Learning to fly at Soar Studios in Savannah

By Vanessa Lantos Daly (Spicy Melon)

June 3, 2026 – Quietly tucked at the intersection of Montgomery and 36th Street sits a sleek, modern black building. A playful logo reads “Soar Bungee Fitness,” featuring a human figure that appears to be flying.

Inside, the energy is incredibly positive, relaxed, and often vibrant. A chic, colorful lounge area and check-in desk welcome you. Soar Studios, located at 1930 Montgomery St., is one of the most creative boutique fitness studios in the city.

How creative?

They offer things such as Bungee Fitness, Aerial Yoga, and Hot Hatha Yoga, more famously known as Bikram Yoga. These are just a few options in a catalog of offerings that also includes cycle classes and strength-based classes.

First thoughts… Bungee? Like when you feel the urge to throw yourself off a bridge with a cord tied to your foot? Aerial?… Yoga suspended from the ceiling?

As I often do, I arrived with zero knowledge and lots of curiosity.

I met the fabulous Miss Nicki O’Connell, who is a full splash of positive energy balanced with an unbothered sense of zen. Always wearing a warm and bright smile.

Nicki O’Connell. Photo credit: David Monroe

Have you ever met people that just saying hi to them puts you in a good mood? That’s Miss Nicki. I wonder how many yoga sessions it would take me to reach that gorgeous level of energy…

“I was a professional dancer in New York City, so I’ve always been into fitness in one form or another. I started getting into yoga about 20 years ago.”

Very glamorous.

As always, I ask: what brought her to Savannah?

“I moved to Savannah about 14 years ago. I’ve done several different things since moving here, but I kind of ended up in the bridal business. I had a children’s boutique on Long Island when I lived there, and I also had a photography studio.”

A woman of many interests and many talents. What is the yoga connection? My mind wanders…

“The wedding industry in Savannah is very big. I opened an Etsy shop and taught myself how to make wedding veils, garters, and embellished sneakers. I wanted to work directly with brides here, so I worked at a bridal shop as their accessories designer. Eventually, I opened my own bridal shop, Camelia Bridal, on the corner of Duffy and Barnard Streets. I ran that for five years.”

A very busy lady and a natural entrepreneur. Miss Nicki also worked at Back in the Day Bakery and spent a few years working at SCAD. What would inspire someone to retire her own bridal shop and open a yoga studio?

Miss Nicki shares:

“I always wanted to open a yoga studio. Then I saw bungee fitness online. I found it fascinating and went to Edmond, Oklahoma, to do a weekend training to become an owner and instructor.”

Definitely something unique.

She continues:

“Combining yoga and bungee is amazing. Bungee is kind of a novelty. A lot of people think it’s a one-and-done kind of deal. But, as I like to say, it’s not a carnival ride—it’s a fitness modality. It’s a great cardio and core workout. I wanted to have all the other things too, so I sold my bridal shop to open Soar Studios.”

There are three studio rooms where classes are held: a bungee room, a cycling room, and a yoga room. The walls are painted beautifully with clouds and sunsets. Thoughtful details fill every corner, with art and positive energy flowing throughout.

Miss Nicki shares:

“It’s a good combination because it’s all different forms of fitness. When I found this building, I thought it was perfect for what I wanted to do. It was also bigger than I expected. The build-out took six months, a bit longer than I anticipated. The location was previously a church, and before that it was a car repair shop for about 30 years.”

Soar Studios has been open since November 19, 2025. Fairly new, but the community here already feels strong and established, thanks to Miss Nicki’s connections in the yoga world and the wide range of practices offered.

Miss Nicki shares that she didn’t open the studio alone.

“I’ve known Tara Bresnick and Bonnie Wallace through the yoga community in Savannah for a long time. They are my co-founders, as well as incredible instructors for many of the classes we offer. I knew it would be ideal for them to have a cycle studio within our space: They run the spin studio here. Then they trained in Bungee Fitness and absolutely loved it. Tara is well known locally for her yoga classes, and Bonnie also teaches strength classes and Hot Hatha. I feel very blessed because it’s been the three of us from the very beginning.”

Bonnie Wallace. Photo credit: Nicki O’Connell

It becomes clear that Soar Studios is not the vision of just one woman. It is the culmination of three talented instructors and friends who believed in creating a space where movement, community, and wellness could coexist under one roof.

Package memberships are available online to suit different preferences, whether you’re interested in bungee and cycling, solely yoga, or a little bit of everything.

There’s even an unlimited membership if you want to try every class and spend every day of the month here twice a day. A girl can only dream…

“We wanted to offer personalized memberships and make the process more reasonable depending on the experience people are seeking,” Miss Nicki shares.

Curious about what made Soar so different, I stopped asking questions and started taking classes.

The original hot yoga.

Twenty-six poses and two breathing exercises in a 100-degree infrared heated room at 40% humidity.

I still remember when, many years ago, the Bikram Yoga Savannah studio opened in Habersham Village. Now that studio is called The Hub and offers a wider range of classes.

I was doing this hot yoga at least five times a week and I have never looked that good…

This class lasted 60 minutes, though there is also the traditional 90-minute version.

Very familiar territory for me, and it was perfection.

The instructor was Tara, and the way she speaks makes you feel like you’re gliding through class. Her voice is soft but encouraging. It feels like she is mentally holding your hand.

She is extremely talented—not only in her practice, but also in her guidance.

Extremely enjoyable, and don’t be afraid of the heat. It helps you stretch a little further and push yourself a little more.

Highly recommended.

Warm Vinyasa Flow

A very dynamic and active flow.

No high heat in this yoga class, but honestly, you don’t need it.

The unpredictability of the sequences keeps you on your toes and keeps your heart rate up.

Katie Joiner teaches this class and makes it feel very personalized. She connects with her students through anecdotes, encouragement, and daily affirmations.

She shares:

“The unpredictability of this practice helps you find comfort in the unpredictability of daily life.”

I highly recommend her if you want a fun and active yoga experience.

Bungee Fitness

Tara Bresnick doing an aerial yoga pose. Photo credit: Nicki O’Connell

Upon arrival, you are weighed and strapped into a series of bungee cords.

All very interesting.

Then the music gets turned up.

This class is high-energy and ridiculously fun. Lots of jumping.

The description says, “This fun and empowering workout will have you soaring in no time.” And suddenly the meaning behind the name of the studio reveals itself.

I don’t know if anything can compare to the energy of Madison Withers.

She reminds me of a classic 80s cardio instructor: Beautiful and super bubbly blonde, wholesome, bright, and energetic in every way.

Her enthusiasm is extremely contagious. Imagine doing burpees while suspended in the air. You’ll be very impressed with yourself by the end of class.

I’m fully in love… and can’t wait to experience it again.

Aerial Yoga

While Bungee Fitness has you jumping and suspended throughout class, Aerial Yoga is experienced primarily in a silk hammock, creating opportunities for a wide range of suspended yoga poses.

Many of them upside down.

This practice is quiet and zen while encouraging participants to push themselves and lose their fear of gravity.

I was delighted to experience Tara as an instructor once again, with her wonderful energy and calming presence.

Like Bungee Fitness, this is a unique experience that feels both soothing and challenging.

Upon observing the more experienced aerial yoga students, I realized I didn’t know it was possible to look so dreamy and graceful hanging upside down.

Miss Nicki shares:

“Aerial yoga allows you to achieve balance and experience deeper versions of some classic yoga poses. It’s very fun.”

Equipment for classes offered at Soar Studios

I experienced these four classes at this studio, and I’m still blown away. Classically, I’m a hot yoga kind of gal, but I might even consider making Bungee Fitness a weekly habit… it’s just that much fun. That’s the beauty of this studio. It’s welcoming, and there is such a wide range of offerings that I can’t imagine ever getting bored with your workout.

Miss Nicki shares:

“Bonnie is also the head bartender at Common Thread. We have a lot of love for the local community and the service industry. We offer a 10% discount to military personnel, students, medical professionals, and food and beverage workers.”

I don’t know any other fitness studio in Savannah that offers a discount to service industry workers. It’s almost like someone there understands how much it hurts to be on your feet for 12 hours at a time… and how much yoga would benefit many of my peers.

Come discover new and exciting practices, along with some of the friendliest instructors in Savannah.

If you’d like to try everything, I highly recommend their introductory special: two weeks of unlimited classes for $69. That’s a huge steal considering a single bungee class is $35.

Or try a little more with their summer special: $99 per month for three months of unlimited classes.

This is such a good deal if you want to explore all these different types of classes. Truly hard to beat.

Miss Nicki finally shares:

“Bungee Fitness is such a fun workout that you don’t even realize how hard you’re working because you’re having so much fun. There’s so much to our classes and our immensely talented instructors, but the most important thing at Soar Studios is creating community. We have a large lounge area and fresh coffee. Come see us anytime. The world is so unpredictable these days, and this is a safe space for everyone.”

After experiencing it in both body and spirit, I can’t wait to return to Soar Studios for another class… and honestly, just to say hi to Miss Nicki again. She is sunlight in a teacup.

Love always,

Vanessa

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