for me. When I end up in a class starting with this, it takes me completely out of what I’m trying to find in class. I also went to one class where the teacher did nothing but stand in the back of the room and say poses, and the whole class clearly knew the entire sequence even though it was an open level drop-​in class. No demonstrations, no adjustments, nothing, even for the advanced or unusual postures. You may as well watch a youtube video!
That being said– the teachers I love here, I REALLY love. I think it’s great the studio offers so much variety in styles, but some of the class descriptions could be more specific about what to expect. The open classes are all very different. Ola really breaks things down and helps you learn how to do the poses properly and adjust to others if you’re new or injured, where as others basically say only do them if they are already part of your practice. But– how can you learn to do a proper headstand if no one ever helps you learn how?
I tend to go to the weekday afternoon classes, which can still get a bit crowded, but are generally not too bad. Weekends or nights are packed, but that’s everywhere. I really wish people showed up on time though, or they didn’t let people in late. It’s distracting when people are coming in and jamming into weird spots 5 minutes after class starts. Also, I wish the teachers would more frequently help people space their mats better once it does get crowded.
As for the actual spaces– Driggs is definitely nicer, larger and more air-​y. The Roebling studio can get a little funky smelling and stifling, and the street noise can get crazy. The receptionists at both are always very nice. The students are also generally friendly to each other.
One more thing– once you are on the mailing list, they offer sales on class cards quite frequently. This is greatly appreciated! It makes yoga much more affordable, and I always stock up when there’s a sale.

I recently bought an introductory membership only because my regular yoga studio is closed due to an emergency and I cannot say how disappointed I am with this studio. It is so crowded that you constantly touch the other students. I don’t know who goes there for the cost. There is no community feel and the owners should be embarrassed at the how they decorated the space — there are cheap curtains covering the windows and a really tacky Om painted in the front of the room. It definitely is not a relaxing spiritual environment as a yoga studio should be. There is a lack of care within the studio. The instructors seem knowledgeable but the classes are too full to help anyone with their asnas and even demonstrate how to do them correctly. I wouldn’t recommend this studio to anyone. I’m waiting patiently until my studio reopens.
They also should be embarrassed that during their teachers training they cancel weekend classes for three weeks.
If someone is OK with large classes they should just go to a pay what you can space

I’m in the hunt for a good yoga studio in Williamsburg and have yet to find one and beginning to think that the west coast has the edge on yoga.
I have taken many classes at greenhouse after doing a unlimited pass and though (most) of the teachers are for the most part friendly the classes themselves are not that great. I felt like in the hour and a half long classes maybe about an hour of that was devoted to actual asanas the rest was chanting or worse yet talking.
The two hour hatha class had a very interesting teacher and although not a work out it was a good yoga class, but this class is only once a week. Other then that though the classes were all the same and all mediocre. Never really was challenged or broke a sweat in any of the classes which is too bad. Also they list classes as being either «open» or «basic» or «intermediate» advanced”, I tired all of them and they all were the same. I also took the core classes at the roebling studio and they were again the same but just with some pilates ab moves before the asana practice and again not very challenging.
The reception is odd as well and can be noisy during svassana. Also sometimes the person at the desk does not even say hello which is a pet peeve of mine. And when I was first there to sign up I was not given any info about anything, honestly I only found out they had a sauna after my pass was up – not that I wanted to use a sauna but would have been nice to be told that. I never had a problem with the place being overly crowded, although the studio space is not large.
On a final note, I think where many of the teachers make the mistake is that thinking that the spiritual part of yoga should be taught through them talking aimlessly about spirituality when in fact I think the best way for someone to gain some spirituality through yoga would be through the physical practice.
still on the hunt…

This is a great yoga studio, and I love all of the locations (Driggs being the nearest and my favorite). I have been taking classes there for about a year — six months as a member — and it has been consistently high-​quality. Yes, it is quirky and as one reviewer mentioned, the sauna shares a small reception area with the yoga studio at the Roebling location (the Driggs studio’s reception area is huge). However, how awesome is it to have a sauna that is included with the yoga membership (or even with a single class)?!? It’s a nice perk to have in the dead of winter, so I certainly am not complaining. Yes, it also sometimes gets crowded, but that is the mark of a good yoga/​pilates studio, so I recommend getting there a little early. For me, it is about the quality of the teachers, and while I may prefer some over others, I have never had a bad class.

I went to Greenhouse and had the most wonderful time. Yoga (which includes chanting, meditation, breath work and postures) helps to balance the mind, breath, body and spirit. The teacher I had class with, Dana, was calming, sweet and knowledgeable and I left feeling refreshed and centered.
I just want to add to some people who seem a bit confused: yoga is NOT about «exercise,» «working out,» and «sweating,» despite what some will have you believe. If this is what you want to do, go to the gym and skip yoga.

Just took a class with Patricia Pinto (she was subbing for a month) — she is fantastic! Her style and level of class makes me want to come back for the next — I hope she finds a permanent spot at this location!

Not my cup of tea. Made the mistake of purchasing an amazon local deal, figured it would be a great reason to try more yoga studios in the neighborhood.
Tried the location on Roebling first — the guy rambled for about 20 minutes dripping with atheistic sarcasm about himself, then barely had us break a sweat with the 5 poses we did. It’s cramped, tiny, and poorly organized. I felt hostile after leaving and regretted not leaving in the middle of class.
Figured to make the most of my deal and try the Driggs location… not any better. The instructor was at least sweet, but where in my Amazon local deal did it say I would have to chant to some «love goddess» for 15 minutes accompanied by her drumming?! I just want to exercise! I did myself a favor and left during the chanting, quietly.
Not the place for you if you’re looking for a good workout. Good if you like hearing nonsense.

I purchased a groupon or livingsocial deal to this place. I was super excited to try it out because I had a friend who used to go here and loved it. Just to give you an idea, I have been doing yoga for about 3 years and consider myself to be intermediate, certainly not advanced, and definitely not a beginner. I like a good challenge, but not «power yoga» or gym yoga style. Things should flow nicely, be somewhat relaxing, and quite sweaty. I like to feel content, thankful, and grateful. I like to feel peacefully stoned when I leave (who doesn’t?).
First, I went to the Grand location for a sunday night candlelit class. It was still pretty chilly outside, and it felt like the place hadn’t been heated. The first 20 minutes of class, the teacher (who spoke so quietly i could barely hear from the second row) sort of rambled the usual beginning of class to get everyone present… which I like, but this went on for so long that I was bored stiff. especially with the cold temperature in the room, I was frozen and ready to start moving. The rest of the class was ok, but definitely not memorable. But it was a nice space if nothing else.
My second class, I decided to try the location near N 7^th street. It was pretty cramped in the entryway, and sort of dingy looking. The reception desk is shared with the spa, and there is one bathroom and a teeny tiny changing area. The studio filled up quickly, and was quite crowded. The teachers (Paul and a girl who’s name I dont remember) were about 10 minutes late. UGH. This had to have been one of the worst classes I have ever taken. He mumbled so much and spoke so low, so monotone, so unenthusiastic, so uninspired, that I wanted so badly to get up and leave. It was the least creative sequence I have ever experienced. I didnt break a sweat for more that 2 minutes, and that was towards the end. It was impossible to get any sort of momentum going. There was no flow at all, and we were holding poses that were not pleasant, for not pleasant amounts of time while he said inhaleexhaleinhaleexhale in the same monotone. AAAAAAAAHHHH!!! All I could think about was how cool he was trying to be, like some super stoney summer of ’69 guy that was too young to have been there and really just trying to keep up some kind of Bedford Ave image. yoga is not about this, nope, not at all. I should not have even been thinking about any of this while in class, and definitely should not leave a class angry. well, I did. I actually went and got a drink afterwards to chill myself out. Yikes.
So even after all this, I decided to give it one last try. So I went to the one remaining studio that hadn’t made my heart sink. yet.
The south side driggs location is bright and sunny and pleasant looking. and extreeemely crowded. The woman who is teaching is cute and irish, and I like her immediately. I am sweating and sliding all over, and being challenged like I rarely have, and its pretty great… Until the kind adjustments given at first turn into hyper-​adjustments. Like, my downward dog is being adjusted. EVERYTHING I AM DOING IS WRONG. I feel as though I could have done corpse pose wrong to this lady. There are several others who seem to be doing everything wrong too. I’ll admit, some of these things I had not done before and was open to learning, in fact, I love that. But she keeps mentioning that the open classes at greenhouse are more like advanced classes, so maybe some of us should stick with beginner until we are ready… WHAAAAT??? I’m sorry, but this is not my first rodeo… and also, the last 2 classes i took at this stinkin place bored me to tears! And if that wasn’t bad enough, she said it twice more before class was over. she had people doing headstands and things that were clearly for an advanced class, not an open vinyasa class. which is fine, I love a challenge… but don’t get all high and mighty, throw us little people a bone while you have the rest of the class doing advanced poses. show us how to get there, and don’t make us feel like a bunch of losers. and maybe you should not be teaching an «open» class when you are not «open» to different levels. Duh.
Sooo.
I have 17 classes remaining from my package that I bought, and guess what? Even if you paid me the amount of money I had spent on those classes I would not return. never ever. Greenhouse, get it together. You have successfully managed to do what a yoga class should never do. make someone leave angry and upset. Disenchanted, insecure, and did I mention angry?
If you are looking for good, friendly yoga and a great workout in the area, stay away from this place. I would rather go to yoga to the people, and I dont much care for that place either. Go to usha veda in greenpoint, move with grace in clinton hill, ishta yoga or yoga vida in the city… anywhere but here!

I wanted to join Green House for about a year before I actually could afford to do so. I was so excited to finally join for a year and began taking classes every couple days. Everything was great till I took class with their teacher Paul Manza. I’m legally blind and have some serious glasses I need in order to see. I’ve been taking yoga for years and always used my glasses when the positions allowed and placed them on the edge of my mat when the positions were inverted or such. Well this day Paul while walking though the class stepped on and completely destroyed my glasses beyond repair. He went on teaching the class and I thought «fine he’ll come by after». After the class he completely ignores me and goes into the other room. Again I’m thinking he’s going to say something when everyone leaves maybe so I linger. After about ten minutes still nothing I go up to him showing him my glasses. I kid not he says to me in the most passive way «Ohhhh yeah about that, I’m sorry, I guess». I respond with a REALLY?! I go onto explain to him how since my eyes are so bad my glasses are not cheap and cost more then my membership to do the yoga. He responds with «I don’t know what to tell you» and walks away. I went home furious and wrote the head of the company expecting if the teacher won’t step up maybe the company will. They preceded to cancel my membership and refund me the $ 69 I paid for that first month (which I had already used half of). $ 69 was no where near the $ 400+ my glasses cost. I then wrote offering to pay half if Paul or the company would cover the other half. The company wrote me back saying how since their teacher is a independent contractor they aren’t responsible for his actions. I don’t know how it works in their world but in mine when you break something of someone’s you fix it don’t blow them off. I thought it was over here but no, the company then the next month still charges me for my membership they said they «canceled»
causing my bank account to over withdraw and bouncing my rent check. I wrote them furious about this and they never responded. I always thought yoga was about putting good energy out into the world? Guess it’s not with this company when it comes to money and owning up for their actions.