MARCUS BERARDINO has been enthusiastically practicing Yoga since 1995. In 2008, he decided to combine his professional skills as a massage therapist with his deepening yogic practice and attended the Laughing Lotus School in San Francisco, where he received his 200-hour certification in Vinyasa Flow. He has also studied with Tias Little and Richard Freeman in New York City. His classes combine movement, breath, spiritual philosophy, alignment, music and humor to awaken and enliven life-giving energy. Pranams to Lesley Desaulniers for her mentorship and support... Namaste!
LESLEY DESAULNIERS has been studying yoga and meditation since 1996, taking her practice to New York, Russia, India, and back. In her early twenties, Lesley was a resident at Ananda Ashram in upstate New York, where she intensively studied Sanskrit, meditation, philosophy, and Hatha yoga. She was later certified by Sharon Gannon and David Life and went on to teach at the Jivamukti Yoga Center in downtown Manhattan. Lesley continues to study, practice, and teach daily. Her classes are imbued with a rare blend of scholarly study, spiritual awareness, and good humor.
BETH DONNELLY CABAN has been teaching since 1997, specializing in prenatal yoga, yoga for labor and delivery, and yoga for new moms and babies. She is a certified yoga instructor (Integral Yoga Institute), a certified midwife assistant (The Farm) and a labor support doula (DONA). She has trained with Janet Balaskas and Michel Odent at the Active Birth Centre in London and is a certified childbirth educator (CEA/MNY.) www.bethcaban.com
ADITI DHRUV first came to yoga through her study of classical Indian dance forms, and has been practicing for over ten years. She is Yoga Alliance certified at the 200-hour level, and completed her yoga teacher training in 2006 with Alison West (Yoga Union) in New York City. Aditi has studied with respected teachers including Alison West, Deborah Wolk, Jonathan Fitz-Gordon and Estelle Eichenberger. Her light-hearted classes are informed by her extensive ongoing dance training and practice in the Vinyasa, Iyengar and Ashtanga traditions; and focus on teaching students a series of poses while integrating the physical, subtle, and spiritual bodies, through precise alignment and breath-focused movement.
KATE DULCICH has been practicing yoga for over a decade, and holds a 200 hour certification from Sonic Yoga and an 800 hour Certification from Jivamukti Yoga. Kate's classes often include deep asana to energize the body and quiet the mind, an emphasis on breath awareness as a tool to stay present, inspiring and fun music, and practical spiritual teachings. One of her first and formative teachers was Lesley Desaulniers, and Kate is honored to be teaching under the same roof as her as well as many other talented and dedicated teachers at Prema Yoga.
DAVID FIGUEROA teaches in the Vinyasa (flow) style, with traditional yoga postures linked to the breath through movement. He has been teaching adults and children from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities for over 20 years. His approach is light hearted with a strong attention to detail. David is certified by the Om Yoga Center in New York, and has studied with Rodney Yee, Richard Freeman, Donna Farhi and Cyndi Lee. He is influenced by the Iyengar, Anusara and Vinyasa Yoga traditions as well as his experience as a professional modern dancer and choreographer. He has taught throughout New York including beginner, intermediate and advanced classes at Om Yoga. In 2005 David founded Movement Arts of Provincetown, a non-profit movement and wellness center in Cape Cod.
JONATHAN FITZGORDON began practicing yoga at Jivamukti in 1995 and started teaching in 2000 after receiving his certification from Om Yoga Center. After studying extensively with John Friend, he owned and operated the yoga center of Brooklyn until the fall of 2009 and is now happy to be joining the staff at Prema. Jonathan’s classes are imbued with the love of anatomy and the moving body. He is the creator of the FitzGordon Method Core Walking program that has been featured in the New York Times and on Good Morning America.
AMANDA HARDING Having come from a family of Broadway gypsies, yoga became a natural progression for me after a lifetime of dancing. Certified through NYC’s OM Yoga Center and Prenatal certified through Janice Clarfield, I have trained extensively in Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Jivamukti and Iyengar yoga with highly respected teachers across the world. Teaching privately for almost 7 years as well as group classes at Equinox ,The Shala, Park Slope Yoga, Yoga Center of Brooklyn and many others, I teach a vigorous and dynamic class incorporating the fluidity of dance and music with heavy emphasis on alignment, breath, patience and fun. My wish is to impart to my students the many gifts I have received through my practice and studies – a greater sense of awareness, inner peace, strength, compassion and much joy.
RAMIT KREITNER has been a devoted practioner of yoga since meeting her first yoga teacher Jennifer Grims at the Yoga Lab in 2004. Certified in 2007 at the Laughing Lotus, Rah-meet has studied with Angela Farmer, Richard Freeman, and Shiva Rea as well as Sharon Salzberg. Certified in Thai Massage from the Lotus Palm School in Montreal, Ramit brings delicious adjustments into the classroom. Recently completed Judith Lasater’s Rest and Restore Certification at Om, Savasana will always be taken seriously.
Combining love of music, poetry of the mystics, passion for the 8 limbed Ashtanga Raja (royal) path laid out in Patanjali’s yoga sutras, attention to alignment, sprinklings of philosophy and bhakti, Ramit brings a lively lighthearted spirit to all her classes and a sincere desire to share with others this beautiful practice. Forever indebted to her very first teachers who taught her how to engage daily with mystery and awe, Amy Bart, the music teacher and her Mom, Ruth Kreitner, from whom the light bounces off the walls.
So very happy to be part of the wonderful Satsang that Lesley and Mary have created at Prema.
MARY LONG co-founder of Prema Yoga, is a long-time resident of Brooklyn and a devoted student of yoga. She is honored to be on this journey with Lesley Desaulniers and the community of Prema Yoga students, teachers and friends.
EMILY MCDONNELL has been teaching yoga in New York City for the past seven years. She is a jivamukti-certified teacher and has studied with Eddie Stern, Shri K. Patahbi Jois in New York and India, and with Richard Freemen in Boulder, Colorado. Emily likes to teach a class that is focused on the breath, a steady rythmic flow where the mind can relax, a class that feels both challenging and sweet.
JOETTA MAUE was first introduced to yoga by her mother at 15 years old. She quickly found a strong connection to the need to slow down and breathe. She has been a serious practitioner for over 13 years and a devoted teacher for over 9. Joetta’s true commitment to yoga began when she turned to the practice during a difficult time in her life. The process of slowing down, accepting, and letting go helped her heal and changed her outlook. Eventually she decided to spread the gifts of practice through teaching. Joetta’s dynamic and vigorous style of teaching is inspired by maste r teachers, with whom she has studied, including Shiva Rea, Richard Freeman, and Barbara Benaugh. With continuous study her style has continued to evolve into her own unique teaching voice. Joetta is an artist living in Carroll Gardens, with her hus band, 2 cats, and a goldfish. “With practice all is coming” Pattabhi Jois
KILLIAN O'BRIEN discovered yoga in 1997, but continues to uncover its benefits. The power of this transformative practice has led her to share it with others, to help them have their own healing experience. Killian’s classes weave philosophy with the alignment of Anusara and the flowing grace inspired by the Jivamutki lineage. She gives loving thanks to all of her teachers.
ROBIN PICKERING first discovered yoga at an NYC gym in 1996, and knew she’d found something amazing. When one of the teachers there gave her a pass to Jivamukti Yoga Center, she realized she’d also found something life changing and never went back to the gym. She became a certified Jivamukti teacher in 2000, with the grace of David Life and Sharon Gannon. Robin has taught public, corporate, and private classes consistently for almost ten years in Park Slope and Manhattan. She has furthered her studies with Donna Farhi, Lois Nesbitt (Anusara Yoga), Jasmine Tarkeshi, Leslie Kaminov, Eddie Stern, and Josh Korda (Dharma Punx), among others. In the spring of 2005 she became a licensed Massage Therapist at the Swedish Institute, and is now a Reiki Level II practitioner. Robin’s yoga classes include focus on meditation and the breath, philosophical teachings from yogic scriptures as well as recent master teachers, and asana in the Jivamukti Vinyasa style (with alignment inspired by Anusara principles). She is interested in intention before form, release instead of grip, vigorous attention to the present moment, and finding the perfect edge on which to balance yogic effort. She is also aware of the importance of making the yoga practice applicable to and resonant with daily life. Robin dedicates all of her teaching and studies to her primary teacher and guide, Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma).
TAMAR SAMIR was born in Michigan, but grew up in Israel, with the dual cultural influences of an Israeli father and Scottish mother. She moved to New York in 1997 to pursue a career in fashion design and later, broadcast design. It was in New York, at the Jivamukti Yoga School, that she discovered yoga as an all-encompassing system of transformational practices for spreading happiness and freedom to all beings. Tamar has been blessed to study with Jivamukti Yoga founders Sharon Gannon and David Life, and Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher Narayani (Nicole Nichols). Tamar is an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher with over 800 hours of training. In her classes, Tamar aims to pass on the teachings she has received through practical insights, compassion and humor. Many thanks to Lesley Desaulniers for creating a loving space for devotional practice. www.tamarsamiryoga.com
CLIFF SCHUMAN has been teaching for virtually 15 years in the vinyasa style. His style and teachings continue to grow and mature with each passing year of learning, yet the root and original inspiration of his teachings is with his first mentors Sharon Gannon and David Life, at Jivamukti Yoga Center. He has also studied with Eddie Stern and Sri K. Pattobis Jois of Mysore, India in the ashtanga tradition. Cliff has visited India four times to further his practice of ashtanga and has traveled to various ashrams. He recently visited temples dedicated to the planets of the zodiac. His latest passion is the study of vedic and western astrology whose lessons blend with ancient spiritual teachings. He believes now in a practice that opens up the s oul and heart in a challenging but gentle and humorous way.
EMILY STONE Born in New Orleans and raised in Brooklyn, Emily has written three novels and has also taught creative writing to spirited undergrads. Currently, Emily is blessed to be sharing her teaching and deep love of yoga at Prema Yoga. Her classes are an ecstatic elision of humor, movement and spirit with plenty of core. Emily bows down and washes the lotus feet of all her teachers, past and present and future, especially Shri Dana Flynn, Shri Jasmine Tarkeshi and Shri Lesley D. who was at the start of all this. Ram
SARAH WILLIS has practiced Yoga since 1997 and has been a daily practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga since 1999. She traveled to the city of Mysore, in India, in order to study with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois for an extended period in 2001. In 2000 she was certified as a Jivamukti Yoga instructor, has completed advanced teacher intensive certifications with Richard Freeman, and has also has received much guidance from honored Ashtanga teacher, Eddie Stern. Sarah is the director of Nava Yoga in Zagreb, Croatia, and its accredited teacher-training program.
LESLEY ALDERMAN has been practicing yoga for nearly two decades. Her passion for Vinyasa yoga grew out of her early love of modern dance. Lesley graduated from OM Yoga Center's teacher training program in the winter of 2009. Since then, Lesley has augmented her OM education by taking workshops with Judith Lasater, Rodney Yee, Roger Cole and Tias Little. Lesley’s Vinyasa classes are dynamic and spirited, incorporating fluid movements and precise anatomical directions—all paired with lively, uplifting music. When she is not doing Yoga, Lesley is writing about health and wellness; she currently co-writes the Patient Money column for The New York Times. Lesley A is very grateful to Lesley D for her encouragement, support and wisdom.
PREMA YOGA SUBS
CAROL TESSITORE was raised along the shores of Long Island, New York, where she first discovered the ujjayi breath of the Ocean waves. These waves brought her to New York City where she received a BFA in Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design. Her artistic focus on the body in space as sculpture led her naturally to the vast arts of dance and yoga.
Carol has been studying Bharatanatyam since 2006 with Sonali Skandan (New York) and Guru Sharad Pandya (India). She also dances in the folk style of Bhangra with fitness-guru Sarina Jain (New York). In 2008 Carol received her 200 hr certification from Yoga to the People. Her Vinyasa flow is infused with the energetic grace of mudras and bhakti inspired by temple dance traditions.
She is ever-thankful for the teachers and community at Prema.
