Mike Abene- 200 -hr Certified Yoga Instructor
Back in February, 2009, Mike took a dare and attended his first yoga class. Surprised that he had made it through a class and lived to tell the tale, he decided to try it again. After his second class, he knew he was hooked and soon was attending classes regularly, sacrificing a day or two out of his weight training regimen. Before long, weight training was on the back burner and yoga was his primary focus.
He received his 200 hr yoga certification through New Breathe Yoga under the mentorship of Stephanie Anne Sirico, and has been leading the Beginners Series since its inception. Mike’s intention is to inspire others to come to love yoga the way he does and to embrace the challenges, that lead us to success. He subscribes to the philosophy that it’s all about the journey, not the destination. “I’ll never forget the way it felt to be a beginner,” he recalls. “The instructor made it fun, which allowed me to be comfortable. My goal is to bring that level of fun and comfort to my students. This will mean I’ve succeeded.”
Nancy Seeback- Certified Yoga Instructor
Nancy’s been practicing yoga for 10 years. She believes yoga changed her relationship with her body and her outlook on life. She graduated from the Yoga Mountain 200 hour teacher training program in 2011 and the 500 hour/yoga therapy programs in 2012.
Nancy loves to share and spread the practice of yoga. In addition to teaching to the general population, she’s taught in schools, hospitals, rehabs and senior centers. Her classes incorporate a variety of yoga styles and encourage students to feel strong, connected, relaxed and alive. Asana, pranayama and meditation, along with a touch of tradition, philosophy and current wisdom, keep her classes varied, thought provoking and fun. Come move your body, focus your mind and awaken your spirit!
Helena (Bella) De Freese - Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor
Helena De Freese (Bella) obtained a bachelors degree in Pre-law in 2006 from Ramapo College of New Jersey. She is currently studying a second degree to become a Physicians Assistant. After going through a huge life changing event she turned to yoga and meditation and fell in love with it. She decided to learn to teach yoga after taking many classes with Stephanie Sirico who inspired her to become an instructor.
In 2011 Bella completed and became a certified Kundalini yoga/ guided meditation Instructor. In 2009 she became a certified Reiki practitioner and IET (Integrated Energy Therapy) practitioner. Reiki and IET work with chakras as well as Kundalini yoga which became her specialty.
She teaches beginners classes, moderate, and advanced. Kundalini will align your chakras and help to restore and ground your body, aura, and your soul. Love and light!
Dena Cutler - 200 Registered Yoga Teacher
Dena began practicing yoga in Hawaii in 2001. Practicing with many of Hawaii’s teacher’s inspired her to become a teacher herself. Her yoga practice has brought her closer to the body’s natural way of healing. Through regular practice she experiences inner peace, gratitude, compassion, balance, inner strength, alignment, mental clarity, and an overall sense of well being and contentment. Although, yoga is a daily practice and a lifelong journey, Dena would love to share her knowledge with you.
“Empty your mind of everything.
Let the mind become still.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness which is the way of nature.”
Tao Te Ching
Marie Gartshore – RYT-200
Marie has been practicing Yoga for 36 years. She started her practice with Linda Cali in the Integral style brought here by the great guru Satchidananda. This very spiritual style of yoga ties breath, visualization and energy work to the asanas. She later branched out into Iyengar, Bikram, vinyasa and Tibetan style yoga. Marie began teaching in 1984 at the New Age Center in Nyack, NY and has been teaching ever since in Adult Education programs, health clubs and dance and yoga studios in New York and New Jersey. Her yoga class is an integrated style class that draws on the many influences she has been exposed to in her practice.
In 2004, Marie became a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance after training with Gail Walsh and her team at Yoga Mountain.
She is also a Meditation Instructor and a level 2 Reiki practitioner in the Usui lineage.
For Marie, yoga is not about the perfect posture but about committing to and living your practice─finding within yourself the divine energy that connects you to all beings. In the words of Satchidananda, “Perfect is the best that you can do today.”
Shelly Blatt- 200 Certified Yoga Instructor
