Welcome to OHYA

Original Hot Yoga Association

The Original Hot Yoga Association (OHYA) was formed in 2016 by Val Sklar Robinson with the support of a group of former Bikram Yoga Certified Teacher studio owners eager to build a path forward to preserve and promote the therapeutic practice of Original Hot Yoga. OHYA became a non-profit 501(c)(6) in 2018. Today with more than 120 studio Partners,  950 Teachers, and over 40 OHYA Approved Teacher Trainings, OHYA continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of OHY studios and teachers.  Our association of studios and teachers is the largest resource for Original Hot Yoga Studios and teachers around the world.


Look for the OHYA “Studio Partner” seal when searching for studios to find those that offer the Original Hot Yoga.  Together we can be the best we can be!

Our Mission

We preserve and promote the therapeutic practice of Original Hot Yoga by creating and upholding standards and building resources for studios, teachers, classes, and teacher trainings. By doing so, we build a unified network of thriving Original Hot Yoga studios around the world.

The OHYA members in studio

Our Core Values

Our core values shape the way we conduct ourselves personally and professionally in order to achieve our Mission.

Quality Original Hot Yoga Classes.

We believe that Original Hot Yoga has the power to impact and transform lives. Each action we take is to promote and sustain the availability and access to the highest quality Original Hot Yoga classes in OHYA Studios.

A Unified and Respectful Community.

OHYA Studios and Teacher Trainings create a supportive environment for all teachers, staff and students, free from all forms of discrimination and abuse. Studio owners, management, teachers and staff demonstrate respect to each other and uphold professional boundaries.

Ethical Business Practices.

OHYA studios implement and demonstrate ethical business practices and uphold professional working environments. This includes honoring the OHYA Code of Ethics for Studios, Teachers, OHYA Approved Teacher Trainings, and setting a high ethical standard that benefits our greater community.

    1. OHYA Studios implement ethical business practices, uphold professional working environments, and comply with all applicable laws and regulations in their region and country.

    2. OHYA Studios, Trainings and Internships are free from all forms of discrimination, harassment and abuse.

    3. OHYA Studio owners, management, teachers and staff demonstrate respect to others and uphold professional boundaries, including respecting the nearby operations of OHYA studios*

    *While OHYA is not responsible for arbitrating or settling conflicts between studio owners and/or potential studio owners as to territorial (i.e., distance between existing and new/proposed studio locations) and/or mergers and acquisitions of existing studios, we reserve the right to deny acceptance in OHYA based on any ethical business practices and/or violations of our code of conduct that we deem, in our sole discretion, to have been violated. In order to mitigate the potential for any territorial or other conflicts to arise, we encourage current and prospective studio owners who operate or intend to operate in the proximity of other OHYA member studios to have proactive conversations with other OHYA member studio owners in advance of opening and/or acquiring new studio locations.

OHYA, Original Hot Yoga Association is a non-profit organization in LA, California

Meet the Board

  • Val Sklar Robinson

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Val started practicing OHY in 1996 while struggling with the effects of arthritis in her hip from a break at age 13. Inspired by the healing benefits of OHY, she quit her corporate job in 1998 to attend BYTT.

    Since graduating from BYTT in 1998, Val has owned and operated Hot Yoga Pasadena. (25 years!) One of the original senior teachers in the BY community, Val taught at dozens of training to help create effective teachers for our community.

    She founded OHYA in 2016 to support the OHY community of studios and teachers and to move our community forward. Val turned OHYA into a non-profit 501 © (6) in 2018 and has been Executive Director ever since.

  • Donna Antonelli

    DIRECTOR

    Donna has been practicing Original Hot Yoga since 2001 and graduated from BYTT in 2007.

    She has an extensive background in sports, fitness, and wellness and has taught at and hosted several Original Hot teacher trainings. She holds a Bachelor’s from Georgetown University and a Master’s in Teaching from the University of California, Irvine.

    She became a Board Member of OHYA in 2018, and believes in the mission to uphold standards and support effective teachers in the Original Hot Yoga lineage, both as a studio owner and as a practicing teacher.

    Donna opened the Original Hot Yoga Huntington Beach studio in 2011 and continues to teach and practice alongside her home community in Huntington Beach, CA.

  • Jeff Chen

    DIRECTOR

    Jeff Chen has been practicing Original Hot Yoga since 2000 and graduated BYTT in Fall 2008 in Acapulco. Since then has co-owned and operated PURE Yoga Texas with his wife, Mardy Chen, who opened her first Original Hot Yoga studio in Austin, Texas, in 2003. The pair was very active in USA Yoga Championships and organized the Bikram Yoga Womens’ Retreat in 2013 and 2014 with over 200 attendees each.

    In addition to Original Hot Yoga, Jeff teaches Ashtanga yoga and Hot Power Vinyasa yoga. Jeff was formerly a Certified Public Accountant with 20+ years of experience in residential and commercial mortgage finance, banking, real estate, and entrepreneurship.

  • Sara Curry

    DIRECTOR

    Sara was drawn to the field after using hot yoga to recover from debilitating back pain. A 500-hour certified OHY instructor, she has been the owner of Blaze Yoga & Fitness since 2004 and is a passionate advocate for strength and mobility training as a means to an empowered and healthy life. She joined the OHYA board to help create safe spaces for learning and growth in the field of yoga.

  • Amy Clement

    DIRECTOR

    Amy has been practicing Original Hot Yoga student for over 20 years. She took her practice and knowledge to a higher level in 2012 by graduating from BY Teacher Training.

    Following graduation, she enjoyed being a traveling BY Teacher prior to opening Hot Yoga Lake Norman (North Carolina) in 2014. She has continued her learning path by becoming certified in Yin Yoga and Inferno Hot Pilates.

    One of Amy’s core values is servant leadership so joining the OHYA Board in 2019 was a natural fit for her to support the mission and values of the Association. Amy is currently serving as the Board Secretary and loves to share her love of Original Hot Yoga with others.

Podcast Interview

Listen to Val share how she started OHYA, talk about professionalism, organizing, the history of Bikram yoga, grief, and corporate yoga studios. She’ll bust down some myths and chat about boundaries.