WHAT IS ESTIA?
ESTIA House of Movement is a place to move and to be moved.
“ESTIA” translates as hearth or fireplace, and is also the name of the Ancient Greek goddess of the home. To us, it symbolizes interconnectivity, the act of radical belonging, and the space where everyone gathers.
Our Services
KIDS
ADULTS
Who we are
ESTIA House of Movement is a multigenerational home where dance, fitness, and the arts intersect to spark creativity and nurture belonging.
Located at 369 Hooper St, Brooklyn, NY, we offer programs for all ages, from personal training and Pilates Mat to dance classes for kids and adults, workshops, and art events.
This breadth of offerings is intentional. Movement thrives through shared spaces, shared stories, and shared experiences. ESTIA is a place to build community, a home where your story matters, your body is welcomed, and you always have permission to begin again.
Our History
ESTIA House of Movement was founded by Lydia Perakis, a dancer, personal trainer, and educator originally from the Greek island of Crete. For over a decade, Lydia worked throughout NYC as an educator and trainer while freelancing as a performer, teaching hundreds of people across communities in studios, gyms, community centers, parks, online classes, and every kind of DIY setup imaginable. After enough years of lugging tote bags across the city and turning any room with four walls into a movement studio, she realized it was time to bring everything she cared about into one place.
Long before ESTIA opened its physical studio, Lydia & LOLA (an original co-founder) were cultivating an artistic community that produced multidisciplinary festivals and performances, including the signature Variety Show and the ESTIA Day Fest. These early projects brought together artists from many backgrounds to share work in unconventional spaces and helped shape the creative foundation that ESTIA now continues to build upon.
As this creative project grew into a studio, it carried this original spirit forward. What began as a constellation of classes, performances, and community-driven events across the city gradually became a single home where dance, fitness, creativity, and belonging could live together. Today, alongside its educational programming, ESTIA continues to support artist residencies, intimate performances, and a thriving creative community.
FOR KIDS:
We center learning and joy rather than pressure, over-preparation, or expensive recital culture. Young dancers learn technique in intimate groups, building confidence, body awareness, skill, and creative curiosity without the distractions or costs of performance-focused programs.
FOR ADULTS:
We move away from toxic fitness narratives by offering small group sessions with proper guidance and individual attention. Whether you are returning to movement, starting for the first time, or working toward specific goals, our structure is designed to support you every step of the way.
AVOIDING CHILDCARE COSTS:
Our approach to personal training and private dance classes for parents and caretakers is a unique offering. At ESTIA, you are welcome to bring your child to your private session at no extra cost, removing added childcare stress and expense. This is one of the ways we try to make movement more accessible.
MULTIGENERATIONAL:
To support families training across generations, we offer multi-member and cross-program discounts that encourage households to move, explore, and grow together. Movement becomes a shared family practice rather than an isolated one.
At ESTIA, we believe movement is a lifelong home. It is a place you can return to at any age, in any chapter, and in any body. Our commitment to being a multi-generational movement home makes us unique. Kids, teens, adults, parents, caretakers, and grandparents all have a place here. Families can participate together while each person’s individual journey is honored.
OVER
Since ESTIA House of Movement was established, we have had the privilege and opportunity to serve our community through classes, events, performances, collaborations, and connections. These are more than just numbers - they reflect our commitment to connecting with our community and giving them the tools to holistically explore their creative freedom and the space to experience creative belonging.
Our Space
ESTIA is located at 369 Hooper St, Brooklyn, NY, 11211
This multi-purpose space is located on the ground floor and comes with lots of natural light, professional personal training equipment, props, dance studio facilities, and a high-end sound system.
ESTIA is an ADA accessible venue. Please submit any accessibility requests via email.
How to Get Here:
By Subway: Take the J/M to Hewes St (4 min walk) or the G to Metropolitan Ave (5 min walk). Marcy Ave (J/M/Z) and Lorimer St (L) are also nearby.
By Bus: The B39, B46, Q59, B60, and B24 stop right at Broadway/Hooper St, just steps away.
