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Instructors

Amye Dyer-Brewer

In 1999 Amye Brewer moved to New Jersey from New York City and didn't know what to do with herself, after having worked 12-hour days as a book editor for the previous decade, then she found Studio Yoga. Always on the go, she began practicing yoga, got married and had two beautiful children, then decided teaching was something she very much desired. Amye is currently completing her teaching certification in Iyengar Yoga with Theresa Rowland. She teaches in an accessible way that is appropriate for beginners and intermediate practitioners alike. In her classes there is an emphasis on non-competition, listening to your own body and using the props to the students fullest advantage. She loves seeing the progress people make even after a few weeks. When not teaching, Amye enjoys playing with her kids, cooking, reading and hiking.

Classes with Amye

Sunday 9:30 - 10:45 am Yoga Basics

Sunday 11:00 am - 12:15 pm Prenatal Yoga

Amy Hamilton

Amy Hamilton is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor with over thirty years of teaching experience. Her initial love of dance led her to complete a MA Degree in Dance at New York University and then to a professional ballroom dancing career. Her yoga practice, which began in the early ‘90s, continues to be the perfect way to blend Amy’s love of movement and study of the body/mind connection in order to live a balanced life. She has been teaching yoga since 2002.

Having completed her initial teacher training with Theresa Rowland of Studio Yoga in Madison, Amy went on to become Certified with the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States (IYNAUS). She is also registered with Yoga Alliance at the 500hr level and studies regularly with Senior Teachers and in the Advanced Studies program at Studio Yoga.

Through group classes and private instruction, Amy has had the privilege to work with students of all ages and fitness levels, some who come to strengthen themselves, others looking for increased flexibility, and those who seek the stress relief that Amy’s classes provide. Her students are encouraged to explore deeply all aspects of yoga, develop a home practice, and are given instruction so as to avoid injury. Her teaching offers a way to find alignment of the body and steadiness of the mind.

Classes with Amy

Monday 9:30 - 10:45 am Yoga Basics

Monday 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Tier 1 Yoga

Tuesday 9:30 - 10:45 am Gentle Yoga

Tuesday 6:00 - 7:15 pm Open Experienced Yoga

Friday 8:45 - 10:00 am Gentle Yoga

Friday 10:15 - 11:30 am Open Experienced Yoga

For more information about Amy Hamilton visit www.amyhamiltonyoga.com

Carol Wipf

Carol Wipf began her yoga studies in 1994 with Lois Steinberg in Urbana, Illinois. When she moved to New Jersey, she became a student of Theresa with Mary Dunn and Joan White. In 2003, she passed the national test to become a certified Iyengar yoga instructor.

Classes with Carol

Tuesday 9:30 - 11:00 am Tier 1 Yoga

Tuesday 4:15 - 5:30 pm Open Yoga

Wednesday 9:30 - 11:00 am Tier 2 Yoga

Thursday 10:00 - 11:15 am Higher Level Open Yoga

Sunday 9:30 - 11:00 am Tier 2 Yoga

Cindy Pitcher

Cindy comes to yoga from a fitness professional background, working as a fitness class instructor and certified personal trainer for 20+ years. As an Iyengar yoga instructor, her studies with Theresa sparked a deeper interest in anatomy and as a result she pursued and achieved national certification as a massage therapist and recently with advanced study, became a certified neuromuscular therapist through the Cortiva Institute. Formerly an active participant in many community theater productions, Cindy now serves as a cantor in her church choir.

In addition to teaching yoga and massage therapy, Cindy works at the Florham Park Public Library. Cindy currently teaches 2 classes on Monday night in Chatham – the Sapphire class at 6:15 and Diamond at 8 PM.

Classes with Cindy

Monday 6:15 - 7:30 pm Open Yoga

Monday 8:00 - 9:15 pm Yoga Basics

Dory Dayne

As it does for an adult, yoga extremely benefits a child's mind, body, and spirit. Children's natural abilities in flexibility and imagination often make many poses easier for them than for adults. The kids' classes foster imagination, relaxation, focus, stretching, and balance. Additionally, children leave with methods for coping with stress, as well as ways to re-center themselves that they can use at home or even at school.

One of the instructors for the Yoga for Kids classes is Dorian Dayne. Dorian has been teaching professionally for the last six years, and has been working with children all her life. She is certified N-8, in Elementary Education, and K-12 in Special Education.

Elizabeth Perez Diner

A muralist by profession, Elizabeth was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela where she absorbed the rich culture of Latin America. A natural dancer, she enjoys freestyle (or street) salsa where a elizabeth_diner

partner is not required. In her class she teaches the basic steps of salsa to create confidence in moving freely with the music. Her style has a strong Cuban influence enhanced by Porto Rican and other salsa styles. In keeping with the fun, free spirit of salsa she mixes in steps from cumbia, samba, and meringue enabling her students to enjoy the diversity of dance that inspires her. Sabor!

Elizabeth says, “I encourage people to feel good about themselves, have fun during the process and get a great workout without even knowing they are working out.”

Classes with Elizabeth
Wednesday 6:30 - 7:30 pm Zumba

zumba_elizabeth

Gary Carbone

An award winning competitor, Mr. Carbone studied in Shanxi, China with Master Chen Junhao, disciple of Hao Queru.

Tai Chi practice can cultivate in participants an inner sense of calm and peace – a spiritual alignment that arises from physical alignment. The meditative flow through the Tai Chi movements builds balance and strength throughout the legs, arms and hands, without compromising perfect form and proper body alignment. For centuries, people have practiced Tai Chi in order to cultivate quiet strength and equanimity.

Tai Chi has become popular as a way to reduce stress and improve health. Researchers at Emory University and the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute have found that Tai Chi students over 70 years of age can experience reduced blood pressure, increased leg and grip strength and vast improvements in balance.

Classes with Gary

Wednesday 6:30 - 7:30 pm Tai Chi

Jay Stewart

I was born in Paterson, N.J. and currently reside in Chatham, N.J. with my wife, Liz, and two teenage children, Catherine and Patrick. I am a practicing attorney at Lowenstein Sandler PC in Roseland, N.J., and am listed in the Best Lawyers in America, (2005) and (2006) and New Jersey Super Lawyers (2005) and (2006) and have tried many cases.

I began practicing yoga in 1990 as a way to relieve stress and to regain my strength and agility after years of working behind a desk and jogging. My first teacher was Vipin Garg, the Father of a friend, and a long time student of Dhirendra Brahmachari, a well known yoga master in India. (Brahmachari taught yoga to Indira Gandhi)

Yoga has helped me to be more aware on many levels: how posture and movements affect the body, how breath reflects the mental state, how thoughts affect performance and experience. Yoga is ever new, always bringing new insights and useful knowledge. I am thrilled that Yoga is a tool for improving all aspects of one’s life, and not just an exercise system.

I started teaching in the Iyengar tradition in 1999. I felt that teaching would both improve my own knowledge of yoga and permit me to share this great gift. As an attorney, I know that rules have many variations in different situations and I hope to teach this flexibility to my yoga students.

I currently teach the Yoga for Men classes at Studio Yoga and substitute teach classes at all levels from intro to the most advanced. I am a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level. I also teach meditation in Chatham. I teach with several goals in mind: to keep the students safe, to make them aware of the do’s and don’ts of the poses, to improve my students’ well being, to make the students glad they came, and to help them see how to integrate things we have learned into their everyday life.

Classes with Jay

Thursday 7:45 - 9:00 pm Yoga for Men

Sunday 6:30 - 7:30 am Open Yoga
Sunday 8:00 - 9:00 am Pranayama

John Welshons

Ramananda John Welshons has been a popular teacher at Studio Yoga for many years. He is a much beloved, internationally recognized counselor, lecturer, and teacher of meditation. He has been studying and practicing various forms of yoga and meditation for more than thirty-five years. He holds a B.A. in Comparative Religions from The University of South Florida, and an M.A. in History of Religions from Florida State University. In 1973 and again in 1983, John spent periods of time in India studying and practicing in the ashrams of Meher Baba and Neem Karoli Baba. He has presented lectures and workshops across the United States and has worked extensively with Ram Dass and Stephen Levine.

Kerry Rasp

kerr-rasp Kerry Rasp is a meditation instructor, MBSR facilitator and life coach. He completed his training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) with Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Umass Medical Center in 2000 and at Coach U in 2001. Kerry has been practicing meditation, primarily in the Theravada tradition for over 12 years and his teachers include Joseph Goldstein, Christopher Titmuss, Jack Kornfield, Stephen Batchelor, Bikkhu Bodhi and Shinzen Young. He is on staff at Summit Psychological Services, a psychotherapy practice in New Jersey, and teaches meditation at Montclair State University. He regularly leads meditation groups throughtout the NY/NJ metro area, and workshops to a variety of companies and organizations. He also enjoys traveling around the country sharing the experience of mindfulness wherever he goes. Those who most benefit from his training include young adults, parents, caregivers, entrepreneurs, are in transition, stressed out, in chronic pain or anyone seeking to live a clear minded, simple and fulfilling life.

Classes with Kerry

Monday 9:45 am Meditation

Wednesday 8:00 pm Meditation

Kerry Weber

Kerry Weber grew up in Madison and will soon graduate from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in Gender Studies and Spanish. She teaches hooping at Studio Yoga and has recently begun her journey through yoga teacher training here as well. In hoop class heavy hoops that carry their own momentum are used, allowing you to focus on standing tall, engaging the core deeply, and building muscle throughout the body. Kerry loves interdisciplinary fitness techniques and incorporates her background of dance, Pilates and yoga into hoop class. Kerry has special interests in women’s health, personal growth and reuniting herself and others to the Divine through spiritual healing and ecological responsibility. She believes that the rehabilitation of women and earth are inextricably linked, and that one cannot find healing without the nurturance of the other. She is excited to embark on a career of guiding people towards health, wellness and spiritual fulfillment! Namaste.

Classes with Kerry

Tuesday 6:30 - 7:30 pm HoopDance
Saturday 4:30 - 5:30 pm Hoop Dance
also Children's Yoga Classes

Kim Samara

I have been an AFAA certified group exercise instructor for over 10 years and Zumba Licensed for just under two years. I am also a member of the Zin network for Zumba instructors. My background as a group exercise instructor of kickboxing, step aerobics, hi-low, cardio interval and strength training help me to bring a lot of fitness components to my Zumba classes. Some of the rhythms that I use are merenge, samba, salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, and hip hop. My Zumba classes are high energy and fun for people of all fitness levels. Zumba is a dance fitness class that is so much fun because it is exercise in disguise. It will leave you feeling happy and energized. I hope to see you in class!

Classes with Kim
Wednesday 11:00 am Zumba

Kirsten Dalsgaard

Kirsten Dalsgaard has experience with yoga for more than 10 years and she is currently a student of Iyengar yoga at Studio Yoga, NJ where she is pursuing her certification in the principles and teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar. Kirsten has a background in the fashion industry in Europe but since she has moved from Denmark to USA in March 2004 dedicated her time fully to family and Yoga.

Her teaching is inspired by Theresa Rowland with great attention to detail and precise alignment of postures. Kirsten leads classes with attention to the individual needs and limitations with the use of props such as blocks, blankets and belts.

Kirsten believes Yoga provides a path to transformation of body, mind & spirit and she enjoys teaching Yoga for all ages.

Classes with Kirsten

Bright Yogis, Kids Yoga Teacher Training

Lou Asselin

Lou Alexandra Asselin has practiced yoga since 2000 and taught since 2002. Theresa Rowland is her primary teacher. She has nearly completed the five hundred hour teacher-training program at Studio Yoga and will be graduating this coming year.

Born in Venezuela, Lou grew up in a bi-lingual household, learning French from her father who was born in France and Spanish from her Venezuelan mother. After moving to Paris for four years at the age of eleven, she and her family moved to the US in 1995.

At her High School in Madison NJ, Lou was drawn to sports and athletics. In her free time, if she wasn’t practicing and playing Field Hockey and Lacrosse she was usually working out in the gym. After taking yoga classes at Studio Yoga and progressing to yoga workshops, Lou began devoting more and more time to her yoga practice. Having always felt a calling to teach, but not being certain in which field, it was a natural turn of events, when Lou’s ever increasing love of yoga led her to realize that she also enjoyed teaching it.

Since then, Lou has brought her knowledge of sports to her yoga classes, teaching athletic focused classes like “Jumpings’ (Sun Salutations) and “Yoga for Athletes” and teaching yoga to the NJ Longhorns, a semi-pro football team. She realized early on that there is a need among athletes for the benefits of yoga, not the least of which is increased flexibility.

Although Lou has taken on a full schedule of classes as a teacher and is working towards gaining her Iyengar teacher certification, she has not lost sight of her focus to be a student of Iyengar yoga. Describing the balance she maintains between being a teacher and student, she says: “I have been teaching pretty intensively for the past few years, which I love, but I also love being a student and receiving for my own personal growth and as a way to give more to my students.”

Classes with Lou

Lou has just moved to the city. We welcome her back to substitute for classes whenever her schedules allows.

Marcelo Freire

Marcelo Guedes Freire’s first experience with capoeira was at the age of 3, when he entered his first capoeira roda, or playing circle, in his native city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He began studying formally at the age of 13, with internationally-renown Mestre Dende, who gave Freire his capoeira name, "Arquiero," or "archer." After extensive study with Mestre Dende, Freire played and performed as part of a number of groups in Brazil and the United States, including Porto de Minas, Capoeira Geraes, Ganzua Capoeira, Liberdade dos Palmares, Mestre Joao Grande, Grupo Axe, and Grupo Candeias, greatly expanding his knowledge of both Regional and Angola forms of capoeira. He earned the status of "Professor" with Mestre Dende in 2005, and currently teaches as part of Mestre Dende’s international school, Mundo Capoeira. Freire’s students join an international community of Mundo Capoeira students, reaching from Brazil and the United States to Belgium, Poland, Turkey, and Russia.
As a teacher, Freire approaches each student as an individual. He draws on a student’s talents and inclinations to promote rapid success and pleasure in learning. As students gain confidence and skills, they also gain self-motivation and self-discipline, and find enjoyment in tackling their personal challenges. Freire encourages an attitude of continual study, believing that there is always more to learn, and he enjoys learning from his interactions with his students as much as his students learn from him.

Classes with Marcelo
Tuesday 5:00 pm Capoeira
Thursday 5:30 pm Capoeira

Maiga Palkaunieks

Maiga Palkaunieks has practiced Iyengar yoga since 1998 and taught since 2004. She is a graduate of the Advanced Studies Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, and is Yoga Alliance registered.

For Maiga, yoga is a joyful practice. She considers it one of the most interesting and fun things she has ever done. Maiga takes to heart Mr. Iyengar’s statement: ‘The body is my temple, and the asanas are my prayers.’ As each person’s body is different, so is each student’s asana class experience. Maiga strives be aware her students’ individual capacities (both strengths and limitations) and to use this awareness to create a safe yet challenging environment for them to explore and grow their yoga practice.

Maiga has a degree in economics and worked as a stock analyst in her previous life.

Classes with Maiga

Friday 6:00 - 7:15 pm Open Yoga
Saturday 8:20 - 9:50 am Open Yoga

Miguel Aviles

Miguel Aviles has been a professional dancer for 27 years. He began his career teaching ballroom dancing at Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray ballroom dance studios. After several years of teaching, he then expanded hiss career into theatrical dance performing with several Modern and Ballet companies:

Geoffrey Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Peter Pucci Plus, Lisbon Dance Company, Carol Armitage Company, Rebecca Kelly Dance Compay, and Kathyrn Posen Company. Miguel also went on to perform in musical theater shows including Peter Pan, Oklahoma, Grand Hotel, and West Side Story.

He also preformed in three operas:

“Candrillon” at the Kennedy Center Opera Company, “Aida” at the Houston Grand Opera and John Adam’s “Nixon In China” at the Houston Grand Opera. While performing in the theater arts, Miguel continue teaching ballroom for other independent ballroom schools such as Sandra Cameron Dance Center and DanceSports.

After a long career in theater and ballroom dancing, Miguel settled down with a wife and three kids and went back to school for a degree in computer networking and engineering.

After several years in the computer industry, he has returned to his passion for dance and is performing and teaching again through the NJ.

Classes with Miguel
Friday 10:00 - 11:00 am Zumba

Pam Sheldrick

Pam Sheldrick first began teaching fitness in the mid-1970s. For the past six years she has focused her teaching on the matwork of Joseph Pilates. A resident of Morris Township. Pam holds group and private classes in Morris, Union and Somerset counties. She is certified by the Pilates PhysicalMind Institute of New York. Former owner of a bookstore on Waverly Place in Madison.

Classes with Pam

Pilates
Wednesday 9:00 - 10:00 am

Thursday 7:45 - 8:45 pm

Saturday 8:00 - 9:00 am

Belly After Baby Pilates
Tuesday 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Wednesday 8:00 - 9:00 am
Thursday 11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Willpower & Grace
Monday 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Tuesday 9:30 - 10:30 am

Patricia Videgain

patricia_videgain Patricia took her first Iyengar yoga class in 1999, she had done yoga before, but knew immediately that this was the practice for which she had been searching. She began the Teacher Training course in the Iyengar style with Theresa Rowland in 2002. In the practice, she discovered a life passion for teaching and learning the yoga work which is reflected on her commitment to workshops with senior teachers. You could call her a yoga-workshophoolic.
Patricia's teaching style can be characterized by her love of movement and deep enjoyment in guiding her students through their personal discovery of yoga. Careful attention is given to body alignment. The use of props offers a way for students with varying degrees of flexibility and strength to enjoy the practice. Each class begins with centering, then moves on to asana instruction and ends with deep relaxation. Care is taken to accommodate individual needs.

Classes with Patricia

Saturday 1:30 - 2:45 pm Restorative Yoga for Experienced Students

Patricia Videgain

Patricia took her first Iyengar yoga class in 1999, she had done yoga before, but knew immediately that this was the practice for which she had been searching. She began the Teacher Training course in the Iyengar style with Theresa Rowland in 2002. In the practice, she discovered a life passion for teaching and learning the yoga work which is reflected on her commitment to workshops with senior teachers. You could call her a yoga-workshophoolic.
Patricia's teaching style can be characterized by her love of movement and deep enjoyment in guiding her students through their personal discovery of yoga. Careful attention is given to body alignment. The use of props offers a way for students with varying degrees of flexibility and strength to enjoy the practice. Each class begins with centering, then moves on to asana instruction and ends with deep relaxation. Care is taken to accommodate individual needs.

Peter Kurczynski

peter-kurczynski Peter Kurczynski has been practicing Buddhism under Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for over eight years. He has studied the books of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in formal study programs including the teacher training program of the New Kadampa Tradition. He has participated in numerous meditation retreats, and he regularly attends international festivals of Kadampa Buddhism. He is currently an instructor at Chakrasambara Buddhist Center and he teaches classes in South Orange, Maplewood, Summit and East Orange. He has a doctorate in physics from the University of Maryland.

Classes with Peter
Sunday 5:00 pm Learn to Meditate

Rosanne McGraw

Rosanne McGraw is a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher; in addition she will complete the 500 hour certification at Studio Yoga this winter. She has been teaching for over seven years at area health clubs and for Studio Yoga. She teaches gentle and beginner classes, and enjoys giving individual attention to each student to help them get the most out of class. Rosanne has found yoga to be therapeutic for her own arthritis, as well as a way to handle the stresses of parenting! Rosanne resides in New Providence.

Classes with Rosanne

Thursday 8:45 - 10:00 am Gentle Yoga for Seniors & Beginners

Sandee Moreta

Sandee, who is multi-lingual and originally from Quito Ecuador, graduated from the College of Saint Elizabeth receiving a degree in business and computer information systems. She currently keeps busy working at a not-for profit school for the blind in Morristown NJ. Sandee has been practicing yoga for approximately 8 years and currently she is teaching Iyenger Yoga at the Studio Yoga in Madison NJ. She has experience in both teaching yoga to children and to adults of all levels, keeping her style innovative and fun.

Sandee first came to Yoga to cultivate a sense of balance and spiritual awareness in addition to expanding her physical flexibility. After taking her first yoga class, Sandee realized that what drew her to yoga was a chance to really help people heal themselves with this wonderful technique and later found that yoga was her real passion in life. After practicing Yoga for more than four years, exploring a variety of styles from Kripalu, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram, and Vinyasa which she found profoundly transforming, she was inspired to learn more and become an Iyengar teacher.

Her classes are usually challenging, encouraging students to 'play their edge', to meet their perceived limitations (both physical and emotional) with compassionate awareness. The result is increased strength, stamina, balance, flexibility, and most importantly, personal empowerment. In all her classes, Sandee seeks to create a sacred space for people of all levels to practice, de-stress, and to realize the true nature of themselves.

Sandee’s beginner yoga classes will awaken your body and inspire your soul, leaving you stronger, refreshed and de-stressed. She is passionately committed to healing the world on an individual level and she welcomes anyone who would like to experience the gift of Yoga.

Classes with Sandee

Monday 7:45 - 8:45 pm Yoga for Runners, and Yoga for Golf
Thursday 6:30 - 7:45 pm Yoga Basics

Saturday 9:00 - 10:15 am Yoga Basics
Saturday 10:15 - 11:30 am Yoga Basics

Tasha

The mysterious, timeless beauty of Middle Eastern Dancing is brought gloriously to life through the tasteful and highly entertaining abilities of Tasha. Tasha has danced throughout the tri-state area in events from Caesar's Cove Haven in the Poconos to the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

Tasha began Middle Eastern Dance training at Serena's School of Near Eastern Dance, and she has continued studying with Elena in both New York and Cairo, Egypt.

Tasha has combined her talents for the dance with her Business Management training from Monmouth College to set a new standard for professionalism in dance performance. Since making her debut, Tasha has performed at countless events, from private parties to large stage shows in the Poconos and the Atlantic City Casinos. She has delighted audiences in America and around the world.

To name a few of her numerous appearances, she has performed for standing room only crowds at The Darvish, Club Ibis, and Fazils in New York City and The Middle East Restaurant in Philadelphia. No stranger to international travel, Tasha has appeared at the El Salaam Hyatt in Cairo, Egypt, and at the Jaegerstube in Wiesbaden, Germany. Tasha has even appeared aboard the Oceanic Cruise Ship , which included teaching Middle Eastern Dance to the intrigued and interested passengers.

This varied and experienced background, combined with her education and attitude enabled Tasha to become the featured Belly Dancer at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City from 1990 to 1992. This coveted and elite position gave Tasha the opportunity to perform for tens of thousands of impressed Casino visitors. Her interaction through audience participation made her the highlight of the Taj's special events.

Tasha's current work includes the development of her stage act, combining dance with audience participation and unique props to create a distinctive presentation. She has appeared at the Raleigh Hotel in the Catskills, and performed her act for an entire summer at Caesar's Cove Haven in the Poconos.

Tasha has authored and designed the Instructional Series "Let's Belly Dance" produced and distributed by Cablevision of Monmouth. Tasha teachs belly dance to adults, continuing the tradition for future generations.

Classes with Tasha

Wednesday 1:30 - 2:30 pm Beginners Plus Belly Dance

Saturday 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Beginners Belly Dance

Saturday 12:45 - 1:45 pm Intermediate/Advanced Belly

Tasha's Perfomance