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Spring 1991

NAMASTE,

The biggest news at Unity Woods, as you can see from the front page of the newsletter, is the opening of the new studio in the District. As many of you know we have been holding classes in Washington regularly for the past four years. During that time Giulia Barrow has been the mainstay of our teaching schedule at a number of different locations, primarily in the Dupont Circle area. While these various arrangements have worked fairly well, none has been ideal. It’s been a little like living in someone else’s home. We’ve been grateful for the hospitality, but we haven’t quite been able to do things the way we’d really have liked to. We’ve had to compromise on comfort (heating and cleanliness, for example) and convenience (e.g., location and class schedule) at times in order to carry on. But interest in the classes has remained strong. In fact it has grown to the point that we have been unable to meet the demand, and it has been that way for awhile.

As a result I have been searching for a suitable space for well over a year, and while the prospects have looked pretty bleak at times, I think the wait has been worth it. I’m very excited about the new location. It is convenient, directly across the street from the Woodley Park Metro stop on the Red Line, one stop north of Dupont Circle and within walking distance of Adams-Morgan. The area is primarily residential with a number of small commercial enterprises, including several good restaurants. It is safe, well-lit and quiet.

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The studio itself is spacious and comfortable and offers many of the amenities that students at the main studio in Bethesda have enjoyed, such as a full assortment of props and a broad selection of books, tapes, and props for sale. And now we are able to expand the schedule so that you can choose a class and time that is more convenient for you.

Along with a number of changes in the schedule (please see the Classes section of the newsletter for details), there are also several additions to the teaching staff. Some of these are occasioned by the opening of the Woodley Park studio and others are simply part of the ongoing evolution at Unity Woods. I’m very pleased to welcome Joe Adlesic, Rocky Delaplaine and Esther Geiger to the faculty.

One of the reasons that Unity Woods has grown the way it has over the years is that while we may have had to compromise on comfort or convenience at times, we have never compromised on the quality of the teaching we have offered. Besides being thoroughly schooled through years of rigorous training and consistent practice, everyone of us truly feels privileged to have the opportunity to do something we so much love to do. I believe that it is that enthusiasm, dedication and caring even more the substantial practical expertise that the teachers bring to their classes that underlies the success we’ve had. Joe, Rocky, and Esther are certainly teachers in this tradition.

       

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