Teacher Appreciation Week: Q&A with Sydney Krelitz

Teachers are the heartbeat of CorePower Yoga, and each of them brings their unique selves to add magic to our students’ experience. Our teachers show up every day and provide a safe space for people to focus on their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being and to clear away outside stressors. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, our CEO Niki Leondakis sat down with Denver Sculpt teacher Sydney Krelitz who took her first Yoga Sculpt class in high school and never looked back.

They talk about what inspired Sydney to become a yoga teacher, how teaching helped her discover an untapped part of herself, and her love of learning.

Niki: Hi Sydney! Thank you for making time to meet with me. I’ve taken your Sculpt class in Denver several times now, so I’m excited to get to know a little more about you and share some of your story with our community.

Sydney: I'm so excited! Thanks for asking me to do it.

Niki: Okay, let’s get started. How did you find yoga? And specifically, how did you find CorePower Yoga?

Sydney: They both happened at the same time when I was in high school. I was a competitive tennis player and skier, and my coaches would always tell me that I was good, but to take it to the next level, I needed to take my fitness more seriously and get in better shape. My mom had been practicing yoga for a really long time - like 30 years – and was one of the first CorePower members in Minneapolis. Against my will, she dragged me to CorePower. She convinced me that I would like this class called “Sculpt” because I had all the preconceived notions about yoga that so many people have. You know, it’s sitting around in a circle, singing kumbaya and that didn't feel like my jam.

So, I went with my mom to my first Yoga Sculpt class, and the teacher was a woman named Sophia, who ended up leading my teacher training about six months later. I fell instantly in love. I remember it was so fast and furious, and I didn’t have time to think too much or let outside distractions in. I felt like I was just along for the ride, which was nice. And then I remember Savasana. That one minute felt, for whatever reason, like the very first time I’d ever taken a minute to just breathe - like ever - and I just sobbed. Tears were streaming down my face. Not because of any deep sadness or anything, it was just so refreshing to give myself that time and space.

Niki: Oh wow, what a powerful moment and memory.

Sydney: When we walked out of class, my mom asked me what I thought, and my teenage self sort of brushed her off and told her it was fine. But I kept going back every single day. I got a membership, and I was hooked. I felt welcome there, and it was such a warm experience. I was completely hooked.

Niki: That's awesome. I love hearing that. And I love that your mom had the wisdom to take you to Sculpt so that you didn't walk into something you thought was going to be too spiritual or dogmatic.

Sydney: Which I now know is not what yoga classes are like, but that was what was in my head.

Niki: And now you’re a teacher! What made you want to take the step to go through teacher training and teach?

Sydney: There are two reasons. First, it’s so fun for me! It’s a selfish motivation, but it’s so cathartic for me. It allows me to tap into a part of myself that I don’t always present in the workplace or other places in my life. If I'm ever having a bad day, just showing up, seeing the smiling faces, and being in that community feels so good.

The other reason I teach is to give back to a community that has given me so much. Over the years, many people in my CorePower journey, and my life in general, have poured a lot of resources into me and have helped me grow and learn both as an instructor, and as a human being.

If I can give one person the kind of unlock or aha moment that was given to me in my first Sculpt class, then my mission is accomplished. That would be the greatest thing ever!

Niki: You've talked with me about this before. How you can come into the yoga studio as a teacher and explore different parts of yourself that may not show up in other areas of your life. Yet when I take your class, I see someone who's very comfortable commanding the room, asserting herself, and motivating people. Honestly, I'm in there as a student thinking, this is a boss lady. You show up in charge, in a good way.

Sydney: Thank you. That's very nice of you to say.

Niki: But that’s not how you show up in your day job?

Sydney: I think I show up more quietly at my corporate job. I'm not the loudest voice in the room. I tend to be quieter and take time to sit and process my thoughts before I speak. I don’t spit out the first thing that comes to my mind. People I work with, or who know me in an academic setting, would be shocked to see me in my Yoga Sculpt class, because of my level of extroversion, jumping around, and shouting.

But that's the magic in it for me. I get to be both of those parts of me. When I'm in situations at work now where there's tension or discomfort, it helps that I have this undercurrent of confidence. It’s like I have a proof point from which to think, I can lead a group of people in a CorePower studio, so why shouldn't I be confident in this moment and let that part of me show up? It's always in the back of my mind to tap into. I just don't think it presents that often outside my Sculpt classes.

Niki: That's so interesting. In your day job, you take a lot of information in and are very thoughtful and take time to process before you speak. Yet in the studio, you have this very commanding, in charge, direct presence. I’ve seen it and experienced it when I’ve taken your class. You set a high-energy tone for the room, take command, and pull the energy out of us.

I love that teaching has helped you find that voice within yourself. It's there, but now you've activated it, you’ve witnessed it, and can tap into it when you need to.

Sydney: And it's not just me, it's the CorePower community. Having people show up to class and give that energy back to you is so powerful. It's like my hit of dopamine for the day. I teach early on Wednesday mornings, and I always go to work feeling energized and confident.

Niki: You’re right, the community of students reciprocates that energy back to you.

I love taking your classes and one of the things I’ve noticed is that you're always keeping it fresh. It’s always a true CorePower class, but you seem to evolve it consistently. What is the inspiration behind your class sequencing? Where does that come from?

Sydney: Thank you for saying that. I like to challenge myself by trying new things. One of the main things that inspires me is reading about fitness data and trends. I nerd out on equity research reports for fitness companies that are publicly traded. And then to track where venture capital money is going, I read Fitt Insider. They have a fantastic newsletter!

I also consume a lot of fitness media content. That said, I’m selective about who I follow; there's a lot of junk science out there focused on how fitness makes bodies look good, rather than how it makes us feel. Unraveling those two things has been a big personal journey for me. I’m very interested in functional fitness and how we can move our bodies in a way that's going to serve our longevity. For example, how we train our muscles to do things like pick up groceries, open the trunk of the car, or walk upstairs. So, I’m really inspired by the idea of creating classes that enhance the types of movements that happen in everyday life. And, of course, I make it a priority to always try new fitness concepts in every city I travel to. I’ve certainly gotten a lot of inspiration from those. You’ll see elements of cross fit, dance, and boxing in my classes.

Niki: I have to say your research and preparedness show up in your classes. The first time I chatted with you after class, I thought maybe you had a personal training background because I could tell you had a broad fitness knowledge base.

Sydney: Oh good! I probably spend too long preparing and researching. I’m always looking to gain new knowledge and information.

I'm also a big consumer of music. Whenever I'm walking around somewhere and I hear a song, I think oh, this song has the perfect beats per minute for squats. And then I start planning it in my head. I’m doing it all the time, and it's so fun because it's fitness and music together, the two things that I love most. I get to be a DJ and coach at the same time!

Niki: Well, you blend your love of music and your deep fitness knowledge beautifully into your classes.

Sydney: Thank you. I give a lot of credit to the CorePower teacher training program I went through in Minneapolis. The co-leaders of my training, Sophie and Colin, were incredible. Their knowledge of anatomy, and how they taught the muscle-action cues, were exceptional. I’ve had so many great teachers at CorePower and taken amazing classes, but my Teacher Training experience truly stands out in my mind as one of the greatest experiences.

Niki: I love hearing that.

Shifting gears now, what are three things students can expect when they sign up for your class?

Sydney: First, it’s going to be a dance party with fun music ranging across a ton of genres! My playlists are my babies. I sometimes even make my own mixes or remixes if needed. It’s so important to me that the music is good because there is nothing worse than trying to crank out pushups to a song with no 808s and there’s nothing better than starting a set right as the beat drops.

You can expect to push yourself physically in a way that will unlock the mental realization that you can persevere through tough moments. That’s what Yoga Sculpt has done for me. As a teacher, it’s tempting to say that people can expect a hard workout. But every Sculpt class is hard. Every C2 class is hard. As a student, you make it hard when you decide to commit to a movement, stay in it physically, and stay in it mentally. If you can do that, a mental unlock happens that you can do hard things, both on the mat and outside the studio. I can only do so much as the instructor of the class to get people to believe in themselves and to believe in their full potential.

Niki: Yes, that’s so good - physical unlocks that will enable mental unlocks. It’s like what you described earlier when you find a part of yourself as a teacher, and then you can replicate that part of yourself in your day job, and in other parts of your life. Similarly, when your students endure your endless number of burpees, they know they can do hard things. They take that mindset into their lives, and it powers them through the hard things in life.

Sydney: Yes, exactly. That's also what's so cool about teaching. You get to witness people have these unlocks.

Niki: As much as you take learnings from teaching yoga into your life, you are giving that to your students as well. You’re helping them tap into a part of themselves they may not show to the world, whether it’s endurance or resilience. It helps them power through challenges.

What’s the third thing?

Sydney: Community is an overused word, but I try to find ways for people to connect. We count out loud as a class together a lot, which is a reminder that we are sharing the energy in the room. We could go to the gym and throw some weights around by ourselves, and sometimes we do. But there's a reason we chose to show up on our mat at CorePower, and we’re working as a team. I hope people come to my class with an open mind to embrace the community, and that they want to come back for that reason.

Niki: Counting down together is a hallmark of your class. I love the intention behind it.

Tell me a little more about creating community. How do you help the students feel part of and welcome in your classes?

Sydney: I try to remember names and use them in class, that’s a no-brainer for me. Then, when I know people well enough and they feel comfortable with me pushing them, I’ll try to get in their faces to encourage them to work to their full potential. I have some regulars, and sometimes I grab heavier weights for them and put them down by their mats because I know they can do more than they think they can. CorePower teachers do a good job of making people feel seen and included, but we all get distracted and weighed down by our day. Sometimes, as students or teachers, we check in, go into the yoga room, put our mats down, do the class, roll up our mats, and then leave.

But there’s nothing worse, and I’m sure we’ve all experienced this, than going into a group fitness class and feeling excluded. When it seems like everyone is part of the group, and you’re not meant to be there. So, my number one priority is to make people feel like this is a safe space for them. And I'm working on making a connection with every student who walks in the door. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking this out of the park. But I’m mindful of making eye contact, saying hello, and engaging students in a conversation to get to know them.

Niki: Thank you for sharing this. I think we all have an opportunity to slow down from the busyness of our lives - the stress of what’s coming next or how much is on our to-do list - and be more present in the moment so we can see each other as individuals. For a CorePower teacher, that's a lot of individuals to connect with. But I think meaningful connections can happen in seconds and seemingly small moments. It's eye contact, the use of someone’s name, and the follow-up after class asking for feedback. You’re right, those are all moments of engagement that can make someone feel seen and included.

Sydney: I love getting feedback from students. I ask for it all the time. I want to know how I can improve the class – what did they love, what did they hate? How can I make it better?

Niki: This is a perfect example of Growing Forward, which is one of our core values. In my own words, it’s about continuously improving ourselves and taking responsibility for our growth and development. You are a wonderful inspiration for continual improvement. You are a great role model in that way.

Is there something, Sydney, you'd like to see from CorePower Yoga in the future?

Sydney: This is tactical, and I defer to you on whether this is a business direction you want to take, but I think having some way to differentiate the range of intensity level in Sculpt classes would help set students up for success because there's such variance in this class type.

Niki: That's great feedback. We’ve heard the idea of varying levels of Yoga Sculpt before, so this is on our radar.

Sydney: Oh good.

Niki: In the meantime, one thing that might help solve what you're describing, or at least a baby step in that direction, is encouraging teachers to add more narrative to their teacher profiles. For example, if your Sculpt class is known to be more challenging, have loud music, or push people to their edge, you could add a few key descriptors so when the student clicks on your teacher profile, it gives them a little more insight on what they’re signing up for.

Sydney: Yes, using the teacher profiles is a great idea.

I know CorePower offers continuing education opportunities. I would also love to see opportunities that encourage Sculpt teachers to continue to re-up their knowledge and have access to the latest exercise science thinking. I know I would love to gain additional certifications related to Sculpt. I think that would be helpful.

Niki: I am all about learning and development opportunities for our teachers and employees. We launched the 300-hour teacher training program for all teachers a couple of years ago for our 200-HR certified yoga instructors, our C2 instructors, who have taught at least 100 classes.

And I agree with you that we can think about what we offer for Sculpt teachers in terms of additional credentials or certifications. That’s a great suggestion, thank you.

Niki: Is there anything else you'd like to share? Anything we didn't cover that you'd like people to know?

Sydney: I'm just very grateful for this opportunity, Niki. It feels extra special to me because the journey I’ve been on with CorePower for over a decade now has been so important in my life. I'm grateful for everything that teaching has given me, and that this community has given me.

When I first moved to Denver a year ago, I had no friends and no plans. I had just quit my finance job and moved from New York to be close to the mountains and experience something new. The first place I looked for was CorePower Yoga. I knew CorePower would be a home for me and a family and an opportunity to get back into the studio doing something I love.

Niki: So beautifully said. The community here is unlike anything else. It's just the best!

It’s important you know that the gratitude and love you have for this community comes out in your classes, and is given to your students, so it's going full circle.

Sydney: That makes me so happy. Thank you!

Niki: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me Sydney. You're an inspiration! You really are and I’m thrilled to have the chance to get to know you a little better. I hope to see you in class soon.