Students hold a standing bow pose as rows of hot pink Christmas lights burn overhead and a Stevie Nicks and Britney Spears mash-up fills the air. This is not your typical yoga class, just as Tricia Donegan is not your typical instructor. Having been bitten by the yoga bug more than 10 years ago, Tricia has created a unique studio that has become a destination for average Manhattanites as well as celebs such as Lady Gaga.

All of the studio’s classes are hot, 90 minutes long, and open to beginner-level students. Each class moves through a series of 26 postures that warm and stretch the body so it resembles the silliest of putties. Instructors break down poses into directions that are easy to follow but can also provide refined adjustments to challenge more experienced practitioners. Despite the party-like atmosphere of many of these classes, Tricia and her fellow instructors abide by a strict “two-minute” rule; students are to be ready to go two minutes before the start of every class, and must respect the two-minute savasana that concludes each session.