Lola Manekin, who launched Movement Lab in 2016, found success by bringing her members fresh and playful alternatives to moving their bodies. She offered an array of classes—including anti-gravity yoga and jumping fitness, to name a few—that not only aimed for wellness, but also a spirit of self-discovery and joy.

So, when she stepped away from the Movement Lab in 2020 for a personal sabbatical, she knew that she wouldn’t be leaving the Baltimore wellness community for good.

Late last year, Manekin felt the time was right to explore a new concept aimed to educate members in both mind and body through intentional movement. And with former Movement Lab teachers Barri DeFrancisci and Gary Grisham on board, TRIBE was born.

TRIBE, whose name was inspired by the idea of redefining tribal consciousness, is not your typical gym or fitness studio.

“We are calling it a school of embodied arts,” says Manekin. “It’s a place where we teach people how to use movement as an invitation to self-awareness.”

Taking over the space that was once Yogaworks Midtown, TRIBE features five studios that each represent a different element of Chinese medicine. The wood room offers mixed martial arts and calisthenics, the fire room has hot yoga classes, while the earth room is focused on dance and breathwork. The metal room features the area’s first vibroacoustic sound waterbed, which uses vibrations to increase cellular movement and promotes improved sleep and stress reduction, among other things.

The water room is equipped with a cold plunge tub used for boosting circulation and aiding in muscle recovery. And just off the lobby is “The Cave,” a dedicated private space for journaling and meditation.

In addition to classes, TRIBE hosts a variety of workshops and weekly meet-ups where members are able to share and connect through thought-provoking themes that will be used and discussed in class weekly.

“One of the ideas that I have been really standing by lately is the idea of enlightenment through embodiment,” says Manekin. “We want to bring the experience of spirituality back to the body to help people feel more whole, rooted, and grounded.”