aUM Yoga brings a quirky twist on yoga to N. University

Jessie Lipkowitz gave her new yoga studio a name that is a play on words, and play is exactly what she hopes her students do when they come to class. Rather than the typical, straightforward yoga offerings, aUM Yoga hosts classes with such name as " All Yin, No Yang: Yin Yoga," " Damn! This is Sexy and Slow!: Slow Flow" and " F*** This is Hard: Hot Power Vinyasa." "My vision is to have a fun place where yoga isn't taken as seriously and is fun for beginners," says Lipkowitz.  The 2011 University of Michigan graduate calls her unique approach to yoga a collaborative concept. She hopes to pair classes with monthly books discussions and juice cleanses and to invite businesses to partner with the studio to bring yoga options to their employees.  "I give all my instructors full license to use their creativity," she says. aUM Yoga opened last week on N. University in a 900-square-foot studio below Silvio's Organic Pizza. Lipkowitz says the near-campus location appealed to her, as she hopes to attract students interested in a playful, youthful approach to yoga. The new studio employs 12 instructors.   Source: Jessie Lipkowitz, aUM Yoga Writer: Natalie Burg