By Gina Lanaux

Forty-seven years ago, a 22-year-old girl graduated from college with a BA in Dance Education and with big dreams, opened a studio above the Page and Palette and called it Creative Outlet. Its first iteration was a school for many creative classes; piano, calligraphy, guitar, tai chi, drama, and of course, dance. Her father, a hands-on dad, co-signed a loan and taught her how to run the business, with handwritten financial ledgers, postcard marketing, and in-person, 3x5 card registration. It was the Dark Ages compared to the present day, but it worked.

After about a year, because dance was her main focus, the other classes dwindled and the dance program took off with about 20 students. Twins, Karin, and Kelley Wolff, granddaughters of the wonderful Betty Jo Wolff, who was the owner of the Page and Palette, became some of the first students that I taught in the lovely upstairs studio space. 

I remember when I hired a sign painter to put the logo and name on the entrance door and when I went down to check on him, he had painted Creature Outlet!  A lot of dancing creatures climbed those stairs for many years…. And Karin and Kelley are still there! Karin, who owns the Page and Palette now said,” My father who was one of the owners at the time, Robbie Wolff, signed me up for ballet classes, making me one of her very first students. I fell in love with ballet and continued dancing with the studio all the way to high school. The memories I made during that time are some of my most cherished—Creative Outlet was truly a magical part of my childhood.”

Now, Plot Twist Yoga Studio will reincarnate this magical space for the joy of movement:  the slow, flowing, stretching, and strengthening that is a close friend of classical dance. A new story, with chapters that will bring health and happiness to others, just as my classes did for those a long time ago. I will bet that some former students will cross the threshold and re-imagine their young selves. This makes me very happy!

Karin approached Angel Curtin, an accomplished yoga teacher, about creating a yoga studio in one of her vacation rentals, above the Book Cellar, because she was embracing yoga with her family, who all work in the family business, as a means to promote their health and happiness and “save their lives on-site “. 

After a 2-hour discussion, they were ready to make it happen.  Angel brought on another yogi, Catherine Teal, who Angel describes as “trustworthy, stable, grounding, and smart as hell. “ Together they have created a very Zen, serene environment to support the holistic practice of Yoga. They intended to be the only teachers on staff, but as word got out, nine more instructors joined them, most of whom are familiar to students in the area.

The schedule of classes is set up as ‘Seasons’ with each quarter exploring objectives to deepen yoga practices. For example, Winter,“ Turning Inward”, Spring,“ Planting Seeds”, Summer, “Blooming” and Fall,“ Letting Go”. For those unfamiliar with yoga, it's not only about the postures and stretching but also about gaining personal insight and awareness on the mat.  Six days a week, classes are offered throughout the day with titles such as Infinite Stretch, Epic Flow, Align and Shine, and Unbound. To see the full list of times, go to MindBody.com or Plot Twist Yoga on Facebook or Instagram.

Angel and Catherine’s yoga journeys are noteworthy as they have over 1200 hours of yoga certification hours combined. Angel found yoga in 2007 when she was a caregiver for her grandmother. A tough job, she arranged for private lessons for her and her grandfather to help them through the challenges of caregiving. From 2013-16, she did 700 hours of teacher training with Augusta and David Kantra, and Rolf Gates. She taught yoga to kids at the Organic School and was certified in a program called Kidding Around. She opened Jellyfish Yoga Studio in Fairhope and teaches at various studios on the Eastern Shore. ‘Walk the Talk- A Path to Recovery’ is a workshop developed by Angel that helps people who are struggling, find wholeness through yoga practices.

Catherine began her yoga practice in 2014 at Alabama Healing Arts in Mobile and has taught and practiced for 11 years. Never intending to teach but to deepen her practice, she amassed 500 hours of training over 3 years.  Part of the training requires that students teach, and she found that she loved it and went on to offer classes at Night Owl and Thrive Yoga in Daphne and Creative Outlet in Fairhope. 

In 2016, she took a Mindful Resilience Training for Veterans workshop, which helps veterans manage their anxiety, stress, and sleeplessness through yoga and breath work. As part of the Baldwin County Veterans Court, she offers a 5-week yoga series as part of their court-appointed rehab.  Catherine explains that this program lies at the heart of the path of karma yoga—selfless action—which asks us to serve others with no expectation of outcome. 

Angel tells me that Yoga means  “To Yoke Together”, to keep everything moving in the same direction. When she notified other yoga studios of her plans at Plot Twist, one replied“ The more yoga, the better for everyone.” This is another example of what yoga practice brings to society: a more compassionate and balanced attitude and endless benefits for the body and mind. Angel says,” Peace begins with me and the ripples go out into our daily life. I have been almost 13 years sober and credit my practice as one of the crucial components.” 

Yoga has something for everyone, and I highly encourage you to take a class at Plot Twist Yoga in Fairhope. Take it from me, there are really good vibes in this studio space!