Four and a half years ago Kacee Must took a chance on Detroit.
Focusing on mind and body wellness, Citizen Yoga has become a staple in the community. After the loss of her sister, Kacee sought out to create a place for people to feel connected to themselves and the people around them. Citizen Yoga is a place for everyone.
Hair by Bombshell Salon
EXP: What is your favorite coffee joint downtown and what do you order?
KM: Currently, MadCap! They are Citizen’s newest neighbor. They have opened their space for us to host early morning philosophy classes. It is wonderful to collaborate with our community.
EXP: If someone is health conscious what would you recommend for lunch in the city?
KM: 7 Greens, Avalon or Brooklyn Street Local!
EXP: With Citizen Yoga expanding into other states, what makes Detroit unique?
KM: Detroit is a small city with a huge amount of potential. It was a perfect place for Citizen to step in and help build a community focused on connection, health and stress management. When we first opened, it was hard to convince people to stay and socialize. Citizen teachers and staff worked extremely hard to educate people about the practice, convince students to substitute one happy hour per week for a yoga class, and most importantly, say hello to each other.
“It’s great to have a community where people speak to each other openly and greet strangers like old friends.”
EXP: Is there anything you’ve seen in your world travels that reminded you of Detroit?
KM: In other cities, there are city squares and walkable areas so that people are interacting and sharing experiences. Detroit has done a great job creating areas like Beacon Park, Capitol Park, and Campus Martius that promote community building.
EXP: How did you get introduced to yoga and how has it impacted your life?
KM: I was introduced to yoga as a form of exercise. As a child, it was also a place for my family to go together as a group activity. I never thought that yoga would become such a central element of my adulthood. As years moved on, I needed yoga to manage depression and anxiety. The practice became much more a tool and time for reflection versus a physical workout. Yoga is very special because it is a form of physical movement that asks you to work the body but observe the mind versus stress the mind. It is the best example of how we should try to live our day to day lives.
EXP: How has starting Citizen Yoga exceeded your expectations?
KM: I had no intention of expanding Citizen Yoga when I first opened, but the power of community and our staff made expansion the next right thing. We currently have studios in Detroit, Royal Oak, Bloomfield, and Cleveland.
