Y&Y Team – Yogis & Yoginis

Amanda Sidran

Amanda started practicing yoga in 2001, but became serious about her practice after she had her daughter in 2011. Under the tutelage of her first truly inspirational teacher, Vivekan of Bodhisattva Yoga, she received her 200 hour teaching certification. Shortly thereafter, on a friend's advice, she completed her children's yoga certification with Shari Vilchez-Blatt at Karma Kids Yoga and found the opportunity to share this practice with young minds to be incredibly rewarding, not to mention fun. Amanda is continuously studying and deepening her own practice, and has also received certification in Every Kids Yoga with Craig Hanauer and Prenatal Yoga with Samba Yoga. In 2019 she discovered the internationally known teacher Jason Crandell, and his teaching resonated with her in so many ways. She completed his courses The Art of Teaching Beginners (2019) Preventing and Managing Yoga Injuries (2020), and Mastering the Art of Sequencing (2021). Finally, in 2022 she completed his 300 Hour Advanced Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training. Amanda is also thrilled to add Pilates to her skill set, having been trained by Power Pilates in Manhattan and earning her certificate as a Core Mat 1, Core Mat 2 , and Core Mat 3 (Advanced Mat) instructor. She is grateful for the guidance of her own amazing teachers, including Jason Crandell, Amanda Harding, Bobbie Marchand, Miles Borrero, Scott Anderson, Shari Vilchez-Blatt, Juliana Secches and Venerable Amy Miller. amandasidranyoga.com

Justin Donham

Justin Donham has worn many hats over the years including performer, stage manager, voice-over artist , and sound designer. He was first introduced to yoga back in 2001 when he was working on a Broadway show. Sat Jivan Kaur from Kundalini Yoga East came into rehearsals regularly and introduced him to the power of a focused, vigorous practice. Over the years, Justin has studied many different vocabularies including Viewpoints, Suzuki, contact improvisation, developmental movement, and Butoh. Few things make him happier than being barefoot in a room full of bodies in motion. Drawing from this deep love of movement, his classes are a blend of fluid sequencing, healthy alignment, evocative music, and a big dollop of playfulness. He is a graduate of Prema Yoga Brooklyn’s 200-hour Teacher Training program and would like to extend tremendous gratitude to Amanda Harding, Bobbie Marchand, Lesley Desaulniers, and Ariel Kiley. yogadonham.com

Cari Friedman

For over twenty years, Cari Friedman O’Connor has been teaching yoga in New York City. She has also taught many international retreats. She is a dedicated and gifted teacher who combines exceptional technical knowledge with an ability to recognize and respond to each student’s individual needs. Cari’s classes are inspiring, challenging and nurturing. In order to have a transformative yoga practice, she helps students become aware of their personal habits by organizing and finding center through the body, mind and breath. After studying and teaching Anusara Yoga for over ten years, Cari has studied many different techniques that she brings to her teachings. In 2012 she began working under Nevine Michaan, founder of Katonah Yoga and Cari’s teaching was transformed. She is certified in the Katonah yoga method. In addition, she has completed many teacher trainings with Max Strom, John Friend, Ellen Saltonstall and Jimmy and Ruthie Bernaert, among others; she also incorporates the Melt Method and physical therapy techniques into her teaching. Her meditation practice includes studies from the Vipassana traditions. She has also studied women’s sacred rituals and completed a two-year lecture program with Dr. Shefali Tsabury on mindfulness. She is a partner and mother of two children who daily inspire her practice and teaching. Cari also holds a BA from the Boston Conservatory of music. https://www.carifriedman.com

Frank Ricci

Frank began practicing Yoga in 2004, received his yoga teaching certificate from The Yogasana Center of Yoga in Brooklyn, and began teaching in 2010. Since that time, he has received extensive training in Therapeutic yoga, including assisting Deborah Wolk. He studies regularly with his mentors and has had the pleasure and privilege of studying with Donald Moyer of The Yoga Room. In 2011, Frank's quest for deeper professional training led him to India, where he completed a five-week course studying Iyengar Yoga from Rajiv and Swati Chanchani. Frank's compassionate teaching style draws influence from Iyengar Yoga as well as modalities such as Alexander Technique and Western Physical Therapy creating a unique experience for his students that is both encouraging and challenging. SpineofYoga.com

Arturo Castillo

Arturo started yoga as a teenager growing up in a working class neighborhood in Quito, Ecuador. in 1971, Arturo began a formal study of yoga with Dr. José Manuel Estrada, co-founder of the Universal Great Brotherhood (UGB), an international network dedicated to teaching yoga and promoting a spiritually aware lifestyle. At 17, he taught his first yoga class and went on to earn an international yoga teaching certificate. He continued to teach for the UGB in Quito, and then at Universidad de las Americas (UDLA), Swissotel, and the U.S. Embassy. Putting into action his strong belief in community service, Arturo gave free classes to the inmates of the García Moreno Penitentiary and to the children in a Quito shelter for the homeless. In 2001 Arturo brought his expertise to the United States, holding hatha yoga classes at Solar Yoga in Brooklyn

Shenaaz Jetha

For Shenaaz, what began as an elective at UCLA in 1997, morphed into a career path. She never imagined that she would teach yoga, but as her practice has evolved, so too has she, to find her voice, her path and a practice that means so much to her. Through her various trainings, Shenaaz has found a way to help others connect to their bodies, finding grounding in the chaos of life and healing, through deep stretch and release. She’s grateful to all the teachers who have shaped her path, and the students who share it. https://www.littlefeetwiseheartyoga.com

Liz Schindler

Liz found yoga at a stressful time in her life and fell in love with the practice, returning again and again. She has experienced, first hand, the power of yoga to calm the mind, empower the body and spirit, and foster compassion. It is her greatest desire to share these gifts with her students. Liz is trained in classical yoga, prenatal, and children's yoga and is grateful to her teachers Dharma Mittra, Mia Borgata, and Anne Robideaux. Her classes focus on turning the attention inward to cultivate mindfulness in movement, breath, and thought.

Holly Heidt

Holly has always loved to observe the intimate connection between movement and mood: the calm stillness that follows a hike in the woods, the rush of endorphins you feel after you've just performed, or the exuberance of handstands, cartwheels, or just hanging upside down on the monkey bars. Yoga takes advantage of this connection, offering us many tools for self exploration. She believes that by gaining greater understanding of our own bodies and minds, we can foster healthy relationships to ourselves, others, and the planet. In her classes she hopes to share feel-good sequences, supportive adjustments and massage, and a curiosity about the mind, body, and breath. Holly did her 200 hour teacher training and 30 hour Bridge Training at Kula Yoga Project under the direction of Nikki Vilella, Magi Pierce, and Jillian Turecki and her 60 hour Thai Yoga training with Al Turner II of Two Souls Thai Massage. She is co-artistic director of Muliebris Dance Theatre and dances with a few companies in the city. https://hollyheidt.com

Sarah Selig

Sarah has been living and teaching yoga in the Park Slope, Brooklyn for over 25 years. She came into yoga through her background in dance. She began studying yoga with Dharma Mittra in 1994 and then completed teacher training with him in 2000. From Dharma she learned the value of interweaving yoga philosophy into the Hatha Yoga practice and the healing benefits of savasana and meditation. Since that initial training she has studied and trained in a myriad of yoga styles, including vinyasa with Shiva Rea, restorative with Judith Lasater and yin yoga with Laura Kauffmann, Brahmani Liebman and Jashoda Edmunds. Since 2021 she has been studying with Tias Little and Prajna yoga. Through Prajna yoga she is certified in SATYA, Sensory Awareness Training for Yoga, a somatic practice that complements yoga. This practice is therapeutic nature. Sarah is a reiki practitioner and has completed the Shinpidin level with Frans Steine of International House of Reiki. She continues her reiki study with Bronwen Logan.

Toby Kasavan

Toby Kasavan is the founder of Better Balance NY, a Tai Chi and Aikido based programs for balance and health. Toby has been certified by the TaijiFit Int. for Flow & Tai Chi 4 Veterans, by the Wu Tang Physical Culture Society (NYC) to teach the Northern Wu Style Tai Chi form and has a 5th degree black belt certification from the US Aikido Federation and Hombu Dojo Japan. Toby began studies as a child at the Los Angeles AikiKai with Clem Yoshida (5th Dan). After moving to N.Y. he continued at the N.Y. AikiKai under Professor (Sensei) Yoshimitsu Yamada 8th Degree black belt (8th Dan), a direct student of Aikido’s founder and the Chief Instructor of the N.Y. AikiKai. Toby is also a musician and for him, music and tai chi have a lot in common. Both are involved with timing, phrasing, breath, focus, and dynamics. betterbalanceny.com/

Julie Dohrman

Julie Dohrman has been teaching in locally and internationally for almost 20 years and is one of New York’s most sought-after teachers. Widely known for her inspiring, intelligent, and practical approach to yoga, Julie has an infectious passion for the practice and views yoga as a means for personal transformation and growth. Her classes are deeply layered, often combining mythic stories and sage teachings from varied lineages with clear instruction, smart, progressive sequencing, plenty of challenge, nuance and depth. Julie is Certified in Anusara Yoga, ERYT-500 / YACEP, and teaches in Brooklyn and NYC. shaktiyogany.com

Brynt Beitman

Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Brynt Beitman is a graduate of The Juilliard School and has worked internationally as a professional dancer, dance teacher, and choreographer. Brynt has taught Pilates since 2014 at Groundfloor Exercise, where he completed their Teacher Trainee Program. He is a graduate of Soma Psyche Institute (180 hour Beginner Program) and Polarity Therapy Institute (675 hour Advanced Program), where he had transformative experiences of the subtle body while learning Polarity Therapy from Ellen Krueger and Brian Jansen. He is a 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher, having received his certification from Yoga and Ayurveda Center. Brynt’s yoga and Polarity Therapy practices inform one another; weaving together physical, mental, energetic, and emotional exploration. He uses present-time embodiment and somatic inquiry to give his yoga classes an underlying emphasis on nervous system regulation and inner resource building. mettamindbody.com

Jon Sint Ziff

Drawing from a family of yoga practitioners and teachers, Jon was introduced to yoga early but took his time to fall in love with the practice and make it his experience. That love was initially propelled by the physical practice and the defiance of gravity but is now defined by the power of the breath + mind, the complexity and brilliance of the human form. Jon’s classes are designed to connect the muscular with the mystical body, the physical practice to the imagination. His classes are centered around mindful alignment, creative sequencing, self-awareness, pranayama, offer a physical challenge, and are constructed to offer to be experiential. Jon's training ranges from extensive study with The Sacred Fig and Katonah Yoga to work with Threes Physiyoga, Kula Yoga, AcroYoga, Meridian Yoga Therapy and various bodywork modalities. Jon splits time between New York and Cocoon Portugal, his home away from home. https://www.cocoonportugal.com

Jason Orrell

Jason has been teaching yoga since 2009 and has over 1000 hours of training, specializing in yoga for back health, strength and mobility training, anatomy and biomechanics. With clear instruction, humor and innovation, he aims to make yoga fun and accessible to students of all ages and abilities while imparting a sense of wonder about the body and mind. He believes that in teaching us to strengthen and align our bodies, yoga helps us also to strengthen and align our relationship to the social and natural world. Jason holds certifications from Kula Yoga with Schuyler Grant, David Regelin Yoga, Yoga Union with Alison West, Functional Range Conditioning, Kinstretch, and Animal Flow among others. He leads anatomy intensives for Yoga Teacher Trainings and has taught for Alo Yoga, Equinox, YogaWorks and other prestigious locations throughout the city.

Three Merians

Three Isha Merians is a yogi, activist, and attorney from Woodstock, New York. Raised in a Yogic household, Three and her father are devotees of Sri Swami Satchidananda, in the Sivananda lineage. In 2015 Three earned her 200 hour yoga teaching certification from Kashi Ashram in Atlanta, GA. Since then, she has studied with and earned additional certifications from Bryan Kest Power Yoga, Mahasiddha School of Tantra, and the Integral Yoga Institute. Three is an active member of the Yogaville Ashram, leading workshops and Q&As on a range of topics including anti-racism, and the recognition of joy as a form of activism. Three's classes incorporate her background in dance with the American Ballet Theater and the Los Angeles Ballet, and her love of Vipassana meditation with a strong Vinyasa flow to create a deep, graceful, and powerful practice. Three believes the eight limbs of yoga are a roadmap to personal, community, and Universal liberation, and seeks to empower and inspire other yogis in their practice both on and off the mat.

Kathryn Meany

Kathryn Meany has been utilizing the PIlates Method for her growing movement community for over 17 years in New York City. Her approach is inspired by universal and individual body conditioning for optimal mobilization and integrated strength both on and off the mat. Kathryn loves using unique visualizations and cueing as well as progressive modifications on classic Pilates choreography for students to dial up on the details of their kinesthetic journey resulting in more organization and noticeable results.

Cristina Tarantola

Cristina sees the practice of yoga as an offering of the heart, where movement and breath are the tools to connect deeper with the truest sense of Self and attain a higher sense of consciousness. In 2009, she had her first 200-hour training at Yoga Union for Back Care & Scoliosis. Alison West taught her how to balance impeccable instruction in alignment and Pranayama. Her rigorous Iyengar inspired program included a certification in teaching on an Iyengar-style rope wall and Yoga for Back Care. Following with a 75-hour advanced intensive training for experienced teachers with Schuyler Grant on The Art of Teaching Kula Style Yoga, she deepened her knowledge of anatomy and with a yearlong course with Leslie Kaminoff at the Breathing Project. Cristina was on the faculty of Katonah Yoga, studied with Zach Dacuk for a deeper understanding of the human anatomy and the dynamic of body movement to create intelligent sequences in a yoga flow class. She seeks to create space and strength in the body and in the mind in order to create space in life through a grounding, challenging, expansive and uplifting practice. Her dedication to yoga is deeply fueled by the great inspiration and gratitude for her teachers, Alison West, Schuyler Grant, the Kula community and many others who have deeply touched her heart. Yoga is her life long journey

Kristen Davis

Kristen’s teaching is a blend of her somatic practice and study over the last 30+ years. Her approach is meditative, compassionate, playful, and precise as she looks to uncover the physical habits and conditioning that create obstacles in the body-mind-heart. Kristen was owner and director of Yogasana Center in Brooklyn, NY from 2003-2017. As a dancer, Kristen began studying and teaching Yoga and Alexander Technique in 1995. Her yoga studies have been predominantly in the Iyengar tradition, most importantly with her yoga teacher and mentor, senior Iyengar teacher, Donald Moyer. Kristen was first certified by Alison West and Yoga Union. She went on to study intensively at the NY Iyengar Institute and graduated from the Yoga Room Berkeley's Advanced Studies / 500hr Teach Training Program under Donald Moyer and Mary Lou Weprin. Kristen completed her original 1600-hour Alexander Technique training in 1999. She went on to do a post-graduate Alexander training in the Art of Breathing with Jessica Wolf in 2006. Kristen is a committed practitioner of Soto Zen Buddhism, having received the precepts in 2017. As a senior student at Brooklyn Zen Center, Kristen serves in the role of Jisha, assistant to lead teacher, Laura O’Loughlin.

Liza Toft

Liza has been teaching yoga in NYC since 1998. She has studied various forms of yoga but kept getting drawn back to the art, science, and philosophy of Iyengar Yoga. She committed to getting certified in the method by enrolling in the teacher training program at the New York Iyengar Yoga Institute in 2015 and becoming certified in 2018. Having a background in fine art as well as having a masters degree in creative arts therapy from Pratt Institute, she sees Iyengar Yoga as a creative art form. There is a focus on precision and alignment in the method, but her teaching encourages students to use the technique to go deeper to find the transformational power of yoga. lizatoft.com

Lisa Sack

Lisa Sack is a certified Viniyoga® therapist, Āyurvedic Health Counselor (in the lineage of Vasant Lad), and Hanna Somatic Educator. She practices yoga and yoga therapy in the tradition of TKV Desikachar, as taught to her by Gary Kraftsow, founder of the American Viniyoga Institute™. Desikachar emphasized a slow, breath-centered approach to practice, adapted to the needs of the individual, as a powerful method for preparing body and mind for prāṇāyāma and meditation. Lisa completed her training as a Hanna Somatic Educator with Eleanor Criswell Hanna at the Novato Institute, and is passionate about bringing this lesser-known somatic practice to the world. She thinks of Hanna Somatic Education as “micro-mini Viniyoga,” the means by which you can become more embodied, hone your moment-to-moment awareness, and quiet your mind. Our “go-go” culture often encourages pushing, effort, and speed, yet tremendous riches of perception, consciousness, and transformation reside in small, focused, slow movements connected to our breath. When we’re able to breathe and move with ease, our mind and spirit grow spacious. Is this not the heart of yoga?www.clearsightyoga.com

Yvonne Ambrée

Yvonne was introduced to Yoga shortly after moving to NYC in 2011. Being a frequent traveler due to her profession as a Singer/Vocal Coach she was looking for a practice that brought some regularity and felt grounding at the same time. Through the years as she recognized the transformative and sacred components of yoga, her practice became an integrated and important part of her daily life. Yvonne holds a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training from Joschi Yoga (NYC) and a 300 hour Teacher Training from The Shala (NYC). She is also a certified Yoga Nidra teacher from Sacred Sound Yoga (NYC). Her classes are a creative mix of ashtanga-inspired vinyasa, breath awareness, yoga philosophy and meditation. yvonneambree.com

Tara Tonini

Tara is a yoga and meditation teacher, Birth Doula and Master Reiki Healer approaching each modality through a trauma- informed lens. She is a founding member of The Center For Yoga & Trauma Recovery and served for five years as Director of Curriculum and Mentoring for Exhale to Inhale. She is currently working towards a Masters Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In each offering she strives to build a community where people can connect and experience the healing arts of yoga, meditation and energy medicine. taratonini.com/

Lea Abraham

Lea offers yoga, movement and meditation classes to help people develop a connection with their most authentic Self and find balance in body, mind and spirit. She found movement in her mid-twenties as a way to move away from anxiety and fear and bring in presence, acceptance and love. In her classes, Lea encourages students to take the seat of the observer to acknowledge, accept and eventually let go of any stuck energy or feelings. Besides a 200 hour yoga teaching certification, Lea holds a certification in nutrition and healthy living from Cornell, and is a certified personal trainer. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Physical Education with the goal of offering movement, health and wellbeing in schools. Lea loves the ocean, ecstatic dancing, going birding and film photography.

Emily Faber

After a lifetime of inflexibility, Emily came to yoga hoping to gain the ability to touch her toes, but she ended up finding so much more. Although, yes, yoga improved the tightness of her hamstrings, it also provided her with a space to discover more about herself through the exploration of shapes, breath, and meditation. Before becoming a teacher, Emily started her yoga journey as a yoga portrait photographer, documenting the personal practices of yogis across the New York City area. She completed her 200 hour training at New Love City in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where she fell in love with learning about all things yoga, from the asanas to far beyond. In her classes, expect a playful and creative vinyasa flow set to music, with additional elements drawn from Kundalini and yin. As a teacher, she hopes to create an experience where students can get in touch not only with their physical bodies but with their emotional bodies as well.

Marcus Berardino

Marcus discovered yoga in 1995 at the local YMCA and quickly found it comforting as a new resident navigating life in the bustle of New York City. After exploring various yoga styles, he combined his expertise as a NYS Licensed Massage Therapist with yoga teachings, earning 500-hour certifications from Laughing Lotus and Prajna Yoga teaching schools. Inherently driven by movement, Marcus integrates lively asana sequences, mindfulness of breath, and humor into his classes to inspire joy in the practice. As a Health Coach in Brooklyn, he co-created 'Body Lab', a yoga therapy workshop aiding patients with musculoskeletal and mental health issues. Marcus teaches locally and globally, including retreats in New York, Vermont, India, Italy, and Turkey, and contributes to yoga teacher training programs at various studios. He is a lifelong learner and observer whose life philosophy resonates with Gandhi's famous words: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." marcusberardino.com

Dan Shuman

Daniel Shuman is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and a Certified Yoga Therapist. He began to practice postural yoga in 2004, and began teaching in 2009. In July of 2019, Daniel spent a month in Pune, India, studying with the Iyengar family. From 2014 until 2020, he apprenticed with senior teacher James Murphy. Daniel is a faculty member of the Iyengar Institute of New York. Additionally, Daniel holds a B.A. in Jazz Studies and Performance from William Paterson University. His bass playing is well-documented on over 40 recordings in genres ranging from Americana to metal. As a musician, he has toured most of the continental United States, as well as much of Europe and the U.K. danshumanyoga.com

Rachel Feinberg

Rachel began practicing yoga in 1999 after graduating with a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. She started teaching yoga in 2004 and found the Iyengar method in 2007. Her first teachers were Genny Kapuler and Tori Milner. Rachel was initially inspired by the precision, depth and adaptability of the Iyengar method. It challenged her on every level, which was both humbling and exciting. She went on to complete Iyengar teacher training, to travel to India to study with the Iyengars, and to become certified in the Iyengar method. She continues to study with her primary teachers, Michelle LaRue and James Murphy. Having taught in studios, office settings, homes and hospitals, Rachel’s love of yoga and her passion for teaching are evident. She believes that students of all ages, levels of ability, and body types can learn and profoundly benefit from the practice of yoga.

Danielle Foley

Danielle is a 500-hour yoga instructor specializing in clinical yoga therapy, certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She was drawn to yoga in late 2010 after college eastern philosophy courses and a personal need for healing piqued her interest in a practice that felt refreshingly true, direct, and kind. She quickly fell in love with the core principles of yoga and continues to do so. To Danielle, yoga is holistic, compassionate, liberating, and pulls us out of rutted patterns. When practicing, the body and mind become a personal workshop - each individual is simultaneously the subject and the scientist in their personal lab, exploring. In her classes, she emphasizes curiosity and agency to build the skills of mindfulness and discernment. She received her 200-hour training from an organization called YogaMedics in 2013, and her 500-hour from the International Institute of Yoga Therapy in 2018 - both located in Southeast Michigan. She has also practiced the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira on and off since 2010, and has a side project called Yoga for Gamers where she teaches occasionally at video game conventions.

Carolyn Christie

Carolyn has practiced yoga since 1988. She was introduced to both yoga and the Buddhist dharma while living in Thailand serving in the Peace Corps, 1987-89. On her way home from Thailand, Carolyn traveled to India to learn more about the land in which both Buddhism and yoga originated. She continues to return to India to study both spiritual paths, which she feels complement each other. Carolyn regularly goes to Pune to study with the Iyengar family. Mary Dunn was Carolyn’s primary teacher in the States. Carolyn continues to study with Patricia Walden and Gabriella Giubilaro. Carolyn strives to teach in a way that the students feel they are doing to learn and not doing to do. She feels the Iyengar method, thanks to the brilliance of BKS Iyengar, is an amazing method to learn yoga. “We spend time with our teachers to learn. But ultimately we must learn from our practice.”

Andrey Block

Andrey began his yoga journey in 2010 after discovering Dharma Mittra Yoga Center and was quickly drawn to its philosophy and its healing effects on mind - body connection. Andrey became immersed in different schools of yoga thought and delved into infinite possibilities of meditation through movement. Andrey is a competitive runner, a martial artist and a teacher of functional movement and conscious breathing, Andrey believes that yoga is the catalyst to all aspects of physical and mental fitness, an ultimate conduit to wellbeing and self-awareness. He completed his teacher training at Pure Yoga in New York, training with some of the best EYRT instructors and mentors; Andrey’s innate nature and teaching approach offers comfortable and safe atmosphere that allow for long lasting connections with his students that provides tools to help better their lives through functional movement, settling the mind and the power of breath.

Jackie Garbe

Jackie comes from a martial arts background, practicing and teaching Taekwondo and mixed martial arts for over ten years. As a lover and not a fighter, she soon fell in love with yoga and meditation, and the way the practices bring us into deeper awareness and connection with ourselves. Today, her vinyasa practice finds inspiration from ashtanga sequencing and Katonah alignment, incorporating pranayama and meditation for a experience that brings us back to ourselves. As a teacher, she hopes to cultivate a safe space for people to feel at home in their bodies. She completed her 200 hour teacher training with Kristin Leigh and Barbara Verrochi, and is a practitioner of Mahayana Buddhism. In her free time, Jackie enjoys hanging out with her cat Tofu, and communing with squirrels and birds in parks. jackiegarbe.com

Olivia Falcon

Olivia is based in NYC and primarily teaches Katonah Yoga. Currently, her teachings have circled back to the basics and include mostly Hatha, breathwork and movement that is accessible for as many bodies as possible. Olivia completed her certification with Sky Ting Yoga in 2018, which is when she began working with the Katonah material. In 2020 she began to work more closely with her mentor and Katonah Yoga founder Nevine Michaan. Class will always include breathwork, poses that build heat and space to unfold and soften

Mimi Visser

Mimi has been teaching Iyengar Yoga since 2011, after having completed the Teacher Training in NY, led by James Murphy. She has traveled to Pune, India three times (the first time, in 2012, when Mr. Iyengar was still occasionally teaching; an unforgettable experience) and plans on going there regularly in the future, to keep getting inspired by the Iyengar family. In addition to her regular classes at the Iyengar Institute and other studios, she teaches inmates at the Rikers Island jail and also at a rehab center in Red Hook. These students teach her a lot about the true meaning of yoga. To Mimi, the most important result of a good yoga practice is to find deep connections between body, mind and breath. It’s the experience of these connections that makes one feel more whole as a human being and more connected to other human beings. Mimi grew up in The Netherlands, where she studied Philosophy and Musicology at the University of Amsterdam and Piano at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. She still plays and teaches piano, comprehending more and more the famous words of violinist Yehudi Menuhin, “B.K.S. Iyengar was my best violin teacher!”

John Dodig

John completed his 200-hour teacher training with Julie Dohrman of Shaktiyoga NY, studying asana, pranayama, meditation, and yoga history and philosophy. He is an avid practitioner of Katonah Yoga currently working toward a Katonah teaching certification. John approaches yoga as a longevity practice, believing it has something to offer every student. His classes are uncomplicated and fun while remaining thoughtfully sequenced. They prioritize functional movement, grounding, and fluency. johndodig.yoga

Heather Greer

Heather is a filmmaker who found Katonah Yoga in 2014 and was immediately drawn to its rich theory and use of the imagination as a tool to potentiate the physical practice. She has completed over 250 hours of training at The Studio in NYC, including her mentorship in 2021 under Abbie Galvin, and together with Abbie has guided workshops around the use of the Magic Square in addressing dilemmas on the mat and in the world. In her classes, she seeks to share the tools she has learned over the past nine years to help students build a more conscious, potent, creative practice and life.

Shaina Stelzer

Shaina began her yoga journey as a form of therapy while caretaking for her father, who had Parkinsons disease. After his passing, she continued down a path of self-exploration and development, completing a hatha based 200-hour training with Prema Yoga. Since then, Shaina shifted her focus to Katonah Yoga, in which she has completed over 1000 hours of training with The Studio, The Katonah Yoga Center, and Mary Dana Abbott, focusing on body & face reading and adjustments. Katonah references Taoism, Chinese medicine and sacred geometry to enrich the yoga practice. Shaina completed an apprenticeship with Abbie Galvin of The Studio in 2022 and has been a mentee of Mary Dana Abbott since 2022. Shaina aims to use the vibrant metaphors found in Katonah Yoga along with verbal and hands-on adjustments to enliven the student's practice by shifting chemistry and connect the mind and body. When we use the material to deepen our relationship with the self, we can enhance our connection with others and the Earth that supports us. Outside of yoga, Shaina has studied veterinary medicine and teaches down dog to her furry friends at her pet care business in Brooklyn. She is an avid scuba diver and travels the world in search of adventure.

Claire Baum

Claire is a dancer, choreographer, ERYT-200 yoga teacher from OM Factory (2017) and a RPYT from the Prenatal Yoga Center (2023). She has done Trauma Informed Yoga and CPTSD trainings with Exhale to Inhale and Anatomy Intensives with Joe Miller at Sacred Sounds and Jenni Rawlings. Ever a student of movement, Claire recently has become mat pilates certified through the Kane School. Claire believes that movement (including yoga) should be open to all and is constantly working to make her classes more inclusive by teaching specifically to those students before her. Claire's anatomically based classes have an innovative dance inspired approach to sequencing and are lighthearted and energetic in nature. Her classes prioritize strength and suppleness of both body and mind and encourage autonomy inside the practice. This autonomy aims to cultivate a sense of accessibility, agency, grounding and joy about moving your body and learning from your best teacher - you! lindenmovementlab.org

Erica Chen

Erica has always had a passion for movement. As a former dancer, she practiced yoga to initially supplement her dancing, and over time realized how much she appreciated that the yoga practice was a safe space for her to move her body without judgment. As her dreams shifted, Erica completed her Vinyasa 200hr and mentorship through Yoga Vida NYC in 2014, and has since completed the Pre/Postnatal certification through Ishta Yoga, 300hr Hatha training through Yoga Oasis in Tucson, Restorative Yoga training under Abby Paloma, Sequencing training through Roam LA, and her Katonah Yoga certification. Erica is the co-founder and CCO for House of Flow, an online and in-person yoga, meditation and wellness community for adults, families and children. She is a lead teacher trainer for House of Flow, Yoga Vida and Yoga Pod Tucson, and is the co-author for the yoga photography coffee table book, My Yoga. My City. | Volume 1 (NYC). She strives to create dynamic, intuitive, and challenging yet accessible yoga sequences in her classes; she is dedicated to bringing the practice to others to ultimately change lives, like yoga has changed hers. You can find her teaching classes in Brooklyn and NYC, or travel with her on one of her future retreats. @ericachenyoga www.houseofflow.co

Carlotta Sironi

Carlotta discovered yoga in 2005 when she moved to NY as a way to balance the city's fast-paced life. Jivamutki Yoga became her yoga home for several years until 2014, when she came across the Ashtanga method, which she has practiced ever since under the guidance of Barbara Verrochi and Kristin Leigh at The Shala Yoga. In 2018, she also traveled to Mysore, India, to study with Sharath R. Jois. Her teaching journey sprouted from the desire to share the goodness of this practice with others since it has brought her so many benefits. She received her 200h and 300h teaching certifications from The Shala Yoga, and she is 500h RYT with Yoga Alliance. Her vinyasa classes focus on breath, alignment, and mindfulness. She works with students from all levels and believes in adapting the practice to be accessible to anyone. carlottasironiyoga.com

Nick Potenzieri

Nick began the study of yoga in 2001 and has been fascinated by the practice and its teachings ever since. After 13 years of practice and several years of teaching he found the practice of Iyengar Yoga (2014). In 2019 he completed the Teacher Education program at the Iyengar Institute of New York where he continues to apprentice and study with Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Matt Dreyfus. In fall of 2023 Nick became a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Nick's positive energy, creativity and attention to form has helped him work with people of all capabilities, capacities, and walks of life. He continues to work with the goal of inspiring others to develop a deeper understanding of how these practices can lead to more fulfillment in their lives and peace in their hearts. You can find more information on Nick's teaching at www.lovebodyyoga.com

Cata Benedict

Cata Benedict is a dedicated Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and mother of two based in Brooklyn. She began her study of yoga in the late 90's in New York, became a devoted student of Sri Dharma Mittra in her early 20s, and completed Dharma's Life of A Yogi Teacher Training in 2008. Her classes aim to create a space for each student that allows for personal and spiritual growth through a deeper awareness and connection with asana, breath, alignment, and meditation. Her goal is to share this practice as a path to wellness, and a more easeful quality of life.

Jenny Baik

Jenny began her yoga journey over 15 years ago and has studied different yogic/meditative disciplines across Korea, Japan, Mexico, and Spain, where she completed her 200-hour teacher training in Ashtanga Vinyasa. As a lifelong singer and musician, Jenny loves to incorporate healing vibrations into her classes, whether in the form of instruments, mantras, or an invigorating playlist. She teaches throughout Brooklyn and is honored to be part of the Y&Y community. @jennybkasana

Maddie Fega

Maddie has been drawn to teaching her whole life. As a high school history teacher in the New York City public schools, teaching is an integral part of how she interacts with the world. Maddie’s yoga journey began while living in France and studying with Pascale Petit. Upon returning to New York she met Julie Dohrman, and after five years of practicing with her, completed her ShaktiYoga 200-hour teacher training. Physical movement is central to Maddie’s sense of balance and connectedness. To Maddie, yoga is the most profound way to align and unite mind and body, self and others. Through her teaching practice, she invites all to deepen their curiosity of the human body, open themselves to subtle and invigorating forms of strength, and ground their lives on and off the mat in the wisdom of breath. She brings authenticity of spirit and intelligent sequencing to her classes, and always leaves space for humor.

Camila Rueda Labrador

Camila is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses movement as a medium to facilitate healing. As a yoga instructor, Camila uses her lived experiences as a queer immigrant trans woman to cultivate joy and liberation in her classes. Using a lens of Katonah yoga material, Hatha yoga, and functional movement, Camila aims to equip students with techniques to self-regulate, self-cultivate and ignite happiness. Rather than focusing on achieving poses to access enlightenment, she reorganizes the body so students can be more conscious and available to mediate the present. Camila's class challenges students to be inquisitive about what they want and how they intend to achieve their goals.

Naghmeh Ahi

Naghmeh has been a devoted student of Iyengar yoga since 1999. Her love of literature and thoughtful expression led her to a B.A. in English and an advanced belt in the martial arts, and finally Iyengar yoga where she found a home for both and more. Her ongoing study led to regular month-long immersions at RIMYI with the Iyengar family in Pune, India. At home, she has been one of the contributing teachers in the IYAGNY's Teacher Education Program as well as the Specific Needs Program for many years. She also volunteers as an Assessor for IYNAUS. She is grateful to the Iyengar Family and their Teachings; and to the teachers who've shown the way from her mentoring teachers James Murphy, and Kevin Gardiner to intensive study with Faeq Biria, Patricia Walden, and Stephanie Quirk. Practice continues to light the way. Learning to practice all limbs of yoga provides her with clarifications and questions that inform living life on a daily basis with integrity and neutrality, with love and acceptance towards the self and towards all other beings. She is certified at Level 3 (Intermediate Senior I, 2019).

Renee Mundy

Originally from New Zealand, Renee is deeply passionate about Pilates. She discovered it almost by accident. Two c-section births left her with a weak core, two herniated discs in her lower back and sciatic nerve pain. After her injury, Renee stumbled upon a rehab reformer studio. Within just 3 months of Pilates Renee’s back was fixed, the nerve pain was gone, she no longer limped and could carry her baby again. From that moment on, the magic of the Pilates method became a lifelong love affair and -career. Renee did her comprehensive teacher training with BASI, is mat qualified, has 10yrs of practice behind her and is continuing study towards her full comprehensive. A former news presenter, journalist and radio host, Renee has a warm, calming, inviting voice that puts people at ease. Renee expertly weaves together her love of communication, people, stories and music into a mix of body awareness, spinal alignment, and injury prevention. Nervous system regulation, directing the body through breath and precise cueing are the cornerstones of Renee’s passion as a teacher: telling the stories of the body via movement.

Jaime Ojeda

Jaime began the study of Iyengar Yoga in 2003 in Chile. After continuing his practice with Deborah Weinberg in Brazil, Sharat Arora in India, Alan Brown in Goa, Rudra Gowda and Usha Devi in India, he became certified by the International Iyengar Yoga Association in 2010. Jaime deepened his practice with Senior teacher Faeq Biria, as well as Senior Teacher Manus Manus. He currently practices with Professor Katia da Costa in Rio de Janeiro. In addition to Iyengar yoga, Jamie studied ayurveda massage as well as acroyoga. He also practices Vipassana Meditation Jaime taught in Thailand, Chile and Brazil.

Chauncie Parchment

Chauncie is a 1100-hr certified hot and vinyasa yoga teacher. He has studied Hatha, vinyasa, hot yoga, calcutta yoga, Dharma, Kundalini and Kriya yoga. He’s studied yoga under Jared McCann, Rose Erin Vaughan and Yoshio Hama. He's a Life coach, nutritionist, personal trainer, dancer and believes self-mastery is of the utmost importance. Chauncie originally studied Dance & Theatre for 11 years with American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn, Complexions Contemporary company and Fiorella H.Laguardia High School where he studied Dance & Theatre for 4 years. He continues his love for movement by training capoeira Angola, as well as testing his artistic & physical abilities with Hybrid movement, a contemporary circus company. Chauncie is a firm believer in studying various culturally spiritual traditions, healing practices & lifestyle so he can be of better service to his community. He seeks to spark inspiration within people to create internal change and self-mastery.

Pia Fiato

Pia is an E-RYT 500 hour registered yoga teacher and YCAEP certified yoga educator based out of NYC. Her group classes are taught energetically, rooted in Ashtanga Yoga as well as Buddhist philosophy. Pia will forever be a humble student to the practice, her teachers, and is committed to health, happiness, and long-term well being. In addition, Pia is a Thai Bodywork practitioner. This technique is an ancient system combining acupressure, Ayurveda, and assisted Yoga postures which serve to open and stretch the body. Its method assists in improving misalignments, athletic performance, as well as increasing flexibility and joint mobility. Her goal in this work is not limited to its physical benefits, but also to aid in understanding the mind-body connection with the intention to find a path of self awareness and healing. nyseekyoga.com

Georges Piette

Space and Movement have always been a driving interest to Georges and has led him to the study of dance, architecture and photography. Over twenty years ago, unsurprisingly, it led to the study of Yoga. Georges is forever grateful to Vivekan of Bodhisattva Yoga for reopening the door to Dharma, to Prema Yoga’s Amanda Harding and her team where Georges completed his RYT200, as well as the Shantideva Center for providing the training to become a Meditation Leader.