|
Yoga
East Staff
|
Laura Spaulding
President
YE
1994
|
Laura
has been practicing yoga since 1967. She moved to Louisville in 1989 and
studied at Yoga East with Maja Trigg from 1990 until Maja retired in 1994.
Laura primarily practices Ashtanga Yoga but also studies with teachers in
the Iyengar and Anusara traditions. She met Shri K. Pattabhi
Jois in Mysore in 1999, attended his workshops in NYC in 2000 and 2001,
and has studied with him in India every year since 2002. She has
been an AYRI authorized teacher since November 2004. Laura's practice and teaching
has also been influenced by Francois Raoult, Ramanand Patel,
Douglas Keller, John Friend and other Anusara teachers, Pujiya Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya
Gurukulum, Swami Chidvilasananda and other teachers in the Siddha Yoga and Kashmir
Saiva traditions. She has a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of the South,
Sewanee, Tennessee, and a law degree from Georgetown University Law
Center in Washington, D.C. She has been married to her best friend, Victor Davenport, since 1986.
E-RYT
500SM,
AYRI
Authorized, RKC
2004, 2006, President
of Yoga East, 1994-1996, 1998-present, Best
of Louisville Magazine Critic's Choice Award for Yoga teacher.
|
Kim Porter
Assistant Manager
YE 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 |
Kim
Porter is Assistant Manager of our Highlands
locations. She was introduced to yoga by Yoga East teachers Linda Naulty and Dana
Carnall. Kim began taking Ashtanga classes in 2002 and was invited
to participate in teacher training . She graduated with honors in 2003 and
received special merit for her research project: Support for Your
Ashtanga Practice. Kim has taken classes with both Shri K. Pattabhi
Jois in New York City and Sharath Rangaswamy here in Louisville and she
teaches Ashtanga Yoga. Kim studied with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India in
February-March, 2006. |
Nicole
Soteropoulos
Assistant Manager
Ana Forrest 2006 |
Nicole
began studying yoga to heal from a herniated disc in her neck and after
the first class she was hooked! Nicole considers her first
teachers to be Debra Kehl, Kim Esteran, and Anne Kosko.
In 2006, Nicole completed 200 hours of study with Ana Forrest in
Ana’s Foundation Teacher Training course and that changed her life.
Nicole continues to deepen her study and practice of the eight
limbed path of yoga by studying with her mentor Laura Spaulding. Nicole
has also attended workshops with Douglas Keller, David Swenson and
Francois Raoult.
Nicole’s
purpose is to use yoga as a healing tool to remove energy blocks so that
a person is restored to their emotional, physical, and spiritual
potential. She encourages students to find their edge and play there,
take a few breaths, then go further so they can transform.
|
|
Current
Instructors are listed in
alphabetical order
|
| Our
teachers are required to have a minimum of two years yoga experience, have
an accomplished daily personal practice, a minimum of 200 hours yoga
teacher training in our teacher training program or another qualified
school, and be working toward the 500 hour level. All teachers must have current CPR and first aid certificates and
obtain a minimum of 40
hours yoga teacher training each year.
|
Shae
Bryant
YE2005, 2006 |
Shae's
introduction to yoga was an Ashtanga class at Full Moon Yoga in
Louisville, KY in 2003 and she knew she'd found her path. After completing
a Six Month Yoga Study Program at Full Moon Yoga in 2004 Shae made her
first trip to Mysore, India in 2005. In 2006 she completed the Yoga
East 200 hour teacher training program. Shae returned to Mysore in
both 2007 and 2008 and is working on the Intermediate Series. She is
also a Certified Pilates Instructor for both mat and apparatus and is a
Licensed Massage Therapist. Shae uses her variety of knowledge and
influence to assist people on their individual paths, teaching group
classes, private sessions and workshops.
Shae credits her primary teachers as Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, Sharath
Rangaswamy, Tim Miller, Doug Keller, Ramanand Patel and Swami
Chidvilasananda. She moved to Louisville in 1998 and has a B.A. in
both Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Louisville.
|
| Laura
DeMent |
Bio coming.
|
Kim
Eisner
YE 2006 |
Kim
Eisner teaches yoga at our Holiday Manor studio, both YMCA locations in Frankfort,
Ky and Falling Springs Recreation Center in Versailles, Ky.
She graduated from Yoga East's teacher training program in 2006.
She has studied Ashtanga Yoga with Sharath Rangaswamy, David Swenson, Tim
Miller and Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in
both NY and Mysore, India. She has also studied with Francois
Raoult, Ramanand Patel, and Sianna Sherman.
Kim
graduated from Nicholls State
University in Louisiana with a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration and a Master of Business Administration. She
currently works for the Legislative Research Commission in
Frankfort, Kentucky.
Read
Kim's article, "Yoga
and Hypertension" (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
|
Kimberly Esteran
YE
2002-2007 |
Kim
Esteran is a compassionate, inspirational, invigorating teacher who
challenges her students to breathe deeply and connect in feeling with
their body. She has recently
completed the Ana Forrest Foundation Teacher Training and as an Associate
Forrest Yoga Teacher, brings 10 years of yoga experience to each class.
Deeply influenced by Ana Forrest, Kim uses yoga as a tool to heal
mind, body and spirit. Kim combines her life-long love of Native American
Spirituality and over 15 years of energy work and hands-on-healing with
her yoga practice and teaching.
Kim first
turned to Forrest Yoga in 2004 to help her heal from a back injury.
The strong core work, abdominals and focus on breath brought her to
a deeper level of understanding the challenges and opportunities involved
in self-healing. “In order to heal, I needed to change the way I was
doing things. Only by
committing fully to change, was I able to go deeper and find my own Truth
and heal. It is from that
healing journey to my Truth that I now teach. Today backbends, inversions
and hip-openers are delights in my life!”
Incorporating
the pillars of Forrest Yoga; Breath, Strength, Integrity and Spirit, Kim
teaches students to connect to their core – getting strong and centered.
Using intense pose sequences, compassionately taught to develop
skills in awakening the senses, Kim’s classes teach the students to
bring aliveness, using breath, into every cell of their body.
Working intelligently and safely tailoring each pose to work best
for the student, Kim encourages students to learn to work honestly at
their edges and develop effective tools to deal with fear and struggle.
This makes it possible for integrity, self-awareness, and playful
curiosity to become part of their yoga practice and their daily life.
Forrest
Yoga with Kim Esteran is a unique style that not only builds strength,
endurance and flexibility, but also emphasizes emotional healing.
Classes are designed for beginners as well as intermediate and
advanced practitioners. Kim’s classes do not require strength or
flexibility; only that the student bring a willingness to learn how to
feel authentically and respond honestly.
Kim’s classes honor and celebrate the beauty of life and the
power of Spirit.
“My
heart is filled with tremendous gratitude for all the teachers in my life
(Ana Forrest, Jonathan Bowra, Laura Spaulding, Pattabhi Jois and Candace
Rose), it is the gift of your teachings that allows me to continue growing
along my own journey and pass that on to others with grace and love.” |
|
Julia
Fine
RYT/CYTA 2004, 2005, 2006
|
Julia
began practicing Ashtanga yoga in 2002 when she discovered the practice
at her gym in Washington, DC. Since then, she has been Yoga
Alliance certified (200 hours) through It's Yoga in San Francisco, CA,
where she studied with Larry Schultz and learned the Rocket series, an
Ashtanga-based yoga practice. She has also studied with teachers
who have passed through Louisville, including Francois Raoult and Doug
Keller. She is currently enrolled in the YE 500 hour program at
Yoga East and seeks to strengthen her yoga practice, become a more
knowledgeable teacher, and broaden her spirituality. Julia has
undergraduate degrees in public health and Spanish, and has had one year
of law school. In addition to teaching yoga regularly, she
works with computer databases and Spanish translation.
|
Krista Ford
Interdisciplinary Flow |
Krista has been practicing
yoga and exploring diffferent styles and philosophies of yoga
since 1999. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Master of Fine Arts
in Poetry from San Diego State University. Her burn to learn led
her to Corepower's Teacher Training Program in San Diego. She completed
a second Interdisciplinary Flow Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga One of San
Diego. She's trained with Amy Caldwell, Diana Beardsley, Trevor
Trice, Suzy Midbrod, Lesli Christiansen, Sam Rangaswamy and most
recently attended a Doug Keller workshop at Yoga East. Krista has
taught Dance and Yoga in Florida and offers private and
group yoga classes at Waterfront Park Place in Downtown Louisville.
Krista is a Yoga Alliance certified instructor who offers an athletic
practice grounded in an awareness of breath that's filled with joy and
creativity. Her favorite quote, "Every thing that lives is
holy."- William Blake |
| Matt
Harris |
Featured
in Yoga Journal Magazine and the Yoga 4 Teens DVD, Matt has been
practicing yoga since the age of 14. His teaching style stems from a deep
understanding of the body with a lighthearted atmosphere. Matt specializes
in yoga therapy, alignment and meeting each individual's specific needs.
Along with teaching locally, Matt conducts workshops around the region on
various aspects of yoga He studies regularly with top teachers as well as
assisting them in their teaching. Matt's
Website |
| Katie
Hawbaker |
see
Katie's website |
Margie Jones
YE 2006 |
Margie
is devoted to the intelligence of balance.
She believes strongly in cognizant understanding but yearns for
artistic expression; she has traveled widely but searches for stillness;
she adores humor but savors the sincere.
Margie is a watcher if not yet a seer, and describes her life as
“stopping in interesting places,” witnessing the whimsical
perspicacity of the world at large.
All
of this she brings to her yoga practice.
Margie began her yogic journey in the 1980’s with an Iyengar
teacher in
Colorado
, and has since explored the Hatha, Ashtanga, and Anusara styles.
Her approach to yoga is to regard it as an art (spiritual art,
fine art, healing art, physical art), and believes that building solid
fundamental skills allows one to follow the yoga path through creative
self expression.
She
is working on controlling her barely-contained excitement about sharing
yoga.
|
| Tara Kimes |
Bio coming. |
Anne
Kosko
YE 2004-2007 |
After
teaching group fitness for 17 years, Anne took her first Bikram Yoga class
and was hooked. She gave up
teaching group fitness and dedicated her time to the study of yoga.
Since taking this first Bikram class, Anne has also practiced
Ashtanga and Iyengar styles of yoga. Anne
draws from all these styles of yoga to teach an invigorating, yet
accessible Hatha yoga class that appeals to beginners and continuing
students alike. Anne is a
graduate of the 2004 Teacher Training class. She has studied with Francois
Raoult, David Swenson, Ramanand Patel, Amanda McMain, Sharath Rangaswamy
and Doug Keller but considers her teachers to be Paul Long and Laura
Spaulding.
Anne is
a graduate of the University of Louisville and holds a BSC in Management.
She currently works full time for a local major appliance
manufacturer and finds her yoga practice and connection with her students
helps keep her sane from the hectic corporate world. |
Louis
Martin
YE2004-2007 |
Louis
is a 2004 graduate of the Yoga East Teacher Training Program.
An engineer by profession, Louis was introduced to yoga by his wife
in 2003, who encouraged him to begin teacher
training. Having started with
Ashtanga tapes at home, Louis discovered a whole new world in the Mysore
classes and his practice changed and deepened.
His teacher training mentor, Karen
Cairns, instilled a real joy of sharing Ashtanga Yoga, and in November, 2004 Louis and
his wife traveled to Mysore and studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Gurujii),
Saraswati Rangaswamy and Sharath Rangaswamy.
Workshops with
David Swenson, Ramanand Patel, Mukesh Desai and Francois Raoult have
enriched his practice. Louis studied in Mysore, India, with Pattabhi
Jois November, 2005 - March 2006.
|
Teresa
J Phelps Martin, RYT
Certified Interdisciplinary Yoga Teacher
|
Teresa
shares the gift of yoga through a playful and compassionate touch.
With an emphasis on the breath (Prana) and fluid motion (Vinyasa), Teresa
takes you on a journey to experience the full range of yoga. Weaving
the body, mind and heart together with the breath, her dynamic and
seamless flows deepen your connection to life and fuel the inner fire
of your heart. Teresa began practicing yoga in college and continued
her yoga practice as she traveled around the world. While living in New Zealand
she decided to become a yoga teacher. She
completed an Interdisciplinary Hatha Yoga teacher training with Don &
Amba Stapleton in Nosara, Costa Rica. Teresa has trained with Angela Farmer, Victor VanKooten, Judith Lasater and
Shiva Rea. She is working on her Advance Prana Vinyasa Certification
with Shiva Rea and recently traveled to Kerala, India
for an Ayurveda retreat with Shiva.
With all the places she has been, Teresa is happy to call Kentucky
home. She has been teaching for the past 5 years in Louisville
and continues to be a student of yoga and life. Her yoga
training, studies and practice infuse her approach to life and embodying
the flow with grace, compassion and love.
Teresa's
Prenatal Yoga Class:
Pregnancy is a beautiful, challenging, scary,
breath taking miracle. Prenatal
Yoga is a time to slow down, relax, breathe, and open your heart to this
sacred journey. Embrace this
miracle with a gentle flow that cultivates an inner strength, prepares you
for labor and offers ways to find comfort in your ever changing body.
Each class begins with an opportunity to share your experience or
request specific needs and ends with a delicious restorative pose perfect
for expecting moms. This class
is appropriate for any stage of pregnancy and expecting moms new to yoga. Please phone Teresa for more information at 376-3845.
|
Santoshi Diane
Murphy
YE 1997 |
Diane graduated from the Yoga East teacher training program in 1997 and is
certified in Cardiac Yoga from Integral Yoga International (Swami
Satchidananda) in Virginia. In her work as a social worker has taught yoga to
children and utilized elements of yoga with adult clients affected by
chronic pain, depression, panic, anxiety and post-traumatic stress
disorders. She
has studied Iyengar, Sivananda, Bikram, Ashtanga, Integral and Kundalini
yoga and is also influenced by Mindulness meditation and Ayurveda. The
late Swami Satchidananda gave Santoshi her spiritual name, which means
"one who is endowed with contentment". Santoshi says, "A
spiritual name is a reminder to connect with and manifest the quality in
the name."
|
Kara
Price
Om yoga (NYC) teacher
Certified Pilates teacher (Physical Mind Institute) |
Kara
Price is originally from
Evansville,
IN
and is excited to come back to the area with her husband to be closer to
family and to share her three passions: dancing, Pilates and yoga. A
professional dancer for more than 15 years, Kara has lived in both Chicago
and NYC. Through her love of dancing, Kara also discovered Pilates.
Thanks to her dance background and the flexibility it developed, Pilates
came fairly easily to her. However,
through teaching Pilates Kara found that its benefits are applicable to
any and all people - whether healthy, injured, young, old, big or
small - Pilates is an exercise technique that anyone can
master.
While living in Chicago, a fellow Pilates teacher urged Kara to try a
level 2/3 Ashtanga class! Needless to say she felt she was thrown
into the ocean and then told to swim; and swim she did! By the end
of class she knew yoga was something she wanted to explore more
deeply. With 8 years of teaching Pilates under her belt, she
researched yoga teacher training programs and continued her yoga journey
in
OM
yoga’s Joining Heaven and Earth teacher training program in NYC. Whether
Pilates or Yoga - Kara's classes focus on alignment, breath and a sense of
smile. Let Kara's lighthearted approach take you somewhere you have never
been—physically, mentally, spiritually - into love and light.
|
|
Dave Randolph, RKC
|
Dave has been actively
involved in all aspects of Shaolin Do kung fu since 1989 when he started
training as a white belt. Since 1992 he has been a head instructor while
working his way up the ranks. Currently a 5th degree Associate
Master, Dave continues to train himself as well as others in this ancient
Martial Art. Dave discovered kettlebells in 2002 and became a certified
instructor in September of that year and has been teaching their safe
usage ever since. In 2007 Dave took his training business full time
incorporating kettlebells, barbells, body weight exercise and many other
tools to bring a health first attitude to the local fitness industry. Dave's
Website
|
Nancy
L. Reinhart
YE 2006-2008 |
Nancy is a Louisville native and
returned here in 2004 after a Peace Corps assignment as a Health
Specialist in Armenia. While there, she helped start a country-wide yoga
program. Nancy began her yoga practice in 2000 at Yoga East, began
teaching in 2005 and completed
teacher training here in 2006. Nancy has studied with Pattabhi Jois in
Mysore, India and New York City, and Ramanand Patel, Doug Keller, Francois
Raoult, and Amanda McMain. She has trained in and continues to practice
mindfulness meditation in Shambhala retreats and a local Buddhist group
for the past eight years. Nancy is a graduate student at U of L, and will
obtain a Master's degree in Public Health and Master's certification in
Women's Studies in May, 2008. She is also beginning her training as a new
mom - an on-the-spot practice!
|
| Jeanne Simpson |
Jeanne
Simpson is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner who has been
practicing Awareness Through Movement since 1992 and completed over 800
hours of training. The Method helped her to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro pain
free. You can phone Jeanne for more information about her classes at
458-5363. |
|
Karen Strobel
Vice-President of Yoga East
YE
2000
|
Karen
Strobel began yoga in the late 1980s with Maja Trigg, the founder of Yoga
East and is a member of our Board of Directors. Karen's love of teaching has always drawn her into the
classroom. She received a Masters of Education with an emphasis in reading at U
of L in 1991. Karen began teaching full time as a 5th grade teacher at St. Francis
School in Goshen and remained there for 9 years. To deepen her knowledge of yoga and
yogic philosophy, Karen enrolled in Yoga East's Teacher Training program in 1999,
graduated in 2000 and began teaching yoga part-time. In June 2001,
Karen joined Yoga East full-time to manage the new Holiday Manor studio
and to teach classes there. She has studied various styles of yoga with several
teachers, but regards Maja Trigg and Laura Spaulding as her first and foremost
teachers and credits them with lighting the spark of yoga which now burns in her heart.
In 2005, Karen studied Ashtanga Yoga with Pattabhi Jois, Sharath
Rangaswamy and Saraswati Rangaswamy at AYRI in Mysore, India. Karen moved
to Phoenix, Arizona in July, 2007. Karen and
Sharath, 2003 |
| Rae
Strobel |
Bio coming |
Monica
Sweeney
YE2006 |
Monica has been practicing yoga
since 1999 starting with hatha yoga and Bikram Yoga. She studied
with Shawna Hogan Spellman to begin teaching Bikram classes in 2003
and came to Yoga East to learn about other forms of yoga in 2004.
She teaches private classes and works with students with paraplegia and
major injuries and limitations in the body and the mind. Monica is
returning to school to obtain a nursing degree, a strong background in
holistic medicine and knowledge of the human body. Monica says, I
am driven to work with challenged students due to my own limitations. I love
teaching, and sharing yoga. I have learned to work with my own
limitations, and that has enabled me to further my own practice immensely.
It is important for me to teach so that everyone can benefit from yoga.
Monica has also studied with Amanda McMaine, Francois Raoult, Doug Keller,
Doug Swenson, David Swenson, Bryan Kest, Darren Rhodes and Laura
Spaulding. She enjoys volunteering to teach yoga for anyone who
needs it. |
|
Yoga East Alumni
and Affiliated Teachers |
Jeffrey
Abbott
YE2003 |
Jeff
Abbott completed the Yoga East teacher training program in 2003. He has
also attended advanced training workshops with Sharath Rangaswamy (Ashtanga),
David Swenson, (Ashtanga), Ramanand Patel (Iyengar), and Mitchel Bleier
and Sianna Sherman (Anusara). He visited Mysore, India and
studied with Pattabhis Jois for six weeks in 2005. The practice
of Ashtanga yoga, and the reading of yogic texts has had a transformative
effect in Jeff's life, and he looks forward to sharing its gift with
others. He is currently living and studying in Tucson, AZ.
|
Cheryl Bennett
YE1997, 2006, 2007 |
graduated in 1997 and currently
teaches classes in Elizabethtown and Bardstown, Kentucky. (Certification renewal, 2002). |
Judith Berg
YE1997 |
graduated in 1997 and uses her yoga
skills with patients as a nurse specializing in ultrasound and pre-natal counseling. |
Evelyn
Blum
YE 2001-2007
|
Evelyn
is a graduate of our 2001 Teacher Training
class. She began practicing Ashtanga Yoga in 1996 and has
studied with and learned much from Sharath Rangaswarmy, John Friend,
Ramanand Patel, Mukesh Desai, Francois Raoult, Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Beryl Birch, Sianna Sherman, Mitchel
Bleier,
and Judi
Rice. She has an accomplished personal practice and is excited about sharing her love of
Ashtanga Yoga with others. She received an Ashtanga teaching certificate from David
Swenson in May, 2002 and studied with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore in
the Summer of 2006. |
Sue Briney
YE1999, 2001 |
Sue
graduated in 1999 and is currently
teaching yoga full-time in Texas. She is in the process of receiving additional
certification in the Namaste Method of Vanda Scaravelli. |
Rob Burns
YE2002 |
Rob
Burns graduated from our
teacher
training program in 2002.
|
Karen
Cairns
YE
2002-2007 |
Karen
is a 2003 graduate of the Yoga East teacher training program, with special
merit for excellence for her research project. Karen has studied with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois
and and
Sharath Rangaswamy in the U.S. and in Mysore, India, in 2003 and November,
2005-February, 2006. She has also attended
workshops with Ramanand
Patel, Mukesh Desai, Francois Raoult, David Swenson and John Friend.
Karen
has degrees in public health, English and nursing and a doctorate in environmental
education. She is active in environmental groups and knowledgeable about local environmental
issues. She lives in Blacksburg, Virginia.
|
Dana Carnall
YE2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
Dana Carnall
is an honors graduate of our 2001 teacher
training program. She has a strong, accomplished Ashtanga yoga practice. Dana has studied
with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in both the United States and Mysore, India, where she received
permission in 2003 to start Intermediate series. She received an Ashtanga teaching
certificate from David Swenson in May, 2002. Dana currently resides in
St. Paul, Minnesota.
|
Paula Carpenter
YE1999, 2000 |
Paula Carpenter graduated in 1999. |
Bonnie
Clements
YE2006 |
Bio
coming soon. |
Deborah Cohen
YE1999 |
Deborah Cohen graduated in 1999.
She teaches yoga to children at Hayfield Montessori School. |
Tami
Sue Combs
YE 2006 |
Bio
coming soon. |
Kristina Dunham
YE1999 |
Kristina Dunham's
accomplished and precise yoga practice is the result of 20 years of yoga experience,
including teaching at the Himalayan Institute in NY City. She graduated from our
teacher training program in 1999 with honors. She focuses her personal practice in
Ashtanga yoga and studies with Judi Rice, Amanda McMaine Smith and Beryl Bender Birch. She
traveled to London to study with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in October, 2001 and received an
Ashtanga teaching certificate from David Swenson in May, 2002. |
Michele
Dwoskin
certified Pilates Instructor |
Michele
Dwoskin is a fully certified Pilates instructor. She has been practicing
Pilates since 2001. Her love for Pilates over the years inspired her to
start teaching. According to Michele “ Pilates changed my life, it has
given me confidence, patience and an understanding of human anatomy.” Michele
always makes sure to add an element of fun and humor in each and every
class. For a private reformer session with Michele please call
502-552-1367.
|
Lauren Eirk
YE2000 |
Lauren
Eirk is an honors graduate of our teacher training program (2000). An
accomplished fitness instructor and personal trainer, Lauren combines her fitness
expertise and love of yoga. She conducts ball and yoga workshops and teacher
trainings in Europe and across the United States and recently finished filming a yoga ball
video. She holds an Ashtanga teaching certificate from David Swenson and is going through
teacher training in the Anusara tradition of John Friend. Lauren is Fitness
Director for LAC. |
Ashi El Aruoa-Bey
YE1996 |
Ashi El Eruoa-Bey
graduated in 1996. She is an accomplished painter. |
Lisa Frantz
YE1999 |
Lisa Frantz was diagnosed
with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998. She found her yoga practice to be an important physical
and emotional support during challenging times. She completed our yoga teacher
training program in 1999 and teaches Iyengar style yoga to students with MS, beginning
students and to individuals with special needs, physical and mental challenges, limited
mobility or in wheel chairs. She recently received additional training in
restorative yoga. |
Meg Fuqua
YE1999 |
Meg Fuqua graduated in
1999. She teaches yoga for Hope of Kentucky. |
Lisa Flannery
YE2001 |
Lisa
Flannery is a 2001 graduate of our Teacher Training program. She is a gourmet cook
and combines her knowledge of healthful cuisine with her love of yoga. Lisa's
studio, Full Moon Yoga, is in the Crescent Hill neighborhood of Louisville in 2003.
Lisa recently made a yoga instructional video. |
Kathleen Geile
YE1997 |
Kathleen Geile
is a certified Iyengar teacher and has
practiced yoga for 30 years. Her
articulate expression of yoga is a reflection of her years of experience in literacy and
teacher training with the Jefferson County Public School System. Kathy
studies with Rodney Yee and Judi Rice and teaches Iyengar style classes at the Crescent Hill United Methodist
Church at the corner of Peterson and Frankfort Avenues. For more
information you may email her
or call 454-3242. |
Martha
Graziano
YE2004, 2005, 2006 |
Martha
is attending the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Hallandale Beach,
FL. in the acupuncture, herbs and medical qi gong programs. She has
studied yoga with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in New York City, David Swenson,
Francois Raoult, Ramanand Patel, Amanda McMaine Smith, and Doug Keller.
She is looking forward to attending the Vinyasa Conference in Miami in
October, 2006. |
Maryam Hand
YE1996 |
Maryam (Mary) Hand
graduated from our program in 1996. She is a Shandilya Sufi and was recently interviewed
by the Courier-Journal about Islamic beliefs. She teaches yoga privately. |
Beth Handelman
YE1999 |
Beth Handelman
graduated in 1999. She is currently pursuing Iyengar yoga
certification, studying with Judi Rice, Dean Lerner, and Gita Iyengar.
Beth traveled to Pune, India to study at RIMYI in 2006. |
Ann Happel
YE1999 |
Ann Happel graduated in
1999. A former student of Yoga East's founder, Maja Trigg, Ann is a
massage therapist. |
Cheri Harvey
YE2000 |
Cheri Harvey
graduated in 2000. Cheri has a special interest in relating yoga for Christians.
She currently
teaches classes at her studio in
Jeffersontown. |
Maura Hencker
YE 2000 |
Maura Hencker is an ASL instructor
and teaches at the University of Louisville. She completed our teacher training program in
2000 and completed Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson in 2002. She has
also studied with Rodney Yee, Tim Miller, T.M. Fortel, John Friend and other teachers in
the Ashtanga, Iyengar and Anusara traditions. |
Ola Gordinier
YE1999 |
Ola Gordinier
graduated from Yoga East's teacher training program in 1999 and received our award for
Best Research Project for her study, "When Everything Hurts: Yoga and
Fibromyalgia". Ola teaches at Yoga East, Powerhouse Gym and Baptist East/Milestone
Fitness. In 2000 she completed David Swenson's Ashtanga Teacher Training Program. She
studied restorative yoga and yoga for people with MS with Sam Dworkis in 2001. |
Jennifer
Hamill
YE2003 |
Jennifer
attended her first
hatha yoga class in 1991. She graduated from Yoga East teacher training in 2003
with special merit for her research paper on Pranayama. She mainly
practices Ashtanga yoga and studied with Sharath Rangaswamy. She has
continued her study of yoga with Francois Raoult and Kali Ray of Tri Yoga. |
Scott Hyer
YE2003 |
Scott
is a 2003 graduate
of Yoga East Teacher Training. Born in Dayton, Ohio and raised in
the hills of Eastern Kentucky, Scott discovered yoga as a teenager. Scott
started teaching first as a hobby and now enjoys offering the positive
benefits of yoga to other teenagers. |
Linda Ball Hodge
YE1994 |
Linda Ball Hodge was
given teacher training by Yoga East's founder, Maja Trigg, in 1994. She was a
member of the first Board of Directors after Maja retired and taught classes 1994-1995. |
Nicole Hubbard
YE1997 |
Nicole Hubbard graduated
in 1997. She is a poet and recently attended the Naropa School. |
Kellye Johnson
YE 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 |
Kellye
Johnson began practicing Hatha Yoga in 1999 as a supportive practice for
smoking cessation at the suggestion of her 12-step program sponsor. In
2000, she discovered Yoga East and became a student here, studying Hatha
Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga. In 2002, Kellye spent a month practicing Ashtanga
Yoga with K. Pattabhi Jois In Mysore, India. Upon returning, she was
invited to enter Yoga East's teacher training program, and she graduated
in 2003. She has studied with Sharath Rangaswamy, Francois Raoult,
and David Swenson. She has taught classes for The Center for Women and
Families and the Girl Scouts, Yoga East, Full Moon Yoga and the Southern Indiana YMCA.
Click here for Kellye's Mysore
India Experiences. |
Diane Kaufman
YE2003 |
Diane
completed the Yoga East teacher training program in 2003. She has
practiced Yoga since 1999, enjoying Bikram, Ashtanga and Iyengar styles of
Yoga. Since all three types of Yoga are considered Hatha, she enjoys
combining ideas and techniques to challenge her students, but mostly she
stresses "foundation, breath, and grace" throughout her classes. |
Debra Kehl
YE1996, 2005 |
In 1993, Debras oldest sister suggested
they take yoga to help with stress, so Debra and two sisters attended their first yoga
class. It was a life-changing experience that resulted in Debra enrolling in the Yoga East
Teacher Training Course in 1995 and received
her yoga teaching certificate in 1996. From the course Debra learned more about the life of
St. Francis, a saint known for peace, non-violence, joy, simplicity and his love for earth
and all of creation. Later Debra met a Franciscan nun who became an important role model
for her. Now resigned from the corporate world, her work is teaching yoga at Yoga
East and Unity Church and introducing yoga at corporate meetings, church and civic
organizations. Debra embodies the spirit and teachings of St. Francis. Debra grew up in Louisville, youngest of five
children from a Catholic family. |
Paul Long
YE1999 |
Paul Long
is an honors graduate of our teaching training program (1999). Paul has
been a member of Yoga East's Board of Directors and a co-Manager of our
Holiday Manor studio. He brings his
gentle humor and years of coaching and teaching experience to yoga, to the delight of
yoga
students. Paul had the opportunity to study with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in
Boulder, Colorado in 2000, and he is also a student of David Swenson and
Sianna Sherman and Mitchel Bleier.
Paul is currently residing and working in Phoenix, Arizona. |
Karla Markendorf
YE2001 |
Karla Markendorf is an art
therapist and teaches yoga as part of her therapeutic practice. She has studied yoga
with Father Joe Pereira in Mumbai, India as well as with other teachers in the Iyengar
tradition in Seattle. She now lives and teaches yoga in Seattle. |
Beth McCoun
YE1999 |
Beth McCoun graduated in
1999 and now teaches full-time in LaGrange and Shelby County, Kentucky. |
Lavenia McDaniel
YE2003 |
Lavenia
McDaniel is a graduate of Yoga East 2003 Teacher Training class. She began
practicing Yoga in the 80’s and resumed a dedicated practice in 1998
despite many challenges. Lavenia
initiated a program “Yoga In The Workplace ” at LG&E, and teaches
yoga full-time now throughout the Louisville area at Immaculate Heart of
Mary, St. Basil for seniors, Catholic Enrichment Center and various
community centers and churches. She has attended workshops with Ramanand
Patel, Mukesh Desai, and Sharath Rangaswarmy, and traveled to Mysore,
India in February 2004 to study with Shri K. Pattabi Jois & Sharath. Click
here for Lavenia's Mysore Experiences.
|
Jessica Moreland
YE2003, 2004, 2005 |
Jessica
Moreland graduated from our teacher training program in 2003 teacher
training, and received merit for excellence for her research project
"Yoga and Female Reproductive Health". She has a deep love
for Ashtanga yoga and attended classes with Pattabhi Jois in New York City
in 2002. After having abdominal surgery she also discovered the
benefits of restorative yoga. A former assistant manager of our
Holiday Manor studio, Jessica now runs her own consignment shop in St.
Matthews. She said of yoga: "I feel very blessed for the opportunity to
share my love of yoga with others. It has helped me to remain joyful
and positive when dealing with challenges." |
Colleen
Musinski
YE2003, 2006 |
Colleen
is a 2003 graduate of Yoga East’s teacher training program and
teaches hatha yoga at
several locations in Louisville including churches and hospitals. She has attended
workshops with internationally-recognized yoga teachers David Swenson and Doug Keller and
she incorporates therapeutic aspects of yoga into her classes. She has a
business called Yoga to Go, specializing in creating parties and
fun yoga classes for children, teens and adults.
Colleen has been an
educator since 1975 with a B.S., Master’s and Rank 1 in Education. She
teaches in many areas in the JCPS system including PE, Yoga, Language Arts, Music, and
Computers ECT.
|
Donna O'Bryan
YE
1994 |
Donna O'Bryan is
an innovative and creative yoga teacher who has been teaching yoga
for over 25 years. Donna has served on Yoga East's Board of Directors
as Program Director and Vice-President since 1994. She has a Masters
Degree in Health Education from the University of Louisville. Her interest
in health led her to look into yoga as a modality for stress and pain
management. She received teacher
training by Yoga East's founder, Maja Trigg in 1994, Integrative Yoga
Therapy certification in 2001, and Ashtanga teacher training from David
Swenson in 2002. Donna is an activist in Women's health issues
through Her Health, a women's health consultancy and advocacy group for women's
health issues in Kentucky. |
Andrea
Perkins
YE 2006
|
Andrea
has always been active with gymnastics, karate and running track in
high school, but her focus wasn’t on competition but self
improvement. After graduation from the University of Kentucky in 1999, she
became interested in Yoga and began a home practice using video tapes.
This continued through her pregnancy and after her daughter was born. In
2003 Andrea and her husband joined a gym and began taking yoga classes.
Her gym instructor encouraged her to check
out the teacher training program at Yoga East and enrolled in the program in the fall of 2004.
Andrea says, "I have loved being
immersed in the practice as a whole. I began teaching the prenatal class
at Yoga East at the end of August and I have structured the class to
prepare students for labor and to also help relieve some of the stresses
that pregnancy can put on the body. We do a lot of breathing exercises and
restorative poses as well as poses that help open the chest, tone the
pelvic floor and open the hips which will aid in child birth. I have seen
many times in others lives and in my own how beneficial yoga is both
during and after pregnancy, both physically and mentally." |
Linda Naulty
YE2001-2007 |
Linda
Naulty has been immersed in the practices of yoga since 1998. In 2000 she
was accepted into the Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Course at Yoga East in
Louisville, Kentucky where she completed over 800 hours of study in Hatha
Yoga Techniques, Anatomy, Physiology, Philosophy and Ethics. Her practice
embraces the disciplines of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini and Siddha Yoga.
She has studied with Saraswati, daughter of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, in
Mysore, India, and has journeyed to the Siddha Yoga ashrams in Oakland, CA
and South Fallsburg, NY to offer seva (selfless service) and attend
meditation intensives given by Gurumayi Chidvilasanda. In addition to her
Yoga practice, Linda holds a first degree black belt from Lee's Tai Kwon
Do Academy; a first and second degree Reiki Certification from the Usui
Reiki System of Natural Healing; and is a Level I and II Certified New
Decision Therapy Practioner. In 2001 she founded the Journey of Yoga with Yoga East Alumni
Dana Lindley and Full Moon Yoga Studio
in Louisville with Flannery. Linda currently lives in the Philippines and teaches yoga and practice Reiki and New Decision Therapy. |
Jason
Neely
YE2006 |
Bio
coming. |
Paula
Neys
YE1999, 2001 |
Paula Neys is
a 1999 graduate of our program. She had her own yoga studio in Lagrange, Kentucky
and taught yoga, Reiki and aromatherapy. Paula now lives in
Michigan. |
Kari Nolan
YE2002 |
Kari Nolan
is a 2002 graduate of the Yoga East Teacher Training
Program. She has studied and worked as an artist since 1982. She now finds Ashtanga
Yoga to be her ultimate form of artistic offering; one that springs from her heart and her
deep devotion to her teachers and students. Kari has studied Ashtanga with Laura
Spaulding and Paul Long for five years, and also with David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Leno
Miele, and with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in New York. She received an Ashtanga teaching certificate from David Swenson in May, 2002, and
studied with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India in June, 2002. |
Paige McDaniel
YE1999 |
Paige McDaniel graduated
in 1999. |
Deanna O'Daniel
YE2000 |
Deanna
O' Daniel graduated
in 2000. She teaches in several locations in Louisville and conducts a
hypnotherapy practice through Self-Seek Hypnosis. |
Carrie Ormerod
YE1996 |
Carrie
Ormerod graduated from our teacher training program in 1996 and currently directs the
massage therapy program for Caritas. She is a Lamaze instructor, teaches
infant massage and yoga for pregnancy. |
Sarah Padgett
YE1997 |
Sarah Padgett graduated in
1997. She is a professional stunt performer. |
Rosemary
Pearson-Rosenthal
YE2006 |
Bio
coming. |
Zelda Spalding-Powell
YE2002 |
Zelda Powell is a
faculty member in the Psychology Department at JCC. She has continued her interest in yoga for over 25 years. She
completed our one-year teacher training program in 2002 and teaches popular
yoga classes at Jefferson Community College.
|
Mary Lynne Price
YE1999 |
Mary Lynne Price graduated
in 1999. She now lives in Austria with her husband and daughter and
practices Ashtanga Yoga. She hopes to be returning to the Louisville area
in 2007. |
Diane Rabinowitz
YE1995 |
Diane
Rabinowitz graduated from our teacher training program in 1995. She was the first yoga
teacher in Louisville to receive training from Bikram Choudhury in his method and to teach
Bikram classes in Louisville (1995). She has also received Advanced Teacher Training from
Bikram and Erich Schiffman and she is working toward certification in Integrative Yoga
Therapy. Diane worked for Bikram Choudhury at
his headquarters in California and is now a teacher. |
Chaz Rough
YE2002 |
Chaz Rough is
a 2002 graduate of the Yoga East Teacher Training Program and is also a Certified YogaKid
Facilitator. He has been practicing yoga for 10 years and teaching for Yoga to kids for 3 years. He released his nationwide video/DVD, "Yoga
for the Kid in All of US," in the Spring of 2002, and is currently developing his
next Yoga video to be released in the Spring of 2003. He has studied Ashtanga Yoga with
Laura Spaulding, Doug Swenson and David Swenson and completed the David Swenson's teacher
training program in May 2002. He also studied Bikram Yoga with Jimmy Barkham and Betsy
Jones. Chaz has integrated all of these different styles of yoga to form his YOGAmazing
workout. His classes have been created to capture and inspire the yoga practitioner on
every level. Chaz is also known for his songs of peace, love and harmony. He has performed at the
White House twice, taken part in the International Children's Peace Festival at Sivananda
Yoga Camp in Montreal, Canada, and has been featured in Billboard Magazine. Chaz has his
own studio, Yogamazing, in St. Matthews. |
Debbie Saag
YE2000, 2005 |
Debbie Saag
lives and teaches yoga in the Baltimore,
Maryland area. She graduated from our teacher training program in 2000 and taught Ashtanga
Yoga in our classes from 2000 through 2003. Debbie has studied with Shri K. Pattabhi
Jois in California, and was studying with Guruji in New York City on September 11, 2001.
She has also studied with Sharath Rangaswamy, David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Rodney Yee,
Sianna Sherman and Mitchel Bleier. She received an Ashtanga teaching certificate from
David Swenson in May, 2002. |
Marilyn Stafford
YE1999, 2001 |
Marilyn Stafford
graduated from our teacher training in 1999.
|
Jane Tauer
YE2003 |
Jane
Tauer completed the Yoga East teacher training program in 2003. She has
also attended advanced training workshops with Ramanand Patel, Francois
Raoult, Richard Freeman, Angela Farmer, Erich Schiffmann and others. Jane
has been practicing yoga since 1998, beginning her practice in Laramie, WY
with Sally Benedict in the White
Lotus tradition of yoga.
|
Sue B Turner
YE2003 |
Sue B
Turner completed the Yoga East teacher training program in 2003 and has
been actively teaching yoga for several years. Sue B’s
experience with mindful movement began at an early age with a passion for
ballet, modern dance and theatre and water exercise. Recalling a teen encounter with yoga, she began incorporating yoga
components into her water classes and turned to Yoga East
for training. Sue B's
careers have spanned a variety of interests from marketing to real estate,
with degrees in communications, journalism, and a post-graduate degree in
paralegal studies. The common thread of her life, though, is a genuine
desire to serve others, expressed through the Buddhist
practice that is the foundation for her life.
As Kentucky’s public relations coordinator for the Soka Gakkai
International (SGI-USA, the American branch of an international Buddhist
association that promotes peace and individual happiness based on the
teachings of the Nichiren school of Mahayana Buddhism), Sue B works within
the local community to increase awareness and understanding of Buddhist
values and interfaith dialogue.
|
Kelli C. Torpey
YE2003 |
Kelli
has been practicing yoga since 1998, but developed a passionate interest
in it since attending classes at Yoga East. She was an avid Ashtanga
student prior to a knee injury which required surgery. She believes her
injury has been a valuable teacher that will help her be an even better
yoga instructor. She looks forward to teaching yoga classes in her areas
of interest: mantra meditation, gentle Hatha, and workshops using mandalas
- drawing on her background as an art therapist. Kelli trusts that
her path as a teacher will unfold as she follows her heart. Kelli is a 2003 graduate from
Yoga East's teacher training program. She has an MA degree in art therapy
from the University of Louisville.
|
Ken Von Roenn
III
YE2000 |
Ken
von Roenn III is the creator of Skanda Yoga, and is a former
affiliate of Anusara Yoga. A practitioner for 13 years, Ken presents a
dynamic synthesis of attributes from many Hatha Yoga systems. Ken holds a
B.A. In Philosophy, and was an Honors graduate in 2000 from the Yoga East
Teacher Training program. He has since then studied alignment and
therapeutics extensively. His main teachers have been: Amanda McMaine,
Laura Spaulding, John Friend, Mitchel Bleir, Sianna Sherman, and Jordan
Bloom.
Skanda Yoga is a breath-inspired practice based in an intelligent
power vinyasa format. Skanda Yoga uses alignment to honor the basic form
of the pose, but seeks to inform the pose with breath and energy. It is a
free-style that embodies techniques and advanced methods from many yoga
systems. A Skanda Yoga class invokes the warrior spirit for a challenging,
inspiring, and self-empowering practice. Ken's mission is to Divine a
higher form of practice, that embraces advanced techniques and extreme
methods for a complete transformation of mind, body, and spirit. He is
seriously committed to playfully challenging the parameters of what is
possible.
Ken's Skanda Yoga on YouTube |
Suzanne Yoffe
YE1997 |
Suzanne
(Carey) Yoffe graduated in 1997. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas with
her husband and son and is a Montessori
teacher. |
|
Employment
and Teaching at Yoga East
|
|
We are always looking for qualified, dedicated teachers,
but we may not always have openings on our regular class schedule. You are invited to phone
Laura Spaulding at our
main office for information at 502-585-9642.
We invite teachers who are interested in being part of
the Yoga East community to attend classes with us so we can get to know you
and your practice. We require that teachers hold certification or authorization in the style of
yoga you teach, or be actively pursuing such qualifications. We
primarily offer classes in the Krishmacarya lineage in Ashtanga, Iyengar and
Anusara styles. We teach a curriculum traditional yoga asanas and yoga
shastras (texts) using Sanskrit names and terms. Teachers are expected
to have a dedicated daily yoga practice and to be actively pursuing study in
the style of yoga you expect to teach.
Ashtanga
teachers are required to be direct students of Shri K. Pattabhi Jois or a
teacher authorzed or certified by him. See www.ashtanga.com
for a listing of authorized and certified teachers. Mysore-style Ashtanga teachers must have
studied at AYRI in Mysore, India.
Iyengar teachers should be studying within
the Iyengar teacher training system.
Anusara teachers must be recognized
as "Anusara-inspired" or certified.
Hatha or vinyasa yoga teachers should have a
minimum 200 hour certification from Yoga East or a school we recognize.
Kettlebell instructors must be certified by Pavel Tsatsouline.
All teachers
are required to have liability insurance coverage and current CPR and First
Aid training.
Teaching in
Exchange for Classes: due to accounting and tax complications,
we do not hire teachers on a barter or teach in exchange for classes basis.
Volunteers
are welcome to assist at classes and workshops by greeting and helping to
register students, cleaning the studio, bringing flowers or refreshments for
events.
Yoga East is an equal opportunity
employer and hires teachers and staff without discrimination on the basis of
race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin.
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|
CYE
Reporting for Yoga
East Certification Renewal
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|
CYE information and forms are now on the Teacher's
Forum. Click here to access the
Forum.
|
|
Information
for Teachers
|
Information for our teachers, including teacher's
benefits, fees and discounts for workshops are on the Teacher's Forum.
Click here to access the
Forum.
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