Touring singer launches music-infused yoga and fitness concept on LI 

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A well-traveled singer and songwriter has turned entrepreneur with a new yoga and fitness studio slated to open in Woodbury later this month. 

Called here Hot Yoga & Strength, the 1,800-square-foot studio in the Woodbury Town Plaza shopping center at 8025 Jericho Turnpike features a unique “music-infused” environment where “movement, sound and mindfulness” are combined to promote wellness in its varied class offerings. 

The here Hot Yoga & Strength concept is the brainchild of Gabrielle Ross, a singer, songwriter and performer with more than 25 years of music industry experience. The singer, who grew up on Long Island, has shared the stage with the likes of Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle, O.A.R. and others, amassing more than 400 million views and music streams. When touring, Ross always sought out new fitness facilities to keep in shape and help her survive the rigors of the road. 

“Fitness was always like my happy place and the first thing I would do when traveling around the world was find a new fitness facility,” Ross told LIBN. “I was diagnosed with a health condition when I was really young and the only way to manage it properly was through taking care of my health with fitness and nutrition.” 

A healing trip to Costa Rica where Ross visited a yoga sanctuary, was a turning point for the performer, providing the inspiration for her concept.  

“I was meditating in the shallow there in the middle of the jungle and I just saw a vision of this space,” Ross said. “And I thought, if I could provide this feeling to people at home it would be so amazing.”
Ross has spent the last year building the Woodbury studio, which welcomes founding members, friends and family next week, before its public opening on March 31.  

“I was always searching for this perfect place that offered everything under one roof–hot yoga, strength, cardio, recovery and also amazing music,” she said. “As I’d be on the plane going to places to sing, I was drawing floor plans and stuff for years.” 

here Hot Yoga & Strength features 16 different classes representing a wide range of yoga, strength, cardio and fusion. It has a heated room with infrared heating, as well as a non-heated room, showers and massage therapy. 

The studio is currently offering a third round of discounted founding memberships that range from three months to a year and include a variety of perks. Once those are sold out, 12-month memberships range in price from $120 to $270 a month, offering different numbers of classes and discounts on workshops, in-house spa services, special events and premium classes. Walk-in classes are also available at $40 a pop. 

And of course, the singer says music will be one of the studio’s most important components.  

“Music is so motivating and healing and sound and frequency is also so healing and important,” Ross said. “Every Thursday night we’ll also do a candlelit live-music Vinyasa flow. We’ll have live piano and live guitar and at the end of every class in Shavasana I’ll sing a song.”