Yoga Polarity

Faculty

	Heather Principe Program Director YTT 200, 500, Polarity, BS, ed., PWE, RPP Heather 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
	Jane McQueen Program Teacher 200 & 500 Jane McQueen is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500-hour level. As a life long learner, Jane continues to study yoga therapy with Gary Kraftsow, director of the American Viniyoga Institute. She has also studied extensively with Amy Weintraub, founder of Life Force Yoga for Depression and Anxiety, and is a registered Level 2 Practitioner. Jane is currently studying Sanskrit and Vedic chanting with Jo Brill, senior instructor from the American Sanskrit Institute. Teaching primarily in the Viniyoga tradition, Jane’s classes are designed to meet the needs, goals and interests of her clients. 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). Viniyoga is less concerned with arduous precise exercises than with developing a balanced and appropriate practice for each student. Style: Viniyoga
	Anu Butani Program Teacher 200 and 500 Hours Program Instructor 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. Her Daily Quote…..PRACTICE SILENCE, FOR THE VOICE OF GOD CAN BE HEARD IN THE REGION OF THE HEART WHEN THE SPEECH IS SILENT….Sathya Sai Baba Style: Iyengar
	Mindy Frenkel Program Teacher 200 and 500 hours 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
	Diana Slattery Program Teacher 200 Diana Slattery, OTR/L, RYT, is a certified yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level. She has also worked as an occupational therapist for over 15 years, specializing in the rehabilitation of adults with neurological deficits. An engaging speaker, Diana has provided lectures and workshops to several Occupational Therapy programs, including Dominican College, Mercy College, and The New York Institute of Technology. Her workshops often focus on integrating the best of western and eastern medicine to optimize health and healing. Diana is an instructor in The Yoga & Polarity Center’s 200 hour yoga teacher training and is a lead instructor in the Vajra Yoga School for Compassionate Action’s yoga teacher training. With these training programs, she is working to bring the benefits of yoga and meditation into healthcare settings for those who suffer from chronic pain and illness. 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, and Children’s Yoga classes at The Yoga and Polarity Center. Please visit her website at www.dancingsunyoga.com. Style: Hatha
	Gary Pfleger Program Teacher 200 Gary is a registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level. He is a Registered Polarity Educator and an advanced Reiki Practitioner giving him an experiential understanding of the physical, energetic and mental bodies. All of his training and experience 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 elements of the sequencing method and breathing practices of Viniyoga, and the attention to alignment of the Iyengar method. With his mindfully paced teaching rhythm, students can fully experience the postures in a relaxed and steady way. Gary’s intention is to assist you in finding your own state of balance, as well as developing a toned and flexible muscular skeletal system. Within that healthy state, your own personal intentions can be nurtured and grow to realization. Style: Hatha
	Marguerite Westbrook Marguerite Westbrook has practiced yoga for more than 20 years. She completed her teacher certification training in 2005, and is a registered member of the International Yoga Alliance. For the past 4 years, Marguerite has been teaching several classes a week at various locations on Long Island, as well as teaching private yoga classes. Marguerite is dedicated to the healing art and practice of yoga and continues her study by attending workshops, classes, conferences and extensive reading. Her classes are moderately paced allowing time for meditation and reflection, while developing strength and flexibility. She encourages her students to incorporate yoga into their daily lives through self-awareness and acceptance. Marguerite believes that a peaceful and tranquil state of mind is the essence of yoga. Style: Hatha with blended vinyasa and viniyoga traditions.
	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
	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.” Visit MaryClare’s website: www.FiveElementsWellness.com Style: Hatha
	Luciana Biondi I am a certified yoga teacher with over 6 years of yoga experience. I began to practice yoga because of a lower back problem I was having and heard it might help. I came to see that aside from fixing my back problem, yoga made me stronger, leaner and more flexible than I had ever been before. My classes will stretch, strengthen and detoxify your muscles as well as open your joints and quiet your mind. The goal of my class is to have all of my students feel calm, relaxed and refreshed. I want you to become aware of your body and how to synchronize your body, mind and breath into one. The word yoga means Union and it will unite all aspects of your being. Yoga is wonderful, so come join us for the workout! It has changed life and it can change yours too! Style: Ashtanga/Hatha
	Sandy Carrion Sandy Carrion began practicing yoga as a way to keep fit. She found her practice gave her much more than expected. Aches and pains began to fade while strength and flexibility surpassed her expectations. She recently completed her training and is a registered yoga teacher at the 200 hour level. She began her study with Kim Zawacki at the Yoga and Polarity Center and continues to study with Jane McQueen and Anu Butani also of Malverne. Sandy’s approach to yoga is in the Viniyoga tradidition emphasizing a strong connection of breath to the movement. She continues to advance her knowledge by attending workshops and maintaining a personal practice. Her classes are geared toward individual’s needs and intentions. In addition to yoga, she served as department chairperson and District coordinator of art for 32 years and is currently teaching photography at Nassau Community College. She is an exhibiting artist and finds strong links between yoga and photography. Using yoga principles to calm the mind, Carrion turns to her cameras to unite both practices into one. Style: Viniyoga

	Marianne Bochilo Marianne is a Bhaki yogini. RYT 200 certified, a mother of 3, who received her BBA from Hofstra University in 1990. She is a former ACE certified Fitness instructor. She is a new member in the St. Agnes Cathedral Adult Choir Chorale. With an affinity for chanting Sutra, Marianne’s class will establish a heart opening and bring peace and balance.
	Lisa Braun Lisa is a certified yoga teacher who began the practice six years ago as a way to maintain flexibility. But upon her first lesson with Luciana Biondi , a Yoga teacher with Yoga Polarity Center, she learned not just the physical but spiritual practice of Yoga. This led her to classes at the Yoga Polarity Center and Polarity sessions with Director Heather Principe and finally enrolling in the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training program. Lisa’s desire is to bring not only the physical and spiritual aspects of Yoga to her students but to relieve stress and anxiety in their lives as it has in her own. Her style is Hatha Yoga, as she likes the power and strength that Hatha gives the body. Lisa believes in the connection between body and mind and the need for balance . She hopes that in her class her students can achieve physical and spiritual balance and bring that into their everyday lives. Lisa currently is completing her Master’s of Fine Arts in Documentary Filmmaking at Hofstra University and works in public television. She hopes to become an independent producer and director specializing in films about women’s rights issues and causes. Lisa plans on continuing her education at the Yoga Polarity Center. Style: Hatha
	Elizabeth Ferrara It is essential for the follower of the yoga journey to understand the need for integration and balance… BKS Iyengar Lizzie’s intention to provide a safe environment for a wide range of student to experience restorative/gentle yoga and deep relaxation comes to fruition at the Yoga & Polarity Center Annex. This class is designed to allow ones’ body to (perhaps once again) feel safe in movement and in rest. Gentle, restorative yoga serves many masters: the novice who is concerned about flexibility and stamina will be able to coax new movement and gain new connection; the sometime yogi will value the slow, gentle stretching and connection to breath that will entice them to be more present in their practice; and the serious yogi will enjoy the reminder that yoga is about union and honoring the Self. Lizzie offers a gentle/restorative yoga class with an extended deep relaxation/meditation to all who need to reconnect. Lizzie’s yoga journey began as a means to deal with her own physical challenges and spiritual questions. This journey has led through both the yoga (at the 200 hour level - soon to be at the 500 hour level!) and polarity programs (Registered Polarity Practitioner).

	Lisa Ries An experienced practitioner, Lisa Ries began teaching fitness classes at the age of fifteen. She achieved her ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certification in 1989, which she maintains, earning the honor of Gold Certified Instructor. Her yoga practice began gradually: at Gael Chiarella’s first Mind-Body Conference in Santa Fe; with a book on a rooftop in Tucson; at a small studio with Adrienne Samuels in Long Beach. Eventually, an inwardly-geared practice merged with group fitness instruction. In 1999, she completed training as a “Power Flex” yoga instructor. She has taught yoga in the fitness setting on Long Island since and is proud to join the yoga community based in Malverne. Lisa’s style is eclectic, borrowing from many traditions. Recently, she spent several years learning at Laughing Lotus in NYC. She primarily teaches Vinyasa Flow. Her classes blend precision with freestyle. They focus on the symbolic resonance of the ancient asanas — yoga as an inquiry into the soul. Yoga is a wonderful complement to other aspects of her life: writing, teaching English and creative writing, and mothering her beautiful new daughter.

	Veronica Raehse Veronica has a long personal yoga practice and is a certified Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200 hour level from the Yoga Polarity Studio. She primarily decided to take the 200 hour course to strengthen her own practice and found that she has a passion for teaching. She is now officially a yoga addict and plans to finish her 500 hour certification as soon as possible. Veronica embraces the holistic yoga path to create a healthy mind, body and spirit. Her style is an eclectic mix of Hatha yoga focusing on increasing health through regular practice. You’ll work on flexibility and strength, marrying breath with movement in a safe and peaceful environment and at your own level and pace with a teacher who offers a compassionate and connected relationship with her students. You’ll leave class with a calmed mind and a general feeling of wellness. Outside of the studio Veronica enjoys exploring the wonders of nature and does a lot of hiking, biking and swimming and takes daily walks with her two dogs. You can reach her at veronica.yogaquest@gmail.com
	Cara Forte Cara Forte became certified as a 200 hour registered yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance through the Yoga & Polarity Center in 2009. She has practiced hatha, vinyasa fow and ashtanga yoga since 2004. Cara’s classes focus on moving through poses slowly and gracefully, while synchronizing the fow of movement to the flow of breath.
	Tracey O’Donnell Tracey O’Donnell RYT-500hr, KKYT, has been practicing and studying various styles of yoga and eastern arts for the past 15 years. She is trained in the Krishnamacharya lineage. Vinyasa flow classes blend elements of Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Viniyoga into a dynamic experience. Classes are challenging but possible for students of all levels. A lighthearted and sensible approach is taken with emphasis on developing mindfulness through pranayama and asana practice. Tracey loves the practice of yoga for the peacefulness and clarity of mind that comes from the breath flowing freely in the body. Off the mat, Tracey is a Commodities Credit Analyst for an International Bank and has a Masters Degree in Feng Shui.
	Wendy Kaufman-Harper Polarity Instructor, CSW, RPP Wendy Kaufman-Harper 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.
	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).
	Dale McInerney Dale is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired science teacher and understands the stresses and pressures of work and family life. Her yoga practice helps her attempt to balance it all. She hopes to bring that same sense of balance and focus to her students. She offers a gentle Viniyoga style class emphasizing linking breath to movement, teaching her students to be mindful of their own body and present with the limitations of the moment. Dale believes that yoga can help you to gain flexibility, build strength and balance; and learn to honor your unique body, mind and spirit Her classes include conscious breathing and guided meditations.