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November 23-29, 2008
Beneath Troy's casual demeanor lies a deep and genuine respect for yoga. His teaching style is simultaneously vigorous and contemplative; his adjustments are skillful and astute. He works to draw out the natural intelligence inherent in each of his students as they practice. Since 1998, Troy has been practicing yoga asana, almost exclusively in the Ashtanga yoga tradition. In 1993, he traveled to India to study for six months with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Troy apprenticed with Tim Miller, taught at Richard Freeman's Colorado Yoga Workshop for seven years, and conducts his own workshops nationwide.
January 11-17, 2009
Mindy Frenkel graduated from the Yoga Zone Teacher Training with Alan Finger in 2002 and completed her 500 hours in 2005. She has been a devoted practitioner and teacher since 2000. She is a Reiki Master and has been trained in Polarity Therapy and Thai Massage. In a life long search for meaning and depth, Mindy found Yoga to be a transformational and healing practice and this is what motivated her to share this path with others. She continues to deepen her experience through the study of various styles of yoga including Anusara, Ashtanga and Jivamukti as well as studying inspirational and spirtual texts. Her teaching of yoga is steeped with an intensive background of yogic studies. Mindy brings a down-to-earth approach to her yoga classes. There is a high level of integrity and maturity to her graceful teaching style. You will find her classes challenging, informative and worshipful.
 January 17-23 , 2009
Geri Bleier is a Certified Anusara® Yoga instructor. She has been an avid student of yoga since 1994, and has studied Anusara® Yoga since its conception in 1997. Geri studies closely with John Friend, Mitchel Bleier, and Sianna Sherman, as well as, Jamie Allison, Richard Freeman, and Pattabhi Jois. For two years, Geri traveled the country assisting Mitchel and Sianna in their workshops and trainings. Geri's passion for yoga shows through her practice and her personality. She brings clarity in her teaching and pure joy in her heart. Geri is a teacher's teacher who works with beginning students to advanced students, professional athletes, and therapeutic clients. Her immense working knowledge of yoga creates a platform for students to truly transform. She is very grateful to share the practice of yoga with others.
January 23-29, 2009
A typical yoga class with Melina will include a deep flow of postures supported by the breath, grace, and humor. She teaches students to balance challenging asanas with deep reflection, using the body to travel deep into the soul. Her renowned, dynamic teaching style uses discipline and laughter to open pathways of knowledge. Melina's journey with yoga started in 1993 while she was attending Bastyr University, a school devoted to natural health sciences. After receiving a degree in nutrition, her deepening yoga practice led her to become a yoga teacher, and she began traveling to further develop her teaching skills. Since then, she has studied with many powerful teachers, including Sarah Powers, Gary Kraftsow, Robert Svoboda, and Tias Little. Melina's personal teaching style has evolved as a reflection of the knowledge and inspiration these teachers have shared with her. She completed teacher trainings with the Sivananda Ashram in South America, is currently the co-director of the Yoga Teacher Training Programs at 8 Limbs Yoga in Seattle.
 February 8-14, 2009
Alisa has been teaching since 1999 when she left her high-powered publishing job to spread her passion for Pilates. A former dancer who was classically trained by Joseph Pilates’ protégé, Alisa is a Gold-Certified member of the Pilates Method Alliance and also the co-creator and presenter of Pilates for Men, a DVD training program geared for athletes and civilians alike. A self-described movement junkie, Alisa explores any movement modality she can find the time for when she’s not dancing, trekking or surfing. In addition to teaching at retreats and conferences internationally, Alisa trains clients at her private studio in New York, and is a star instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in Manhattan.
February 14-20, 2009
Lauren Hanna began her study of yoga with Sri Dharma Mittra in the early 1990s. She has studied with most of the masters since then, and aspires to share their insights with her students. She was most profoundly influenced by the wisdom and guidance of Dharma Mittra, the intention and power of Ana Forrest, the philosophy and receptivity of Mark Whitwell, the humor and precision of Allison West, and the pure unconditional love of Ammaji. Lauren studied the ancient healing practice of Ayurveda with James Bailey, and Prana and Vinyasa-flow yoga with Shiva Rea, who inspired her to live her life with spontaneity, remain close to the source, and move deeply in tune with the pulse of the universe. In 2001, Lauren and a partner opened Sonic Yoga, a top-rated yoga center in New York City, where she leads their Teacher Training Program. Her deep love of nature inspires her own life and practice. www.sonicyoga.com
March 8-14, 2009
Possessing a strongly creative spark, Tricia has studied many forms of expression from acting, singing, and classical ballet to writing and drawing, including printmaking and painting. In her work as an artist, yoga instructor, Thai yoga therapist, and Ayurveda practitioner-in-training, Tricia is drawn to the practice and expression of health and healing. Her focus in teaching is to explore the inherent strength and flexibility of the body through disciplined awareness of the breath. She encourages her students to embrace the innate creativity of living yoga by allowing it to express itself through the body, mind, and soul. The result is a fresh and dynamic approach to an ancient practice. Tricia’s 200-hour yoga certification is from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and she is currently completing her 500-hour training. A lifelong student, Tricia continues to deepen her understanding and appreciation of the Vedic origins of Yoga and Ayurveda through her studies at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda. For more information, visit www.littlebluebuddha.net.
March 14-20, 2009
At a young age Matt knew he had a passion for the understanding of the human body. This passion sparked the beginning of an over 14-year journey. He started to learn Tai Chi, Nutrition and Yoga when he was only 16 years old, as a way to aid his high school athletics. The next step in the journey, took Matt to San Francisco State University where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology/ Biomechanics and a Minor in Holistic Health. While at the same time, deepening his understanding of the Eastern models of health, by completing numerous yoga teacher trainings, and a 10-year of study of Internal Martial Arts, and Meditation. Inspired by his new awareness and understanding of a body as a whole system, it only made sense that he went on to earn a Masters Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has a thriving Acupuncture and Herbal medicine clinic. Matt has dedicated most of his study to the teachings of Krishnamacharya, Shandor Remete, Grand Master Kuo, Dr. Jerry Allen Johnson and the Flow of Nature.
Growing up in southern California Matt has always enjoyed all activities in the water from surfing to free diving. He says "you can take any problem to the ocean and let it swim away".
 (Spanish Language Instructor)
March 20-26, 2009
Born in Costa Rica, Patrick Swett has been teaching Spanish since 1994. He studied Modern Dance and Political Sciences at the Universidad de Costa Rica graduating in 1995. He also completed studies in French and Italian in his native San José at the Alliance Française and at the Societa Dante Alighieri where he where he experienced for himself the challenges and difficulties of the adult learner, giving him a great passion for the instruction of foreign languages. In 1997 he moved to the United States. Patrick now lives in Seattle, where he has worked in the fields of dance and theater and has been teaching Spanish for Seattle Language Academy's adult and children's programs since 1999.
March 20-26, 2009
Michelle brings over twelve years of yoga, bodywork and fitness experience to her yoga teaching. She is a graduate of three of the most highly respected Yoga Teacher Trainings in the country: the original Yogaworks Teacher Training Course (TTC) with Maty Ezraty and Lisa Walford, the Ana Forrest TTC, and Shiva Rea's Embodying the Flow TTC. Her primary influence and inspiration is Ana Forrest and the Forrest Yoga method; and she is a certified Forrest Yoga Instructor. Deeply committed to high quality instruction and to evolving her practice, Michelle continues to study with some of the most accomplished yoga masters in the world including: Ana Forrest, Shiva Rea, Sarah Powers and Angela Farmer. Michelle was born in California, but spent summers in the Dominican Republic - her mother's native country. As a result, Michelle was bilingual (Spanish and English) before she could read and write. Michelle majored in Romance Languages at Dartmouth College - she added French to her repertoire while at Dartmouth and lived with a French family for six months. In the years before becoming a full time yoga instructor, she worked as a bilingual health educator, a language teacher and a sales support representative to Latin America. While at Dartmouth, Michelle trained in the Rassias method of language aquisition and worked as a French and Spanish Conversation or "Drill" Instructor. Learn more about Michelle at YogaLuz.
April 19-25, 2009
Matt Pesendian, L.Ac., has been practicing and studying the art of Hatha yoga and meditation for 16 years, dedicating his studies to the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya and Zhander Remete, the founder of Shadow Yoga. Matt has also practiced many different forms of Chinese yoga, also known as ‘Qigong’, for the last seven years. He received his Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine and is Nationally Board Certified in Acupuncture. He is currently developing a Medical Qigong program at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara and teaches Shadow Yoga workshops internationally. Learn more about Matt at www.bodhimanda.com.
Pilates Retreat April 25- May 1, 2009
Amy first fell in love with Pilates in Sun Valley, Idaho where she decided to turn in her snowboard and years of instruction for an opportunity to train in this phenomenon of ‘intelligent exercise’ in Seattle, WA. Amy graduated from the University of Georgia with a BSED in Early Childhood Education. After a stint of teaching in Christchurch New Zealand, Amy decided to follow her inner ski bum and became a snowboard instructor in Steamboat Springs, Co. During the summers she guided outdoor adventure trips across North America for Trek America. In 1998 she ventured off on her own to start Blueplanet Adventures, a backpacking company guiding through Olympic National Park. Her passion for working with people, dance and fascination with human movement led her to the STOTT instructor training program at Bodycenter Studios in 2004. Amy has been teaching ever since and feels honored everyday with the opportunity to help guide people through their bodies gaining awareness, strength and balance.
Pilates Retreat April 25- May 1, 2009
Kristi lives in Seattle, WA and her Pilates facility, Bodycenter Studios (www.bodycenterstudios.com), has gained a reputation as a premier training center, both for private clients seeking quality instruction, as well as a premier destination for teachers seeking certification and continuing education. Each year instructors from around the globe travel to the Pacific Northwest for the opportunity to study under Kristi’s careful guidance. Now you have the opportunity to experience Kristi’s instruction, but trading grey, rainy Seattle for some warm Mexican sun. With a background steeped in dance and movement, Kristi presents a class that allows students to discover Pilates through helpful cueing and imagery. Her expertise in working with injuries and her holistic study of anatomy foster an environment where close attention is paid to every detail of your posture to ensure a safe and technically correct experience, opening and strengthening paths of awareness of your physical body in space. Kristi is a certified STOTT PILATES Instructor and Instructor Trainer as well as a Licensed Massage Therapist.
all 2008 & 2009 surf retreats
Murilo grew up skateboarding in the streets of Sao Paulo, Brasil. For the last 7 years he has lived on and off on the beautiful, jungle coastline between Rio and Sao Paulo. Surfing has changed his life, giving him opportunities that he had never even dreamed of. He has taught the last few years at a surf school for young developing surfers and tourists in Ubatuba, Brasil. Like Kate he loves to share the surfing stoke with others.
all 2008 & 2009 surf retreats
My family has lived and worked down here in Sayulita for almost 7 years now and I have been vacationing and living down here on and off since I was a little girl. I learned to surf when I was about nine living in Encinitas, CA and since then I have mostly dedicated my life to travel and surf. I have lived and studied in Costa Rica, Brasil, Chile, Mexico and Argentina. I have a degree in International business and Spanish and hope to continue working in Latin America. I love to surf and love to share the experience with others.
Alison Litchfield has been student of Yoga since 1990. Her studies in both Ashtanga and Iyengar Yoga led her to start teaching in 1997. She continued to deepen her knowledge of the body through becoming a Certified Rolfer. She has been a long time student and senior teacher of Richard Freeman's and completed his Teacher Training course in 1999. She has also been influenced by other well known teachers such as Aadil Palkhivala and Shiva Rea. Alison teaches a dynamic and meditative flow with focus on the alignment and awakening of the subtle body. She is interested in the ancient science of Ayurveda and how it teaches us the direct correlation of the energy body to the elements of nature. Alison believes that the Yoga practice is a way of life; a place for us to experience the fullness of being alive in this dancing, changing universe.
Andrea’s classes are a holistic flow style suited for everyone. She emphasizes opening the heart, creating core strength and suppleness, focusing on the spine, looking within, and connecting the mind and body through the breath. She uses her knowledge and experiences to create classes that focus on the individual, challenging students to experience physical difficulties and imbalances while retaining a present and peaceful state of being. Andrea has been practicing, teaching, and learning a variety of yoga techniques and philosophies for more than eight years. She also is certified in exercise science and fitness through UC San Diego and a certified and practicing Stott Pilates instructor. Andrea hopes that through her practice and teaching she will help others to develop inner peace, strength, and openness, which can then be reflected back to our global environment.
Chris was born and raised in Santa Barbara. Introduced to the ocean as an infant, he started surfing at the age of 16. Surfing has been a guiding influence in his life and has given him a spiritual connection to the ocean and its rhythms. For more than six years, Chris worked as a surfboard advisor and surfing instructor at a Santa Barbara surf shop, but also found time to travel to surf the waves of Hawaii, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Aside from surfing, Chris will receive his Master’s Degree in traditional Chinese medicine in 2006.
 (surf instructor)
Edmund was born and raised in Philadelphia spending his summers at the Jersey shore. He was a competitive swimmer since the second grade and began ocean lifeguarding at the age of seventeen. While attending Rider University he swam competitively on the varsity team. Throughout college, summer was spent competing in lifeguard swimming and paddleboard races. After college, he moved to Hollywood, Florida where he continued ocean lifeguarding. He then moved back to the Jersey shore and managed a small private beach club, taught yoga, and surf lessons for several years. For the past nine years he has been living in Santa Barbara where he continues to surf, practice yoga, and currently attends the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine.
A certified yoga therapist, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, and an Ayurvedic consultant, Scott is known for his integrative approach to teaching. Scott studied yoga for more than 14 years and has taught for eight. His main  teachers, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Erich Schiffmann, and Shandor Remete, have shaped his understanding for the place and power of yoga in the modern world. Scott is part of the teacher training programs at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center and Integrative Yoga Therapy. He was a presenter on Yoga and Ayurveda at the 2006 San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference.
www.shunyatayoga.com
Chandra has studied yoga for more than a decade and has taught both yoga and meditation for the past four years. She blends the Yin style of long-held passive poses with flowing Vinyasa yoga to prepare the body and mind for the seated practices of Pranayama and meditation. Chandra studied meditation, Buddhist philosophy, and the Tibetan language at the library in Dharamsala, North India, founded by the Dalai Lama. She returned to the U.S. to study in the Religious Studies Department at U.C. Santa Barbara, where she translated Tibetan Buddhist texts and taught Tibetan language. Her primary influences are Alan Wallace, Sarah Powers, Shandor Remete, and her husband Scott Blossom.
www.shunyatayoga.com
 (Surf Instructor)
Caroline is from Santa Barbara, and she learned to surf while getting her degree in anthropology at UCSB. This year, she began to surf competitively, taking part in competitions in the U.S. and Australia. She spent part of this year traveling – and surfing - in Western Australia and Indonesia. Caroline is passionate about the sport of surfing and the energy that comes from it. She loves to encourage others to feel the rush of working with the waves and says “sharing the stoke” never gets old!
Wade has been practicing and teaching yoga for 12 years. He combines his love of music with his studies of meditation and various types of yoga into a "vigorously soft" Vinyasa flow class that is dynamic yet contemplative and often includes chanting. Wade has studied Iyengar, Viniyoga, Kriya, and Anusara yoga; he studied Ashtanga-Viniyasa with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India; and completed Ashtanga teacher training in California. He is a Reiki master and a certified Phoenix Rising yoga therapist and Viniyoga therapist. Wade has owned two yoga centers in Vancouver BC, and now offers teacher trainings and workshops worldwide. Wade's love for music led him to the world of Kirtan and Mantra-Japa yoga. In 2005 and 2006, Lululemon sponsored Wade's worldwide yoga pilgrimage of music and yoga workshops in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and 32 cities in North America. Now he's working on his second Kirtan CD, his second yoga DVD, and his first book about yoga.
www.wadeimremorissette.com
Gerda has studied and practiced yoga since 1991. She studied Ashtanga with Doug Swenson, Kundalini with Sue Beck, Iyengar with Judith Landecker and Charles Udell, Anusara with Betsy Downing, and Hatha with BJ Stadler. Other teachers were Viriam Singh Khalsa, and JJ Gormley. Most recently, Gerda completed her Level III Teacher Training in Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga with Mary-Jo Fetterly and Jennifer Steed. She now teaches Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, and Kundalini classes in Whitefish, Montana, the town where she lives.
Sharon has been studying, practicing, and teaching yoga since the mid-1970s. Her style is a combination of the Sivananda, Anusara, Iyengar, and Ashtanga methods she has studied, and her most recent inspiration is Ana Forrest. Before becoming a yoga instructor, Sharon's passion was dance, although she always warmed up with yoga. While other dancers were stretching at the barre, Sharon was standing on her head in the middle of the floor, getting centered. She studied ballet, modern, jazz and African dance for 15 years. Today, she makes her home in Napa Valley, where she teaches at Napa Valley Yoga. With her husband and daughter, who are both avid surfers, she enjoys traveling to Mexico and Hawaii in search of the perfect wave.
Hillary Rubin is a certified Anusara yoga teacher who has taught both nationally and internationally focusing on the therapeutic benefits of yoga. In 1996, Hillary was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which led her to study yoga and meditation as a form of personal empowerment. Her dedication to heal and listen to herself (ultimately seeing the self as the teacher) is a great example of how the teachings of yoga coupled with a healthy lifestyle works towards total well-being; today she is symptom-free.
In 2002, Hillary made one of the best choices in her life she moved from New York Cit to Los Angeles to take her first teacher training at City Yoga. It was there that that the first spark was ignited within her to answer an inner calling to help others deepen their connection to themselves with yoga. Her determination led her to delve deeper into her studies with Naime Jezzeny, John Friend, Douglas Brooks, Sally Kempton along with many other gifted teachers.
Hillary's classes offer you the experience of her personal understanding of the body blended with a life-affirming philosophy woven together to empower you on & off the mat. Just a dose of her quirky humor and compassion blended with many years of yogic study will leave you uplifted and possibly curious to go deeper into your own practice. Hillary lives in West Hollywood and loves to enjoy nature, art, technology and great food, you may see her riding bikes with her sweet husband, Asaf and Boston Terrier, Mala.
Deon de Wet is certified in Thai Yoga Therapy (trained by Saul David Raye in Los Angeles and Pichest Boonthumme in Thailand), practicing and teaching internationally. He has also completed Hatha Yoga teacher training in the Anusara style and is available for private treatments, offering sessions in Los Angeles, New York and London.
Deon is committed to helping people prosper, as they help others to feel better from the inside out, using Thai Yoga Therapy, which is a relaxing, revitalizing and pain-relieving combination of assisted Yoga stretches, Acupressure and Traditional Thai Massage. Sessions are performed with the client comfortably dressed on a special mat on the floor.
The focus is on balancing energy and harmonizing body, mind and spirit. Clients consistently report physical benefits such as a significant improvement in skeletal alignment, flexibility and range of motion. http://deonthaiyoga.com/
 Michelle's classes are fun and supportive, welcoming students of all levels. While teaching, Michelle draws from her extensive background and training in the physical and energetic aspects of movement and healing. A co-founder of Via Yoga and its Director of Programs, Michelle has been a licensed massage therapist since 1994 and a certified yoga instructor since 1999. Michelle is also a certified Stott Pilates instructor. When Michelle is not in Mexico with Via Yoga, she is busy in Seattle working with her private bodywork clients and teaching blended yoga/ Pilates classes. She has also performed with the Samadhi Yogini dance troupe and has taught anatomy classes for the Samadhi Yoga.
Susan has been a yoga student for fifteen years, a teacher for ten and has owned her own studio in Golden, Colorado since October of 2002 (www.asanastudio.com). Most recently she has taught workshops in Spain and has future projects in Italy, Spain and Argentina. Susan primarily teaches in the Vinyasa style but her students love her ability to adapt her classes to their specific needs. Her classes have been characterized as "full of vitality", "vigorous", "fun" and "boy, did time fly." Overall, Susan believes her classes are about being able to draw your attention away from the outside world and into yourself as you explore the boundaries of your ability while respecting your limitations.
Mitchel Bleier, internationally recognized yoga teacher, known for his immense knowledge on all yoga topics, especially asana, philosophy, therapeutics, and adjustments. He teaches with passion and offers a kind, generous, humorous, easy, and sophisticated approach. Mitchel's classes are an inspiring vinyasa flow incorporating clear alignment direction, deep breathing, and a playful narrative of Indian philosophy and myth. Mitchel is a Senior Certified AnusaraT Yoga Teacher. He has studied closely with John Friend, founder of AnusaraT Yoga, since 1999. From 2000 - 2003, Mitchel traveled the United States with John as his assistant and apprentice. He is only one of two people to ever have such a privilege. He studies closely with Douglas Brooks, both at the University of Rochester and privately since 2001. In addition, he lived in India for six months where he studied with Pattabhi Jois.
To learn more go to www.mbyoga.com
Tracy Reznikoff has been teaching yoga in Connecticut for six years. She is co-owner of Saraswati's Yoga Joint, and previously was co-owner of Yoga Shanti. Tracy has studied with such talented innovators in yoga such as Sri. K Pattabhi Jois, Tim Miller, Mitchel Bleier, Bryan Kest, Baron Baptiste and Dana Flynn.
Donna is co-owner of Saraswati's Yoga Joint in Norwalk Connecticut. She has been practicing and studying various forms and styles of yoga for over 14 years, including Anusara, Jivamukti, Ashtanga and Vinyasa power yoga. Her most recent teachers include Todd Norian, John Friend, Douglas Brooks, Mitchel Bleier, Dharma Mitra, and Erich Schiffmann. Her interest in anatomy and therapeutics inspired her to obtain a masters degree in physical therapy from Columbia University. Donna's classes integrate the fluidity and creativity of vinyasa yoga with the grace and intelligent alignment found in Anusara Yoga. Donna empowers her students by offering physically challenging classes that are filled with and are embraced by her deep passion for life.
Arline brings a unique blend of physicality and artfulness to her teaching. The yoga mat serves as a different kind of canvas for Arline, who continues to paint and exhibit her work in Memphis art galleries. Through her teaching as well as her art, she inspires others to feel more and move beyond preconceived notions of personal limitation.
She draws her primary teaching inspiration from Shiva Rea, "Shiva opened my eyes to the beauty of flow, the freedom that personal power offers us, and the gateway to it on the yoga mat."
Val is a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor and the owner of Push Pilates studios in Memphis and Oxford. She combines an evolved Pilates repertoire with physical therapy methods using tools such as the Feldenchreist foam roller, small balls, physio-balls, flex bands, magic circles and now YOGA. Val began her Pilates training in 1998 at The Ellie Herman Studios in San Francisco and has furthered her education with Lizz Roman, the Pilates Center in Boulder and the Pilates Method Alliance. Val's yoga training is through OM Yoga in New York with Cindi Lee and Midtown Yoga in Memphis with Sarla Nichols. She is currently studying with Shiva Rea and going thru Richard Freeman teacher training program.
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Lauren Hanna 
Tricia Sletten
Matt Pesendian
Mitchel Bleier