Yovana Yoga

Yovana Yoga Yovana is a yoga studio in Calhoun, GA that teaches accessible yoga for everyBody. Our highly skilled teachers will meet you where you are. Park Ave.

We are a welcoming & nonjudgmental community that accepts you for you & cheers you on during your yoga journey! We are located in Downtown Calhoun, GA at 301 S. It is the street between Wall St and the Train tracks.

In this 3-day training, you will learn how to confidently teach chair yoga and adapt yoga positions for students who ben...
06/22/2026

In this 3-day training, you will learn how to confidently teach chair yoga and adapt yoga positions for students who benefit from a more accessible approach to movement.
You will learn how to:
Improve joint mobility and range of motion
Build balance using poses supported by a chair or the wall
Teach effective strengthening and stretching that is accessible to a wide variety of bodies and abilities
Understand common movement considerations and precautions for aging populations
Break down traditional yoga poses into their essential actions and adapt them safely and effectively
Create classes that help students move with greater confidence, stability, and ease
Training Schedule
Monday, July 13 • 11:30 AM–5:00 PM
Wednesday, July 15 • 11:30 AM–5:00 PM
Thursday, July 16 • 11:30 AM–5:00 PM
We will start each day with a 45 minute practice. There will be an hour lunch break. You will get to practice what you learn and get feedback.
Investment: $350
Sign up here: https://yovanayoga.com/events

About the Instructor
This training is taught by Sarah DeFoor, a yoga educator with nearly 5,000 teaching hours and more than 1,500 hours of advanced training. Sarah has developed her own unique approach to chair yoga, blending principles from yoga therapy, yoga for osteoporosis, Qigong, and adaptive yoga to create classes that are safe, effective, and empowering.

Who Is This Training For?
This course is open to anyone interested in learning more about chair yoga and accessible movement practices. However, a 200-hour yoga teacher certification is recommended for those who plan to teach the material professionally.
Yoga teachers will receive 14 hours toward the Yovana Yoga Teacher Training program (Georgia Yoga Teacher Training Collective) or 14 CEU's with Yoga Alliance.

Join the Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Gs4jsgw45/

Unfortunately, Sunday afternoon's Gentle & Supported class will be cancelled for the rest of the summer. We're sorry for...
06/19/2026

Unfortunately, Sunday afternoon's Gentle & Supported class will be cancelled for the rest of the summer. We're sorry for any inconvenience. Please check back with us often regarding scheduling.

Over the last few weeks we've spotlighted our teachers here in the Yovana Yoga family to show that they aren’t random in...
06/18/2026

Over the last few weeks we've spotlighted our teachers here in the Yovana Yoga family to show that they aren’t random instructors. These are deeply trained professionals with decades of combined experience. Your body deserves experienced teachers that give guidance you can trust.

Are you ready to get started? Call or Text the studio 706-609-0266 or visit yovanayoga.com

This time we are spotlighting Laura Sparks RYT-200! 🌸Laura’s yoga journey began in the early 2000s when she and her then...
06/16/2026

This time we are spotlighting Laura Sparks RYT-200! 🌸

Laura’s yoga journey began in the early 2000s when she and her then-boyfriend happened upon a flyer advertising a yoga class in East Point, Georgia. The class didn’t last long, but Laura and Bryan’s enjoyment of the practice did. They sought out yoga classes throughout the Atlanta area and even during vacations in other places, such as Durango, CO, and the Lake Eden Arts Festival outside Asheville, NC.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, and the not-so-newlyweds had a young son, and they had relocated to Chatsworth, Georgia, to care for Bryan’s mother. One day, while their son was in preschool, Laura finally tuned in to the little voice inside her body saying, “You really need some yoga!" She immediately pulled out her phone, Googled "Yoga classes near me" and found a little studio "where yoga and nirvana meet."

That first class in Yovana's Calhoun studio started Laura on a new branch of her yoga journey. Having cared for older family members, she was intrigued by the benefits of chair yoga for people who can't get down to the floor. She already believed that yoga is every body. After trying the class, she was amazed at how much she enjoyed it. She was able to access better alignment and more openness in many poses. She also found the energy and camaraderie of the chair yoga students infectious. Laura graduated from the Yovana Yoga 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2024 and is excited to share her passion for this powerful practice.

We had a family hang today! Join us any weekend to play on the wall. The class is every weekend. It alternates between 2...
06/14/2026

We had a family hang today! Join us any weekend to play on the wall. The class is every weekend. It alternates between 2 pm Sunday and 11 am Saturday each weekend. Classes are 90 minutes and $35 per session.

It is time to feature Melody Parker RYT-200!In 2008 Melody began experiencing lower back pain, after visiting a chiropra...
06/11/2026

It is time to feature Melody Parker RYT-200!

In 2008 Melody began experiencing lower back pain, after visiting a chiropractor she found that she had two slipped discs, a pinched nerve & scoliosis. After many adjustments she began to heal & with the nudging of her big sister, decided to give Yoga a try. After just a few classes she fell in love and wanted to learn more and completed her 200 hour certification with Aura Wellness Center, along with mentoring coach Rhonda Shannon of Stretch & Breathe Yoga.

Recently, Melody completed her second 200 hour certification at Yovana Yoga under the direction of Sarah DeFoor E-RYT 500 & Grace Stephen E-RYT 500 & PYT. This allowed her to register with Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200. Melody has done advanced teacher training in Yoga for Back Care with Sue Hopkins & Lillah Schwartz both are E-RYT 500 & C-IAYT. She completed her restorative teacher training at Yovana Yoga in 2022 under Sarah DeFoor E-RYT 500 and Certified Rest and Renew Restorative Trainer. Melody teaches alignment based Yoga and Yin.

Melody has been teaching a yoga donation classes benefiting the hot meals program at the VAC for more than a decade. First at her church then at Yovana. Melody is a long time resident of Calhoun and has been married to husband Randy for 27 years, has two beautiful children, Tucker & Natalie, a lovely daughter-in law, Rachel and an adorable grandchild, Caroline, two cats, and a dog.

Share, like, or comment to support Melody!

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Denise Cass RYT-200 ☀ In 1976, Denise discovered Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan. As a...
06/09/2026

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Denise Cass RYT-200 ☀
In 1976, Denise discovered Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan. As a young mother with an infant and no time or money for studio classes, she taught herself basic poses from the book — and quickly fell in love. Yoga made her feel restored, relaxed, and energized.

Over the years, Denise continued to practice off and on, depending on the demands of work and life. But in 2023, she returned to the mat with a new intention: restoration. She was experiencing pain in both knees and one hip and was determined to avoid surgery.

With a consistent practice, transformation came quickly. The aches and pains vanished. Sleep became restful. Mood swings eased. Mental clarity returned. It was life-changing.

She discovered that the benefits of regular yoga practice are truly immeasurable.

Inspired by this powerful shift, Denise took a leap in January 2025 and enrolled in a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program. She graduated in September 2025 — and now, she’s ready to share the gift of yoga with others.

👋👋Say hello to Amy Quarles M.Ed, LPC, RYT-500, CCYT, & TCTSY-FJust before turning 50, Amy decided to make some changes i...
06/04/2026

👋👋Say hello to Amy Quarles M.Ed, LPC, RYT-500, CCYT, & TCTSY-F

Just before turning 50, Amy decided to make some changes in her life. She saw the Yovana Yoga sign and decided to give yoga a try. Although she had tried some yoga on her own, she had never taken a studio class. Once she took a class, she fell in love with the way it made her body feel. She became a regular student at Yovana, and then became interested in developing her practice further.

Amy completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in June 2021 at Yovana Yoga under Sarah DeFoor, E-RYT 500 and Grace Stephen E-RYT 500 & Professional Yoga Therapist. She has completed the 95 hour Grounded Kids Yoga Training with Amy Haysman & Sedef Dion. This makes her a certified Children's Yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance. The skills she learned were specific to teaching children and adolescents yoga and Amy has been able to utilize those skills with both individual children she sees within her therapy practice, and with some groups she has done through the Gordon County Child Advocacy Center.

She did her restorative teacher training in 2022 under Sarah DeFoor E-RYT 500 and Certified Rest and Renew Restorative Trainer. Amy studied yoga for back care with Lillah Schwartz E-RYT 500 and I-AYT. In 2024 Amy completed her 300 hour trauma informed yoga therapist training under David Emerson E-RYT & Jenn Turner, LMHC. They Co-direct the Center for Trauma and Embodiment. Amy is the only Trauma Certified Yoga teacher in North Georgia. Amy is only the 6th person in Georgia and the only person in North Georgia to become a Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator (TCTSY-F). TCTSY is the only scientifically validated, yoga based treatment for complex trauma and PTSD.

Amy is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice working with children, adolescents and adults. She has lived in Calhoun since 1999 with her husband, Patrick, and 2 sons, Brian and Connor. In addition to yoga, she enjoys gardening, reading, and hiking.

Show Amy some love by commenting, liking, or sharing!

Thanks to two talented local artists, we have a beautiful new sign!Samantha Altmann created the graphic design, working ...
06/03/2026

Thanks to two talented local artists, we have a beautiful new sign!

Samantha Altmann created the graphic design, working through countless variations until every detail was just right. Then Diana Bishop brought the design to life with the skill, creativity, and eye of a true artist and painter.

We are so grateful to both of them for helping create something that perfectly represents Yovana Yoga. Thank you, Samantha and Diana!

A special detail about the sign: the silhouettes are based on real Yovana Yoginis. The tall figure in Warrior I is Mary Jane Gross. The middle figure in a Crescent Warrior is Kate Rice. The lower figure in a High Lunge is our founder, Sarah DeFoor.

What makes this even more meaningful is that all three women are real yogis demonstrating different variations of the same pose—a beautiful reflection of the individuality and diversity that yoga celebrates.

We love seeing our community represented in this special way! 💜🧘‍♀️

Kate Rice is up next for our teacher spotlight! Say hi to Kate! Here is her story:Kate's yoga journey started in college...
06/02/2026

Kate Rice is up next for our teacher spotlight! Say hi to Kate! Here is her story:

Kate's yoga journey started in college. She signed up for a class not really knowing what she was getting into. She had always been active, but that class surprised her (in a good way) with the challenge it offered to her body…and then came savasana, and she fell in love.

She casually followed video and online classes before practicing in Dalton. Once COVID closed the doors of many places, she reverted back to an occasional online practice. Her and her husband found Yovana through a friend and were reminded about how good it made their bodies feel. They began attending regularly and noticed an improvement with their flexibility and strength. She often had hip discomfort with high activity and noticed that was alleviated when she was able to routinely incorporate yoga. She believes in yoga as a compliment to her active lifestyle to stay healthy and balanced. Kate is a 2024 graduate of the Yovana Yoga 200 hour training program.

Kate works as a full time nurse in Dalton at Williams Plastic Surgery. She is happily married to Matt, and they have an amazing son, Sam. She enjoys painting, gardening, hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Our teacher spotlights are to highlight our expertly trained teachers so you can feel supported by teachers who truly know the body. With Yovana Yoga you're in experienced hands.

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Address

301 S. Park Avenue
Calhoun, GA
30701

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7:15pm
Tuesday 9am - 7:15pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 5:40pm - 8:15pm
Friday 8:30am - 11:15am
Saturday 9:40am - 11:15am

Telephone

+17066090266

Website

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