Where are you from originally? Chi Town
What brought you to LA? I was living and working in Vegas and ready for a change. The choice was either return to the grind in NYC or give the West Coast a try. A voice saying, “head West young (wo)man…head West” took over. I listened.
What got you into yoga? Mandatory Bikram Yoga class once a week by the rehearsal director of a dance company I danced for in Dallas, TX. I started it, then hated it, then became obsessed. I did Bikram Yoga for 5 years until trying other styles of Yoga!
How long have you been practicing yoga? Since 2005. 10 years!
What is your favorite thing about yoga? That it’s practice not perfection. That it’s a journey not a destination. Helps me to accept who I am, what I am, what I have, as of today so I don’t get caught up in all I DON’T have…all I am NOT.
How did you decide you wanted to teach? This guy named Rumi told me to “let the beauty of what you love be what you do!” When you find a good thing you share it.
Where did you do your teacher training? 200hr Hot Yoga training with VegasHot and 300+ hours with Annie Carpenter at Exhale.
How long have you been teaching? 5 years.
If you weren’t a yoga instructor what would you be? If I could be anything in the world it would be a world class singer! A la Whitney Houston or Celine Dion! Unfortunately, my singing sounds something like a cat in a dryer! Maybe in my next lifetime…
Do you do any other forms of exercise? Lately it’s been Yoga only. For the past 15 years, I’ve danced professionally for my exercise in addition to dance classes, Pilates, Gyrotonics, Physical Therapy training sessions, and late nights on the dance floor at the club. My body needed a break! My workouts now include more mental training including studying, reading meditation and Pranyama.
Do you have any other healthy habits or tips that you want to share? “Eat breakfast like a king. Lunch like a prince. Dinner like a pauper.” I don’t always follow the “dinner like a pauper” advice 😉 but I rarely skimp on breakfast. If I do have to skimp on breakfast, I eat a major lunch. This helped to regulate my metabolism.
What’s one thing you cant leave home without? My damn cell phone!
What book are you currently reading? Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
What do you like most about teaching at sweat? Sweat is a very unique and special Yoga studio. I love our diversity of teachers and our facilities are unparalleled. I mean how good does our studio smell!!! And the owner really pushes our boundaries as instructors to inspire and motivate our students to be be better versions of themselves. One of my favorite things about teaching at Sweat is offering students the space make their own choices about their own bodies. Freedom exits when you have choices. At Sweat we give students so much leeway. So many choices. So much freedom. As teachers we are the facilitators but the students are the experts. I like reminding students of this.
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