Judi “Uma” Maloy, a former dance instructor, has been studying yoga for the past 14 years and has served as Director and now Co-Director of the Yoga Gallery since founding it in 2002. Judi is a (RYT) Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher, a Certified Integral Yoga Instructor, a Certified Mamaste Prenatal Instructor and assisted Jyothi Larson, author of Yoga Mom, Buddha Baby in the Post Natal Yoga Course at Yogaville Ashram in Buckingham, Virginia in August 2004. Her continuing training has been in mainly Iyengar and Anusara Yoga, taking workshops with John Friend, Doug Keller, Sianna Shermann, Aadil Palkhivala, Erich Schiffmann, J.J. Gormley, Roger Cole, Kausthub Desikachar, Felicity Green, David Frawley, Baxter Bell, and Karen Prior to name but a few. She has combined these teachings to develop a style that focuses first on opening the heart, followed by proper alignment principles, strength building, increasing flexibility and reducing stress. Judi continues to take workshops whenever possible to increase her knowledge in both the physical and philosophical aspects of yoga.
Yoga Gallery co-director Lynn Felder, R.Y.T., received her teacher training from Stephanie Keach at the Asheville Yoga Center in 2001 and founded Arts of Yoga on Brookstown Avenue that same year. Arts of Yoga moved to 717 S. Marshall St. in 2003, and Lynn continued her studies with Anusara teachers Doug Keller, Todd Norian and John Friend. She has subsequently studied and taught Yoga for Cancer patients, Restorative Yoga, expanded her understanding of Integral Yoga, Vipassana meditation and has taken many workshops and classes. She has published several articles about yoga in national and regional magazines. "Although I had practiced yoga off and on since the 1960s, it took a serious illness to bring me into a full realization of the healing power of yoga. Cancer nearly took away my body; yoga gave it back. I am grateful every day for the practice, grateful for my teachers and grateful to my students who teach me with their practice."
Alyson started practicing yoga in 2004, but really began studying movement as a child. She spent her youth and early adulthood as a dancer and athlete, and returned to organized classes as a way to relieve stress. Over the next few years she gradually increased the frequency and intensity of her practice in Winston Salem and by taking advantage of business travel to visit studios around the country. She began to realize that, in addition to the physical and mental benefits of yoga, it could serve as a creative outlet as well. She was inspired by a trip to Sivananda Ashram in 2011 to pursue her yoga study even further and completed 200-hour teacher training with Stephanie Keach at Asheville Yoga Center in 2012. Alyson views teaching as the natural next step on her yoga path. She strives to bring creativity to her sequencing and hopes students have half as much fun participating in her classes as she has leading them.
Courtney Cooper was first introduced to Yoga back in 2001 while attending Appalachian State University. Upon graduating with a degree in Health Psychology and Nutrition in 2005, she went on to deepen her love and practice of Yoga. Courtney completed a 9-month teacher training course, certified 230 hours, at Asheville Yoga Center with Stephanie Keach in May 2009. In April 2011, she enrolled in the Living Yoga Trainee program at Yogaville Ashram in Virginia for 31 days. There she studied in-depth the Integral teachings of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Currently, she is enrolled in the Advanced Teacher Training program at AYC to obtain her 500-hour certification. Her classes incorporate pranayama, meditation, yoga philosophy, and the practice of being fully present in the moment, allowing you to tap into your inner awareness.
David Emerson comes to us with over ten years experience as a practitioner and over 2000 hours teaching experience in the past five years.
David loves sharing with others the benefits of flexibility, focus and self-empowerment that come from yoga practice. His clear, concise and patient instruction can be easily grasped by beginners. More seasoned practitioners will appreciate more detailed instruction for refining their posture, as well as David's sequencing of the postures for specific benefits.
Elliott Watlington, (RYT) is a dynamic and compassionate yoga teacher who attended East Carolina University where he was a member of the men’s soccer team. He received his BA in philosophy and religious studies and specialized in eastern philosophy and religion. While studying abroad in India through the university he took his first Yoga class in Rishikesh and has practiced and studied Yoga daily ever since. He has studied Jivamukti, Sivananda, Intergral, Kripalu, and Ashtanga yoga traditions through out the country. Elliott received his teacher training certification in Ashtanga Vinyasa style yoga in India at the Tattva Yogashala located on the banks of the Ganges River in Rishikesh. He has taught yoga classes at the university level, in India, and in detention centers to at-risk teens. Elliott’s classes are physically demanding yet approachable for even the beginning level student. He teaches his students to focus on their breath and stays true to the traditional yoga style in which he received his training.
Emily Morgan had her first taste of yoga at Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City in 1998 and has practiced yoga ever since, studying Iyengar, Anusara, and Ashtanga, among others. Emily received her 200-hour certification in Costa Rica in 2010. She is also a dancer and choreographer and has taught at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Elon University, the University of Texas, El Paso, Texas Tech University and the North Carolina Governor’s School. Her yoga classes are rooted in her knowledge of anatomy, as well as her love of movement and yoga’s ability to bring awareness to mind, body and spirit.
Heidi Leigh has been practicing Yoga since 1995 and became a Registered Yoga Teacher in 2005.
She got her first taste of Yoga in Los Angeles when she walked into a class taught by the charismatic Power Yoga teacher Bryan Kest.
In 2005, after getting through some serious medical issues, she decided the best way to rehabilitate herself was by getting her teaching certification at the Miami Beach Yoga Shala with the guidance of Fred Busch and Paul Toluiszis.
Before moving to Winston-Salem in June, Heidi practiced with Bea Rado at the Yoga Connection in Plantation Florida and Jimmy Barkan of Barkan Yoga.
Jacob Felder has been practicing yoga consistently since 1969. He is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. His teaching abilities include gentle, intermediate, advanced and partner yoga, and meditation. He teaches a unique form of partner yoga that includes a gentle introduction and moves into extreme partner poses seldom seen outside of circus performances. He is also a meditation trainer, successfully using a training method that he developed, "The Awareness Approach." Jacob has two yoga DVD's published with a third soon to be released. His latest project is the production of an audio Meditation Training CD that will be available in the fall of 08'. He can be contacted through his website or 336-407-8602.
Jennifer Haydon began practicing yoga in 1980, while in college at the University of Tennessee and became immediately smitten. She has remained deeply in love with yoga ever since! She received her certification in Hatha Yoga from The World Yoga Center in Manhatten in 1986. She is also certified to teach prenatal, postnatal and those with heart disease. While living in California for the past 20 years, Jennifer immersed herself in the Iyengar, Anusara and Yin Yoga traditions. She also studied restorative yoga extensively with Judith Lasater. One of her objectives as a yoga teacher is to help her students discover the poses from the inside, rather than force them from the outside. She focuses on the breath and in slowing down in order to really feel the poses and their effects and after effects on the body, mind and spirit. Her classes are deeply relaxing, joyful and fun. Please see her website: jenniferhaydon.com for further information.
Kirtan Coan, MA, LPC, CAGS, was certified by Dr. Rammurti Mishra, the founder of the Ananda Ashram, to teach hatha yoga in 1978. She has taught at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, the North Carolina School of the Arts, Pretzel Logic Yoga Studio, and at silent mindfulness meditation retreats led by Shinzen Young. A founding teacher at the Arts of Yoga Studio from August 2003 through August 2008, she is certified in Mindful Yoga at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA. Kirtan finds that her love of yoga deepens with every wrinkle.
Lindsey Meacham has been practicing yoga consistently since an introduction to Bikram yoga five years ago. In the time since, she has explored many traditions of yoga including Iyengar, Anusara and Viniyoga. She received her teacher training and certification (RYT) at the Yandara Yoga Institute of Todos Santos, Mexico. Her classes are open to practitioners of all levels, emphasizing the union of mind and body through alignment-based Asana, Pranayama and meditation practices.
Sue Evans (RYT200) has just completed a month long intensive immersion Integral Yoga Hatha teacher training program at Yogaville, VA. Her practice started in 2000 on a screened in porch on Ocracoke Island while on vacation and she was hooked. She has practiced regularly ever since, deepening her practice through teaching. She has found yoga to be calming, helping to manage stress and to help relax, with any physical benefit as icing on the cake. She is the mother of two almost grown boys and enjoys time off the mat on a horse, with her dog and gardening.
Suzy McCalley, a performing artist and social innovator from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been completely in love with yoga for the past 8 years. Her passion for yoga deepened as she studied Indian and Buddhist philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. She is so grateful for the “buffet” of yoga instruction she received during her 230HR certification with Stephanie Keach at the Asheville Yoga Center that ranged from Iyengar, to Ashtanga, Bikram, Anusara, Kundalini and Yin Yoga. “For me, yoga is a deeply intimate practice that invites us to open our hearts to the love, power, and grace that we All are. As an artist (voice, violin, acting and movement), I’m also very interested in how yoga frees us to connect with our creative Selves.” Suzy leads the Visual and Performing Arts Committee at Wake Forrest Baptist Hospital. She lives on a lovely farm in Pfafftown with her beautiful son Henry and lots of happy chickens!