Dana Dineen, founder of one of Toronto’s longest-standing hot yoga + fitness studios, bhy has just opened the doors to the brand’s second locat in Broadview, now serving Toronto’s up-and-coming Riverside neighbourhood.
The expansion is a major milestone for bhy quietly building one of the city’s most loyal studio communities at a time when few boutique wellness brands seem to last more than a few years.
What began as a single-location hot yoga studio in the Beaches has grown into a two-location business rooted in consistency, care, and connection – offering a full spectrum of fitness and recovery, from hot HIIT and barre-inspired classes to yin yoga and cold plunge therapy.
With more brands trying to replicate the “community feel,” Dineen’s approach stands out: she’s built meaningful loyalty and longevity by staying consistent, showing up, and designing experiences that meet people where they are.
Located on the main floor of a three-storey building at street level — offering high visibility and easy access in Toronto’s vibrant east end. Positioned at the crossroads of Corktown, Riverside, and Leslieville, the new studio connects a growing neighbourhood with bhy’s grounded and vibrant approach to fitness and recovery.
The space features:
- Two large practice rooms for hot yoga, hot HIIT, ignited 45, barre, and yin yoga
- State of the art heating and cooling in each practice room with humidification and dehumidification systems and high efficiency air exchangers.
- Four cold plunge tubs for post-class recovery
- A bright lobby and lounge area, mirroring the signature welcoming feeling of the original Beaches location
- Design-forward interiors by KLA Interiors — combining natural materials (oak, stone, glass) with clean, calming lines, and warm lighting and some unexpected moments of fun
bhy Broadview is now open at 635 Queen Street East.
“I believe what’s kept bhy steady, is our commitment to who we are, why we teach, and what this practice can do in people’s lives. The heart of bhy has always been the same: show up, do your best, take care of yourself and each other, and let the practice change you from the inside out,” said Dineen of the brand founded in 2002.
“A huge part of our longevity comes from prioritizing our clients and our community above everything else. We invest in high-quality instructors who are dedicated to the practice, to the teaching, and to the people in the room — not in chasing “talent” the way much of the industry does. Our teachers aren’t performers; they’re leaders, guides, and community builders. That energy is felt in every class, and it’s why people stay.
“We’ve stayed rooted in the lineage and structure that works — the heat, the discipline, the repetition, the integrity — while continuing to evolve in ways that support real people, real bodies, and real practice. That commitment to consistency, and community is what has kept bhy strong for over 20 years.
“Community is often cited as a differentiator in boutique fitness, but bhy has built genuine loyalty over many years. What does “community” actually look like in practice at bhy, and how do you design for it day-to-day?”
Dineen said the word “community” gets tossed around a lot in boutique fitness, but at bhy it’s not a marketing word — it truly is something you can feel the second you walk in the door.
“It looks like people showing up for each other, encouraging each other, sweating beside each other, and growing together over years, not weeks. It is intentional connection with every person who walks in the doors and teachers who know your name, your practice, your story — we strive to make our clients feel seen and supported every time they step into the studio,” she said.
“Day-to-day, we design for community in very intentional ways. We hire and train instructors who genuinely care — people who understand that teaching is service. We create consistent class structures that help students build confidence. We hold high standards for teaching, cleanliness, and space care because it communicates respect. And all of our staff practices regularly on the mat with our clients.
“bhy is a place where people can be themselves. Nothing contrived, nothing curated for social media — we always remind our clients that as long as you do your best and try with 100% of your attention and intention, you are receiving the results you need and your best is always good enough.”
Dineen said expanding to Riverside came from a deep understanding of who the brand is after more than 20 years — and the realization that staying the same size was starting to limit what was possible for its clients and its team.
“Without more space, I couldn’t offer the opportunities people were asking for: more classes, more teacher trainings, more pathways to teach, mentor, lead workshops, and build real careers within bhy. And I also knew the practices we teach — the heat, the structure, the discipline — deserved a wider reach,” she said.
“Riverside was the right next home for a few very real reasons. It’s far enough from the Beaches that it wouldn’t cannibalize what we’d built, but close enough that our reputation, our roots, and our teaching team could carry the bhy vibe into the neighbourhood in an authentic way. It’s also a community much like the Beaches — full of people who genuinely want to support local, show up for each other, and build something real together.
“Expansion wasn’t about duplicating a studio — it was about creating more opportunity, more access, and more space for this practice to impact more people, while letting Riverside develop its own identity grounded in the bhy ethos. bhy offers everything from hot HIIT to yin yoga and cold plunge therapy.”
Dineen said expanding its offerings has never been about doing “more” — it’s about choosing practices that deepen the bhy experience and support students in meaningful, complementary ways.
“Every modality we teach brings an intensity that demands focus. Whether it’s the heat of hot yoga, the power of hot HIIT, the precision of barre, the stillness of yin, or the cold plunge — each one calls on the same five aspects of the mind: concentration, determination, self-discipline, patience, and faith,” she explained.
“The formats may be different, but the mental training is the same. Concentration in stillness. Determination through intensity. Self-discipline in staying with the breath. Patience in the process. Faith in yourself and your practice. Over time, that consistency becomes meditation in motion — or meditation in stillness.
“All of our classes are designed to work together. They strengthen different parts of the body and the mind, but they all come back to the same foundation: discipline, breath, presence, and emotional regulation. We understand the power of the circulatory system — how heat drives it, cold sharpens it, effort challenges it, and breath steadies it.
“That’s how we expand without losing clarity. Each practice reinforces the same philosophy, the same mental skills, and the same internal transformation. We don’t add trends; we add what supports the whole ecosystem of bhy — and what genuinely helps our students become stronger, calmer, more focused, and more resilient.”
Dineen said one of her favourite sayings is “what you focus on grows.”
“So as I remind our students to do on the mat I also try: focus on what I believe in and on the people right in front of me — me clients and my team, not the ones I think I should be attracting,” she said.
“I intentionally don’t follow other similar fitness businesses. Not because I don’t respect them or find inspiration in their work, but because for me this is the quickest way to start playing the comparison game and then it can be easy to lose sight of what makes bhy distinct.
“And honestly, practice what you preach. If you’re asking people to bring discipline, consistency, patience, and heart to their practice, you have to show up with the same. Integrity is felt. Your energy sets the tone.”
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