Good Vibes Only: El Paso hot yoga studio

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Dania Gardea can now add another title to her resume. She has been a lawyer in Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico for 20 years, focusing on family law, including adoptions, divorces and custody battles.

In September 2024, she opened Hot Yoga El Paso. She said many people are fascinated when they learn she owns her own hot yoga studio.

“They, they're a little shocked. That's not usually what lawyers do, I guess. But, you know, I think people are scared of yoga. First, you know, I mean, they see it as really challenging, and so they're often curious. They're often like, 'Oh, wow, how do you do that?' And, you know, 'How do you survive the heat?' And, you know, it's mostly curiosity and, and, sort of shock," she said.

The opening of her studio came years after she first tried hot yoga herself.

“Well, I was certainly up for a challenge, and in 2019, I started taking classes here locally. And I fell in love with it.”

Gardea said she enjoyed the physical challenge and the benefits.

“I think what first got me was the challenge and just the overall wellness that I felt after I practiced, once I started practicing on a regular basis, I just, I started to feel a lot more clearheaded; I felt stronger; I felt like I had more energy. I was sleeping better at night. My, my bones didn't hurt as much. Just overall, clarity in the body and the mind. And it was, it was very energizing.”

The studio owner said she invested over $100,000 to get the place up and running. It comes complete with two yoga rooms and a hot room where temperatures can reach up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. She said the biggest challenge was the completion of construction—adding that everything took about six months to finalize.

Gardea said there are only two studios like this one in El Paso. She said the response so far has been very positive.

"And we've gotten a lot of support. We've gotten a lot of really good feedback from the community. And I think it's just mainly now just getting our name out there and letting people know that we're here, but everyone, you know, has been really supportive. And so it's been it's been great," she said.

Gardea encourages others to take on the challenge and try out hot yoga. Hot Yoga El Paso is located at 3800 N Mesa St, Suite D-2.