Teachers
Alison Dorfman
Alison Dorfman has been practicing yoga for over 15 years and teaching for 6. She started her practice at Jivamukti in the East Village and moved on to study at Bhava Yoga with Peter Rizzo and OM Yoga Center with Jennifer Brilliant and Cyndi Lee. She received her certification from OM in 2004. In an attempt to master the sweet details of restorative yoga, she completed a Relax & Renew Teacher Training with Judith Lasater in 2007.
Alison teaches with attention to alignment, a sense of humor, and a desire to bring more compassion and sensitivity into our lives. (Yes, it's true! When we work toward aligning our muscles, bones, and breath, a sweet mindfulness and clear calmness can be found.)
Alison lives in the Jaya neighborhood and is delighted to teach and practice with such a cool and kind community.
Carla Stangenberg, Director
Bio coming soon!
Carla has recently been interviewed for the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society you can find the interview here. One correction: the Jivamukti she refers to was the one on 2nd Avenue, not the Lafayette Street location.
Christine Findlay
Christine came to yoga through years of back pain issues. As she created more balance in her body, she noticed how that balance and space carried over into other parts of her life. She teaches a challenging class with emphasis on breath awareness. As a teacher Christine strives to create an environment where students can go inward and discover the benefits of yoga. She received her certification from Om Yoga Center. Christine has been practicing and teaching for a combination of 8 years.
Danika Hendrickson
Danika first discovered yoga in 1998 as a refreshing alternative to years of playing vigorous sports in high school and college. She received her certification to teach yoga in 2002 from Atmananda Yoga Center where she studied with Iyengar teacher Beth Biegler whose emphasis on Ayurvedic medicine inspired her to go deeper into the practice. She received her certification as an Ayurvedic holistic health Practitioner in 2003. Danika considers her versatility and depth as a yoga teacher to be a reflection of the teachers with whom she has studied with. She is especially grateful to Joan White, Seane Corn, Beth Biegler, Dr. Nainna Maraballi and Amita Banergee. Danika's goal as a yoga teacher is to integrate yoga as a way of life. Her classes draw upon Ayurveda, astrology, Buddhism, meditation, and chanting while encouraging humor, reflection, personal growth and transformation.
David Figueroa
David teaches in the Vinyasa (flow) style, with traditional yoga postures linked to the breath through movement. He has been teaching adults and children from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities for over 20 years. His approach is light hearted with a strong attention to detail. David is certified by the Om Yoga Center in New York, has studied with Rodney Yee, Richard Freeman, Donna Farhi and Cyndi Lee. He is influenced by the Iyengar, Anusara and Vinyasa Yoga traditions as well as his experience as a professional modern dancer and choreographer. He has taught throughout New York including beginner, intermediate and advanced classes at Om Yoga. In 2005 David founded Movement Arts of Provincetown, a non-profit movement and wellness center in Cape Cod.
Judy Atrubin
Judy began doing yoga a little over ten years ago as a complement to running practice and her desk job. She came to yoga to get a good stretch and found that and something much greater. For Judy yoga is the physical manifestation of meditation and the meditative expression of motion. Judy blends eastern and western philosophy and her love of movement and music to create a flowing, energetic and joyful practice. Her classes aspire to bring you to a place of breath, motion, and peace. Over the last 10 years, she has extensively studied Ashtanga, Iyengar, Ishta and Vinyasa yoga. Her first serious study of yoga began in Minnesota with two excellent teachers—Monique Maxwell (Ashtanga) and Michael Prottengeir(Iyengar). In 2002 she became a nationally certified instructor, receiving her 500 hour certification from Be Yoga - now Yoga Works. She has since taught in the United States and abroad. In New York she has had the privilege to study with many great teachers including, but in no way limited to Jean Koerner, Dana Strong, Schuyler Grant, Dharma Mitra, Elana Brower and Alan Finger.
Kelly Devi
Kelly Devi was introduced to yoga in high school, but it wasn't until many years later as a martial arts student that she began an earnest asana practice. A serious health crisis caused by an undiagnosed thyroid imbalance lead her to discover the deeper aspects of the practice and she learned first-hand how transformative and healing yoga can be. After regaining her health, Kelly decided to pursue certification to teach. Kelly is an Integral Yoga certified hatha, prenatal and restorative yoga teacher and trained labor support doula. She also has certification in Thai Yoga Massage.
Kelly has three sons and a niece who are the inspiration behind her dedication to prenatal yoga instruction. Her diverse experience with her own pregnancies and births is revealed in her supportive, open-minded approach to prenatal yoga instruction.
Kelly's classes focus on an exploration of body-mind awareness and encourage appreciation and gentleness toward one's self as a means of deeper connection and growth. In addition to a safe, comprehensive asana portion, Kelly's classes highlight regular pranayama and meditation practice. These aspects are especially helpful in dealing with the challenges of pregnancy, labor and motherhood. Classes are informative, creative, energizing and encourage a sense of community among the students.
Kyle Shepard
Kyle Shepard has been practicing yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2007. Among the numerous workshops and courses he has completed the most influential include the teacher training at OM yoga Center, Leslie Kaminoff's Yoga Anatomy and Applications of Breath-Centered Yoga Therapy, Judith Lasater's restorative yoga teacher training, private Alexander Technique study with Kate Kobak, and Amy Matthew's ongoing Embodied Anatomy and Kinesiology courses. His classes draw on a variety of yoga traditions as well as various body awareness and therapeutic practices to find an approach suitable for each individual student. Kyle's class cultivates a nonjudgmental atmosphere that encourages the student to tune in to the wonder of each individual moment. Alignment, initiation, and intention are emphasized not only for safety and to optimize the benefits of the practice but also as an exercise in mindfulness and a way to explore yogic philosophy in action. A main goal of Kyle's teaching is to have his students leave class with a greater connection to their bodies, opened in a way that facilitates deeper and more meaningful connections with those around them. He is thrilled to be a part of the Jaya sangha.
Leslie Kraus
Leslie has been practicing yoga for nine years and teaching for three. She took her first yoga class because she thought 'Hey, why not?' and has been in love ever since. Last year she completed the 500HR through YogaWorks under her mentor Jeanmarie Paolillo where she has also had the pleasure of studying with Julie Klienman, Jenny Aurthur, Sarah Bell, and Alan Finger. Leslie adores guiding her students deeper into their practices by creating a class environment filled with humor, safety, challenge and compassion. Her class is full of creative sequencing, breath-centered asana and detailed alignment. Leslie is also a professional dancer here in NYC and is a member of the Kate Weare Company. She is thrilled to be teaching at Jaya with such wonderful teachers and students.
Michael Gates
Michael took his first step on the path of yoga more than ten years ago; he doesn't recall the exact year and takes this to be a measure of his practice. He balances his work on the mat with a voracious and personally-directed study of anatomy and the alignment principles of asana. In 2008, he validated the depth of his knowledge through completion of a 200-hour teacher training at YogaWorks, and would like to thank his instructors, Sarah Bell and Tzahi Moskowitz, for their encouragement to begin teaching at once. Michael's classes focus on the discovery and refinement of balance in body and mind, using the breath as both anchor and guide. After five years as a student at Jaya, he's grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community, and he welcomes you to join him in the exciting and limitless truth of yoga.
Nina Rao
Nina Rao learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. Most recently she recorded a track 'Nina Chalisa' on Krishna Das' CD "Flow of Grace - Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa".
Ramit (rah-meet) Kreitner
Ramit brings a love of movement and music to her yoga classes which mix vinyasa flow and hatha styles. She wishes for students to find freedom and joyousness through an abiding and courageous practice. Ramit is passionate in her belief that yoga can provide for the maintenance of our bodies, the health of our minds and ultimately the grace of our spirits in handling our ever changing circumstances. Certified at Laughing Lotus, Ramit is thrilled to be sharing her take on yoga philosophy, pranayama, asana, meditation, ancient texts and creative expression with others. Ramit finds the symbiosis between teacher and student truly inspirational and is honored and delighted to be part of the Jaya community.
Sarah Selig
Sarah Selig has been teaching yoga since 1999. She received her first teaching certification from Shri Yogi Dharma Mittra at the Dharma Yoga Center. She has also completed an Advanced Vinyasa teacher training with Shiva Rea at Exhale. In the past few years she has been studying Anusara yoga at Vira Yoga. Most recently she gave birth to her son, Asher, which has added a whole new dimension to her practice and teaching. She enjoys blending classical Hatha yoga with the more contemporary forms of the practice. In her classes she wishes to help guide her students into finding their own individual way to balance and inner peace. Sarah is a senior teacher at Jaya Yoga, having taught at the center since 2000. She wishes to thank Carla for giving the neighborhood such a great place to practice yoga.
Stacey Sperling
Stacey loves teaching yoga and considers it an honor to introduce and guide other yogis in their practices. In her vinyasa classes, Stacey combines balanced, creative sequences of flowing postures with an exploration of compassion, humor and letting go. As a new mom, she's learning a lot about letting go! She believes that the yoga practices of asana, pranayama and meditation are powerful tools for acceptance and transformation. To that end, Stacey is committed to bringing yoga to people who might not otherwise experience it, and who may benefit from the practice. She was a founding member of the RIker's Island Project, teaching yoga at schools on Riker's Island for two school years, and is currently pursuing other ways to bring yoga to at-risk and incarcerated youth, and others who have experienced trauma. One of Stacey's favorite things about yoga is that it's a learning experience that goes on forever. After practicing Hatha, Vinyasa and Bikram Yoga since 1995, she received her 200 hour certification at NYC's Sonic Yoga in 2002, where she's currently a member of the teacher training staff; a 60 hour advanced certification at OM Yoga 2005; and a certification as a Relax and Renew instructor, after having studied with Judith Lasater, in 2007. She is currently pursuing a 500 hour teaching certification.
Tina West
Tina West has been practicing Yoga for 6 years and teaching for almost two of those years. Trained by Jeff Migdow and Robyn Ross from Kripalu Yoga, Tina brings a sense of compassion to the powerful practice of Yoga. Focusing on alignment as a vehicle to bring energy and vitality into the body, mind and spirit, Tina's classes are fun, joyful and heart-centered. After spending 4 months at the Satchidananda Ashram in Virginia, she has learned that the most important benefit one can gain from Yoga is peace. In the midst of each vigorous and challenging or easeful and calm asana she teaches is the potential of peace for each student. Tina considers teaching Yoga a great service and feels blessed to be able to do so.
Photos by Gina de la Chesnaye.
