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Michelle Barge:
Michelle has been practicing yoga since 1996 following a life dedicated to classical ballet. Her teaching style fuses her training in traditional yoga styles - Hatha, Iyengar and Ashtanga - with a dance and Pilates training combined with a deep knowledge of eastern philosophy and meditation. She has trained in some of the top yoga studios in New York City and continues to train under some of the leaders in the field: Dharma Mittra, Paula Tursi, Schuyler Grant of Kula Yoga Project, and Tao Porchon-Lynch, and continues to train at the Iyengar Center and at Jivamukti.
She is a graduate of Sadie Nardini's Core Strength Vinyasa Flow program and a 200-hour level RYT through the Yoga Alliance of America. Michelle also has a deep knowledge of Ayurvedic holistic health philosophy and incorporates it into her daily life. Michelle’s commitment to wellness also extends to her charity work where she is Board President of Concrete Safari - a Harlem-based, non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the joy of fitness and healthy eating habits to the children of the New York Public School System through personal training, nutritional counseling and outdoor adventures. Michelle also has over 10 years or marketing, branding and public relations experience having worked at some of the top agencies in the city. Michelle’s goal is to live a mindful life while helping others to achieve the same.
About Michelle's Classes:
Hatha/Iyengar Fusion:
All Michelle's classes are hearty, sweat-inducing workouts, so come prepared to build strength and stamina. You'll hold poses to work more deeply, and flow to increase resilience in your body and breath. Join Michelle in a meditative environment of instruction and experience the rewards of renew
Ezra LeBank
With roots in Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga, Ezra trained in a traditional teaching mentorship with Michael Day and studied with several of the wonderful teachers in the West including Maty Ezraty, Sri Dharma Mittra, and Vinnie Moreno. He continues to work in Hatha and Iyengar Yoga as well, and brings experience from physical theatre (including Alexander, and Tai-Chi based movement) into cultivating each person's practice. He has an MFA in Theatre from Smith College and is registered with the Yoga Alliance as an RYT500. His soothing voice, detailed adjustments and humor have become infamous in colleges, health clubs and yoga studios around the country since 2003.
Elias Lopez:
A naturalist and environmentalist at heart, Elias combines his love for nature with his love for yoga and his students find there is an obvious connection in his instruction style. Born and raised in Mexico, Elias enjoys bringing his inspiration from his roots to his yoga practice. He infuses his classes with music and with careful attention to alignment and he views yoga as a journey to live well, and love fully.
He believes in the power of Yoga to deeply transform our lives and is inspired by the poetry of the body, the yogis around him and the organic forms of nature. Elias is honored to study with John Friend, Jim Bernaert, Ellen Sallston and Jackie Prete who infuse him with a passion for aligning the body with the Divine through breath and heart.
Elias relishes sharing this beautiful journey called Yoga with his students. He loves to create a fun, safe and sacred place where you are empowered to achieve your full potential and connect to Grace.
Shaffali Miglani:
Shaffali's yoga classes are a fluid moving meditation and emphasize the mind, body, breath and soul connection, which she encourages each of her students to embrace fully. "Through this embrace and awareness, I believe we can become more conscious of every aspect of our lives, in both the microcosm (our being) and macrocosm (the universe), leading us to our highest potential, and in essence, our highest self". She enjoys creating an organic and intense flow to her class through music, intuition and the energy generated in class through each student.
Shaffali was born in India and although she grew up in Rhode Island, she feels very much connected to her roots through the spiritual household in which she grew up. Shaffali holds a Bachelors Degree in Business (Entrepreneurship) from Boston University. She also has her Skin Care (Esthetician) License and her Yoga Teacher Training Certification, which she received from a beautiful and peaceful Ashram in India called Yoga Vidya Dham. Her training focused on classical teachings of Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga. Shaffali was drawn to wellness from an early age and has been practicing yoga now for over a decade. She has been working in the Spa, Yoga and Wellness Industry, holding various positions in Boston, London and California for the past 7 years. Along with teaching yoga, Shaffali has recently launched Shaffali International, which provides exclusive brands for the wellness-minded individual. Her premiere products include an Ayurvically-inspired Skin Care Line and a Designer Shawl Collection. For more information, please visit shaffali.com.
Naoko Morita:
Naoko Morita, a native of Japan, is a certified yoga instructor from Atmananda in New York. She teaches group yoga classes extensively throughout New York City and works with private clients to build personalized yoga programs. Naoko is currently in the Anusara Teacher Training at the World Yoga Center under the direction of Jackie Prete and Rudrani Farbman.
Rainer Perry:
Rainer is a certified instructor of Kundalini Yoga and has been teaching in NYC for several years in many locations and settings. Being at home in both the business world and the yoga studio, he practices Kundalini yoga as the practical yogic tool it is meant to be for improving every aspect and situation of your life and bringing health and happiness to your body, mind, and spirit. The reason he teaches Kundalini Yoga is the same reason he practices: It works. It is an exact science and delivers.
"Kundalini Yoga has not ceased to amaze me and I see no end in how it will grow and deepen the experience of my life. There is only one way to genuine happiness: through inner peace and living from your true self. A regular practice of Kundalini Yoga and meditation takes you there."
Rainer teaches pure Kundalini Yoga as practiced and tested for thousands of years, and each class includes pranayama, yoga sets/asanas, and meditations to work out your whole being, body, mind, and spirit. Expect each class to combine elements of each for a specific purpose, e.g. relieving stress, developing intuition and other faculties, opening the heart, connecting to your true self, physical health, and many others. Each class is designed to give you an experience of the self and of the connection to the vastness of life, and to give you the tools for a truly excellent life.
Maya Politis:
A native New Yorker, Maya has been practicing yoga since 2002 and received her certification from Laughing Lotus in NYC. Her personal exploration of the depth of yoga has created a desire to spread the joy this practice can bring. Her devotion and passion for yoga is evident in her high-energy classes where the moving becomes a meditation. Maya loves to discover how the breath and movement can bring us closer to our true Self. She believes yoga is more than just the practice on the mat, and tries to bring yoga into her everyday life. She has a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology of Globalization and Social Justice from NYU and is the producer of a documentary which looks at a worker's movement in Argentina.
Maya's classes are a fast-paced vigorous vinyasa flow with a focus on both alignment and the creative flow of yoga. The classes always move with the rhythm of the breath and have a fun exploration of asana as well as an exploration of the self. She hopes that her classes can challenge her students to explore new ways of opening up their body and heart.
Naz Sarman
Naz Sarman is Anusara-inspired hatha yoga instructor; she has been practicing since 1999. She had her first teacher training in New York with Lisa Keays and has since trained in yoga therapeutics and advanced teaching with Anusara founder John Friend and his senior certified teachers throughout the country. She studies Rajanaka Tantric philosophy with Professor Dr. Douglas Brooks and meditation with Sally Kempton.
Currently Naz is immersed in the practices of Reiki, Alexander Technique and Body Mind Centering to explore the wisdom of the body moving and its healing capacity. Her class structure is a balanced mixture of holding and moving fluently within poses with an emphasis to breath, alignment and imagery of inner body mechanism. In her classes you will develop awareness about your body and movement patterns while getting a complete workout through isometric hold of your muscles.
Naz recognizes her teachers and mentors – Elena Brower, Jackie Prete, Bindu Wiles, Ellen Saltonstall, Lois Nesbitt, Paula Tursi- for their influence in her work, and her students for their constant inspiration and support.
Naz holds a Masters degree in Media Studies from the New School. She has worked in film and video sector in New York for a decade and previously as freelance writer and fitness instructor in her native country, Turkey.
Anusara-Inspired Hatha: Naz’s class structure is a balanced mixture of holding and moving fluently within poses with an emphasis on breath, alignment and imagery of inner body mechanisms.
Specifically, you will develop awareness about your body and movement patterns while getting a complete workout through isometric (steady) holding of your muscles. Classes usually begin with a short centering moment in which the purpose/ theme of the class is briefly described. Naz is influenced by the heart-opening energy and alignment principles of Anusara Yoga founder John Friend which can open you to your innate inner goodness while you strengthen, align and heal.
Sky Oak Speaker
Inspired by an epiphanous experience, while studying philosophy at Brooklyn College, Sky Speaker has spent the last 10 years immersed in the independent study and private
teaching of Practical Metaphysics; including Meditational Yoga, Multiple forms of Pranic Healing, Reiki, Hypnosis, Rapid Eye Technology, and more. He continues to study new techniques and is dedicated to the integration of East and West, holistic and allopathic methods for wellness. He has received certification as a Hypnotist from the I.A.C.T. - International Association of Counselors and Therapists, is trained as an Advanced Rapid Eye Technician from The Center for Self Discovery, is a Traditional Usui and Secheim Reiki - Master Teacher, and a Member in good standing of the I.A.R.P. - International Association of Reiki Professionals.
Ede Thurrell
Ede has practiced yoga for 17 years, including both an Iyengar-based therapeutic approach and vigorous Vinyasa styles. She brings to her teaching a sensitivity honed as a professional dancer, and a wealth of experience as a certified personal trainer. Ede was honored to teach for BabyOm from 1999-2005, and has trained as a teacher with many great yogis-- including Cyndi Lee and Jeanne-Marie Derrick. She has experience working with people with osteoporosis, joint injuries, and autism; as well as pre- and post-natal populations, athletes, dancers, and people of all ages and body types.
Nechemiah Bar-Yehuda
Holds a Master degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and has numerous certifications as a yoga and meditation teacher and body/mind healing practitioner.
For 30 years, he has studied the scriptures of Kabbalah, Kashmir Shaivism Tantric Philosophy, Yoga and Vedanta with some of the greatest Yoga and Meditation masters of our time and with leading scholars of those philosophies.
Since he opened his Jerusalem Yoga studio in 1979, he has been teaching Yoga and Meditation and practicing body-mind healing with various age groups including children and senior citizens and people with various therapeutic conditions in Jerusalem, London & NYC.
At the core of Nechemiah’s teaching and healing work is his heart desire to share his passion for experiential knowledge of the Divine Self and its infinite healing potential. In his innovative teaching style he facilitates environment and practices conducive for unfolding this Self-empowering knowledge.
Nechemiah has also been sharing his passion to inspire and uplift his fellowmen and fellow women through initiating and cofounding 7 educational charities for Jewish and Arab adults and children in his home country Israel.
The Serving Those Who Serve Charity (http://stws.org) that he initiated and cofounded in the United States after 9/11 2001, has already served more than 1,000 rescue and relief workers and volunteers (600 of them NYC Firemen), survivors, area workers, and residents with free Ayurvedic herbal cleansing, yoga, breathwork and other body-mind holistic healing modalities. You can read some of the experiences of the Ground Zero workers and volunteers participants of his classes in http://stws.org/schedule-yogaquotes.htm
Ti
na Zymarakis:
Manhattan-born, Tina grew up in the sunshine of Greece. She has been practicing yoga in New York City since 1998, initially at the Jivamukti and Sivananda centers. In 2002, she found Richard Freeman, who inspired her to embark on a daily Ashtanga Mysore practice at Ashtanga Yoga New York with Eddie Stern. Since then she has traveled to study the ashtanga yoga system with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Mr. Freeman regularly.
Having spent years of traveling far and wide to attend workshops and retreats with senior teachers (including Nancy Gilgoff, Sharon Gannon & David Life, Cyndi Lee, Tim Miller, Sharath Rangaswamy, Shiva Rea, David Swenson, Rodney Yee), Tina received her formal certification from Alison West's Iyengar-inspired Yoga Union program in SoHo.
She has been involved with the Yoga Society of New York’s Ananda Ashram in upstate New York since 2005, where she both teaches and studies yoga, chanting and meditation. In 2008, she was honored with an invitation to join the teaching staff for the first Ananda Ashram Teacher Training program.
Tina draws from her ongoing studies in the Iyengar and Vinyasa traditions, as well as her Ashtanga practice, to teach a class that is breath based, vigorous and intelligently sequenced with kindness and humor.
