Teacher Bios
Director/Vinyasa and Ashtanga Yoga: Rina Jakubowicz, E-RYT
Rina’s passion for Yoga has inspired her to share her knowledge with others. After initially studying with Yogi Hari, a disciple of Swami Vishnu Devananda and Swami Sivananda, Rina became a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) through the Yoga Alliance. She has trained extensively with Sarkis Vermilyea, Benjamin Smielowitz and Duncan Wong. She has studied with Rod Stryker, Rodney Yee, Erich Schiffman, Dharma Mittra, Cameron Shayne, Tias Little, Lama Drimed (Tibetan Buddhism) and Manorama. On her recent visit to India, she experienced several styles of yoga including Ashtanga Yoga in Mysore from Mr. V. Sheshadri (International Yogasana Champion), Iyengar Yoga from Omkarananda Ashram and Sivananda Yoga from Kuku in Rishikesh.
Rina is a teacher of teachers. She has completed teaching her first 200-hour Teacher Training course, registered by the Yoga Alliance. She is trained to teach Vinyasa, Ashtanga Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga classes along with yoga philosophy, pranayama(breathing), etc. She always puts together a well-rounded class, and is well known for her detailed explanation of the poses. As a practitioner and teacher, Rina emphasizes proper alignment to maximize performance and prevent injury. She focuses on dissecting each pose or action, helping to accelerate student advancement. In addition to her group classes, Rina provides private instruction, corporate instruction, children's yoga, and workshops.
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Funyasa Yoga:
Natalie Morales
Natalie has 27 years experience as a yoga practitioner, and has been teaching for over 13 years. She's explored varied approaches to hatha yoga, including Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini and the style some call Viniyoga. Her principal teachers are Richard Freeman, the Desikachars and John Friend, but she has studied with many others as well, and it shows. With so much to learn from dynamic instructors like Jimmy Barkan, Gabriella Giubilaro, Manouso Manos, Dharma Mittra, BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, Tias Little, Aadil Palkhivala, Richard Rosen, Erich Schiffmann, Sianna Sherman, Lois Steinberg, Rod Stryker, Patricia Walden & Lisa Walford, she has a lot to share, and does so with a light-hearted and encouraging spirit.
Natalie is known for leading tough, but non-treacherous classes with clear instruction, firm guidance and ample humor. Her gentle, non-dogmatic approach works wonders in coaxing students though challenging sequences, always reminding us to stay present and invoke the intuition we each possess. This approach allows each of us to take our yoga practice to the next level, while keeping it safe and sane. She developed and trademarked a style she calls Funyasa™: an eclectic power-vinyasa hybrid with special emphasis on fun. It's never the same class twice, come feel it for yourself.
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Manager/Vinyasa Yoga: Heidy Toledo
"A few years ago, I thought that people who did yoga were weird. But not too long ago, a good friend of mine introduced me to the practice of yoga. Now, it is my passion.
What do I expect to gain from Yoga? There was a point in my life that I was depressed, and I thought that life was just living day to day. Now, I know there is a much deeper meaning, because I am a different person.
I would like to become a yogini. I think it will be a way to show the universe how thankful I am for all of my blessings.
Thank you Tess for showing me the way. Thank you Rina for giving me the opportunity to show what I have learned."
- Heidy.
"If you cannot see God in all, you cannot see God at all." Namaste'
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Vinyasa Yoga: Luana Hervier
Luana´s background is in physical education, fitness and lifestyle improvement. Through the philosophy of Yoga and the practice of asana she found her complete union of mind, body and spirit, which propelled her to naturally transmit wellness with love for her students and every living thing in her classes and her personal living as well. She is a Certified Yoga Teacher whose teaching style is soothing, inspiring, and moving. Her vibrant energy makes of her class a Yoga and Life experience. She focuses on keeping a harmonic flow between postures, emphasizing on body alignment, coloring her speech with anatomy instruction, motivating words, and a soothing voice that just takes you on a pleasant journey of inspiration, love and light.
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