Glaza Studio, Des Moines

Glaza Studio courses with movement. Live percussionists strike drums during Afro-Brazilian dance classes, hastening the tempo as students transition from warm-ups to folkloric dances. In capoeira sessions, teachers blend acrobatic and fight movements into a workout that makes the heart pound like Thumper's left hind foot. Some classes have a quieter personality. Vinyasa yoga, for instance, strings together a fluid sequence of movements. As participants transition from one pose to the next, they bridge the transition with calm, purposeful inhalations or exhalations. All classes take place in an expansive room that resembles a warehouse. Narrow planks of wood stretch across the floor, and rectangular beams brace the ceiling. Coating the walls, naturally distressed paint gives the space a historical vibe.