Daniel Alva has been studying yoga since 1995, gaining influence and inspiration from the Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa traditions. In 2002 he took the Yoga Programs Teacher Training course headed by Anne O'Brien. Other local teachers who have inspired his practiced are Simone Simon, Elisa Perez and Alan Nett. He is devoted to lifelong learning, exploration, inspiration, and awe.

Daniel believes that a yoga class is like being in a laboratory — you have to experiment with your body and mind in the poses, always keeping an open mind and an open heart. He uses props as tools to gain an understanding of alignment and the possibilities of breath and awareness. The regular practice of Yoga Asanas creates an internal and external awareness which allows for a greater appreciation and respect for the body. He is currently enrolled in the Iyengar Institute’s Advanced Studies program in San Francisco. You may contact Daniel by email at: shaadrach@att.net.

Mariah Betts developed a passion for movement at a young age growing up on an organic farm in northeastern Vermont. Her connection to the body and the outdoors grew into becoming a competitive ski racer and athlete. Mariah found yoga in the late nineties as a way to calm the mind from the pressures of competition and integrate the spiritual, emotional, and physical bodies through movement, awareness, and breath. Mariah's yoga teaching experience began in 2004 after she completed her first teacher training with Ana Forrest. She currently studies Maya Yoga with her teachers Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane.

Mariah's Vinyasa classes are an inspiring blend of fun flow rooted in traditional alignment. Her classes focus on feeling, breath, integrity, and core strength. They provide the space for people to explore their power, delight their spirit, move with their breath and go deeper into their True Self. She is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Holistic Health Counselor and has a Bachelors of Science in Health Psychology from Bastyr University. Mariah empowers people to live with intention in a body that feels amazing.

Doug Cummings' Power Vinyasa class emphasizes movement and breath, linking poses with fluidity to the music of global fusion artists from around the world. This is a great class for exploring traditional yoga poses in a vigorous flowing style. Doug studied extensively with Baron Baptiste and began teaching eight years ago at Baron's first studio. Doug has danced professionally in New York City and earned a Master's degree in Dance from Ohio State University. His training includes coursework in Pilates, kinesiology, movement analysis, basic sports medicine, and the Alexander Technique.

Lisa Alban Ellisen is a Vinyasa flow yoga teacher who has been practicing these life changing asana's now for 12 years. Lisa received her certification from Baron Baptiste, author of the books Journey into Power and 40 Days to Personal Revolution. She also has attended numerous workshops with Shiva Rea, Ana Forrest, Seane Corn, Rodney Yee, and John Friend. Her extensive background in physiology and kinesiology, and her time spent as a personal trainer and massage therapist for the past 17 years, coupled with her own spiritual curiosity, has collided in her yoga practice. Her intention as a yoga instructor is to enable each and every person to awaken in their body, to “come to their senses,” and to be able to live life fully from the inside out.

Join Lisa Alban Ellisen for a fun and lively Vinyasa yoga practice and learn how to maintain focus and fluidity, strength and stamina, gentleness, and acceptance, and discover the ever-expanding edge of your own personal growth. Vinyasa is a very physical yoga practice linking breath and movement, awareness and alignment, strength and flexibility, and your practice with your daily life. We will explore an array of asanas (poses) linked together in a flow that builds internal heat in order to cleanse your body and your mind. We will cover fundamental alignment principles of the poses, work closely with the breath, and learn how to move and breathe from a calm, still center.

Mark Hagerman began his movement and teaching career as a professional ballet dancer. After a 25 year career, he learned about Pilates while attending graduate school at UC Irvine. Mark apprenticed with Master Pilates Teacher Julian Littleford in Del Mar, California for one and a half years before starting his own practice. He has been teaching Pilates for over ten years. He also teaches and practices yoga.

Mark and his wife, Rosie Cole Hagerman, own and operate Centerpoint Pilates, a personal Pilates training studio in Healdsburg (our neighbors here at Yoga On Center). Mark's Pilates Mat Classes focus on core strength and use of the breath. The movements are done on the floor (sitting or lying down) so there is no impact on the joints. The class begins gently with stretching and progresses to more challenging movement. All levels are welcome.

Nanci Haines-Lindsay has been teaching yoga in Sonoma County for twelve years. Her main influences have come from teachers such as Erich Schiffman, Shiva Rae, Simone Simone, Anna Forrest, and Baron Baptiste. Nanci's experience comes from a strong background in a variety of dance styles beginning at an early age. She has started and run both a dance company and yoga studio (Sunflower Yoga and Dance) and SolMetrx.

Nanci teaches a Vinyasa (flow) class rooted in Iyengar and Vinyasa traditions. The pace is steady and allows room for beginners to learn their way while challenging intermediate level students as well. She incorporates pranayama (breath work) as well as meditation in each class.

Pavel Hanousek's relationship with yoga began six years ago and he has been teaching since early 2007. He attended the Baron Baptiste Teacher Training in Hawaii and the spirit of Baron's teaching motivated Pavel to cultivate a bright mind, radiant body, and receptive heart. He enjoys watching the magic unfold every time he practices or teaches. Pavel’s classes are flowy and deep, sometimes even challenging but always a sustainable Vinyasa. He enjoys sharing some attitudinal and life philosophy with his students based on his own experience. You will flow, you will be warm, your prana will be restored and you will cleanse your body and make it a fit vehicle for your mind and soul.

Rhiannon Hull has been practicing yoga for over 10 years and has recently been certified to teach Vinyasa Flow/Fusion yoga by Shiva Rea in Los Angeles. She likes to describe her classes as “a groove of one’s self”.  By using a multi-dimensional sequencing, the wholeness of the body is cultivated through an integration of intelligently sequenced asanas where all of the major asanas — standing poses, arm balances, twists, backbends, hip openers, forward bends and inversions — as well as all major structures of the body are alchemically chosen for their relationship to the peak asana, and then integrated through a system of sequencing, related poses and counter poses through the sutra of the breath and consciousness.  Chanting, pranayama, and chakras are often integrated with the asanas, as well as global and sometimes funky music played to facilitate the flow and deepening of the classes.

Rhiannon, a former top Track & Field athlete for the University of Oregon and professionally abroad, turned to yoga during her competitive years to help improve her running.  Not only did it help her drastically improve her running ability, it changed her life by uniting her body, mind, and spirit giving her meaning and a deep sense of love and unity for all beings.  She hopes to bring this to others who come to her classes.

Danielle Kelleher began Hatha yoga at the age of twenty and has continued to study its facets and many limbs for nine years. Her training includes extensive sessions with Baron Baptiste and Ana Forrest. Danielle also takes great inspiration from Shiva Rae. Danielle’s Forrest yoga classes are designed to isolate certain key areas of the body and to work the kinks out and the breath in. She teaches in a direct and sensitive way that allows her students an intimate experience of their own practice.

Lannie Rich is a certified Integrative Yoga Instructor and massage practitioner. Her fifteen year practice includes the healing arts of yoga, Qi Gong and Reiki.

Lannie's Integrative Yoga classes are suitable for beginners and intermediate students. A gentle class using different variations and progression of poses is offered.

Usha Ruark received her 230 hour certification through Stephanie Keach’s 9 month program at the Asheville Yoga Center in 2001-2002. As part of that program, she apprenticed with Cindy Dollar (Iyengar instructor & founder of One Center Yoga) and continued studying with her and worked for her afterwards (both as a personal assistant and as a teacher at her studio). Usha spent six weeks at Ananda Village in Nevada City, CA in the summer of 2003, as a karma yogi. This ashram was founded by devotees of Paramahansa Yogananda, and there she studied Raja Yoga and Yogananda’s Energization Exercises, as well as Ananda’s very gentle style of yoga. Usha completed Kaoverii Weaver’s Subtle Yoga Teacher Training series in 2003 (emphasis on chakras). She has also studied twice with Rod Stryker (Tantric flow yoga) and have been influenced as well by John Friend’s Anusara Yoga principles and techniques.

Jennifer Russo, M. S., Certified Yoga Teacher, Massage Therapist and Health Coordinator, began her yoga studies in San Francisco in 1997. She began teaching on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2000 and has taught in Australia, Mexico and the United States. Having studied many different styles of yoga, Jenn unifies these styles in her unique teaching method. Jenn teaches a strong, deep, challenging flow style class, combining movement with breath, while cultivating balance, radiant well being, and presence of mind.

Shaina Shelton is a certified Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer. While trying to pursue a ballet career, she injured herself and started Pilates as part of her physical therapy program. Shaina fell in love with Pilates and has been practicing for seven years. She is certified through Physicalmind Institute, Balanced Body University, and also has a certified personal training certification with Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. She enjoys working with a wide variety of clients of all ages and all fitness levels. When not working, Shaina can be found with her family, cooking and baking, taking hikes with her dog, and wake boarding. Contact Shaina at 707-529-6098 or email at Shainas@airportclub.com.

Simone Simon teaches asana as a spiritual practice in the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition with Iyengar based alignment principals. Her classes are deep, strong, and fun, and include meditation, mudras, as well as kundalini and pranayama elements. Simone is a registered yoga Teacher 500 and directed Asana Yoga in Petaluma from 1995 to 2005.

Photo Credits: Jean Fruth & Quincey Tompkins Imhoff
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