Our Story

Root SUP was founded by Emma and Amy in April of 2017. Emma had been teaching SUP Yoga classes in Ann Arbor for two years when she met Amy, who was attending one of Emma’s classes. Amy was the first graduate of the Root SUP Yoga Teacher Training, which is still held every year. They continued Emma’s collaboration in Ann Arbor with Red Star Board Co. and soon started a partnership with Klave’s Marina in Pinckney, offering classes on Portage Lake.

Over the years things changed; they ended their partnership with Red Star and started exclusively teaching at Klave’s Marina, both Emma and Amy got married, COVID caused changes to their class sizes and cleaning protocols, and in fall of 2020 Amy decided to resign from the company. Now Root SUP is owned and operated by Emma. She continues to teach weekly classes and events on the Portage Chain of Lakes, but now just up the river/down the road at NautiMI (owned/operated by some of the Klave’s crew). She also holds classes at Kensington and runs the Root SUP Yoga Teacher Training program that she created and has led since 2017. Her passion lies in making all Root SUP classes safe, adaptable, and enjoyable for all students and she loves connecting and getting to know everyone on the water! She loves teaching SUP yoga classes as well as paddle classes where students can learn techniques for moving the board through the water.