In 2006, husband and wife team Melanie and Guy Landgraf created Tosa Yoga Center, one of the founding yoga studios in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Their mission? To nurture an open, warm, and welcoming space for the practice of yoga.
Melanie’s journey with yoga began when she worked in an office and wanted something to do outside of her job. At the time, there weren’t many yoga classes available in the area so she taught herself by watching yoga on video cassette tapes.
In 2004, she traveled to Brazil to complete her 200-hour teacher training. Initially she taught yoga at a pain clinic while also practicing as a massage therapist. However, it wasn’t long before she recognized her desire to dedicate herself solely to yoga as her primary career path.
In 2006, at four months pregnant, she opened her first studio space in Wauwatosa. She spent seven years teaching there, honing her teaching skills and growing a loyal following. Soon Tosa Yoga outgrew the small studio, and Melanie and her husband Guy began looking for a larger studio space in Wauwatosa.
Over the summer and fall of 2012, they poured their hearts and souls into designing and building their current studio space. After completing the extensive remodel, done mostly by Guy, they officially opened in December of 2012. Students appreciated the beautiful pieces made by Guy, a woodworker by trade, such as the walnut benches, coffee table, and retail table.
Following the relocation, the new studio underwent a name change to Tosa Yoga Center, reflecting a broader vision of embracing additional wellness practitioners in neighboring spaces. Presently, they accommodate professional counselors, a massage therapist, and a physical therapist within their premises.
The Center currently employs over a dozen teachers and staff members. They offer over twenty in-person yoga classes per week, monthly workshops, retreats, and an annual 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program.
Four tenets guide Tosa Yoga: mindful movement, community, inclusivity, and cultural respect.
Community
Tosa Yoga values and champions the strength of community, fostering a supportive environment for their yoga students. Additionally, they actively engage with and endorse local organizations through financial contributions, volunteering, and sharing their skills and expertise.
Mindful Movement
Teachers are trained to lead students through movements and postures with intention, offering alternatives for diverse experience levels and empowering students to tune into their bodies, making adjustments as necessary or desired.
Inclusivity
It was extremely important for Melanie to create a welcoming environment for her students. She says nothing brings her more joy than hearing a student say they feel at home at her studio. The studio provides a range of class formats to suit diverse interests and experience levels. Her staff and instructors also get trained to greet each student by name.
Cultural Respect
Honoring the history, traditions, and cultural roots of yoga is equally important to Melanie. Her team shows careful consideration in their application of these methodologies and teachings to their modern western practice. They design classes to be welcoming to beginners and tailored to the needs of the experienced practitioners all while upholding the integrity of traditional teachings.
When discussing the most demanding and fulfilling aspects of her role as a studio owner, Melanie acknowledged the challenge of juggling business responsibilities with family commitments and daily operations. Despite these hurdles, she expressed immense satisfaction when students walk into her studio and share that they felt a sense of belonging.
This sentiment perfectly aligns with her tagline “Your Yoga Home.”
Monica Delius is a certified yoga instructor who specializes in creating a gentle, sustainable yoga practice for her clients. She is passionate about sharing how yoga can be accessible for anyone who wants to practice. In the corporate wellness realm she supports employees with yoga and meditation classes.
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