Carisa is the owner and founder of The Living Seed, which opened its doors to the communtity in
the summer of 2000. She is a certified Sivananda Yoga Teacher, a certified Yoga Tune-Up Teacher and has completed the Forrest
Yoga Foundation Course & two Advanced Teacher Training Courses in Forrest Yoga and Anusara Yoga Therapeutics. Her primary
teacher is Ana Forrest. Carisa creates a sanctuary, a sacred place for people to deepen their relationship to their spirits. Carisa
believes strongly that all people should have access to Yoga and experience its many healing benefits. She continues to volunteer
her time teaching throughout the Hudson Valley leading Yoga Programs for Incarcerated Youth, Battered Women's Shelter's, At Risk
Youth Groups, AIDS patients and the Girl Scouts. Additionally, she has been a Volunteer at Hospice, a palliative care organization for
the Dying. When she is not at The Living Seed you can find her tending to her gardens/mini farm at home, hiking, flying on the trapeze
or doing what brightens her spirit. Carisa is honored to practice the art of Yoga, it is a gift, it brings us back to ourselves, over and over
again so that we can share with our community.

Lisa began practicing yoga approximately 13 years ago and credits her regular yoga practice with helping
her in every area of her life. She has explored and taken classes in many forms of yoga, and has experienced
and witnessed the subtle and dramatic transformations which become possible through yoga. After discovering
ashtanga in 2001, she pursued her teacher training with Michael Stein in 2003. While ashtanga serves as the basis
for her classes she incorporates many styles into her class sequences.

Donna is a licensed psychotherapist, founder of CenterPoint Integral Wellness Programs, and a Yoga teacher. The therapeutic work Donna offers skillfully integrates contemporary western scientific and ancient eastern body/mind/brain practices and perspectives. In 2004 Donna completed a 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training with Kirin Mishra (Parvathi Nanda Nath Saraswati), Director of Saraswati River Yoga School. In 1995 she trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with the Directors of the Center for Mindfulness - University of Massachusetts Medical Center. In 2000-02 Donna's passion for dance, spoken word and environmental sustainability motivated her to develop a small mixed-medium performance company called GaiaArts Performances. When not doing any of the above she is likely to be hiking the trails and spending time with her beloved family and friends.

YogaKids is a unique approach to integrative learning using yoga as a pathway. Reading, storytelling, music, and
creative arts blend seamlessly with yoga movement to develop focus, confidence, strength, flexibility, and self esteem.

In YogaKids classes, traditional yoga techniques have been recreated in playful, simple and fun ways. Using the Multiple Intelligences Theory of Harvard educator Howard Gardner as a foundation, each pose becomes a springboard for activities
that open the doorway to fully integrated learning. 14 YogaKids elements enhance the learning experience and tap
all of the senses.

Sue Seely has a 300-hour teacher training certification with Yogakids International and has been an early childhood professional for over 20 years. www.yogakids.com

Vanessa has been teaching Yoga for seven years in the NY and NJ area and has just recently moved into the Hudson Valley.
Her classes are a mixed vinyasa style. The practices are fluid and non-denominational. Vanessa sets the mood with
motivating music and hands on adjustments. Keep breathing and enjoy the ride.

Meghan has been a disciple of Yoga for over 7 years. She found her passion in Ashtanga Yoga, the set Asana series translated from ancient sanskrit text by Sri T. Krishnamacharya and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. This sacred practice focuses on movement with breath and heating the body from within. Meghan began her devotion to this practice in Woodstock, NY and accredits Baird Hersey from Prana Sound for being one of her first Ashtanga Teachers. After many years of practicing she felt the need to share her passion with others through teaching and became Certified in Ashtanga Yoga through Michael Stein in 2007. Though Ashtanga Yoga, as well as Patanjali's Eight Limb Path philosophy is her Love, Meghan incorporates many different styles of Yoga in her classes, mixing together a Vinyasa flow and an Alignment focus. She has studied Anatomy and physiology working in the MedX Healthy Back and Fitness Training programs for the last 3 years. She honors the Yoga tradition of Ahimsa (non-violence in thought, action and word) and teaches with a fun spirit, beautiful music and love.

Marie's dynamic yoga classes draw from the various traditions that have influenced her development as a student and teacher of yoga. She completed her 200-hour level certification with the White Lotus Foundation, under the direction of Tracey Rich and Ganga White. Marie also draws inspiration from her work with Ana Forrest, Manju Jois, Ellen Heed and Sianna Sherman. She encourages her students to use their practice to shift their awareness and explore the connection between physical and mental states. Marie possesses a Master's degree in Philosophy from Boston University.

Charlie Schikowitz started exploring yoga at age 14. Largely self motivated, he began eagerly seeking new information to incorporate into his daily practice. This thirst has led him to explore Kundalini, Sivananda, Ashtanga and finally Forrest Yoga. Charlie completed his Forrest Yoga teacher training in April 2009.
Charlie is fascinated with the inner workings of Yoga, finding out what works, and distilling it for maximum benefit to himself and his students. His classes are a fun, challenging exploration of movement and self healing.

Angelique began studying bellydance in 1997, and since then, has been an avid student of the dance,
music, history and culture. Her quest for excellence has taken her into the classrooms of some of the top
bellydancers in the country, such as Yousry Sharif, Morocco, Zahra Zuhair, Jillina, Bozenka, Ava Fleming,
and most notably, her main teacher, Suhaila Salimpour. Angelique has been studying in the challenging
and demanding Salimpour format for 4 years, and is now Level 3 certified. Her deep understanding of
proper technique, and her ability to translate music into movement has made her a sought after performer
and teacher in the Hudson Valley. Angelique's approach towards teaching is to create a warm, friendly, yet
challenging environment where information is conveyed in a clear, educated manner, and students are
inspired to train their bodies to move in all the beautiful ways the artform has to offer.

Bryon Abrams is extremely passionate about promoting qigong and has been teaching for the past 9 years. He is a Certified Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher through the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC) and Health Preservation Association (HPA). He provides regular classes in Mountain Lake Chi-Robics, Ai Chi, Taiji and Qigong at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, Taiji at the Emerson Resort and Spa in Mt Tremper, NY and is active coordinator of the Wellness Center in the Cornerstone in Newburgh NY. His trainings include Precious Gestures, Integral Qigong, Yang Tai Chi (modified), Stationary Tai Chi, HPA Tai Chi (specialized for heart, lung and intestine, liver, kidney and spleen and for treatment/ prevention of back and neck pain) Tai Chi Chair, Tai Chi Ruler, Tai Chi EZ, Tai Chi Qigong, Pa Tuan Jin, Hsing-I Five Elements, Pagua Mother Palms, Wild Goose I, IV, VI, VII and VIII, Emei Healing Qigong, Medical Qigong (specialized for Arthritis, Diabetes, Cancer, High Blood Pressure), and Yin/Yang Healing Qigong.

Dance brings friends, feelings of real well-being, connection, vitality, awareness, purpose, and happiness in the world
and with the world. As Aldous Huxley wrote, 'It is with their muscles that humans most easily obtain knowledge of the divine.'
Visit www.tangonewpaltz.com to learn more about Nina

Jen has been teaching fitness, dance, cycle and women's and kid's self defense classes in the area for over 15 years. She is the Regional Director and Instructor Trainer for R.A.D Women's Self Defense and a radKIDS Instructor. Her classes in the area have ranged from Spinning, Bosu, willPower & grace, Cardio Kick, Step Class and her most recent passion...Zumba!
She is very excited to be teaching Zumba at The Living Seed! Zumba Fitness is a fusion of Latin and International music-dance themes that creates a dynamic, exciting and effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. Zumba Fitness is designed for all ages and levels of fitness and just in case you are wondering, no dance ability or coordination is required! Come ditch the workout and join The Party! Email Jen at strongwomenrock@gmail.com