staff
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Darren Rhodes
(he/him)
Studio Director and Instructor My mom began practicing yoga while she was pregnant with me. Throughout my childhood, she practiced and taught yoga in our living room. My father, an avid meditator and scholar, has consistently shared his spiritual experiences and insights with me. My parents continue to support, guide, and inspire me on my yogic journey, as do my many teachers. More at: darrenrhodesyoga.com View Darren's National & International Teaching Schedule & Bio |
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Alexandra Roush(she/her)
Admin and Instructor I am in a long term relationship with yoga asana and meditation. Building awareness of what my body is doing in space and where my mind goes have been gifts that keep on giving. When I am off my mat I take long walks in the desert with my two lovely dog monsters, Blueberry and Odin. I love hanging out with my grams and nieces. I love burritos, pizza and ramen. I am currently in the process of becoming a certified end of life doula. I want to thank all my TEACHERS. I will always remain a student, and it is an honor to share this practice. |
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Allison Johnson
(she/her)
Instructor I began my practice in the summer of 2009 at the suggestion of a friend. After that first hour of self practice, I realized with clarity that yoga was going to change my life. The primary goal of my teaching style is to provide an environment where everyone can feel comfortable. I seek to create an atmosphere of peace achieved through unique music, rigorous physical challenge and the quietude of self reflection. Since coming to Tucson and YogaOasis in July 2013, I have practiced under some of my most influential teachers to date; Darren Rhodes, Stephani Lindsey & Sam Rice. My passion for practice is infinite. I look forward to sharing the beautiful experience of yoga with you one day soon. |
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Annie Smith
(she/her)
Instructor I started practicing yoga when I was 17. The resort that I worked at offered free fitness classes to employees so I started attending classes whenever I could.Even though my first class was difficult, challenging and awkward, I made it through and I felt amazing! I was sore in muscles I didn't know I even had. From that class I knew that I wanted to teach. It is one of my primary goals as a teacher for my students to leave feeling that yoga is accessible to them. Period. Anyone can do yoga! I hope to challenge my students to work hard, deepen their practice and know that they will come through it stronger, more flexible, empowered and calm. I am a reader. I love to read! I have been an avid reader since I was a child and it is still one of my favorite things to do. More at: annie.yoga |
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Ashley Gee(she/her)
Instructor When I began my yoga journey, I had just begun exploring the questions, "who am I?" and "what am I doing here?". Without expecting it to, the practice has taught me how to ease my anxieties, listen to my body, and to ultimately take better care of myself. My aim is to create a supportive and safe environment where you can freely explore yourself, take what you need, and leave the rest. I am grateful for the teachers who both challenged and inspired me on my path. Aside from teaching yoga, I am also a Licensed Acupuncturist, currently practicing in the Tucson area. More at ashleygeewellness.com |
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Barb Pautler
(she/her)
Instructor My yoga practice began in my early 20's with a yoga video. I practiced for many years with that video before seeking out other ways to expand my practice. The first studio I practiced in was a yoga/spinning studio in east Tucson, which later would become YogaOasis east. After the studio left, I joined a gym. Many teachers from YogaOasis taught there, and I began practicing daily. One day I was asked to a sub class, and knew as soon as the class ended I would teach yoga to anyone who wanted to try. My classes focus on detailed instructions and alignment while being lighthearted, playful and challenging. I strive to create a safe space to be yourself, listen to your body and maybe try something new. My goal is for you to leave my classes feeling renewed and ready to face whatever comes next. |
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Bre Downing
(she/her)
Instructor My mom convinced me to go to my first yoga class when I was a freshman in high school. Yoga has been a way for me to connect with myself both mentally and physically. It has helped me be more confident in my own skin and do things I may have otherwise been afraid of. Yoga is a way for me to reset my body and mind while getting an awesome workout. That is what I hope to offer my students. My classes are sweaty and fun, with a rockin' playlist to go along with it. I know I have accomplished my goal when students leave my class feeling a little better than when they first came in. My most influential teachers have been Darren Rhodes, Christina Sell, Rachel King, Sam Rice, Lara Blommer and lastly, my mom and dad. They all continue to inspire me everyday. A fun fact: I have a big orange cat named Mr. Kitters who is my pride and joy. |
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Britt Nigon(she/her)
Instructor I am thrilled to be teaching at YogaOasis. Having found a deep connection to the practice and yoga community through YO, it is an honor to share that with others in this space. While I began practicing yoga at age 17, it wasn't until much later that I cultivated a regular practice. Yoga has helped me both soften and find my strength. Wherever you are in your yoga practice, I'd love to meet you. My hope is that my classes offer moments of joy and challenge with a structure to remind you that you are safe and supported in this practice. |
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Bronwin Rhodes
(she/her)
Admin My yoga practice is a dear friend, who has infused power into my body, both physically and on levels most subtle. As a dedicated member of the YogaOasis (YO) team, I assist our studio in everything from the down-and-dirty details, to helping bring YO's highest vision, step by step, into action. A few influential yoga teachers in my life are: Darren Rhodes, Rachel King, Krishna Das, Sianna Sherman, Wah!, Benjy & Heather Wertheimer, and many more. Highlights of working at YO: Listening to stories of hope; physical health and inner strength being restored to students by their own desire for, and commitment to, themselves and their yoga practice. |
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Christine Reitmayr(she/her)
Instructor A yoga practitioner for 15 years, I moved to Tucson in 2011 and learned what a treasure a yoga community can be. I had always flirted with the idea of a teacher training, and in a flash of insight in 2013, realized there would never be a “right” time to do it. I jumped in anyway. Learning from Darren Rhodes, Brigette Finley, and all the other exceptional YO teachers has been a gift and a pleasure, and I am so proud to be part of the team. I strive to offer challenging, balanced classes that encourage students to explore their potential and increase their self-awareness. I want each student to get what he or she needs out of the practice, whether it is a calming of the mind or a really great workout. Apart from teaching yoga, I am a freelance writer, editor, and mama to three. |
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Colleen Iuliucci(she/her)
Instructor I began practicing yoga in 2008 as a way to reconnect with my body. I'm passionate about the impact that movement and a well-balanced practice can have on all angles of my life. Every time I step onto my mat or into a YogaOasis studio, I feel as though I've come home to myself and it is a privilege to share this practice and community with my students. Heavily influenced by Darren Rhodes, Sam Rice and Brigette Finley, my classes aim to use conscious alignment and breath to create a space for students to connect with themselves. |
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Damodar(he/him)
Instructor Yoga began as a way to assist my body to stay strong + flexible... & turned into a lifelong journey of deeper awareness, possibility + empowerment. This journey led me to 200 hr & 500 hr certifications and catapulted me to study regularly in the sacred lands of India with many esteemed teachers. A yoga teacher of 14 years & fan of strong + aligned vinyasa flow, yoga wisdom, mantra, + kirtan - my goal is to bring yoga truths into the complexities of our contemporary lives in ways that are down-to- earth, inspiring, & dynamic. Be prepared to sweat, love, & laugh. I am also a relationship coach + counselor & life coach, helping individuals & couples locally & worldwide to connect better to themselves, each other, and something greater. My wife & I co-own the shop, herbal remedy line, and healing space Bhava Wellness in Tucson & I host the Empowered Connection podcast. Learn more: empoweredconnection.me & bhavawellness.com |
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Gianna Cecile Lucia Allegro Purcell
(they/she)
Instructor I started practicing yoga to heal my back and joint pain, but continue practicing for ever-evolving reasons. Though I started as an asana fiend, I am currently driven by how well we allow yoga to meet us where we are and receive what it is we need. I moved to India to study for 2009, completed Bikram training in 2010, vinyasa and yin training with the Yandara Institute in 2015, Ashtanga training in Mysore in 2016, I have been studying Hatha practices with the Bihar School since 2012, and am currently getting my bachelors in Ayurveda from the Maharishi International University. I am a real nerd for this stuff but am also an end-of-life doula, drummer in a band, and cat mom. I hope to contribute fun and supportive environment for us all to be scientists of our lives and bodies. GiannaYoga.com |
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Grace Sultan(she/her)
Instructor In 2013 I started taking classes with Nancy Gutierrez and Bruce Bowditch. I immediately fell in love with yoga! I took the 200 RYT training at YogaOasis in 2014 in order to advance my practice and learn the poses from the ground up. I didn't realize my passion for teaching until the end of the training and am very grateful to be a part of the YogaOasis staff. Studying under Darren Rhodes, Sam Rice, and Brigitte Finley has been life changing in the best way and I'm currently enrolled in their 300 hour training to be 500 RYT certified in 2016. I also love music (seriously geek out on music history and trivia), art, traveling, cooking, and spending time with my family. I aim to provide a warm, welcoming, fun environment in my classes along with a cool playlist. |
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Hanna Naegle(she/her)
Instructor I took my first yoga class with my mom in 2007 when I was 18. She's been my practice and teacher training companion ever since! Before college, I was never very active. So yoga served as an introduction to movement (now I'm hooked!) and was the first step to a healthy and positive relationship to my body. I have been teaching since 2009 and I am RYT-500 and yogahour certified. My background is in vinyasa and Anusara, and I get nerdy excited over alignment. My aim as a student and teacher of yoga is to practice and teach in a way that is both safe and challenging, strong and open, informative and fun! |
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Jaime Perkins(she/her)
Instructor I found yoga as a new mother, suffering from stress and anxiety in 2001. I loved that moving my body with breath changed my thoughts and perspective. I also needed that weekly break to reconnect with myself. Eventually with four young children, yoga became a necessity that my family helped support. It was a ritual I craved and place of peace from the complete chaos of my life. I wanted to share that joy I had found with others. I received my 200 hour teacher training in May of 2016 positioning myself into “desk shifts” so that I could ensure I would make it to classes 2-3 times a week. Soon after it became my goal to practice everyday, which I did. I began teaching in 2019. It is my belief that we all need yoga; it is vital, seemingly now more than ever. The mind, body & spirit connection is so important within each of us, always bringing us closer to an even brighter inner heart. |
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Jen Rauh(she/her)
Instructor Fitness and wellness has always been an integral part of my life. I grew up as the daughter of a YMCA director and naturally spent most of my time outdoors or participating in competitive sports. My active childhood lead me to pursue a bachelors degree in Exercise Science at Michigan State University where I was also a cheerleader. I took my first yoga class with Annie Smith after the brith of my second child over 20 years ago. I appreciate that any effort I put into my yoga practice yields results, often in unexpected areas of my life. As a private trainer, the knowledge that I have gained from studying with Darren Rhodes and the veteran instructors at YogaOasis has made a profound impact on myself and my ability to address the needs of clientele. If I’m not training or teaching yoga, I enjoy spending my time hiking, skiing, or outdoors with my pet chickens. When I teach at Yo, my intention is to give back and provide a safe, fun, and encouraging environment. I love the challenge of making both the subtle and seemingly formidable aspects of yoga accessible to all who are willing to show up. |
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Jeniffer Zimmerman
(she/her)
Instructor My yoga is a practice of self love and my personal revolution. I do not care about perfect poses or expensive yoga pants. I want you to come to my class just the way you are, in whatever way you feel the most comfortable, so that you can feel alive and beautiful in your one and only amazing body. I aim to explore movement and breath in an environment that honors your own body's wisdom. I hope that by challanging the culture of body-shame, we can create a future in which all bodies are free from oppression. I am masters level mental health therapist, a 200RYT, and the founder of All Bodies Rise Yoga. I am grateful for my sons, who have been my biggest life teachers, and Yoga Oasis for being my place of refuge. |
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Jenn (Choi) Bemis(she/her)
Instructor As a recent transplant to Tucson, YO has been a sweet sanctuary where I've been able to meet myself in a familiar place amidst a new, unfamiliar city, so I'm thrilled, grateful, and honored to be given an opportunity to teach at YO and to be a part of this amazing community. I truly believe that the practice of yoga is a gracious opportunity to cultivate awareness—in our bodies as well as in our hearts and minds—so that we can manifest such practices of mindfulness, compassion, patience, humility, and Love off of our mats, in our daily lives. I have studied with various teachers in different schools of yoga including Anusara, Vinyasa, other Hatha forms, and yoga therapeutics. I am fascinated by the human body, its anatomy and biomechanics, so my classes are laden with precise alignment cues interwoven within creative, mindful, fun, intentional sequences. Please come practice with me! |
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Jess Luse(she/her)
Instructor I take great refuge in the community that the practice of yoga cultivates. I have seen time and time again how coming together with intention can help shine a brighter light onto our everyday lives. I've completed over 900 hours of formal yoga education in India, Australia and the United States. I spent 3 years living and working within creative communities abroad where I realized that the practice of yoga provides an opportunity for tapping into expression and deeper awareness. My classes offer a supportive, welcoming environment to practice paying attention and getting compassionately curious. I try to infuse my classes with both playfulness and precision. Come as you are, always. I am honored to both offer and share in this transformational practice at the very place I fell in love with it myself: YogaOasis |
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Johnna Meek(she/her)
Instructor My first class was at YogaOasis with Rachel King, who became my primary influence for teaching, as she held space for me to find my breath. For me, The practice of yoga became finding the balance of effort and breath and then somehow existing in the sweetness between the two. After studying primarily with Stephani Lindsey for the next few years, I found the strength hidden in my practice. By bringing the two together, I have found a sense of wholeness that I work to carry with me off my mat. In my classes I aim to offer a focus on strength and sweat while utilizing breath as a way of fueling the practice and finding softness in the poses. I believe laughter is the best medicine and I never miss an opportunity to utilize it in class... as well as a guaranteed full 5 minutes of sweet savasana! |
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Kanoe Gantz
(she/her)
Instructor Yoga is awesome! I am passionate about this practice because of its ability to transform. It has changed the way I view the world, calmed my nerves, and made me stronger physically and mentally. Each time you roll out your mat, I hope you too will experience yoga’s transformative power. In my classes, you will stretch and sweat while I challenge you with a smile. When not on my mat, you can find me spending time with my family, obsessing over food, planning my next adventure, and probably being ridiculous. Fun fact: My first job was at a noodle factory where all my co-workers were senior citizens. It was the best job ever! It is also where I learned to crack an egg with one hand, a skill that has come in quite handy with my passion for cooking. |
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Kelsi Harris(she/her)
Instructor I stumbled into yoga after years of being a long distance runner. Almost immediately this practice lit a fire deep within me that I didn’t know could even exist. I continued my journey through an RYT 200 teacher training in 2015 which I truly thought was the worst decision I could’ve made at the time. This was one of the most difficult things I had to carry myself through, but unbeknownst to me, it was exactly what I needed. The power of this practice proves time and time again it’s ability to teach and transform. |
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Keri Bishop(she/her)
Instructor I love yoga! I came from a dance background and have always been fascinated by movement. My first yogahour class was back in 2010 with Annie Smith and I have been hooked ever since. I am curious by nature and love learning and have found that my yoga practice always keeps me learning new things about poses, alignment, and ultimately myself. I am a bright, excited, and outgoing person and try to translate that into my yoga classes. In addition to all the physical and mental benefits I have experienced through yoga, I love the community it creates! Outside of the studio you can find me at all the new places to eat around Tucson (recommendations always welcome) or planning my next travel adventure…and all the delicious places to eat there too. |
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Lara Blommer
(she/her)
Admin and Instructor I found yoga in 2003 while searching for ways to manage depression and almost instantly found just what I needed in both the practice and the community of YogaOasis. I feel honored to have begun teaching in 2006 and helping Rachel King manage the studios in 2009. My practice reminds me of the truth of goodness and light inside and around me, and my time at YO allows me to share this same light with others. I continue to be inspired by my teachers who are too numerous to mention and include each student I've ever had the privilege of meeting. . .but especially Darren Rhodes and Christina Sell, who gave me the courage to share my practice and my journey with others through teaching. My classes are lighthearted while offering challenge and the opportunity to honor limitations when necessary. Also, they often end with some medicinal dark chocolate. |
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Laura Shriver(she/her)
Instructor bio and photo coming soon |
Leah Shaffer(she/her)
Instructor bio and photo coming soon |
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Marcia Tullous(she/her)
Instructor My introduction to yoga happened in the fall of 1999 in Flagstaff, Arizona. But I did not begin attending classes regularly and consistently until the year 2000. When I look back at that time, I realize that it was curiosity that led me to my first yoga class with Ulla Lundgren, and it’s curiosity and the feeling of peace I get from my practice that continues to call me back to my mat. In 2003, again following my curiosity, I signed up for my first immersion and teacher training with Christy Burnette and that was a life-changing experience for me. I began teaching in 2004 and have been teaching ever since. Over the years, I’ve had the honor and pleasure of studying with great teachers such as Desiree Rumbaugh, Christina Sell, Darren Rhodes, and Judith Hanson Lasater, and I am eternally grateful for all of my teachers. In my classes, I aim to create a warm and welcoming environment. I am a firm believer in the healing benefits of yoga and in the power we have to heal ourselves by giving to ourselves what we need most, whether that’s healthier food, more rest, or a good dose of laughter. I am RYT, Relax and Renew Restorative Yoga Certified, and a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. |
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Melissa Keller(she/her)
Instructor I started practicing yoga when I was 17, and was on and off the path for many years before surrendering to it in 2010. I have always loved movement, and as a student, I am ever fascinated by how yoga grants me awareness to previously unseen parts of my physical, emotional, and spiritual experience. Yoga has been a through-line for many changes and challenges in my life, and is one of the most important practices in my own recovery journey. Yoga taught me that through discipline, I glimpse freedom. This lesson translates across all areas of my life. In my teaching, I aim to hold space for others to find an inner sense of safety, strength, and acceptance through curiosity and compassion on the mat. Yoga philosophy, asana, and meditation are an integral part of my work as a clinical trauma therapist. I also love being outside, at home, and reading books. |
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Michael Biuso(he/him)
Instructor I began practicing yoga in the first days of 2007, seeking a method that would complement my meditation practice and help me feel grounded in my body. In 2010, recognizing the benefits of asana, I began teaching yoga to survivors of domestic abuse in hopes that it would serve them in the same way it had served me. Since then I have integrated my training into my profession as a mental health therapist. My classes are designed to encourage and empower students. For more information, please visit my website: urmeimu.com |
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MiLo
(he/him)
Art Director I have been working for YogaOasis for more than a decade carrying much of the graphic design and photography projects. Through Tirtha Studios, I helped produce yoga products such as the poster, From Tadasana to Savasana, and Darren Rhodes' Yoga Resource book. Also, check out my work online: youtube: yogaoasis108 | store: shopatyo.com |
Neti Gupta(she/her)
Instructor Passion, purpose, persistence, and pause; some of the greatest allies in my yoga practice. I began practicing yoga as a child, around nine years old. Yoga practice and culture has always been an integral force in my life growing up, and has further developed in adulthood through exploring and experimenting with various types of studios and teachers, especially with my family and teachers in India. My aim in class is to provide a nourishing environment for students through music, alignment postures, and breath; I feel very passionate about helping people relieve themselves of pain. In my free time, I love to travel, explore the outdoors, read books, and try new recipes! |
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PJ Casey(he/him)
Instructor I began teaching yoga in 1999. Inspired by my interest in meditation and stillness, I try to cultivate an environment of contemplation in my classes: periods of fullness of action, periods of quiet emptiness. |
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Rachel King
(she/her)
Admin and Instructor I have managed YogaOasis since 2000, and have been teaching yoga since 2007. In the past 20 years I have studied primarily with Darren Rhodes, Elizabeth Little, Mira Shani, and Christina Sell. In this time, I have come to deeply appreciate the power of practice. For me, yoga can be quite a phenomenal tool for deepening self awareness, understanding, and love. In my Yogahour classes, I aim to share the potency and challenge of this practice in a playful, yet steady and safe environment. |
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Robert Paul
(he/him)
Instructor My first yoga experience was in 2011 on a dining room floor with a handy phone app that I downloaded for free. Two weeks later my friend took me to my first YogaHour and it was like coming home for me. Although I could not do a majority of the poses that the instructor was giving, I felt the connection with my mind and body. Moderation was one of the first lessons I learned on the mat. I started scheduling in classes that I could make and slowly realized that my yoga practice was not just another event on my calendar for the day, it was essential for my day. I aim to make my classes challenging and up beat while applying the principles that I have learned from so many. Some influential yoga teachers in my life: Rachel MacAdam, Darren Rhodes, Sam Rice, Stephani Lindsey, Annie Smith, and Rachel King. |
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Ron Wassell(he/him)
My yoga journey began with a whim, a yearning, a feeling that I was missing out on something. Was I ever right! Content with being a regular practitioner, those feelings of "missing out" came up again, and next thing you know, I'm in the first 7+7+7 Yoga Hour Teacher training! THAT transformed me, bringing out a mix of vulnerability, fear, joy and community unparalleled by any other experience. With no plans for teaching studio classes, the universe had it's own ideas. My first YO teaching opportunities surfaced in the months prior to the COVID lockdown. I'd only begun my teaching trajectory when the doors shut, temporarily. Thankfully, we're back to in-person classes and I'm loving it! Connecting with the YO community has been vital to that feeling of "hey, everything's gonna be all right!". I thrive off the energy of students. My teaching style might be characterized as approachable, lighthearted, chillaxed and relatable. I try to interject humor, poignancy and real-life explanations into each practice. I teach because I want to give the gift of Yoga to each student that comes through the door of YO, and hope for the type of transformation that I have experienced in my practice. |
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Sam Rice
(she/her)
Instructor Originally, I started practicing yoga due to a back injury. Over the years, my reasons for practicing yoga have morphed and evolved and continue to do so. The first class I ever taught was in Whitefish, Montana. It was an alarming wake up call to how little I understood about yoga, and yet at the same time I realized I was passionate about teaching. That experience really motivated me to submerge myself into the study of yoga in a ferocious way, and that appetite continues to this day. I am an E-RYT 500 and continue to study with my primary teachers Christina Sell and Darren Rhodes. I do consider yoga class a class. My classes are full of detailed instruction and strategic sequencing. My goal for classes is to provide an environment that offers the opportunity to gain insight and refinement for your practice. samriceyoga.com |
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Seth Cothrun
(he/him)
Instructor My classes are alignment focused, and emphasize the strength and hard work required to safely access poses. My dedicated practice/study of yoga began in Chicago in 2006, first to recover from a 10 year series of major leg injuries/surgeries but also to reduce stress. I benefit from a strong foundation in alignment-oriented asana and studying with excellent teachers. Over the years, I've been immersed in Iyenger, Anusara, and Hatha yoga and also practiced Ashtanga and Vinyasa. In 2013, I returned home to Tucson and began studying with Stephani Lindsey, Sam Rice and Darren Rhodes. Through Yoga Oasis, I discovered the power of community and how it can influence and grow a practice. In addition to numerous teachers at YO, I've moved throughout the country and benefitted and been influenced by the teachings of Jen Mullholand, Sara Strother, Noah Powell, Britt Benson Steele, and Dr. Kendall Hassemer. |
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Stephani LindseyInstructor
bio coming soon |
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Tanya Witman
(she/her)
Instructor Yoga found me after college, lost, disappointed, and accustomed to seeing the world through a cynic's eye. My first class annoyed and frustrated me, but left me with a lightened heart. Hundreds of classes and many styles later, I find myself in Tucson both practicing and teaching yoga and no longer describing myself as an angry person. Yoga has taught me how to exist in discomfort and choose my reaction to it. Because of my practice I purposely look to the good in situations, which balances my inner critic. I bring these lessons into my teaching, asking my students to be willing to walk carefully into difficulty and maintain awareness to navigate it more skillfully. I bring to classes the lightheartedness that was my first gift of yoga–just because we fall doesn't mean we fail, but neither does it keep us from coming back. mantrassage.com |
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Treven Hooker(he/they)
Instructor I am in love with nature, so naturally, I like to hike and spend time in it. Yoga is much more than an exercise; it is a way for us to connect with the nature of ourselves. It is the hiking of our souls. Yoga is ancient, global, and extremely complicated. With this understanding, I recognize that I am forever a lifelong learner of this boundless practice. Yoga is extremely beneficial to my mental health. It has helped me love my body, my emotions, and myself. It has taught me how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations, how to be humble, and how to respect myself deeply. I am dedicated to providing others a practice centered around core philosophies of Yoga: Yoga is a practice to acquire mental health, emotional health, physical health, spiritual health, and moral health. This is my practice, and I hope to share it with you. |