By CHARLENE DEAN
PVT
Beka Bergman, who said she has wanted to open a yoga studio here for a long time, has finally realized her dream.
Yoga Centered, located at 3370 S. Highway 160, Suite 11, held a grand opening Saturday and classes officially started Monday.
Bergman has been teaching yoga and a combination of yoga and pilates, or “yogalates” in Pahrump for the past four years.
She held classes at Dragon Cloud Dojo, taught for First Move Fitness and Anytime Fitness, and is currently holding classes for the Death Valley Park Rangers and California Highway Patrol at Furnace Creek.
Her new venture is being financially backed by Elise Bartlomeo, whose son holds a doctorate in mathematics. After taking Bergman’s classes, Bartlomeo, his mother and Bergman began working out the details of opening a full-fledged studio.
It has taken almost a year to get the business open. Bergman said her official capacity for the business is “director of operations and instructor.”
Her interest in yoga stemmed from her own serious medical issues and finding that yoga helped to “make me well,” she said.
She has been practicing yoga for 30 years and after studying and becoming certified, she began a 20-year teaching career which has taken her all over the world.
Bergman isn’t the only instructor, and yoga isn’t the only form of workout Yoga Centered offers.
On staff are Sandy Rodrigues, who teaches Polynesian and hula dancing. Bergman said students will learn “the hand and body movements which are the interpretation of the Hawaiian language.”
Barbara Koss will teach belly dancing, and Cherie Burgess teaches a high-impact cardio workout called “turbo kick.”
Elsa Sabellos is the instructor for “spinning,” or a workout on stationary bikes with music.
Paul Rupe will teach “taijiquan,” which is a form of tai chi.
Bergman is the instructor for “hot astanga” during which the room temperature is cranked up to 95 degrees and students practice yoga movements. Bergman said it’s “like being in a sauna without the relaxation.”
She also instructs pilates for core strengthening, yin yoga, which is isometrics choreographed to work connective tissue, and offers bonding yoga classes for parents and children. Seniors’ classes are available, too, where all exercises are done on a mat.
The “yogalates” classes are still available and sponsored by Anytime Fitness.
Yoga Centered classes are filling fast. Bergman said all the students from Anytime Fitness and First Move Fitness have been followers.
She’s very proud to say the studio is “the only single-class facility where all of the instructors are certified in their area of expertise.”
She offers a card for five, 10 and 20 classes, and a monthly card with unlimited classes is available. The hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Call 513-7277 for more information.
Free Diabetes seminar
Desert View Hospital and the Diabetes Treatment Center will host a free Diabetes seminar at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 8, at the Pahrump Senior Center, 1370 W. Basin Ave.
To register call Anne Blankenship, 727-5008, extension 204.
VFW schedule
The VFW Post 10054 has the following events scheduled:
* Pancake breakfasts will be from 8 a.m. to noon, Aug. 21 and Sept. 4 and 18. The cost is $3. Proceeds will go to landscape the front.
* Breakfast is served from 8 to 11 a.m., each Sunday. The cost varies from $3 to $8 and includes coffee and orange juice.
* Dinner is served from 5 to 7 p.m., each Friday. Dinners range from $6 to $8. The second Friday is fish and chips for $7.
The VFW is located at 4651 Homestead Road and is open to the public.
Call 727-6072 for more information.
4-H dances
UNR Cooperative Extension 4-H cloggers and square dancers are looking for youth ages 9 to 19. Enrollment is $1.
Call 727-5532 for more information.
