SoHo co-owner Natasha Snow Needles led two, hour-long classes. As participants moved from child’s pose into downward-facing dog, Needles acknowledged that the outdoor setting provided more opportunity for distraction, but urged students to remain connected to their breath. It helped that her trademark blend of anatomical cueing and light-hearted humor remained unchanged.

I am most proud of our community. Our goal (Pete, Richard and myself) was and is to create a space where people feel at home and loved. We wanted to provide a place where anyone at any point in their life (literally ages 3-199) can find what they love. That is exactly what we do, because it’s true, this. I think the diversity of our classes/teachers sets us apart

Soho Yoga was founded by three big fans of yoga. General Manager Pete Niva became friends with professional basketball player Richard Jefferson while the two were in college in Arizona. Both became fans of instructor Natasha Snow Needles, and several years ago the trio decided to fill what they saw as a void in heated yoga offerings in the South Bay.

Richard Jefferson's long-time friend Pete got him into practicing yoga during the NBA lockout in 2011. During that time, Jefferson was suffering from back issues, and yoga became part of his workout regimen. "You're literally stretching your body for an hour non-stop and I just found so much joy in how my body reacted to it that I became addicted to it like most people," said Jefferson

On a first visit, one could be forgiven for mistaking Hermosa Beach’s Soho Yoga for a spa. The glass beverage dispenser near a door to the heated studio carries a rotating cast of delicately flavored ice water (Strawberry!). There are complimentary face towels, like the kind given out on nice airlines, but they are chilled rather than heated. A solitary vending machine sells nothing but bottled water.