BY LAUREN VESPOLI | On the corner of Hudson and Charles Sts. in the West Village sits Contesta Rock Hair Salon — a small, unassuming storefront, whose black floors and walls are stylishly decorated with works by local artists. On a recent weeknight, the sound of blowdryers and jovial stylist-customer chatter filled the space.
On Sundays, however, the place transforms into a restorative yoga studio, where classes are taught by local resident Jared Pava.
For Contesta owner Fabio Moretti, the yoga class is another way for the studio to engrain itself as part of the West Village community.
“We have salons all over the word — in France, Rome, Miami and China, too. And in basically every salon we have, we try to do something for the community,” Moretti said. “And here, I get to know a few people, and we came out with this great idea — which I think is not only original but good for the neighborhood.”
The idea for the space to host yoga classes actually came from a customer — Sasha Greene, a Community Board 2 member and Villager who is also Pava’s mother.
“I was sitting here once having my hair washed,” Greene recalled. “I thought this would be a nice yoga place because it’s so warm, intimate and has a good feel to it.”
Moretti, who had been looking for something to help the salon become active within the community, welcomed the yoga concept, and Pava spread the word about his classes through word of mouth and by posting fliers. Meanwhile, Contesta spread the word through its Web site and social-media channels. And now, for the past six months, Pava has led about five-to-seven students through restorative yoga each Sunday night, for $10 per person.
“We decided to keep the fee very low, because we really just wanted to reach out to the community,” Pava said, “and to get as many people as involved as possible, and get to know what it’s about.”
Pava — whose day job is in catering — is a certified yoga instructor, as well as a certified Reiki healer and therapeutic Thai masseuse. He started practicing yoga 25 years ago during his freshman year of college, as a way to manage stress.
Greene is also a longtime yogi, who primarily practices at home rather than attending classes.
“For me, yoga is more about keeping my body strong and flexible,” she said.
Now, as an instructor, Pava believes that yoga practice can help people find compassion amidst the frequent toughness of city life.
“For me, it’s about compassion — there’s a lot of hardness in the city, a lot of intensity,” he said. “For me, it’s people getting in touch with their feelings, compassion…and it humbles me tremendously. it brings me a lot of humility to teach.”
For Moretti and the salon, Pava’s yoga classes are another way the salon can really be a part of the West Village community. Near a row of chairs, along the wall, are framed works of textual art. On one wall is a painting of a Tim Burton-esque black-and-white creature. Each two months, the salon displays the work of a local artist, and hosts an opening.
The neighborhood has accepted Contesta with equally open arms.
“It’s been kind of nice because since the day we’ve opened here, it looks like we’ve been here forever,” Moretti said. This feeling of welcoming and community was something he picked up on after observing the neighborhood when making his decision to rent the building four years ago.
“I didn’t know anything about the West Village,” Moretti recalled. “I just stood for four days outside [the property] looking at people walking by. And I called the landlord and said, ‘I’m very interested, because I like the type of feeling that no other neighborhood is giving to me… .’
“I think this is the most real place that we can be.”
