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Thursday, November 28, 2024

There’s a new sanctuary for health and wellness in the Mother City

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If you’re looking to prioritze your well-being and connect with community this festive season, One Flow Yoga and Wellness Social Club is the place to be. Created by a dynamic trio – Jeanae Dumas, Aiden Hart, and Deirdre Dumas–the wellness oasis blends world-class design with a deep commitment to holistic well-being.

Aiden, the design visionary behind the studio, has brought his international expertise – honed through his work with global brands like Nike – to this project. His previous design of a 9,000-square-meter sports and wellness facility in the Netherlands heavily influenced One Flow’s atmosphere. The goal? To create a studio that blends form with function, ensuring every detail enhances the overall experience. We caught up with them ahead of the opening to learn more about the space and their respective roles.

Founder and Yoga Teacher, Deirdre Dumas, Supplied

Meet Founder, and fellow yoga enthusiast, Deirdre Dumas

What motivated you to partner with Jeanae and Aiden in launching One Flow?

As an entrepreneur with a history of building and running family businesses, the decision to partner with Jeanae and Aiden in launching One Flow Yoga and Wellness Social Club felt like a natural fit. I’ve always been drawn to the collaborative nature of business, especially when I get to work alongside my daughters. Our family values and shared vision create a strong foundation for every venture we pursue. Previously, I’ve run a business with one of my daughters, and it’s a truly rewarding experience to build something together while complementing each other’s strengths.

Bringing Aiden into the team just added another layer of expertise and drive. He’s a natural entrepreneur, with a wealth of knowledge and experience in business that is truly impressive. He not only shares our commitment to creating something impactful but brings a fresh perspective and strategic insight that elevates everything we’re doing. With his powerhouse approach and my family’s entrepreneurial spirit, I’m confident that One Flow will be a space that people genuinely connect with, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes us.

How do you see the synergy between yoga and wellness reflected in the club’s offerings?

The synergy between yoga and wellness in One Flow Club’s offerings clearly aligns as an integrated approach that fosters mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Yoga at its core does more than just stretch and strengthen the body—it cultivates mental clarity, emotional stability, and stress relief, which all contribute to holistic wellness. One Flow seems to understand this and creates an environment where yoga practices are not isolated physical exercises, but rather tools for a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

In One Flow’s wellness space, there’s a clear intention to blend yoga with practices that support total wellness, acknowledging how deeply interconnected these elements are. By offering classes, guidance, or even a curated environment that values relaxation, healthy habits, and mental clarity, the club goes beyond fitness. The idea is not just physical improvement but achieving an overall sense of peace, health, and balance. In practical terms, this could mean One Flow integrates yoga with services or sessions dedicated to stress management, sleep support, and personal growth, all of which are vital for a balanced life. We offer restorative or yin yoga sessions focused on relaxation and nervous system balance, and wellness workshops on mindfulness and good sleep practices. This holistic approach helps members build habits that go beyond the mat, enabling them to carry the calm, clarity, and resilience from yoga into their daily lives.

What community initiatives or events do you plan to introduce at One Flow?

At One Flow our community initiatives and events aim to build a supportive, all inclusive space that extends the benefits of yoga and wellness beyond individual practice and into a shared experience. The following key experiences are on our radar.

•Community yoga days

•Wellness workshops and guest speaker events

•Outdoor yoga and mindfulness events

•Wellness challenges and accountability programs

•Events that supports community causes

One Flow class in session, supplied

Can you share your vision for the future of One Flow and its impact on the local community?

My vision for the future of One Flow is to become a true wellness hub—a space where people come not only to practice yoga but to feel supported, connected, and empowered to live healthier, more balanced lives. I see One Flow as a catalyst for positive change, fostering a vibrant community that values mental, physical, and emotional wellness and uses these principles to enrich daily life. In the future, I envision the One Flow offering a comprehensive range of wellness programs that go beyond yoga classes, including mental health resources, workshops on sustainable living, personalized wellness coaching, and even partnerships with local health professionals. By integrating these resources, One Flow can help individuals in the community achieve balance and resilience in all areas of life.

Over time, the impact of One Flow on the local community could be profound. By supporting individuals in reducing stress, improving mental and physical health, and fostering connection, we can contribute to a healthier, happier, and more engaged community. I imagine a ripple effect: when people feel well and supported, they bring that positivity into their families, workplaces, and social circles. Ultimately, our goal is for One Flow to be more than just a club; it’s a space that inspires positive transformation, both individually and collectively, creating a lasting impact on the wellness and spirit of our community.

What personal experiences in yoga have shaped your vision for this space?

My personal experiences with yoga have profoundly shaped my vision for One Flow. Yoga has been a transformative journey for me—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I’ve experienced firsthand how yoga can bring calm, clarity, and resilience, even during challenging times, and I want One Flow to be a space where others can access those same benefits.

One of the most defining experiences was when I discovered how yoga could help manage stress and reconnect with myself. At a time when I felt overwhelmed, yoga became more than just a physical practice; it became a grounding, supportive space that provided perspective and inner peace. This taught me that yoga studios should be sanctuaries where people feel safe, supported, and empowered, no matter what they’re going through. At One Flow, I want every member to feel that sense of safety and calm.

Another impactful experience was practicing yoga within a community. There’s something powerful about sharing the space with others, moving and breathing together, and supporting one another. I realized that community itself can be a form of healing. This is why I envision One Flow not just as a place to work out but as a space where people can connect, encourage each other, and feel a genuine sense of belonging.

Lastly, yoga has taught me the importance of balance—not just in postures, but in life. It’s about integrating physical wellness, mental clarity, and emotional resilience. I want One Flow to embody this holistic view of wellness, offering members resources to support all aspects of their well-being, from physical fitness to mental health, relaxation, and mindfulness.

Ultimately, my experiences with yoga have shown me the powerful impact it can have on a person’s life. This understanding drives my commitment to creating a space where people can explore yoga, find balance, and experience growth, knowing they are supported on every step of their journey.

Meet International Design Expert, Aiden Hart

How did your experience with global brands influence the design of One Flow?

Working with global brands such as Nike definitely has influenced our design considerations when it comes to wellness and health environments. In addition to the obvious kind of technical understanding of how things work and operate and the optimum way that we should be providing an environment for our end users, we also gained a lot of experience with regards to best in class. So One Flow back of house technical installation is exceptional. It’s a world class heating system with a world class fresh air supply system that involved both engineering services from America and also consultants in India with regards to the perfect yoga studio heating environment.

What specific design elements did you prioritize to create a holistic wellness environment?

The full wellness environment at One Flow is a massive technical accomplishment. We have, in a very tight space, managed to squeeze in superior extraction systems, superior heating systems, connecting several different energy sources into the building to maintain both a high heat requirement, but also an environmentally friendly response to insulation and enclosure, so that no heat wastage occurs, which is common amongst other studios. Specific design elements will include a 175mm solid timber sprung floor in both studios, which is both easy on the joints, but also provides a thermal insulation of superior value. The double glazed glass wall, which provides for clear views into Studio One, but also gives us an environment that is heat retaining and also sound retaining, so as to reduce the amount of noise pollution within the space.

How do you balance aesthetics and functionality in the studio’s design?

My design philosophy is very much one that form follows function. So balancing functionality with aesthetic happens first where we get the functionality of the spaces right, and secondly the aesthetic follows. However, in this case we are fortunate enough that the functionality and the aesthetics merge quite seamlessly into what is quite a beautiful space with very little passageway kind of reticulation, a lot of openness, a lot of clarity on where the next part of your journey will go to when you’re looking in the studio or walking into it, and also offering the sufficient privacy and contact points for our guests and clients.

Can you discuss any particular features of the space that enhance the overall wellness experience?

I would say that there are several features of the space that enhance the overall wellness experience. There is the sense of transparency and openness to approach, which is indicative of our approach towards our seekers, our clients, that allows people to feel comfortable as being engaged in the reception and café space. And then moving through into a more intimate experience when you walk underneath the mezzanine space. And these are the two essentially wellness experiences in the Cold Plunge Sanctuary and also the Journey Sauna. These lower leveled ceilings allow us to create a sense of intimacy and comfort, almost womb-like in the way that it encapsulates yourself. The experience for the yoga practitioner is a beautiful balance of space and light, with Studio 2 being one where we control the light output entirely, and Studio 1 being open and engaging with beautiful afternoon and morning sunlight coming through the space.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during the design process, and how did you overcome it?

There were several big challenges to be faced during the design process. These included the project program, obviously budget control, and just trying to allow for the best technical solution and not allow the technical solution to dominate what is quite an intimate and personal experience. So we worked hand in hand with my partners in the yoga studio. Many, many experienced professionals were engaged in the technical delivery of the space and how best to accommodate what we needed to do. And then I would say a firm hand as the design custodian in creating the boundaries on which we couldn’t go beyond. So boundaries for space utilization, boundaries for allocating the correct amount of environmental space allocation and keeping everybody in their lane with regards to what they could and couldn’t occupy. So space utilization was incredibly important for us.

What does holistic well-being mean to you, and how is it integrated into One Flow?

I would say that holistic well-being is something that is about discipline and commitment to being able to go on the good days and the bad days. And what we’ve done to integrate this idea into One Flow is to try and under one roof provide a real social accessible environment for ourselves to find ourselves. There are various spaces in which one can find a place. These include quiet places and also active engagement places. So we create an environment that is perfect for you when you’re feeling motivated and also allows and accommodates for you when you’re feeling less motivated to go out and do it. So there’s no reason or very little reasons for you not to go and engage in wellness.

How do you hope to differentiate One Flow from other wellness spaces in Cape Town?

I think One Flow as a space and as an offering will find its own community and tribe. It certainly has leveled up the intention with regards to what we should be providing to our end users and it aligns more closely with international experiences. We have modeled a lot of the offering on what is best in class and I think that is going to put One Flow in its own position. As to how it differentiates from other yoga studios or wellness offerings is not so important for me as more what it can give to people that come and experience it, which I feel it completes a lot of wellness requirements from people that have previously only been able to practice yoga in a very limited type of environment.

Can you describe a memorable moment during the creation of One Flow that stands out for each of you?

The endless meetings between the three of us which happened both video and face-to-face across many, many different hours of the day and on the weekends. The constant messaging and support for each other during this process which can be something which is quite challenging and how we have all added a huge amount of value to the experience and ultimately that is evident in the One Flow space and the One Flow offering and more importantly in what the One Flow schedule is going to offer our guides and seekers during the coming months and years.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own wellness-focused business?

I’m often reminded of the saying that goes something like this “if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together” We have certainly embodied that statement where the power of three, four, five, six is bigger than the power of one. So anybody looking to start a wellness-focused business, tap into your community, tap into your tribe and develop an offering that ticks the boxes of the people that you want to attract to come and use the space.

Meet Founder and passionate Yoga Teacher; Jeanae Dumas

What inspired you to create One Flow Yoga and Wellness Social Club in Cape Town?

The inspiration for One Flow Yoga and Wellness Social Club came from a desire to create a supportive community that promotes connection, where individuals can explore their yoga practice and overall wellness in a holistic environment. The beautiful surroundings of Cape Town also played a significant role in inspiring us to create a space for relaxation and personal growth.

How does your approach to yoga and wellness differ from other studios in the area?

Our approach differs from other studios by integrating various wellness modalities alongside traditional and no -traditional yoga practices. We focus not only on physical postures but also on mental wellness, offering a wide variety of classes and experiences that people towards peak experiences.

Can you share a bit about the types of classes and wellness programs you will offer?

We offer a diverse range of classes including Free Beginners Yoga, Hot 26, Kundalini, Power Yoga, Vinyasa flow, Yin, Sculpt, Kettle Bell Sculpt etc. Additionally, we provide wellness experiences that include the benefits of contrast therapy (hot and cold).

How do you envision the community aspect of One Flow impacting your members?

The community aspect of One Flow is essential as it fosters connections among members, creating a sense of belonging. We believe that shared experiences and support can significantly enhance one’s wellness journey, encouraging members to motivate and uplift each other. We specifically curated various spaces in our sanctuary where people can connect, chat, have a meeting etc.

What role does mindfulness play in your teaching philosophy?

Mindfulness plays a crucial role in my teaching philosophy by encouraging students to be present during their practice. We emphasize the importance of breath awareness and self-reflection, helping individuals cultivate a deeper connection to themselves and their surroundings. Creating the opportunity for everyone to have their own experience.

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