New Madison yoga studio 'for misfits' celebrates inclusivity
An article for THE CAP TIMES By Ashlynn Chapman
Three years ago, Tracy Hamm Warnecke was the yogi that could do just about anything. For her, the hardest poses were the best.
But when she got her knee replaced in the midst of finding a new yoga studio, Warnecke needed more assistance than what she was given.
“I’m going into these studio spaces, and I’m not being offered any modifications or accommodations to support me,” she said in an interview.
Because Warnecke has been practicing yoga since she was 21, she knew ways to modify the poses — but realized those who are new to yoga might not.
So she opened her own studio.
On June 6, Awesomely Radical Love at 3801 Regent St. celebrated its grand opening. It is a trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness studio for “misfits, oddballs and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too much.”
“I really wanted to create a space where people could feel safe, drop their shoulders, take a breath and that didn’t involve alcohol and other drugs,” Warnecke said.
Awesomely Radical Love offers a variety of yoga classes like yin, flow, flow-yin, restorative and joyful, as well as dance classes like WERQ, a cardio dance workout, and Bollybeat.
Instructors start their classes by placing consent rocks at the top of everyone’s mats. The rocks feature “yes” and “no” on opposite sides so participants can express whether they would like hands-on assistance during the session.
The staff at Awesomely Radical Love focus the yoga experience on the individual, Warnecke said. She likened teaching yoga to eating spicy food, starting with a mild pose then offering more difficult variations.
“We are facilitators. We are not demanding anybody to do anything that they don't want to do,” she said. “This is all about the person, (and) their practices on the mat.”
In addition to adult classes, Awesomely Radical Love currently offers two youth programs. Warnecke leads the tween yoga class for ages 8-12 and Marcella Speich leads the “tiny human” yoga class for ages 5-7. Speich uses storybooks and toys to connect children with art and movement.
“Just like adults, kids want a place to feel safe and like they can take a breath and slow down,” Warnecke said.
With 29 years of experience in public education, prioritizing youth has been a top priority for Warnecke. When she earned her yoga instructor certification in 2016, she immediately brought mindfulness practices to her eighth-grade classroom.
“It was a game-changer in behavior and engagement to learning,” she said. “I could see how giving them the power of their breath was supporting them in their journey of being a middle schooler.”
The successful feedback from her students encouraged Warnecke to expand mindfulness practices to after-school clubs at O’Keeffe Middle School, like the GSA Leadership Club and Madison Cello Ensemble. She will continue to teach at O’Keeffe Middle School as a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher for the school district’s college readiness program in the mornings and then work at the studio in the evenings.
After bringing yoga to her classroom, she hoped to bring those practices to larger youth organizations around Madison, but put her plans on pause when she got married in 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic started two years later.
Through her personal struggles during the COVID-19 shutdown, Warnecke relied on yoga to feel at ease.
“The mat is always there. It never goes anywhere, and it will accept whatever you have to give it,” she said.
Warnecke hopes that Awesomely Radical Love will help people connect with themselves and others through yoga and mindfulness, like she did. Rather than referring to herself as an owner or a manager, Warnecke calls herself an “instigator” because she views the studio as a collaborative space between staff members.
“We have active, honest communication. … If we do have conflict, we sit down and we work it out,” she said.
Along with Awesomely Radical Love’s studio space, there are rooms for meditation and community gathering. Designed “like Grandma’s living room,” the gathering spaces at the studio feature vintage furniture, conversation cards, a record player and art from queer and BIPOC artists.
Looking forward, Warnecke’s first goal is to expand membership. Once Awesomely Radical Love reaches 150-200 members, Warnecke hopes to provide more opportunities to people in underrepresented communities, perhaps by connecting with larger youth organizations and developing an affordable instructor program.
“I’m working hard to build a staff that represents Madison, and it’s very challenging to find BIPOC and queer yoga instructors. There are a lot of folks I know who would love to get certified to teach yoga, but it’s not available for them” financially, Warnecke said.
The first class at Awesomely Radical Love is free, and drop-in classes cost $15. A monthly membership for unlimited classes costs $89 for individuals and $134 for a household. A yearly membership costs $900 for individuals and $1,350 for a household. Through August, Awesomely Radical Love will offer a 10-class pass for $60.
“I think yoga has been advertised to a certain demographic and socioeconomic status. … That’s not me — that’s not what yoga is about,” Warnecke said. “If we’re going to be a community that supports each other and does good in the world, we have to feel good in our bodies. We have to be calm, relaxed (and) regulated.”
Ashlynn Chapman is reporting for the Cap Times in 2026 as a David Maraniss Fellow. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Email story ideas and tips to Ashlynn at achapman@captimes.com.