Teachers
deAnna Anderson
Ever since childhood, deAnna has been interested in how things work. Always a student, she practiced violin since age 9, was an avid bookworm and eventually went on to study Physics, Philosophy and Mathematics at NYU. Before discovering the practice of yoga in 1994, her search for freedom and deeper understanding was frequently more like a roller coaster ride and often confused with a need for a wide variety of experiences and sensations. After enough highs, lows, twists and turns, she eventually but inevitably found yoga. During a time in life when it felt like she had been there, done that and was enjoying an exciting and stressful career as a fashion editor in NYC, she found herself laying on the floor in her first yoga class crying for no reason. Something stirred in her soul that she wanted to learn more about. Her curiosity was ignited. The asana practice felt very natural to the former international nightclub dancer who had been dancing since childhood and she soon committed to a daily practice at the Jivamukti Yoga Center. For a long time, deAnna’s practice was an integral part of her life as she changed careers and relocated from Dallas to L.A. and back. At the urging of a few friends, she got a basic certification and began teaching in 2001. Although she enjoyed other styles of yoga, her first love has always been Jivamukti and she finally made her way back to participate in the first month-long Jivamukti Residential teacher training program in May 2003.
Thanks to the early experiences provided by her family who gave her a wonderful arts and science education and the grace of her teachers Sharon and David, she has connected with a time-tested framework for discovering freedom and understanding that has proven to bring the pieces of life’s puzzle together and manifest ever increasing feelings of happiness, gratitude and purposefulness. deAnna is eternally grateful to her family and her partner, Steven, Sharon and David for all their love, guidance and support and to Dharma Mittra for appearing in her life to reassure her that “all is within” and “you are not the doer”.
deAnna is known for her spunky wisdom and compassionate humor, encouraging teaching style and generous hands on assists as well as her eclectic mix of music and DJ skills. She has taught internationally, is the Founding Teacher of Karmany Yoga, one of the first donation-based studios in Texas and is a Lululemon Ambassador. deAnna is very grateful to all of her students, past and present for the wide variety of experiences and lessons that have brought her to where she is right now and will continue to provide insight and wisdom for the future.
Robbie Cook
Robbie Cook first experienced sun salutes while training in Kung Fu, then started Yoga practice in earnest in 1995. In 2002, while an MFA candidate in Dance at Bennington College in Vermont, he started to teach Yoga as a further extension of his practice. Robbie has mainly studied in the lineages of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Anusara and was finally certified to teach Vinyasa at Yoga High by Liz Buehler-Walker and Mel Russo in NYC in 2009, where he taught until moving to Dallas in Summer of 2010. He draws inspiration from being a Pilates teacher, a lifelong exploration of anatomy & biomechanics and from many years of study with Barbara Verrochi and Kristin Leigh at The Shala in NYC.
Steven Haun
As a child Steven was found more often in an odd position than not. With an interest in naturally unfolding intelligence and freedom of movement physically and mentally, Steven seeks to dismantle patterns of behavior and understand rhythms of life. As a Yoga student he seeks to understand both the curative and energy building applications of Yoga to more skillfully be a human. Steven yields to a deep reverance for Jiddu Krishnamurti, Swami Sivananda Saraswati, T. Krishnamarchya, B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Patabhi Jois, T.K.V Desikachar, Sharon Gannon and David Life, Matt Huish, Shandor Rhemete and Emma Balnaves, animals, plants and all other masters and teachers past and present. He focuses on consistent, prolonged practice and the short and long-term practical applications of a healthy, whole foods, primarily plant-based diet.
Laura Fonville
A friend of mine invited me to my first power yoga class in 2003. I had always been active and had three fitness certifications through the Cooper Institute. I had worked during college and law school as an aerobics instructor, certified personal trainer and certified weight trainer. I was hooked after that first class. I met so many wonderful teachers during that time including Sandra Jarmon Decock and Sabra Hanson. I slowly branched out to other studios and tried many different types of yoga.
After moving to North Dallas, I received a basic certification and learned from Suze Curtis. I found myself wanting to learn more and more about yoga, and began attending as many conferences, workshops and classes as I could.
My life changed when I walked into a Jivamukti yoga class taught by David Life in 2008. After that class, I completely changed my diet, began a self-study of the yamas, niyamas, the other limbs of yoga, and diving into the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. I became interested in studying with those who teach yoga as a way of life; especially with respect to the choices we make in our diet. I found my way to Sri Dharma Mittra. In October of 2009, I attended the Dharma Mittra 200 hour teacher training and successfully completed my teaching certification. Most recently, I made the decision to continue my studies with David Life and Sharon Gannon. I completed the month long residential Jivamukti Yoga teacher training in May 2010.
I came to yoga from a fitness standpoint and appreciate those looking for a strenuous workout. I bring that but always include more. I was fortunate to always find teachers who subtly wove the true meaning of yoga into the asana time. I emphasize that yoga is a process of purification. All of the eight limbs of yoga are of equal importance. I include pranayama and meditation, if only briefly, into each class. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to share yoga with others. Teaching has become a part of my own practice. It is an opportunity to serve others. This, in turn, enhances my own practice many times over.
Ashlee Goite
Ashlee began her yoga practice in 2002. Soon after experiencing the positive physical and psychological transformation that regular yoga practice ignites—an openness and lightness of body, and a patience and lightheartedness in mind—she was inspired to share the benefits of yoga with others. While her passion for the physical practice and mental focus of yoga was born out of the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition, she enjoys learning all she can from many other disciplines. She has been especially inspired by a special connection she found with Sri Dharma Mittra and his teachings and continues to study under this great teacher. Ashlee believes that the experience of yoga belongs to the student, and encourages her students to develop a safe, playful and life-long practice that honors a healthful and mindful body. Her students can expect to challenge their physical and emotional comfort zone while keeping in line with what their body and mind need on any given day.
Amy Johnson
The first time I stepped on a yoga mat was in 2001 for reasons other than getting physically fit. At the time I was working 12-15 hour days teaching high school band (along with assisting in visual design and writing work for the color guard and winter guard programs) for a successful music program in Richardson, TX. Teaching movement classes, being an avid swimmer and dancing for as long as I can remember, I always considered myself to be in shape but when I started teaching high school in 1996 it was the stress that took its toll on my physical being. Being the Head Band Director at a 5A high school in Oklahoma without an assistant and doing everything from arranging music to writing marching drill, I developed severe stomach problems and was only 22! After spending a few years ignoring and "masking" these issues, I knew something had to change on a much deeper level—I was too young to feel that way.
My first yoga class (which was not power yoga) was a bit intimidating and left me wondering if yoga was right for me. But after doing a little research and learning about a multitude of yoga styles, I thought I should give it another try—and Power Yoga it was. I was hooked from the beginning and felt indescribable after. All my life music has been my passion, but as I delve deeper into my yoga practice things started to shift—I felt like I was figuring out who I was and coming into my own. As cliché as it sounds, it made me whole. And it was after one of my students said, "Ms. Johnson, you sure have been nice lately" that I decided I wanted to share this amazing practice with anyone who would listen.
After 2 years of practicing, I decided to go through the training program at American Power Yoga. And in 2003, I received my 200-hour certification. Along with training at APY with Kurt Johnsen and Lyissa Trout, I have also had the opportunity to learn from Beryl Bender Birch, Shiva Rea, Rod Stryker, Ana Forrest, Brian Kest, Tom Worley, Stephanie Young and Jessica Young.
Yoga has completely changed my perception on life, myself, and the world around me. It is the one of the few places you can truly be you— there are no egos, and no judgments. I believe it is a very raw and exposed practice where you learn to find, explore, and accept your true self: every strength, and every weakness . I once heard a teacher say that "if you want to get to know yourself, do a little yoga." I have used that statement in my classes ever since—it can not be said in simpler terms.
In short, I went from conducting at the Meyerson to sweating on a mat. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
Ariel Nessel
My path of yoga is a 24/7/365 commitment to being my highest and best self. After an epiphany in 1997 changed the way I related to food, my heart opened up to the impact each and every person can have on the world, to be a force for truth, love, compassion, kindness and ease. Soon after, I had a vision of myself attaining all of my then existing goals and dreams, yet still feeling empty inside. Thus began my path to Buddhism and Yoga and their practices (yama, niyama, meditation, metta, asana, pranayama, retreat, service & ahimsa), and my intention to choose new goals which would provide greater meaning and fulfilment.
I am still very much a novice yogi. However, I have been blessed to be surrounded by some very wise and elevated beings, John Robbins, Rusty Wells, Ingrid Newkirk, Thich Nhat Hanh, Venerable Haju Sunim, David Life, Sharon Gannon and, my teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra. It is my hope that I can share the insights and practices of these sages in my classes in a way that helps my fellow yogis manifest their own highest and best self.
In my day job, I oversee a company that has a great amount of responsibility to our customers, employees and the earth. I actively experience the challenges of being a modern-day yogi, and the delusion that life can be compartmentalized into separate areas such as family, work, hobbies/exercise, spirit etc. The practices I offer have helped me reveal the riches of my own life, and I believe they have the power to do so for others. All of my proceeds from the classes I teach will be donated to Mercy for Animals.
Marj Rash
Marj Rash is an Intermediate Junior I Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor certified by IYNAUS. Having studied yoga for over 35 years, Marj was introduced to Iyengar yoga in 1996 and began teaching in 1998. She continues to travel to Pune, India to study with the Iyengar family. Marj’s sunny yet spiritually-centered focus of teaching is particularly in-tune with recovering and special needs students but can challenge the wants of the more advanced practitioner. Marj is also adept at teaching Pranayama and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. She continues to study around the USA with senior Iyengar teachers Laurie Blakeney, George Purvis, Manouso Manos and others. Marj has several apprentice teachers that she is mentoring though the IYNAUS assessment process. She has attended the Iyengar Yoga conventions in 2001, 2004 and 2007.
Marj held the positions of Membership Chair, Treasurer and Newsletter Editor of the Iyengar Yoga Association of the South Central United States (IYASCUS) from 2002 to 2009.
Marj is CEO of YogamartUSA.com a Dallas based company that manufactures and sells yoga props worldwide that are in compliance with the specifications used at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India. During the 2007 convention in Las Vegas YogaMart bolsters were featured on stage during Geeta Iyengar’s classes and lectures. In honor of the teaching of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar, 10% of the profits through the YogaMart website are annually donated to the Bellur Project which funds the construction of a hospital, schools in his boyhood town of Bellur.
Lauren Syler Weedon
A close family friend took me to my first yoga class when I was 19. From my first moment on the mat, I had an “ah, here it is…” feeling. I am not unique — many people have an “ah-ha” moment when they try yoga, but little did I know how much that feeling would change me.
On the mat, for the first time in my life I was able to quiet my mind and let everything else drop away. It’s amazing what revelations you can discover about yourself and how you want to approach life when you stop doing and just start being. As a type A personality who was always striving to move forward, the concept of trying to be where you are (no matter where that was) was a life changing experience. I have a teacher who likes to say, “It is a practice, not a perfect,” which to me sums up the concept of yoga and life in general.
Wanting to share my love of yoga and delve deeper into my own practice, I attended Baron Baptiste’s Level 1 teacher training in October of 2008. My teaching style works to help students create a powerful mind and body, yet have compassion for themselves in their everyday lives and on their mats. In life and in yoga, just showing up is half the battle.
Travis Wolther
A disciple of yoga, Eastern and Western philosophy, and meditation since 2005, I have taught yoga since 2008, earning my 200 hr RYT certification in 2008. I was first introduced to yoga while a collegiate swimmer at Southern Methodist University in Dallas by my coach, who constantly raved about its benefits. After one class, I was hooked and soon discovered the benefits of yoga for the physical body, mind and spirit as they related to swimming and to life. As a result of my yoga practice, I am in better physical and spiritual shape than at any point in my collegiate athletic career and want to pass on these benefits to others.
I am a strong believer that yoga can help create social change and environmental awareness, moving from a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude to a what’s-in-it-for-us mentality. I believe yoga and the ideals behind the practice can create a world based on cooperation and abundance for all rather than competition. I have traveled around the United States and Canada to develop my yoga practice, eventually leading to my commitment to teaching, sharing and promoting yoga, health and bliss.
Fusing this passion for athletics and yoga as an essential cross-training element, I have worked with numerous SMU athletic teams, as well as Dallas area swim teams, to create customized performance enhancing programs. My classes offer a mix of Hatha, Power, Ashtanga and Sivananda yoga as gratitude and thanks to my many teachers who have inspired me along the way.
Taylor Yoss
Hi, let me introduce myself, I am Taylor Yoss, the proud mother of two girls, ages 9 and 6. I am also a devotee to the art of yoga. yogees combines my love for working with children and my enthusiasm for unique physical and mental wellness of yoga.
Personally I have found yoga to be such an asset to my life; it has changed me in such amazing ways. Because of that, I wanted to share this with children. First of all, Yoga is a non-competitive sport; how many things can we say that about today? Yoga builds self-esteem and self respect. It promotes physical strength, balance and flexibility. One of the greatest things about a child’s yoga practice is that it is imaginative and helps in developing their creative thinking skills. Yoga also helps to work on the importance of posture. It is amazing to see how something as simple as standing up straight makes you feel better and more confident! Yoga also helps children to understand the importance of respect for self and others. Not only is this part of the “yoga mantra”; but it also benefits our day-to-day relationships. To be kind to others, to share, to be considerate of all kinds of people and to have an understanding of our differences…these are the lessons I teach to my classes.
I believe yoga can make a difference!
Currently I am teaching classes at Levine Academy, The Aaron Family JCC, Temple Emanu-El, and a new studio called Twist. I am also doing private classes in the Highland Park, North Dallas and Plano areas. This past summer I participated in some camps in Dallas, at Levine Academy, Temple Emanu-El and Temple Shalom. Also for most of the summer I taught classes daily in conjunction with Swimmer’s by Jessica. It was a great summer.