Leslie Carleton has been practicing yoga since 1988, and teaching since 1994. She completed teacher training in both the Iyengar and Ashtanga-Vinyasa traditions, primarily in Chicago and California, where she lived before moving to the Upper Valley in 2002. Her classes, though they generally focus around flowing vinyasa sequences, reflect both of these traditions--Woven along the thread of vinyasa, but with a deep attention to alignment, and healing to body, mind and spirit. She has trained with Tim Miller, David Swenson, Manuso Manos, David Williams, Shiva Rea, Gabriel Halpern, Beryl Bender Birch, Roger Cole, Ana Forrest, and many other inspiring yogis, but her most important teachers are her students at Upper Valley Yoga.
Sharon Gouveia Comeau has been practicing yoga since 1999. She practiced primarily Bikram yoga until moving to the upper valley in 2003, when she discovered Upper Valley Yoga and the joy of the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition. She has taken workshops in Ashtanga yoga with David Swenson and Beryl Bender Birch, and just completed a 200 hour hatha yoga teacher training with Deb Neubauer, a certified Anusara yoga teacher. Sharon is known for her clear teaching style, welcoming presence, and sense of fun and exploration she brings to the practice.
Michele George, M. Ed. and certified Anusara-Inspired™ yoga teacher, has been teaching hatha yoga since 1998. In 2000, she met John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga, and since then, her extensive training includes nearly 1000 hours of instruction in this tradition, primarily with John Friend and Senior Anusara teacher, Deb Neubauer. Presently working toward her Anusara Yoga certification, Michele continues to enhance her yoga studies with frequent Anusara workshops and trainings. Michele weaves into each class her knowledge of yoga philosophy and a creative, challenging posture flow that will open, inspire, and uplift every level of your being!
Stacey Glazer has been practicing yoga since 1988; in NYC, Boulder,CO, Arizona and here in the Upper Valley. During her seven years in Boulder, she studied at Richard Freeman's studio, the Yoga Workshop. Over the years she has practiced many different forms of yoga, but her passion continues to lie with the Ashtanga-Vinyasa lineage, and her teacher training has been primarily with Beryl Bender Birch. Stacey has taught Children's Yoga in after-school programs and at camp. In addition to being a regular instructor at Upper Valley Yoga, she also attends classes regularly.
Justine Fahey has been
practicing yoga since 1998, first in Cambridge, MA at Baron Baptiste's studio
and then in the Upper Valley since 2000. Mainly focusing on Astanga and vinyasa
practices, she believes yoga is integral to both physical and emotional
well-being. Justine lives in the Upper Valley with her husband, three kids, dog
and cats.
Erin Cochrane began practicing yoga in 1996, and has been teaching since 2002,when she completed David Swenson's Ashtanga primary series teacher training. She credits local teachers Stephen Leslie and Chris Buhner with igniting her love of yoga as well as instilling the importance of a daily practice. In spring 2009, Erin completed Sarah Power's Insight (yin) Yoga and Meditation teacher training, adding level II in summer 2011, and has incorporated this highly complementary style of yoga to her personal as well as teaching practices. Erin recently studied with Sage Rountree in her Teaching Yoga to Athletes program. Yoga has become a platform for broader study into the Eastern contemplative traditions, and Erin regularly attends workshops on these subjects. Erin's day job is with her MBA alma mater, the Tuck School.
Bri embarked on her yoga journey in college, when her friend (now husband) Geoff brought her to a class at the university gym. As an avid athlete, she grew to love its therapeutic benefits. Her practice has since blossomed, and Bri has developed a deep appreciation for the healing effects of yoga and meditation on the mind, body, and heart. Bri has a Masters Degree in Education and taught high school math for three years in New York City before moving to the Upper Valley. She earned her certification to teach yoga through Lotus Gardens Yoga in Sherman, CT in 2009 and completed the Anusara Immersion I in Darien, CT. She weaves energetic flow with deep relaxation in her classes, focusing on correct alignment and body and breath awareness.
Heidi Peterson began practicing yoga in the Upper Valley while in grad school, and continued her practice in Boston, New York and San Francisco over the next 8 years. She has completed teacher trainings with Baron Baptiste and Erich Schiffman, and participates regularly in yoga retreats hosted by Kula Yoga's Schuyler Grant. She has also successfully completed Baron Baptiste's six month intensive assistant training, focused on healthy alignment and injury-free yoga practice. Her classes are vigorous and follow a flowing, Ashtanga-based tradition. As an avid runner, former marathoner and Division 1 college soccer player, Heidi is a strong believer in the benefits and balance that yoga can bring to athletes. She also truly values the community that exists around yoga, and is honored to be a part of the Upper Valley Yoga community.
Jennifer Armstrong While studying dance at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Jenny had the opportunity to study Pilates with a first generation Pilates teacher, Kathy Grant and got hooked! After college she moved overseas to teach, and began suffering from daily back pain. Returning to her roots, she decided to leave that job and re-organize her life around health and wellness, which brought her back to Pilates and yoga. Jenny received her Intermediate Reformer and Matwork Certification from STOTT Pilates in April of 2007, and has been teaching ever since. She has been incorporating yoga into her own practice since college and just recently completed the Anusara Immersion with Deb Neubauer. She enjoys seeing people connect more deeply with their bodies, helping them to feel stronger both in their favorite physical activities and in their daily lives. Having experienced the benefits of Pilates and yoga in her own life, she is excited to explore the combination of these two techniques with others!
Phyllis has been practicing yoga for 25 years and
teaching it since 2000. Although trained in the Iyengar method, she has in recent years embraced vinyasa forms such as Ashtanga and Anusara. She has completed a two-year teacher training
course with Patricia Walden, and has attended workshops with Rodney Yee, Ramananda
Patel, Beryl Bender Birch, and Deb Neubauer among others. Her classes are an energetic and eclectic blend of these varied forms. Most recently, she has become deeply immersed in the Bikram method, which brings new insights to her teaching.
Louise Davies Golec began practicing yoga in 1997, during medical school in Seattle. Upon moving to Vermont for her residency training, she studied at the Yoga Vermont Studio, which focuses on the ashtanga system. Her practice - both on the mat and off it - sustained her through residency training. While living back in Seattle for two years, from 2003 until 2005, her practice expanded to include the Forrest Yoga approach, and she had the opportunity to train with Ana Forrest several times over the next few years. Most recently, Louise has been completing her teacher training certification with Rolf Gates, whose teaching style emphasizes accessible poses that concentrate on increasing the connection between breath and movement, to create a class that is a moving meditation.
Susan Kapp Monaghan began practicing Hatha Yoga in 1997, before her daughter Eve was born. She has studied Astanga Yoga with Stephen Leslie, Beryl Bender, Kathy McNames, David and Doug Swenson and many others over the years. She completed her Astanga Primary Series teachers training with David Swenson in 2000. Susan brings to her daily practice over 25 years of dance training, specifically modern and contact improvisation. Other areas of interest include triathlon training, racing and mountaineering. Moving meditation has enabled Susan to balance her life with her partner John, as a mother, artist, engineer and teacher. Susan has been teaching Astanga and Hatha Yoga classes in the Upper Valley since 2000. When she isn't in the studio her practice includes tutoring and teaching mathematics for VSAC and the White Mountain Community College. She hopes to pass on her love of learning, movement and the bliss all we all seek in a balanced life.
Angie Follensbee-Hall has been practicing yoga and meditation since 1996. Angie studies with many great teachers of various lineages in between making Handmade Paper Wall hangings, and raising two beautiful daughters! In 2005, her eldest daughter suffered a serious illness. During her daughter's recovery, Angie began to seek ways of finding peace and a sense of wholeness, and she returned to the practice of Yoga with renewed vigor. In 2007, she graduated from Yoga teacher training with Linda Lalita Winnick, of Shakti Yoga and The Ayurvedic Enrichment Institute, of Woodstock, NY., and she is currently enrolled in Linda's 500 hour Advanced Teacher Training. Angie's training is unique in its application of Ayurvedic principles and practices. In each class, asanas are chosen in accordance with Ayurvedic principles of seasonal balance. Angie's classes are vinyasa based, and incorporate alignment elements of Anusara and Iyengar Yoga, as well as the deep soul connection from the Kundalini Yoga practice. Angie has studied with top teachers in all these styles. Angie lives in Cornish, NH with her husband Joshua (who sometimes accompanies Angie's classes with live music) her two daughters, and her many animal companions.