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Heather
Principe, Program Director - YTT 200, 500, Polarity BS, ed., PWE, RPP, has been teaching yoga for over 25 years. Heather is owner and founder of The Yoga and Polarity Center, a center for teaching Yoga, Subtle Energy Healing Arts including Polarity and Pranic Healing, and Energetic Listening Skills for Bodyworkers. She is on the staff of the New Seminary, The Southwest Institute of Healing Arts and runs retreats worldwide in all forms of Energetic Healing. Style: Hatha |
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Kim
Zawacki, Assistant Program Director - 200 YTT , Dean 500 YTT Kim is a certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher. She has been practicing and studying various styles of yoga and healing for the past 15 years. Her background also includes working as a Certified Reflexologist, and second-degree Reiki healer. As a yoga teacher since 1993, she blends a variety of traditions, including Viniyoga, Kripalu & Astanga to create a unique experience of yoga. Kim leads yoga workshops and classes for corporations, at the Yoga & Polarity Center and for other organizations on Long Island. In addition, she specializes in working privately with students to create a yoga program geared toward each person’s individual goals and needs. Kim is Dean of the 500 hour Yoga Certification Program at The Yoga And Polarity Center in Malverne. Style: Viniyoga |
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Gael
Chiarella Guest Instructor, 200 & 500 Hour Program Instructor Founder of The Yokibics® Institute for Personal Development, was classically trained in ballet at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, holds a degree in Psychology and Theology from St. Johns University, and began her Professional Yoga study with the New York Yoga Teacher Alliance in 1978. Her passion for holistic medicine led to training as a yoga therapist, certified crisis counselor, mindbody fitness trainer, hypnotherapist, and bodyworker. In 1997, she was honored as Woman of the Year by the Nassau Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the development of The Yokibics Mindbody Fitness Program®. Today, Gael is an Author, Teacher of teachers, and Spokesperson for Body Centered Spirituality. |
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Wendy
Kaufman-Harper Polarity Instructor CSW, RPP is devoted to the the practice of the western spiritual arts of life and healing through alignment and sacred reciprocity with our creator. Wendy chose her initial training and profession in classical theatre to understand the gifts of the imaginal world, to develop the ability to shapeshift energetically, and to gain a broader perspective of the human condition. Wendy received her Masters in Social Work 15 years ago from NYU and has since deepened her clinical work with the study of Polarity, Enstatic Kabbalah, Hermeticism and the Pachakuti Mesa of Peru. Her belief in the connectedness of all things has taught her that when we achieve inner balance on a personal level we can deeply affect balance externally on a global and macrocosmic plane. Wendy feels very grateful to be able to share what she has learned through the teaching of Polarity. She currently has a private practice in New York City. |
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Gary
B. Strauss Polarity Master Instructor MS, RPP, PWE, Gary continues to inspire the healing arts community with his approach to well being restoration, honoring the wisdom within and instruction through alignment. His crafted method of Holding Space™ for the client, classroom and practitioner, has stemmed from 30 plus years of experience in energy medicine, nutrition, and natural healing. Those related walk away with an empowerment so personal and self sewn; it’s as if Gary has known them all their lives. He is an incredible and articulate intuitive whose presence and openness allows for transformation, regardless of the relationship. Just ask the thousands he has trained and mentored internationally and in the U.S. His Polarity Therapy and Cranial Sacral Unwinding programs are offered through The Institute of Psycho-Strucural Balancing (IPSB, Los Angeles), The Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA, Arizona) The Energy Open Center (Kobe, Japan) and The Open Center (NYC). |
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Jane
McQueen Program Teacher 200 Jane McQueen is a Yoga Alliance certified instructor at the 500-hour level. She has taught physical education for 34 years and has practical hands on experience in working with students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Her deep understanding of the physical body allows her to modify yoga postures to meet the individual needs of her students. Her classes are fun filled and allow for personal growth in a safe, caring environment. The elements that make Viniyoga different from other styles of yoga are the emphasis of linking breath and movement, and the use of adaptations in asana (postures). Breath and movement are linked together as a way to move the body and quiet the mind. In Viniyoga, students are taught that the breath should actually lead the body into and out of each posture. Viniyoga is less concerned with arduous precise exercises than with developing a balanced and appropriate practice for each student. Style: Viniyoga |
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Anu
Butani Program Teacher 200 Anu Butani is a 500 hours certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. She teaches Iyengar Style sequencing method of yoga and her classes are based on individual student levels. With the help of props she holds space for each student to connect to their own energetic alignment of the body, mind and soul. She teaches Level 1 and Level 2 classes. Experience YOGA NIDRA in her class once a week. Yoga Nidra brings an incredible calmness, quietness and clarity. It is one of the deepest of all meditations, leading awareness through many levels of process to a state of supreme stillness and insight. Anu is a compassionate and inspirational teacher. She intuitively knows those students who are unsure, skilled or need support. She makes everyone feel that it is just the right place for them; to be in the present moment. The warmth of her voice is quieting and reassuring, as she shares with them a unique life-giving experience. Besides teaching the alignment of the physical body in postures, she teaches the union of the body and the mind in Pranayama. The flow of energy creates an open space in the body to become Present in the Mind.. Style: Iyengar |
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Gary
Pfleger Program Teacher 200 Gary has been practicing yoga for eight years and is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level. He has been a Registered Polarity Practitioner and an advanced Reiki Practitioner for six years giving him an experiential understanding of the Subtle Body. All of this has opened a flow of energies within him and given him a deepened understanding of the human experience that he integrates into his Hatha Yoga classes. Gary teaches an eclectic blend that includes the sequencing method and breathing practices of Viniyoga, and the attention to alignment of the Iyengar method. With his mindfully paced teaching rhythm, beginners as well as more advanced students can fully experience the postures in a relaxed and steady way. Gary’s intention is to assist you in bringing your physical and subtle body to a state of balance, wholeness, and connectedness. Within that healthy state, your own personal intentions can be nurtured and grow to realization. Style: Hatha |
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Mindy
Frenkel Program Teacher 200 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 has found herself at the feet of many spiritual Masters. For Mindy, Yoga has been 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. She is currently studying Sanskrit, chanting and meditation with her teacher and spiritual guide, Manorama. 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.. Style: Vinyasa |
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Marguerite
Westbrook Marguerite Westbrook has practiced yoga for more than 20 years and has been a fitness enthusiast for most of her life. She completed the 200-hour Teacher Training Program at the Yoga & Polarity Center in Malverne, NY and is a Registered Yoga Teacher with the International Yoga Alliance. Since receiving her certification in 2005, she has been teaching several classes a week at various studios on Long Island, which have included yoga for children, teens and seniors. Marguerite is dedicated to the healing art and practice of yoga, continuing her study by attending classes and special programs with advanced yoga instructors. While she takes her practice seriously, she brings a light-hearted spirit to her classes. Her approach is gentle and allows for the growth, safety and well-being of her students. Style: Hatha with blended vinyasa and viniyoga traditions. |
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Michele
Cetto Michele Cetto is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance at the 200-hour level. Michele has also completed certification coursework in: Therapeutic Massage, Reflexology and Associate Polarity Practioner Program. Michele continues to study anatomy and the art of healing through bodywork and movement. Michele's classes are designed for participants to observe and listen to their bodies while participating in restorative movement. For Michele, movement is the unifying connection between the mind and body. Sensations experienced in the physical body are the essence of that connection. Each class focuses on the five major movements of the spine as students connect movement to breath. Style: Hatha |
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Diana
Slattery Diana Slattery, OTR/L, RYT is a certified yoga instructor who has also worked as an occupational therapist for 15 years. Her work in traditional medical models focused particularily in the rehabilitation of adults with neurological deficits, although she has worked with clients with wide ranging deficits and disabilities. She has provided lectures and workshops to several Occupational Therapy programs, including Dominican College, Mercy College, and The New York Institute of Technology. Diana fully embraces the powerful ways that we can impact our own physical and psychological wellbeing through the multi-layered gifts of yoga. Her teaching style is influenced and inspired by the Viniyoga tradition, as well as Buddhist psychology and Native American traditions. Her classes emphasize self reflection and compassion towards oneself to allow an intelligent and mindful deepening of our yoga practice. Diana currently offers Hatha Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, and Children's Yoga classes at The Yoga and Polarity Center. Please visit her website at www.dancingsunyoga.com. Style: Hatha |
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Terri
Pakula Not too long ago, I was very active and there was not a minute in my day where I wasn’t running somewhere. That soon came to a halt, as I was involved in a car accident, and my VERY active life style changed dramatically. My body was simply out of sink. It was at that point that I discovered Yoga. I felt a positive shift, after my first class that peaked my interest. I decided I was going to explore the “World of Yoga”. I received my certification from The Yoga Polarity Centre. My concentration is a gentle Yoga, mixing a variety of styles, emphasizing the core of Yoga postures, with a concentration in Yoga history and philosophy. At the end of class, there is an exercise in yoga Nidra that is an alert, relaxed state between sleep and wakefulness. In addition to wearing the hat of a Yogini, I am a Family Therapist and teach full time. I have 25 years of experience instructing students diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Ninety eight percent of them have Autism. Yoga helps to calm the mind, body and soul. In addition, I have held classes for adults who were looking for a way to relax and embark on their own special journey. Style: Hatha |
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Jenn
Corrado Jenn’s yoga practice began six years ago at the Yoga and Polarity Center after she took her very first class. “Upon leaving the center that day, I knew I had come home,” she recalls, “Today, I am grateful to be a part of the community of teachers in the place where my process began.” She has deepened her practice since then by immersing herself in a variety of yoga traditions, and is a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance at the 200 hour level. She has further expanded her yogic horizons through the practice of Ayurveda and has completed Polarity Thearpy workshops. A classroom teacher for over ten years, Jenn has a wealth of teaching experience with students of all ages, and continues to guide classroom teachers in graduate coursework on Cultivating Classroom Wellness Through Yoga. Her yoga classes integrate the connective flow of movement and breath in a way that is supportive to its participants. She enjoys teaching a creative vinyasa practice coupled with meditation, maintaining focus on the mind/body connection. Style: Hatha |
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Mary
Claire Chiofalo Mary Clare Chiofalo has been practicing yoga since 1999, taking her first yoga class at the Yoga Polarity Center. Yoga classes led to Polarity sessions which lead to Training and Practitioner courses. Almost a decade later, Mary Clare is a Registered Yoga Teacher as well as a Registered Polarity Practitioner. Mary Clare’s classes are meditative and focused on fluid movement and its connection breathe. “Yoga and Polarity have changed my life, making me a more centered, more aware person. My passion is sharing these gifts with others for their highest good and healing.” Style: Hatha |
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Katie
Pearlman Katie was called to yoga to find relief from chronic back pain…the rest is history. She became a certified yoga teacher and is currently teaching yoga in Long Beach, NY. In 2006, Katie completed an Ayurvedic nutrition program with teacher and ayurvedic physician, Dr. Naina Marballi. Ayurveda utilizes yoga as a therapeutic tool to maintain wellness and prevent/heal illness. “In ayurveda, we learn the many benefits of pranayama and yoga postures and how to apply each for specific results.” Katie is now studying Polarity at the Yoga and Polarity Center which incorporates aspects of Ayurveda and Yoga. Katie’s intention in teaching yoga is to provide a safe space for her students and assist them in whatever part of the journey they’re in, by teaching the various principles of yoga that apply to the mind, body, and spirit. “The ‘tools’ learned in a yoga class can stretch far beyond the room and into our lives, helping us along on our journey.” Style: Hatha |
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Luciana
Biondi |
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Sandy
Carrion |
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Geetha
Narasimhan |
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