Avenues Yoga

Peter Francyk

Peter Francyk has been a student of movement and meditation including dance, Yoga, vipassana and many others for over 20 years. He has danced professionally both with Repertory Dance Theatre of Salt Lake City and with Pilobolus of New York City. His unique teaching style is a fusion of classical eastern yogic and meditation principles and western anatomy and kinesiology, as well as his own personal e xperience with injury and understanding misalignments of the body.Peter has studied with TKV Desikachar, John Friend, Richard Freeman, Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty, David Swenson, Rod Stryker, Sri K. Patabhi Jois, SN Goenka, Eiko & Koma, Diego Piñon, Cristina Mendoza Vidal, and many others. He is very grateful to his teachers and brings elements of their teachings to his students through the filter of his own daily practice.Peter is known for his grace, enthusiasm, kindness and ability to elucidate and penetrate deeply into yogic concepts and weave them throughout the practice. Peter leads our Avenues Yoga Teacher Training Program which runs from February-July.

Alaina Caudillo

I hold a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Utah, and love the feeling of simply existing in nature. I was first inspired to practice Yoga regularly during an introductory class at Salt Lake Community College in 2002. Years later I went on to receive certification in hopes of sharing this wonderful art with others. I have always been and forever will be a student, learning with each new experience something I could not have known before.  Yoga and mindful movement have led me to a journey filled with self-discovery and many blessings allowing a creative strength to emerge.  Teaching and practicing Yoga has provided opportunities for threading deep connections and building relationships that I treasure. I believe Yoga gives us the chance to make our own path… to challenge our unique qualities and accept what is individual and true of ourselves.
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Annie King

Annie King has been practicing yoga for over 30 years and has a background in Kinesiology – the study of movement – which enables her to design an individual practice that will best serve the needs of each client. Recognizing Yoga as part of a healthy lifestyle, Annie’s teaching style involves finding a practice that is specifically applicable to each person’s body, and creating a daily practice that is manageable and sustainable. Annie has personally recovered from a hip replacement, and is planning to avoid another one. She specializes in Therapeutic and Restorative Yoga for people who are injured, elderly, or recovering from chronic pain. In complement to her talents as a Yoga practitioner, Annie is a masseuse specializing in Cranial-Sacral massage. To learn more, visit her website by clicking here.

Becka Cooper

Rebecca Lynn Cooper loves life and stuff! She has a desire to be her authentic self and experience the wide range of what the world has to give and what she has to offer back. This has led her to many passions and hobbies such as:

Art! She’s an active oil painter. She won the Most Innovative and Creative award from Dixie State College, Utah. Having been raised around motorcycles Rebecca has owned her own cruiser motorcycle since she was seventeen. Her love of the outdoors brought her to rock climbing. In January 2012 she became sponsored with Mad Rock as a climbing athlete. But it was in St George, Utah where Rebecca was first introduced to yoga by an older sister while still in her young teens. “It was love at first movement, realizing that the body, my body, isn’t balanced with my head. But through intentional, conscious movement, my head, heart, and body can move as one, come into union and be yogic. When in union with oneself, true authentic expression can be found.” Rebecca has the belief that anybody’s authentic self can be found on the mat. Starting her personal work, Rebecca received a 500 hour certification from D’ana Baptiste in 2010 and a 200 hour certification from Peter Francyk and Erin Menut in 2012. She has done workshops with yoga masters such as Charlotte Bell, Mitchel Bleir, Mark White and others.

Cameron Christiensen (Shiva Deva)

Cameron Christensen (Shiva Deva) teaches yoga to help students develop centeredness and ease in mind and body. He is certified through the International Yoga Federation in the Purna Integral Method. “Yoga has facilitated joy and contentment in my life and I seek to guide students in the practice in order to develop these feelings within themselves.”

Cameron also practices Artistic Yoga and is the 2013 USA Men’s Artistic Yoga Champion. Click here to catch a glimpse of his practice.

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Erin Menut
Erin is an ERYT-500 and holds a certification in Yoga of the Heart Yoga Therapy.

I began practicing Yoga at the University of Utah, where I am currently ABD in English Literature. A martial artist since 1993, and a teacher of Moo Gong Do since 1995, I truly appreciate mindful movement, and instantly found myself drawn more deeply into Yoga’s union of philosophy and physical practice. Through Yoga, my chronic knee pain soon began to melt away. I felt stronger, clearer – more myself than ever before, and a better, more grounded self at that. My continued love of Yoga led me to seek certification in Yoga teaching as well as Yoga Therapy, which I studied with the delightful and deep Nischala Devi. Her program, developed in coordination with Dr. Dean Ornish, teaches the art of Deep Relaxation as a healing practice for body, mind, and spirit. I’m currently pursuing certification in the gentle Japanese harmonizing art of Jun Shin Jyutsu. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from Peter Francyk and Judith Lasater as well. As a teacher, I enjoy passing on the insights I have gained so far through my study and practice. As a student, I continue to learn from the people, events and experiences that come my way. I believe that Yoga offers everyone a way of letting their inner light shine more fully, and that the practice of Yoga offers a time-tested way to live a life of Joy. To view a short segment of a recent class, click here.
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Garrick Peters

Since my late teens, the pursuit of self-knowledge led me to explore various spiritual paths that included meditation, yogic and martial arts based practices.  As my passion for yoga developed, I found that practicing and instructing yoga allowed me to draw from all my life experiences.  I am a ‘yoga connoisseur’ of sorts, working with leading teachers all over the world seeking inspiration and ongoing learning.  Living and loving mindfully, meditation, asana, and teaching yoga are all part of my personal yoga practice.  Practice is the discovery and implementation of what feels good, what works, what is joyful, and what leads to a deeper and more meaningful experience of life (body, mind, and spirit).  In the role of yoga instructor, the practice shifts to communicating and empirically learning what is most effective for others; it is a unique and enjoyable challenge to translate what I have learned in my own practice and find a way for it to be valuable for others.  In many ways, teaching yoga is like practicing, because it is simply connecting with myself, with what feels true and authentic.  Practicing with me is playful but focused, lighthearted but meaningful, creative but consistent, challenging but respectful of the body’s anatomy and messaging.  I encourage introspection, to find your own practice, to explore your edge, to discover the strength of breath, and draw on the stillness of self-awareness to guide you to new depths of practice.  Instructing yoga is like cooking an inspired balanced meal, infused with love, and shared with friends in a beautiful setting; each course prepares you for the next, building to the main dish, winding down with desert, and a relaxing sigh of contentment…

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Julie Iorg

Yoga helps me to live my life more fully and through my heart. It helps me to remember my connection to our earth, to others, and to the world as a whole. It brings me to a greater sense of self- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As I continue to learn and grow on this path, I am thankful for the many gifts and opportunities yoga brings to my life.

With a degree in Psychology and a background in teaching children, I was inspired to share my love of yoga with kids. Working with kids has always been a passion for me. I knew that if I could share the benefits of yoga with kids, I would feel a great sense of joy. The thought of sharing yoga with my own 2 children and influencing their lives with the practice was also important to me. I completed the Kids Yoga Teacher Training (KYTT- certified) with Brandi Allen, at the Shiva Centre in December 2010.

I find joy in sharing yoga with children as it is a gift for me to help them find their inner greatness!

Kim Achellis Hoggan

Kim is an Anusara Inspired teacher whose intention is to help others recognize their own greatness on and off the mat. Yoga is a process of inner exploration, in which we learn to integrate heart, mind and body to experience our natural state of awareness and love.

Kim Achelis Hoggan a student of yoga from the age 16 is also a Registered Yoga Instructor through Yoga Alliance with over 500 hours of teaching experience. Kim has seen firsthand that the practice of yoga offers a way to move through the pulsation of life with grace. Yoga has helped Kim heal her injured body, calm her mind and help overcome addiction, as well as open her heart so she can better love herself and others. Kim’s classes offer clear instruction on alignment, yogic wisdom, a heart based theme, and a sense of adventure. With her vast understanding of anatomy and kinesiology she helps her students find a therapeutic experience in every pose. Often we need to work on getting the body to a place where it is in less pain so we can travel more deeply into the heart.

When Kim isn’t teaching or practicing yoga you will probably find her working in the garden or on an adventure with her husband and dog.  Her heart is full of gratitude for her teachers and students. For more information on Kim please visit: AuthenticSelfYoga.blogspot.com.

Mary Johnston-Coursey

Mary began her study of yoga in 1980 by jumping into a daily Astanga practice (before there were yoga mats…), and started teaching in 1981. Over the years she has studied in numerous styles and with many amazing teachers, and is grateful for them all. She is especially honored to be part of the Para Yoga lineage, which serves as an incredibly rich and endless resource for her practice and her teaching. Mary met Rod Stryker in 2004 and began studying with him in earnest in 2008. She is currently certified as a Level I Para Yoga teacher. Other influential teachers include Donna Farhi, Judith Lasater, Jenny Otto, and Richard Miller. Over the years, Mary has also studied extensively in Yoga Therapy; she works with students individually as well as in group classes to support their healing and empowerment.

Natalie Buchi Voros E-RYT 500

Natalie began practicing Yoga in 2001 and overtime became aware that by bringing deliberate choice and focused attention to her  practice, she could use Yoga to examine resistances and heal wounds which had been limiting her physically and emotionally for years.   Natalie has been studying and teaching Yoga since 2005, exploring many wonderful styles and techniques such as Anusara, Ashtanga Vinyasa, and Restorative Yoga.  Throughout all of her different teacher trainings, which earned her the highest level of certification with the Yoga Alliance, Natalie also studied Kundalini Yoga from several senior teachers and received individual counseling from Gurucharan Singh Kahlsa, Director of the Kundalini Research Institute. She has since gone on to study Kalarippayat, an Indian martial art, where she spent 2 months in Kannur, India immersing herself in the practice.  Natalie is one of the Directors of the Yoga Teacher Training program at The University of Utah and is enthusiastic about her role in providing training to those interested in becoming teachers or deepening their practice. Yoga is such a wonderful way to keep the mind and body in good working order but it also creates space to consider life more comprehensively, more expansively.  Being a highly intuitive person and with the use of several modalities of healing and Yogic traditions, Natalie is able to create a practice that is uniquely transformative. For more information about Natalie and her practice, please visit www.mindfulandembodied.com

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Pati Reiss
Pati has taught dance and qigong for over 25 years. Movement has been a part of her own personal healing, passion and joy, which she shares with her students! Pati has studied in and practices a variety of meditation forms. She is also the founder of The Holistic Gourmet, offering nutrition and food counseling for improving overall health and treating addictions, offering holistic cooking classes, nutrition and sustainable education for the community.
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Paul Overall

Paul has been practicing Yoga since childhood when his parents spent time living in a Siddha Yoga ashram. It was there that he learned the importance of community, and learned to recognize and relate to the best in everyone. A talented musician, Paul combines classical training in violin and guitar with deep learning in Native American flute, drumming and chanting. Don’t be surprised to catch a serenade during savasana! Paul continues to maintain a consistent and devoted Yoga practice, and he draws upon his personal experience of Yoga to construct a thoughtful, safe, and well-rounded class experience.
paulchristopheroverall@gmail.com

Rebecca Rasmussen

Rebecca teaches Expressive Yoga, Booty Camp and Sacred Dance Fusion. A world-class choreographer, Rebecca’s teaching is characterized by graceful, expressive flows, challenging yet graceful combinations, and plenty of bubbly enthusiasm. In addition to her Yoga expertise, Rebecca also teaches Pole Dancing at Studio Soiree and is an award-winning pole choreographer. ~

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Reina Forsythe

I began my yoga practice in college and quickly found it to be the best, most enjoyable path for me to maintain health. I had struggled my whole life with issues of weight and body image. Through yoga I found awareness and balance. I found the connection between my breath, body and mind. I found a way to stop struggling.  I am a certified instructor through InBody Yoga Academy, D’ana Baptiste’s 500 hr Certification Program. I am registered with Yoga Alliance and The International Association of Yoga Therapists. I have further trained in the areas of pre and postnatal yoga, alignment, restorative yoga, and meditation. I have been practicing yoga for over 15 years and teaching for five. I was a data analyst for state government for thirteen years and a certified EMT for the fire department for five years before deciding to switch gears and focus on the proactive side of health.

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Sammy Brown

Sammy has been studying yoga and eastern philosophy since he was 12 years old and has grown up around practicing yoga and meditation.  He has studied such schools as Iyengar, Hatha, Kundalini, Ashtanga Vinyasa and Raja Yoga. Sammy recently spent six months living in Mysore India where he studied Ashtanga Yoga under R. Sharath Jois the grandson of Sri K. Patabbi Jois and is happy to be part of a direct lineage that is traceable to T. Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga, also known as the man who helped bring it out of the caves and make it more accessible to the public. He has also studied under other senior teachers such as Richard Freeman, Richard Miller, and John Friend, Mukunda Styles, and Peter Francyk just to name a few. Sammy has completed a Yoga Therapy course in northern California at the Ananda Seva Ashram and continues to study Ayurveda, alignment, anatomy and both eastern and western philosophy. Sammy is a 500 hour Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Instructor with emphasis in Yoga Therapy and continues to practice daily. Click here to see a video of Sammy doing Surya Namaskar A.

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Shanna Sheline

Before moving from Cleveland, OH to Salt Lake City in June, Shanna Sheline was a professional Modern Dancer for ten years and cultivated a passion for t

eaching. Currently, Shanna teaches Yogalates (a dynamic integration of Yoga and Pilates) at Avenues Yoga. Shanna holds an M.A. in Dance from Case Western Reserve University, the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training from Kripalu Yoga Center and Pilates Mat certification from Power Pilates. Shanna is also a certified Thai Yoga Massage practitioner through Lotus Palm School. Although Shanna turned to Yoga, Pilates and massage in order to become a better dancer, she found that it enhances all other aspects of her life. Sincerely dedicated to integrated practice, Shanna provides a comprehensive experience to her students. She creates a supportive environment that reflects her enthusiasm for the practice and fosters continual improvement and self inquiry.