Eclipse Studio isn’t a yoga studio. It’s not an acupuncture clinic, writing center or art gallery, either. Well, not technically. To owner Antone Dias, it’s all of that and more. It’s even in the name.
“Eclipse is meant to encompass holistic health,” he said at the Eclipse space off Lagoon Pond Road in Vineyard Haven. “The idea was for it to be a networking hub for holistic health in the community. It can be used for anything.”
Today the 684-square foot room is bare, with sunlight streaming through large windows, yoga pillows piled in the corner, and oil paintings of Vineyard scenes by Island artist Alexis Russillo on the walls. There’s little evidence that for up to 30-hours a week the room is hosting programs from sustainable farming workshops to tai chi.
“The idea is to have it clean and neutral...I don’t want it to look like a gym or a yoga studio,” said Mr. Dias. “Essentially, whatever the community needs, it will be in here.”
A native Islander and massage therapist by trade for 10 years, Mr. Dias said he understands the struggles of being a health practitioner on the Vineyard without access to a space.
“Sometimes it leaves people floating around without a place to practice, which hurts the community,” he said.
He said the idea to create a community gathering space has been brewing for years, but it wasn’t until a former taxi service garage in his hometown of Vineyard Haven became available last year that he decided to make it happen. After undergoing a floor to ceiling renovation, Eclipse opened on New Year’s Day. He said it didn’t take long for a community of holistic health practitioners to emerge.
“The idea was to gather up all of these cool people and put them all in one space,” said Mr. Dias. “Now everyone is networking with each other.”
Mr. Dias said year-round programing is important to him, ranging from martial arts to the studio’s most popular event, Glowga, a body-paint yoga class offered one night a month.
“I feel like there’s a huge call for stuff for the Island community to do in the wintertime,” he said. “It’s good for people to have a place together with varied options of things to do.”
He recalled a friend joking that he wanted to build a community clubhouse. Mr. Dias said that wasn’t far from the truth.
“I want to see it grow and see the Island community take advantage of it,” he said. “Someone who walks in will have access to the whole gamut of services. All boats rise. That was the idea, that we’re all kind of working together.”
For a full list of services and schedule, visit eclipsestudiomv.com.
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