Picking a yoga practice in New York, where the options are limitless, is not such an easy task. You can crisscross the boroughs, bankrupting yourself while figuring out whether you like Vinyasa or Ashtanga or Hatha or some hybrid form. Pure Yoga, a massive studio opening June 25 on the Upper East Side (203 E. 86th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-360-1888), offers a logistical solution: nineteen different types of yoga under one very spalike roof and a flat $140-a-month fee that allows unlimited classes. There are straight-from-the-ashram practices for purists (Iyengar fans: There’s a rope wall!) as well as options like Bollywood Fusion (the title speaks for itself) or Acroyoga, a partner yoga, and something they’re calling Zenyasa, which mixes yoga, push-ups, strength training with Thera-Bands, and guided meditation. Master teachers like Yogi Vishvketu and Twee Merrigan will be flying in to teach alongside well-known locals from studios like Jivamukti and Om Yoga. Below, a few instructors assume their positions.
Alison West Teaches: Alignment-Based Yoga “I specialize in teaching people with back problems, even severe scoliosis, and yoga therapy for depression and anxiety.”
Simon Park and Heather Lilleston Teach: Vinyasa Flow (Park) and Jivamukti (Lilleston) Favorite pose?: “Uttanasana” (simultaneous).
Kay Kay Clivio Teaches: Power Vinyasa and Yin/Yang “I lived in Hawaii and raced outrigger canoes. Then I threw my back out and someone suggested yoga.”
Adam Vitolo Teaches: Iyengar “I was hit by a car ten years ago and used yoga as rehabilitation. Then it just took hold of me.”
Paul Manza Teaches: Iyengar-Inspired Vinyasa “Half-lotus lets you sit completely straight without any effort. The hard work is doing all the other poses so that can happen.”
Scott Harig Teaches: Vinyasa, Hot Yoga “I raced mountain bikes for seven years, so my hamstrings are tight. I’m still working on Compass pose.”
Michelle Demus (lifted by Park) Teaches: Hot Vinyasa, Yoga Trance Dance, Pure Core “I studied at Juilliard, then worked at Prada. So I’m a dancer turned fashionista turned yogi.”
Sandhi Ferreira Teaches: Acroyoga, Jivamukti “Acroyoga can feel very therapeutic, like a massage. It also helps to build a lot of trust with the person holding you up.”
Marco Rojas Teaches: Vinyasa “I started a yoga program four years ago at Collegiate, my son’s school. They really need it.”