Ana Hough - founder
Ana Hough is a certified Yoga instructor and a certified black belt Nia instructor at A2 Yoga in Ann Arbor. She emits a positive aura fed by an elixir of yoga-unifying and dance-releasing power. Rooted in yoga and trained by some of its famous practitioners, Ana entered the complimentary realm of Nia around the time of the new millennium. Nia, or Neuromuscular Integrated Action combines nine different techniques including martial arts, dance, healing arts, and yoga. “It’s really all about moving your body in your body’s own way.” She said, “It’s learning to reconnect with yourself through movement, dance, and creativity.”
Ana opened A2 Yoga five years ago, and moved to a new location in October of 2009 to accommodate the continually growing number of students. A2 Yoga, Ann Arbor’s most popular Yoga studio, was voted the Best Yoga of the Year in 2007, 2009 and 2011. “That tells me that we’re doing something right because those votes come from actual students,” Ana said.
Energetic and acutely aware of energy, Ana has always been curious and fascinated by the human body and how it moves. She thinks and breathes in bodily terms. Her connection to the kinetic is apparent from her days as a top athlete in school to her dynamic teaching style in Nia or Prana Vinyassa class. She comes from a family of entrepreneurs and business owners. Her parents own, and her mother operates Ann Arbor’s classic downtown Mail Shoppe. “As a child, I was encouraged to find something that I liked and make it my own.” She said, “I feel privileged to have had that kind of encouragement as a kid, and it has certainly empowered me as a business woman.”
Her fascination with the human body initially took her into the world of massage therapy. Ana attended the Ann Arbor School of Massage, perfected her technique, and is now an experienced massage therapist. “Again, it was this idea of making something my own, and making decisions for my own life.” Ana tries to pass that idea and the encouragement that her parents gave her on to her own young son. “He comes into the studio with me a lot. It’s good for him because he gets to see me teaching and running a business.”
With yoga, Ana has overcome and corrected severe scoliosis, which used to cause her to have massive migraine headaches. “Yoga was a huge part of reshaping, correcting, and strengthening my spine. That experience helps me relate to my students with injuries and severe health and pain issues.” With regular practice of yoga and Nia, Ana maintains dynamic energy, remains in superb physical condition, and has not had a migraine in 20 years.
One of the most frightening yet rewarding days of her life was the day that she opened A2 Yoga. “I opened the doors to the studio that day, and people started coming in. It was a huge confidence builder. And now, five years later, they’re still coming back. It makes me more conscientious about the people I hire as instructors or staff. I want this studio to be a comforting place, a place where people feel welcome and at ease.”
One of the reasons that Ana opened this business was to have a space to give to people. She generously offers free weekly yoga and Nia classes to the public as part of a daily schedule which includes a diversity of yoga styles and traditions. “Yoga is an education. Teaching people to live in a healthy way is so important. It’s opening a door to the idea of taking care of their body, and a way for them to remember who they are-- body, mind, emotion, spirit-- and the energy of all that is.”