Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Boone’s Unique Yoga Teacher To Move to Canada

Story by Bernadette Cahill

Joanne Williams, whose unique style of teaching has attracted a devoted following of yoga students in Boone for the past 30 years, will leave the High Country early in May.

She is to marry Canadian architect Murray Arnott, whom she met in 2006. Arnott has been working in this area on a residential project in Banner Elk. No definite date has yet been set either for Williams’ departure or for the wedding. In Canada, Williams will live in Guelph, Ontario.

Boone resident Jennifer Dotson, who has attended Williams’ classes for 15 years, echoed the sentiments of Williams’ students in wishing her every happiness in her new life.

Williams, one of Boone’s longest established yoga teachers, was born in Canada of U.S. parents and chose U.S. citizenship when she reached adulthood. She has been known throughout Boone for her humor, the exceptional quality of her teaching and an approach that has emphasized gentleness in yoga practice.

Her method, based on her training in Kripalu yoga, focuses on the spiritual. Her emphasis on gentleness to body and self has taught students that they can use their practice of yoga as the means to reach a higher state of being.

Williams has been conducting yoga classes in her home every Monday to Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and on Monday and Thursday evenings at 5:20 p.m. ever since she started teaching.

“I am so grateful for being able to practice yoga with so many wonderful people in Boone over the last 30 years,” Williams said.

“I really don’t think a lot of people are going to realize the impact of Joanne’s absence till she has gone,” said Dotson, “and I don’t think she realizes the impact she has had on so many people by her teaching and her work.

“Joanne is unique. It’s not just her students who are going to lose. Boone is going to lose too, because of the wonderful energy she has imparted to the community.”

Williams said that her daily yoga classes will continue on their regular schedule now through Friday, April 4. She will attend her son’s wedding in Hawaii immediately after that and for the rest of April, students can check with her for any other classes she might schedule.

For further information, phone Williams at 828-264-1832.