It's the best studio in town. Tory and her team offer a yoga practice that is both demanding and rejuvenating in an environment that is welcoming, clean and calming. My mind and body always feel better after a class here. All of the instructors are knowledgable and always willing to answer any questions you have about the various poses. The studio itself has great heat for power yoga and is completely spotless. I strongly endorse Blackbird. It's one of my favorite places in Ithaca. read more

I've pursued many extreme fitness regimens, e.g., martial arts, p90x, mountain biking, and hot power yoga takes the prize for kicking my butt! Tory, Jen, and Zenaib have each done it masterfully! Been to other studios, but none combine quality, cleanliness, community commitment, inexpensive classes, and easy access better than Blackbird. Lastly, for an extra special butt kicking, try paddleboard yoga. Tory is Ithaca's first and only instructor. It's a serious challenge, but awesome to plunk in the water when you get hot. read more

I hosted a bachelorette in the Finger Lakes and Tory came to our rental house and taught a class for us. It was AMAZING. She was so accommodating and taught a really great class. We were mostly a bunch of beginners and she was able to make it challenging but totally doable, enjoyable and fun. I live in NYC so have taken a bunch of different types of yoga classes and this was honestly one of my favorites. We all felt so much better after the class. Would 10/10 recommend if you're in the area! read more

Blackbird Yoga is challenging and rewarding. I took about 6 months off from practicing and have been back for roughly a month and am seeing results already! I purchase classes by the 20 pack, which suits me well because I travel a lot for work. The "Oh Sweet Sunday" Class is my favorite with a half hour of Yoga Nidra to finish the practice. Teachers are awesome and relatable. Be prepared to get a great mind/body workout and a few laughs during class. read more

Blackbird provides an amazing studio experiences that manages to welcome and challenge people of all different skill sets and experiences. This is the first and only place that I have done yoga and it was also the first place that I tried barre. I am now hooked on both and even on the days when it felt like I couldn't get anything to flow well I walk away feel rejuvenated and at peace. Every instructor is very welcoming and ready to answer questions and spend some time after class to talk about techniques and form. While each instructor has a different style (I can only speak for the yoga and barre classes) the underlying tone of the classes is of a practice that focuses inwards and encourages you to take the class at whatever level you need. Both of their locations are very clean and set up to be cozy and relaxing. I also enjoy the ability to schedule classes in advance on their website or phone app. The cancellation policy is very clear, but in the occasion that a student is running late the studio makes an effort to have the smoothest transition possible when they do make it to class. read more

As a 21 year college guy into weight training, I never really considered myself a yoga person, but I attended a class here on a whim and was highly impressed. The hot yoga provided a great whole body workout, and even as a beginner (first time EVER doing yoga) it was an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Tory was a great teacher and managed to motivate while also ensuring people did not push themselves beyond their limits/comfort zones. The class was also diverse in terms of age range and gender, which was nice to see. The class made me work hard but in a good way, and left me feeling nice and relaxed at the end as it seemed to relieve a lot of muscle tension. I highly recommend Blackbird Studio to anyone, beginner or experienced, looking for a good way to work out and relieve stress and tension at the same time. read more

A new and growing woman-owned pilates and yoga studio. Excellent, highly trained staff and an ever-expanding class offering.

I love Blackbird! I have been taking hot yoga classes here for the past two years. Having sampled many yoga studios all over the US, I can say that Blackbird is my all time favorite. The space is wonderful and I love the community. The teachers are fantastic-- I usually take classes with Kelly and Tory. read more

Great studio! Initially, I purchased the $15 for 15 day pass to try all the classes out. I am now a regular at this studio - all of the staff members are friendly and helpful! Highly recommend if you are looking for a good sweat, detox, or core workout! read more

Arriving at Cornell, one of my immediate goals was to find a place to continue my yoga practice. I was not expecting much, just a decent studio with reasonable priced classes. I did not expect to find a place as great as Blackbird. The summer class package was a great deal, but more importantly it was just a great, well-run operation with two nice locations. I tried barre for the first time at Blackbird, and the teacher was very friendly and seemed happy to help me learn the movements. I now mix in a barre class every now and then and I'm glad that I was able to learn about it here. read more

I LOVE blackbird studio! -It's great that they have two locations; both locations are clean and have mats, yoga blocks, barre equipment, etc. -$100 unlimited per month for students is a great deal -parking at their main location is always super easy because there is a private lot; at the college-town location there is plenty of street parking -They have an app where you can sign up for classes so it is super convenient -All of the teachers have been amazing -Class times are convenient for my schedule (student) - plenty of afternoon/evening classes read more

Love this place! Came here because I was dropping my daughter off at Cornell and I will be back. We had a phenomenal class between trips to Target and beautiful runs on the campus...oh yeah and moving her in! Classes get full but there is a reason why. I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching for 12 and in my opinion this studio is supportive, not pretentious and a great workout. read more

Lovely, small to medium size studio class setting with well-trained instructors who always deliver sessions which blend a great work out with meditative perspectice. I always leave feeling more balanced. Thank you to all the birds at Blackbird Studfio for helping me soar in 2011; I look forward to 2012 with this community. read more

This is a great place for yoga. The facility is super clean and staff is very friendly. It was my first time ever doing yoga and Tory made me feel very comfortable while I contort my body into positions that I didn't know even existed. After trying it for the first time, I was completely hooked! I would highly recommend this place. read more

I was almost 50, out of shape, 20+ lbs overweight, depressed, and not feeling empowered, when I went to blackbird and asked Tory for help! Three years later, I am at my high school weight, toned, tight, and strong, no back aches ever! Pilates and hot yoga have transformed my life physically, emotionally, spiritually, I am still working on the changes that i know will make for a happy life, and there is no way I could do this without a strong core, and I mean that in every way.....and it is all thanks to Tory, a women who is dedicated to correct alignment and maximum benefit from every class. read more

Blackbird is my favorite yoga studio in Ithaca. For experienced yogis, this IS the place to go to get a great workout. The hot yoga is actually really really hot! My favorite teachers are Tory, Kelly, and Zainab. They try to switch it up every class and keep it interesting. Go early or reserve for the 6pm classes though, they get really full. Go and check it out with their 3 for 25 intro special! read more

If you're looking for a great Yoga/Pilates studio- this is it! As an out of towner- I popped by to try a few classes, and the instructors are as nice as anything! They are super helpful, making you feel welcome without drawing attention to a newbie. The studio is a bit small- the hot yoga studio inside can comfortably fit 8pp, so go early if you want a good spot. The studio is new, clean, and organized well. I would definitely recommend this to anyone! read more

Hands down favorite studio in Ithaca. I haven't felt the magic of their barre or pilates classes, but I am addicted to yoga there. Heat is especially wonderful in winter. I feel wrung out and full of endorphins after every class. Challenging, in a good way! My favorite teachers are Tory, Diane and Jen. read more

I have been a regular at Blackbird for two years now. It is a completely average, A-OK yoga studio. I will continue to practice here as long as I live in Ithaca. The instructors are good and the facilities at both locations are nicely decorated and clean, except they do not have proper full mirrors on the walls of the studios! All of their studios just have small framed mirrors at eye level. Those mirrors are cute but it makes it very difficult (read: impossible) to work on my form, especially in barre class. My other complaint is specific to their Collegetown location. I went to a hot yoga class there and forgot my water bottle. I asked the instructor if I could buy a bottle of water and she said they did not have any water, nor did they have a water cooler of any kind. Who has hot yoga classes and does not provide (or at lease sell) water?! That is CRAZY. The instructor was very nice and gave me her personal water bottle, but it was a weird experience. I mean, I have been to yoga studios in developing countries that still manage to sell water. So that is weird. Not that it will keep me from returning - I will just be sure to not forget my water bottle next time. read more

I was in Ithaca for 3 days visiting a school, and needed my hot yoga fix. Got a 3 class pass for $25 bucks, perfect for my immediate needs. I'm used to doing Bikram, where the room is heated to over 105 degrees, and a completely different style. I did 3 of the hot power yoga classes, and each were very different and fun (something I miss doing when only doing Bikram because each class is the same flow of 26 postures). So in writing this review from my vantage point, yes the room was heated, but I can't say it was really "hot" for me, but again, Bikram and hot are two different animals. I honestly felt very comfortable and not over burdened by the heat, but you can certainly feel it. Each instructor was willing to tailor the class to our requests, and the studio is super chill. If I lived closer, I would certainly be here a few times a week. Studio offers mats and towels at no additional charge which in my experience, is very rare. Super clean, chic studio, worth the visit. read more