THE ORIGINAL MIAMI YOGA STUDIOS
AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MIAMI YOGA COMMUNITY
MIAMI'S ORIGINAL MASTER GAIA BUDHAI
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF SYNERGY YOGA
Gaia Budhai is a respected yoga teacher, mentor, and spiritual guide. In 1995, she founded Synergy Center for Yoga & the Healing Arts in Miami—one of the earliest yoga studios in Miami Beach—grounded in community, holistic healing, and authentic yogic practice.
Her path has always been one of integration—melding tradition with invention, inner depth with real-life application. Gaia leads trainings, retreats, workshops, and ongoing classes, helping students and teachers alike deepen their practice and embody their highest purpose.
As the founder of Synergy, Gaia has overseen hundreds of classes each week, numerous teacher trainings, retreats, and healing arts sessions. Under her leadership, Synergy has become a major anchor in Miami’s yoga and wellness world
MIAMI'S ORIGINAL ASHTANGA VINYASA MASTER WAYNE KRASSNER
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF SHAKTI YOGA
(Fred took his first yoga class here in 1998)
Wayne Krassner is widely recognized as the founder of the first South Beach studio devoted to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, during a time when the practice was still new to Miami. Through his consistent dedication to teaching the traditional Ashtanga method, Wayne created an entry point for many students who would go on to develop lifelong yoga practices.
In addition to his studio work, Wayne has written about yoga and shared his perspective on how a steady, breath-focused practice can serve both body and mind. He has remained committed to preserving the roots of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga while offering it in a way that is accessible to students at all levels.
By establishing one of the earliest hubs for Ashtanga in Miami, Wayne Krassner played an important role in shaping the city’s yoga community and inspiring future generations of teachers and practitioners.
AND THEN... IN 2001 FRED BUSCH OPENS THE
ORIGINAL MIAMI YOGASHALA AT 345 OCEAN DRIVE
Fred Busch and the History of Miami Yoga
Fred Busch is one of the original pioneers of Miami’s yoga movement. In 2001 he founded Miami Yogashala, the city’s first Power Yoga studio, at a time when yoga was just beginning to take root in South Florida. Yogashala quickly became a landmark — attracting students from across the city, celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Woody Harrelson, and Paulina Rubio, and even serving as the official yoga studio of the Miami Heat.
In the years that followed, Fred partnered with Paul Toliuszis and Hossein Shadanlou to direct the Miami Yoga Studios, which helped define the professional yoga scene across the region for more than a decade. Later, he went on to establish Brickell Hot Yoga, which became one of Miami’s most popular and influential yoga studios.
Fred was also part of a core group of pioneering Miami teachers — alongside figures like Ryan Spielman and Michael Gannon — who trained and practiced together in the early years, shaping the culture that made Miami a recognized yoga hub.
Alongside Gaia Budhai, Fred Busch remains one of the most important influences in the evolution of yoga in Miami. His contribution stands out for combining yoga with nutrition, meditation, therapy, and hands-on mastery, creating a system that continues to transform students worldwide
FRED BUSCH'S STUDIOS IN MIAMI
MIAMI'S FIRST POWER YOGA STUDIOS
MIAMI YOGASHALA - SOUTH BEACH
BRICKELL YOGASHALA - MIAMI
BRICKELL HOT YOGA - MIAMI
MIAMI YOGA - SUNNY ISLES
