When the cube-and-keyboard lifestyle leaves you craving energetic release, Yoga State offers the perfect rescue. The Loop's luxe studio takes wellness to soaring heights with a bevy of stress-relieving therapies and juice-it-up classes that will help get you back on the path you want to follow.

Owner and instructor Steve Richardson is a Renaissance man, dynamic entrepreneur and dedicated student of master teachers like Viniyoga's Gary Kraftsow. He supervises a small staff of highly trained instructors who double as meditation teachers, massage therapists, nutritionists and more, so class offerings are often multi-disciplinary and multi-inspirational. Special offerings like yoga in the Hancock's 95th-floor observatory and free, open-invite discussions on wellness topics are sure to leave you refreshed and recharged.

Housed in Northwestern University's historic Lake Shore Center, the studio boasts spacious practice rooms with elegant architectural flourishes.

Classes: The class roster focuses on healing and learning, and is highly beginner-friendly. Single-serve classes are offered in yoga, Tai Chi and pilates. If you can commit, get a handle on meditative Amrit yoga or the alignment-intensive Iyengar style in a six-week series, or check out the more general four-week Intro to Yoga (pre-registration required for series). Classes range 60-90 minutes, with work-friendly lunchtime classes offered several days per week. Drop-ins are $18, with discounted class packages available.

Extras: The studio offers private yoga instruction and massage as well as Yoga Therapy and Sound Therapy ($70-$90). Check the schedule for free talks and special lecture sessions, nutrition and meditation classes, kirtans, master-teacher workshops and teacher trainings.

Centerstage Reviewer: Julia Steinberger