Bianca Fantoni’s life mission was to own a yoga studio to be named “drift + oak.”

On March 16, 2020, she finally signed a lease for a space in Medway and her dream was becoming a reality. A few days later, the whole world shut down because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Eventually, drift + oak opened its doors but in a new location at Medway Mills (165 Main Street, Medway). Fantoni describes the studio as “a real boutique yoga experience.” Here, class sizes allow for a more intimate experience where the teachers have a watchful eye on students so as to prevent injuries, aid in the healing from health conditions, and help students advance their practice as they wish. 

 

“My personal mission is for every single person who walks through our doors to feel welcome no matter where they are on their yoga journey, no matter what their body looks like, or the level of flexibility they have,” says Fantoni. “They will have a yoga practice that empowers them, makes them feel better (physically and mentally) than when they walk in, and allows them to believe they deserve to be here just as much as the person on the mat next to them.”

Fantoni grew up in Grafton and currently lives with her family in Hopedale. She decided to open her business in Medway because “I just really love the town and community members that I have been lucky enough to meet.” 

She says she fell in love with the Medway Mills while visiting a hair salon in the building. That salon has moved to a different location in the complex and drift + oak now occupies the salon’s former space. 

As a teen, Fantoni experienced some health issues and was introduced to yoga by her grandmother. 

“It turns out, I had a nine pound tumor in my ovary at age 17. Yoga became a huge part of my healing after. Not only helping me move my body again after a major surgery but I started dealing with a lot of anxiety after this whole health crisis. Yoga was (and still is) the biggest tool I have in my toolbox for coping with that,” Fantoni says.

“I am so grateful that she introduced me…I dedicate every single day to her, the lessons she taught me and try to embrace her incredibly strong, resilient spirit.” 

drift + oak’s motto is “where modern practices meet mindful traditions. The studio offers a variety of classes including aligned flow, barre, dynamic flow, flow + restore, mellow flow, yin, yoga basics, and yoga sculpt. 

Fantoni says the classes are available to everyone – women and men, young and old -- and the teachers are experts in modifying poses for injuries, body ailments and preferences. She says the most popular classes are Flow + Restore and Yin, and says Aligned Flow is “crucial for new yogis” because it teaches proper alignment for the body (which is different for everyone), helps build up muscles and muscle memory, and keeps the student extremely safe from potential injury. 

They also offer a Chakra Balancing class that is a unique experience utilizing meditation, visualization, aromatherapy, color and movement; and Yoga Sculpt, a more rigorous workout taught by Fantoni’s mother who has been in the fitness industry for 30 years. 

Other special events include Happy Hour, a monthly pop-up class that features unique playlists such as 90s Rock, Hip Hop and Reggae; Sound Baths where people relax on their mats while listening to singing bowls being played; retreats; and monthly Women’s Circles where women come together surrounding different topics to journal, meditate and, if they feel inclined, share.

drift + oak continues to offer Men’s Yoga, and in August, will begin a weeklong series called Mindfulness + Movement for Teens which was inspired by Fantoni’s experience with yoga as a teen. 

“We hope to introduce meditation and other stress relieving tools for teens going off to high school and college in the fall,” Fantoni says. 

For more information on the studio, its classes and offerings, and its shop, visit www.driftandoak.com, download their app (search for “Drift and Oak”), and follow them on social media (@driftandoak).