Dim yellow lights lined the edges of the second-floor room. In its center, a flameless candle shone from a sequined rug. Outside the windows, birds called to each other... the only noise heard as women stretched out on yoga mats.

Dartmouth resident Jane Hoffman has led yoga classes at the Grange for eight years. The setting is what makes the therapeutic yoga class so effective, she said.

"When people come out here, it's like a breath of fresh air. Life just slows down," said Hoffman.

She guided a small group through her 8 a.m. class on April 29, combining both the vinyasa and hatha practices — dancer-like movements and deconstructed poses, respectively.

"We guide movement," explained Hoffman. "Yoga is a great practice for almost every person. It's really a supportive practice."

Hoffman led the group through downward dog, cobra, child's pose, and warrior positions, careful to always explain alternative movements.

"All yoga should be therapeutic and beneficial to the body," she said, adding that yoga should have a sweettalking, not bullying, effect on one's body. "I'm offering this to you, but you need to work within your own frame line. It's checking in with yourself."

Her students agreed.

"It's the best way to stretch," said Dawn Stopka, who has taken the class for many years.

"The location was convenient, and it's a great class," added Wendy Goldsmith, another longtime regular.

Hoffman ended with a meditative period, complete with blankets and lavender-scented eye pillows.

The 20-year yogi holds two classes — 8-9 a.m. and 9:30-10:45 a.m. — on Saturday mornings at the Dartmouth Grange, located at 1133 Fisher Road. The drop-in classes are $10 per person. Find more information about Hoffman's practice at www.yogatrilogy.com.