"My two-year old daughter and I have been going to Bend together for over a year. She looks forward to every class and the sessions are the most peaceful part of our busy week. At home she will spontaneously run through all of the postures---the cat is her favorite. Kelly does a great job of keeping the children (and parents) engaged. Bend is definitely a stress-free way to exercise with your child and meet other young Yogis at the same time."

- Barbara

"My six month old son loves to go to Storytime Yoga at Bend. We practice what we learn at home. Dylan loves the stories and the opportunity to squirm and shout! He also loves watching the older children prance around the room. It is a joyful time for mothers and children, and you can't beat the price. Attending Storytime Yoga has helped me to get him actively involved in the books we read, which gets him much more interested in reading! Thank you, Bend!"

- Krista

"I have loved coming to bend throughout my pregnancy. I feel that the poses and breathing techniques we focus on in the prenatal class have prepared me to approach labor and delivery with a very calm but strong attitude. The other thing that has been great is meeting other expectant moms- it has been wonderful to hear each others' experiences and swap advice! We have really connected with each other, and I hope we will be friends for a long time- we are already looking forward to bringing our little ones to the Sweet Peas class!"

- Monica, mom-to-be

"I have a nearly 4-year-old daughter, and over the years, we've tried basically every movement class in Charlottesville. Nothing compares to Bend Yoga! The teachers are fantastically warm and professional people, and the classes strike exactly the right balance between establishing a familiar routine that the kids crave and adding new skills so that they never get bored. I've watched my daughter grow and learn so much, both physically and emotionally, during the past few months at this studio. Now she even reminds *me* to do yoga breathing to calm down on stressful days! Plus, Bend's flexible payment options and drop-in style mean that you won't spend a bundle of money on a semester of classes and only end up going to half of them. I really can't say enough wonderful things about Bend. My daughter asks 'can we go to yoga today?' almost every day - she loves it that much. Our compromise is once a week!"

- Angela

"My 21 month old daughter and I started going to Bend when they first opened their doors in August 2010. I have been extremely impressed with Kelly and Merrill's teaching and the environment they create at their studio. My daughter loves the classes and has learned so much in the past 6 months. When we first started at Bend I was worried that she was so young that she would not understand the postures. However, after just a couple of classes, she started doing the postures both in class and frequently at home out of the blue. As we were walking down the downtown mall one afternoon, she stopped in the middle and started doing down dog, which is her favorite posture. She gets excited whenever I tell her we are going to go to yoga. She loves meeting other kids her age and playing and having fun with Miss Kelly. I am now pregnant with my second child and have been taking the prenatal Mamaste classes which I love! I can't say enough good things about Bend. My husband is in the military and when we have to move away from Charlottesville, Bend is the thing that I will miss the most! "

- Laura

"I am a yoga Warrior and have been going to Bend for about seven months now. The Warriors class has really helped me with muscle soreness and the yoga techniques that Kelly teaches us have really helped me with destressing my mind after (and in) school. I love it that all the sessions are a little different from each other, every time I go there we get to learn something new. Our teacher, Kelly, does a great job in teaching us new postures and helping us to relax. Whatever we do at Bend, it's always lots of fun! There are so many things to say about Bend, but one thing is sure - BEND YOGA TOTALLY ROCKS. It's awesome...seriously."

- Annelise (age 11)

"I started taking classes at Bend during week 15 of my pregnancy. When my son finally arrived a week after my due date, he was 8lbs 4oz and was 21.5 inches long. Without the training and support of the instructors and fellow future mommies at Bend, I would not have been able to make it through 18 hours of labor without an epidural. Though I did not insist on having a medication-free delivery, the breathing and stretching exercises I learned at Bend prepared me to handle each contraction during labor and delivery with a sense of peace and mindfulness. Using those tools, my baby arrived on his own time and I found that I was strong enough to handle the pains of delivery. I can't thank the Bend community enough for all of your encouragement and training during my pregnancy. Because of your support, I delivered my first child feeling empowered and strong."

- Anne