Vinyasa Flow with Lindsey
Strong Flow Level 2 with Alecia
Vinyasa Flow
Vinyasa Flow Level 2 with Sarah
Yoga for Stiff Bodies with Cynthia
Restorative Yoga with Margaret
Vinyasa Flow Level 1 with Lindsey
Vinyasa Flow Level 1 with Analisia
Hatha Yoga Level 1
Yin and Yoga Nidra with Misa
Chair yoga with Cynthia
* Pricing *
At INVIVO, we believe that wellness is for everyone.
We believe in making fitness accessible and functional so that you can embrace an active lifestyle.
Achieving good health and fitness takes practice, consistency, and commitment.
Learn about INVIVO’s Memberships, Class Packages, and Class Pricing.
Check out our VIRTUAL Memberships and Classes, too!
Gentle Yoga
Gentle yoga supports anyone on a healing journey. It’s wonderful for beginners, active agers, those suffering from an injury, or those that prefer a slower-paced class.
Join us to relax, unwind and de-stress while learning/refining the fundamentals of yoga. The class will consist of safe, effective yoga postures, along with basic breathing techniques and savasana.
Suitable for ALL LEVELS. All are welcome.
Paula Tillen
RYT
Paula Tillen - RYT
RYT
Musician and yogi, Paula Tillen became interested in yoga as a child in the 1960’s and loved to flop down in front of the TV to watch and do the moves with Kathleen Hitchcock, the lady who first brought yoga to the attention of Milwaukee Public Television viewers with her show Hatha Yoga. Paula practiced off and on throughout her life, until 2012 when her husband Bob sustained a spinal injury in a car accident.
Since that injury and the subsequent journey through the bowels of the American health care system, Bob found that a consistent Yin yoga practice is the most effective way to manage his chronic pain. This was the inspiration for Paula to become a serious practitioner, and then a teacher of yoga.
After over 40 years as a professional freelance musician, singer, pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer, Paula became a RYT (registered yoga teacher) in 2014, and in 2017, received an additional specialized certification in Yin Yoga from Bernie Clark, one of the originators of Yin Yoga. She is also certified as a meditation teacher and is a level 3 Reiki master practitioner.
While continuing to be in much demand on the Milwaukee music and theatre scene, Paula has also been active as a yoga instructor throughout the Milwaukee area, as well as leading workshops in Yoga for Singers at Carroll University and other locations.
Paula is a great believer in the power of yoga to heal and maintain health and mobility for all people. Yoga is for EVERY BODY!
Paula holds a bachelor’s degree from Carroll College in piano performance.
Q&A with Paula Tillen
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been a teacher my entire life. I started teaching private piano lessons at age 14, and taught high school music for many years. I have been teaching yoga since 2014.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I consider my special area of expertise to be gentle yoga practice for seniors, incorporating elements of Yin, Restorative, and Pranayama.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Age.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect to be welcomed into class, supplied with mat and props they will need, and to receive as much instruction as needed to feel that the first class and subsequent classes are successful and enjoyable. You are always encouraged to try every pose and body shape to the extent that feels right for you.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy? I find the current trend toward inclusion of all body types, including differently-abled people and people of size, as modeled by the teaching and writing of Anna Guest-Jelley, Dianne Bondy, Jessamyn Stanley, and others, to be quite encouraging. I hope to emulate such yogis in making classes welcoming to all shapes and sizes, and knowing how to modify to make every pose accessible to every practitioner.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My ongoing wellness goal is to make healthy nutritional choices every day and work a little bit more cardio into my fitness regime. (More walking!)
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Saint John Cathedral, All Saints Cathedral, Milwaukee Art Museum.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Il Mito Enoteca, Sala Di Pranza, or anywhere that has good sushi and sashimi.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to design and make jewelry, read good fiction, and work in my garden.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. See above, also spend time with my husband and cats.
Cynthia Akey
RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
Cynthia Akey - RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
RYT, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
Yoga Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Wellness Director
Living with painful headaches and joint instability, Cynthia began studying yoga and strength training to improve her own well being in 2003. Wanting to share this same sense of freedom and make yoga accessible to as many people as possible, she received her 200-RYT certification from Feel Your Best (FYB) whose philosophy is the “Person not the Pose.” Upon graduating in 2005, she began teaching a gentle, benefits-oriented teaching style that incorporates Iyengar (alignment), Ashtanga (power), Viniyoga (therapeutic) yoga. Over the last 10+ years, she’s lead alignment-based, accessible yoga classes that balance effort with ease. She encourages conversation, individual discovery as well as ways to personalize the yoga practice. Cynthia’s worked with clients of all fitness levels, abilities, and ages.
Ever inquisitive, she continues her yoga education through personal study, workshops and conferences. She’s certified in Chair Yoga with Stacie Dooreck’s SunLight Yoga and certified in Core Functional Fitness with Hope Zvara. As a certified ACE Personal Trainer, she brings functional movements, postural strength, and healthy range of motion to her yoga classes. As a certified TRX instructor, she enjoys teaching accessible fitness classes on the suspension trainers. As a certified NETA Wellness Coach, she shares ways to add healthy habits and reduce stress in everyday life. She’s also a member of Yoga Alliance.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to teaching, coaching and consulting full time, she worked in corporate marketing and communication departments in several industries for 23 years.
To give back to the yoga community, for the past 10 years she has donated her service and talents at Yoga Journal Conferences around the USA.
Q&A with Cynthia Akey
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005 and practicing since 2003. But I found my first yoga book when I was 13 and started practicing some of the asanas. It opened a whole new world.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in alignment-based practice and have experience teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, chair, yin, vinyasa, corporate, yoga for runners/athletes and yoga for beginners.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came from a place of pain – migraines and joint instability. Being hypermobile, I sought structure and strength and was drawn to Iyengar yoga and its use of props to make it accessible. I am fascinated with intentional energy and breathwork incorporating these into each pose. As I age, my practice continues to evolve to better suit my daily needs.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A student can expect to approach each practice with a beginner’s mind and awaken personal “a-ha” moments. I specialize in uncovering the subtleties of asana, pranayama and meditation. In each class, I encourage discussion and offer moments for individual discovery so that each student may make the practice their own. To ensure classes are accessible, we’ll use props – wall, chairs, bolsters, blocks and straps. Mindful modifications and hands-on adjustments will be provided.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’ve seen a shift from a practice of personal development and self-reflection to one of action and activism. While yogis are here to inspire health and wellness, we can awaken and transform our hearts, minds and community.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I spent the last few years living in a land-locked city in northern California. I really missed Bradford Beach and Lake Michigan. I love to watch the waves and walk on the sand. It’s a great place to meditate and renew my spirit. I missed the seasons too – so it’s great watching the trees leaves change colors.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. So much has changed in the past few years while I have been away. It’s been fun to rediscover the Milwaukee area. I really enjoy Blue’s Egg because breakfast is my favorite meal.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To reduce stress, I visit my “beach” – in person or just visualize it. I like to get some exercise – walking in nature, riding my spin bike, or practicing yoga and pranayama. I’m a fan of old movies and musicals. So a cup of tea and “Hello, Dolly” help me laugh and smile.
Good for:
New to yoga
Relaxation & meditation
Body & breath awareness
Classes:
ALL LEVELS | LEVEL 1
IN-PERSON: Fridays at Noon
Hatha Flow
Come stretch, improve balance, and unwind from your day while discovering your inner and outer strength. Within INVIVO’s Hatha Flow yoga practice, explore the stability and alignment of static yoga asanas (poses) while we blend them with breath-connected flowing sequences.
The difference between Hatha and Vinyasa yoga is the pace and purpose of the practice. Hatha yoga is designed to align and calm your mind, body, and spirit. Vinyasa Flow repeats a series of poses that often involve increasing body heat and building strength. Together it’s an amazing combination.
Andrea Olson
RYT
Andrea Olson - RYT
RYT 200+
Andrea Olson has been a student of yoga for over 15 years. She followed the light she found in yoga through years of practice as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, while also studying other physical and artistic pursuits, including Pilates, martial arts, and music. Andrea Graduated from The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music- Vocal Performance.
Throughout her years of yoga practice, she has studied many styles including Vinyasa Flow, Iyengar, and Ashtanga. Years of practice and very inspirational teachers brought Andrea to want to share the magic of yoga with others. She received her 200hr teacher training certification at Yama Yoga in Milwaukee’s Third Ward in 2014. The teacher training was one of the most transformative life experiences she has ever had. Since graduating from teacher training, Andrea has taught for a number of local studios, as well as for the Sport and Recreation Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
As a yoga teacher, Andrea’s goal is to bring a fresh outlook and provide something for everybody. Because she believes yoga is for everyone, she works to ignite the yoga “spark” in more unlikely yoga students. She seeks to bring something new into every class she teaches, while enlightening students to not only the physical practice but also the spiritual and intellectual elements involved in the complex and beautiful art of Yoga.
Q&A with Andrea Olson
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2014.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in Hatha flow, with experience teaching hot vinyasa, gentle, yin and restorative.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I took bits and pieces from my own experience practicing various styles, using what I like most from each in my own teaching style. To me, an emphasis on alignment is very important, but I also like my class to flow.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. My goal is to make new students feel comfortable, while also challenging them. In my class a new student can expect to be given the tools necessary to really make the most of the class for themselves.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy? It seems that the philosophy of yoga is making its way into lots of other types of fitness and wellness practices. People seem to be waking up to the importance of the mind-body connection in other aspects of life and society and I think that is awesome!
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. I seek balance in my personal life, and my goal is to constantly be working on being a better, healthier version of myself. As a working mom, balance tends to be hard to manage, so my major focus (for myself and my family) has been on healthy eating, regular meditation and personal yoga practice, and staying active however I can.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. It’s hard for me to pick just one! I love the breathtaking views at Atwater Beach.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. This is also a hard one! The first two favorites that come to mind are Alem Ethiopian Village, and EE-Sane.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to dance, sing, and make malas and beaded bracelets in my free time.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Get a massage!
Becky Tesch
RYT
Becky Tesch - RYT
RYT
Mom, artist, mountain biker and yoga teacher Becky Tesch fell in love with yoga because it has a unique quality of working with the mind, body and spirit together.
Savasana was a revelation! She’d never felt that good in her adult life and wanted more. She wanted to know the how and why of it all. She loves YOGA. She keeps learning, studying, loving, growing, and sharing this with her students.
Her teaching can be a strong slow flow, or Yin, but will always incorporate thoughtful noticing of what IS, and using that to cultivate skillful use of a person’s body on and off the mat. She’s passionate about teaching practices people can take into their whole lives, and about people feeling truly good.
She holds a BFA from UW-Milwaukee.
Becky Tesch is available to teach private sessions and corporate yoga.
Q&A with Becky Tesch
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2013.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I teach strong slow flow, Yin, Restorative, meditation, and breathing work.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. old injuries, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), stress, anger
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect a moderatly challenging slow flow that is a balance of stretching and strengthening.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
The trauma sensitive embodiment work is incredible.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Eating better, healing tired wrists, and recovering from insomnia.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. The lakefront.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Plaza cafe, brunch outside.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Mom to my sweet 6 year old! Making recycled art and jewelry! Mountain biking!
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Yoga Nidra, mountain biking, sleeping, watching movies with my kid.
Good for:
Challenging your practice
Building alignment
Discovering strength
Classes:
ALL LEVELS | LEVEL 1
IN-PERSON: Monday at 6:00 pm, Thursdays at 9:30 am
Hatha Yoga
Learn the basics of Hatha Yoga and safely ease your way into a yoga practice. Learn to unite body, mind, breath, and spirit.
Develop body and breath awareness and learn the basic poses (asanas) and proper alignment. You can expect an emphasis on simplicity, repetition, and ease of movement.
Suitable for ALL LEVELS from beginners to those looking for a hatha yoga refresher to those who prefer a slower pace. Modifications provided. Props used.
Misa Schillaci
RYT, Prenatal Yoga Certified
Misa Schillaci - RYT, Prenatal Yoga Certified
Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified Prenatal Yoga Teacher
RYT, Prenatal Yoga Certified
Yoga Instructor
Misa found yoga in 2013 while searching for something gentler than running and to help deal with everyday stress. She found far more than she ever expected beyond the physical practice and immediately dove deeper into yogic studies.
After losing many loved ones including her father, she enrolled in yoga teacher training, and in 2017 completed her 200-hour at Asheville Yoga Center in part to honor her father who taught his entire life and it ended up being a form of therapy.
The gift of yoga transformed her outlook on life, allowed her to heal and to make a deeper spiritual connection which she had been missing her entire life. In giving back, she always holds a safe space for practice and advocates that yoga is for everyone to find and connect to what they need in this moment.
Teaching vinyasa flow in Atlanta, she found the style very meditative while connecting breath and movement, and currently as a new mama she is passionate about and teaches pre/postnatal yoga.
Q&A with Misa Schillaci
Q. How long have you been a teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2017 and practicing since 2013.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I’ve trained in alignment based yoga, or Iyengar and flow-based yoga, or Vinyasa. I am currently furthering my studies in accessible and pre/postnatal yoga practices so I can share yoga with everyone, especially current and future mamas.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came to yoga to destress and find a less physically demanding exercise than running. I found a lot more than I was looking for and connected to the mental and spiritual aspects as well.
My day-to-day living has dictated what type of practice I follow. When I had a long commute and worked many hours, vinyasa flow took me to a meditative state and made me physically stronger.
After I became pregnant I took on a gentler, more restorative and yin style practice, but also continued a slow power flow to maintain strength. I now find a balance between all of these styles.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect to destress via connection to their breath and meditation, to lengthen and strengthen their body with focus on proper alignment, and to be given lots of options to practice what is comfortable for them that day utilizing a variety of props.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. There seems to be a focus on quick fixes and results seen through practices such as CrossFit and Orangetheory. These are great options for those who thrive in a competitive, fast-paced workout environment but may not be sustainable depending on one’s health history, age, nutritional intake, etc. I more so appreciate the rise in popularity of yoga, meditation and gentler, meditative more sustainable practices such as tai chi and qigong.
When it comes to yoga, I am thankful to see that there is currently a larger focus on making yoga work for you and not making you work for yoga. I also appreciate seeing yoga used as a tool in the hospital setting especially relating to pregnancy, labor and delivery, in the prison system and as an overall therapy for a myriad of ailments and situations.
Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. I practice moderation across all aspects of my life and hope to re-establish a regular routine of yoga, meditation, cardio and healthy nutrition, which I lost a connection to due to postpartum complications at the end of last year.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love the peaceful calm of Lake Michigan from Veteran’s Park as well as the view of the Milwaukee River from Invivo’s yoga and fitness studios.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. There are so many great places, many that I haven’t yet tried, but I’ve always enjoyed vegetarian delights at Beerline, lobster at Lakefront Brewery and the inventive southern inspired food at The Original.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Besides yoga, I enjoy running and hiking outdoors, playing volleyball, scrapbooking memories and beading/making malas. My real passion is travel and I am working on visiting all fifty U.S. states and all seven continents.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Anything outside to inhale fresh air and reconnect with my breath.
Emma Koi
RYT
Emma Koi - RYT
RYT
Emma has been teaching yoga since 2010, second to her career as a professional flutist. Yoga is her daily refuge, offering relief from the aches, pains and stress of instrument practice and performance. She teaches Yoga at Invivo Wellness in Milwaukee, and a course in Rhythmic Movement at Carroll University.
Emma is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and received her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification in 2010 through Kanyakumari Yoga and Ayurveda Center in Glendale, Wisconsin. She teaches a yoga practice that is rooted in organic movement, cultivating physical strength, mindfulness and breath awareness.
She holds a Master of Music from Carnegie Mellon University and bachelors degrees in music and dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Emma lives in Milwaukee with her husband and two young children.
Q&A with Emma Koi
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2010.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I teach Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Restorative, Home practice, and Organic movement.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. My introduction to advanced movement practice came as a dance major at UWM, which coincidentally was where I took my first yoga class. After about four years of yoga practice, I pursued a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification through Kanyakumari Ayurveda and Yoga Center in Glendale, WI. I now practice yoga nearly every day in some capacity, whether through pranayama, asana or meditation practice.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. Yoga is accessible to anyone, in any body, at any point of life, and there is no prerequisite to starting a yoga practice! New students can expect a welcoming environment, where a variety of postures and sequences will be offered to open channels of energy in the body.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love to spend time at any one of our lakefront parks. Running, walking, practicing yoga, or just watching the waves roll in!
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I am a long time Beans & Barley devotee, and you can find me at Hawthorne coffee at least once a week.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I am grateful to be able to collaborate with two amazing women artists in the music and dance collaborative ensemble, Cadance Collective. I also run an online magazine featuring interviews with mothers who are visual, performing and literary artists. Lastly, I love spending time in nature with my husband and two children.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Yoga! Honestly, the first place I go when I am stressed is to my mat. And if my mat isn’t near me, I practice wherever I am. Yoga has been an amazing gift that I use every single day. Also, a warm bath with Epsom salts and essential oils does wonders!
Amy Stauffer
RYT
Amy Stauffer - RYT
RYT
Injury is often the road that leads one down the yogic path and Amy Stauffer’s story is not very different. After one of many snowboarding spills, she found herself with a not-quite-broken-but-not-quite-right shoulder issue. She turned to yoga to heal and recover.
There she discovered a new world. It is through the regular practice of yoga, the discipline, and the communication of each movement and moment of a yoga flow that leads to a path of acceptance, of peace, and a letting go.
Her intention in teaching is to lead all of her students to a deep place of understanding themselves, learning and living their true nature, and feeling what needs to be experienced so they can move forward in life.
She became a 200-hour registered Yoga Teacher in 2019 from Inner Light Yoga Studios and is also a Certified Fitness Instructor. She has been teaching a wide variety of yoga class styles in the Milwaukee area since 2018.
Q&A with Amy Stauffer
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2018.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I teach hatha, vinyasa flow and restorative.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Lots of practice!! Finding my strengths in helping my students connect to their psycho-emotional body.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect a carefully themed class with lots of modifications offered. Each time you show up to your mat is a chance to dive inward and find healing in all areas of your life and your body. I invite each of my students to examine areas where they may be stuck, blocked, or needing clarity. I bring a dose of humor and fun to the studio. We don’t always have to be so serious!
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy? Making yoga accessible to everyone! This is so important especially as we all begin to navigate a post-covid era.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My wellness goals are to find time to be still and allow my cup to be filled.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Anywhere with a lake view.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Harbor House.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Besides yoga?! Snowboarding, making amazing meals, and reading.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Rock out, take a bath, meditate, bake a cake…
Paula Tillen
RYT
Paula Tillen - RYT
RYT
Musician and yogi, Paula Tillen became interested in yoga as a child in the 1960’s and loved to flop down in front of the TV to watch and do the moves with Kathleen Hitchcock, the lady who first brought yoga to the attention of Milwaukee Public Television viewers with her show Hatha Yoga. Paula practiced off and on throughout her life, until 2012 when her husband Bob sustained a spinal injury in a car accident.
Since that injury and the subsequent journey through the bowels of the American health care system, Bob found that a consistent Yin yoga practice is the most effective way to manage his chronic pain. This was the inspiration for Paula to become a serious practitioner, and then a teacher of yoga.
After over 40 years as a professional freelance musician, singer, pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer, Paula became a RYT (registered yoga teacher) in 2014, and in 2017, received an additional specialized certification in Yin Yoga from Bernie Clark, one of the originators of Yin Yoga. She is also certified as a meditation teacher and is a level 3 Reiki master practitioner.
While continuing to be in much demand on the Milwaukee music and theatre scene, Paula has also been active as a yoga instructor throughout the Milwaukee area, as well as leading workshops in Yoga for Singers at Carroll University and other locations.
Paula is a great believer in the power of yoga to heal and maintain health and mobility for all people. Yoga is for EVERY BODY!
Paula holds a bachelor’s degree from Carroll College in piano performance.
Q&A with Paula Tillen
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been a teacher my entire life. I started teaching private piano lessons at age 14, and taught high school music for many years. I have been teaching yoga since 2014.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I consider my special area of expertise to be gentle yoga practice for seniors, incorporating elements of Yin, Restorative, and Pranayama.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Age.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect to be welcomed into class, supplied with mat and props they will need, and to receive as much instruction as needed to feel that the first class and subsequent classes are successful and enjoyable. You are always encouraged to try every pose and body shape to the extent that feels right for you.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy? I find the current trend toward inclusion of all body types, including differently-abled people and people of size, as modeled by the teaching and writing of Anna Guest-Jelley, Dianne Bondy, Jessamyn Stanley, and others, to be quite encouraging. I hope to emulate such yogis in making classes welcoming to all shapes and sizes, and knowing how to modify to make every pose accessible to every practitioner.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My ongoing wellness goal is to make healthy nutritional choices every day and work a little bit more cardio into my fitness regime. (More walking!)
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Saint John Cathedral, All Saints Cathedral, Milwaukee Art Museum.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Il Mito Enoteca, Sala Di Pranza, or anywhere that has good sushi and sashimi.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to design and make jewelry, read good fiction, and work in my garden.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. See above, also spend time with my husband and cats.
Robin Holzhauer
RYT
Robin Holzhauer - RYT
RYT
While working as a journalist for a local Illinois paper, Robin Holzhauer was assigned to write a story about the re-emergence of yoga on the fitness scene. The yoga teacher she interviewed was aghast to discover that Robin had never done yoga. Insisting no one can write about yoga without first experiencing it, she invited her to join her class, and Robin’s yoga journey began.
Several years later, another instructor encouraged Robin to get a teaching certification, and the journey progressed. She knows that people come to the mat for different reasons – to heal, to relax, to build strength, to find community, and to look better in jeans. To serve those varying needs, her classes incorporate strength, stretching and balance poses.
Since that first class, she earned her 200-hour yoga certification, a 100-hour trauma-sensitive specialty, and is finishing a 100-hour mind-body recovery specialty, all with the YogaFit.
Robin has practiced and taught on six continents during her career as a U.S. diplomat. She has experimented with Kundalini (thumbs up) and hot yoga (thumbs down) styles. Continuing her yoga studies, she has taken seminars, attended conferences and webinars with Accessible Yoga, Yogaville, and Yoga Journal Live!
Robin holds bachelor’s degrees in English and History from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, a Master’s degree in History from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
Q&A with Robin Holzhauer
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I began teaching yoga in 2006.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I enjoy teaching yoga for beginners and intermediate students and have specialized training in trauma-informed yoga.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. My personal yoga practice reflects my training and where I “am at” physically and emotionally at the moment. Traditionally my practice consisted of 45- to 90-minute sessions that incorporated strength, stretch, and balance phases. I still do that and have added shorter “yoga bites” and a more relaxed style of yoga into my routine to deal with the stress 2020 brought. I find 5 to 15 minutes of breath work or an asana series helps me start the day, or get through a trying day. A virtual group class gives me a sense of “yoga community.”
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. Expect to feel a little uncomfortable because you may not be familiar with terms, poses, or body reactions, but don’t let that stop you. Everyone began in an unfamiliar place. Expect to feel like you are doing it all wrong, but don’t worry. You are doing fine. Expect to learn something new because you will. Expect that you will prefer some styles of yoga more than others and some instructor styles more than others. Experience many to find what you love.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I am happy to see an emphasis on more inclusive yoga – how do we make yoga more accessible to different age groups, abilities, body types, and traditionally underrepresented/marginalized groups. Also, how the yoga instructor and greater yoga community respects personal space and guards against abuse while still allowing for sharing or hands-on adjustments some people want as part of their practice.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. I am trying to incorporate more gratitude in my thoughts and more whole foods into my diet.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot(s) in Milwaukee?
A. The interior of the Basilica and the exterior of the Calatrava addition at the art museum. I also grew up loving the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Kopp’s Frozen Custard. Culver’s Custard as a close second. (Hey, eggs and cream are whole foods.)
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I enjoy reading, writing, and walking.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. I feel I should write “yoga” here. Also, outdoor walks. (And eating Kopp’s custard, of course.)
Heather Eiden
RYT
Heather Eiden - RYT
RYT
Heather Eiden is passionate to facilitate a traditional Hatha Yoga experience for my students. The Yoga Sutras, the Chakras and the Eight Limbs of Yoga are a few of the sources that inspire my yogic teaching.
She feels successful as a yoga instructor when her students feel calm, inwardly focused, and outwardly strong. Teaching yoga is an honor and Heather leads yoga students to understand the authentic teacher that is within them.
Heather holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master’s of Science in Art Education from Concordia University, Milwaukee, WI. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Certification from Feel Your Best in Mequon, WI and holds a Yoga Health Counselor Certificate from Kanyakumari Ayurvedic and Yoga School. Heather continues her yoga studies at the Kripa Iyengar Yoga Foundation in India.
She is also a NAMC Certified Infant/Toddler Teacher and works as a early childhood art educator at Milwaukee Monteessori School.
Heather is also an accomplished contemporary folk artist. She primarily uses clay as a medium of exploration. Her art tiles are like traditional ceramic forms deconstructed into fine art. Heather diplays pieces at various local community venues and shows.
Q&A with Heather Eiden
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in teaching Prenatal Yoga, focusing on the Chakras, approaching yoga practice with a beginner’s mind and Yoga for meditation.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Traveling to India three times to study yoga has lead me to the Iyengar training specifically for ailments.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect yoga poses for meditation, internal action and external stillness, pranayama and good humor. I warm up my yoga class with movements for joints and glands.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. Recent industry trends of smaller classes and private yoga sessions have created a new level of focus that is inward for the practitioner. My current wellness goals are walking and running groups for mutual support.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I go to the Milwaukee River for inspiration.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. My favorite restaurant is Beans and Barley. As an native East Sider, I’ve been going there since high school.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. My favorite things to do are hiking in forests, walking in cities, making clay sculpture and painting stories in my art studio.
Cynthia Akey
RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
Cynthia Akey - RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
RYT, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
Yoga Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Wellness Director
Living with painful headaches and joint instability, Cynthia began studying yoga and strength training to improve her own well being in 2003. Wanting to share this same sense of freedom and make yoga accessible to as many people as possible, she received her 200-RYT certification from Feel Your Best (FYB) whose philosophy is the “Person not the Pose.” Upon graduating in 2005, she began teaching a gentle, benefits-oriented teaching style that incorporates Iyengar (alignment), Ashtanga (power), Viniyoga (therapeutic) yoga. Over the last 10+ years, she’s lead alignment-based, accessible yoga classes that balance effort with ease. She encourages conversation, individual discovery as well as ways to personalize the yoga practice. Cynthia’s worked with clients of all fitness levels, abilities, and ages.
Ever inquisitive, she continues her yoga education through personal study, workshops and conferences. She’s certified in Chair Yoga with Stacie Dooreck’s SunLight Yoga and certified in Core Functional Fitness with Hope Zvara. As a certified ACE Personal Trainer, she brings functional movements, postural strength, and healthy range of motion to her yoga classes. As a certified TRX instructor, she enjoys teaching accessible fitness classes on the suspension trainers. As a certified NETA Wellness Coach, she shares ways to add healthy habits and reduce stress in everyday life. She’s also a member of Yoga Alliance.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to teaching, coaching and consulting full time, she worked in corporate marketing and communication departments in several industries for 23 years.
To give back to the yoga community, for the past 10 years she has donated her service and talents at Yoga Journal Conferences around the USA.
Q&A with Cynthia Akey
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005 and practicing since 2003. But I found my first yoga book when I was 13 and started practicing some of the asanas. It opened a whole new world.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in alignment-based practice and have experience teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, chair, yin, vinyasa, corporate, yoga for runners/athletes and yoga for beginners.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came from a place of pain – migraines and joint instability. Being hypermobile, I sought structure and strength and was drawn to Iyengar yoga and its use of props to make it accessible. I am fascinated with intentional energy and breathwork incorporating these into each pose. As I age, my practice continues to evolve to better suit my daily needs.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A student can expect to approach each practice with a beginner’s mind and awaken personal “a-ha” moments. I specialize in uncovering the subtleties of asana, pranayama and meditation. In each class, I encourage discussion and offer moments for individual discovery so that each student may make the practice their own. To ensure classes are accessible, we’ll use props – wall, chairs, bolsters, blocks and straps. Mindful modifications and hands-on adjustments will be provided.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’ve seen a shift from a practice of personal development and self-reflection to one of action and activism. While yogis are here to inspire health and wellness, we can awaken and transform our hearts, minds and community.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I spent the last few years living in a land-locked city in northern California. I really missed Bradford Beach and Lake Michigan. I love to watch the waves and walk on the sand. It’s a great place to meditate and renew my spirit. I missed the seasons too – so it’s great watching the trees leaves change colors.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. So much has changed in the past few years while I have been away. It’s been fun to rediscover the Milwaukee area. I really enjoy Blue’s Egg because breakfast is my favorite meal.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To reduce stress, I visit my “beach” – in person or just visualize it. I like to get some exercise – walking in nature, riding my spin bike, or practicing yoga and pranayama. I’m a fan of old movies and musicals. So a cup of tea and “Hello, Dolly” help me laugh and smile.
Good for:
New to yoga
Learning alignment
Body & breath awareness
Classes:
ALL LEVELS
LEVEL 1
IN-PERSON: Saturdays at 10:30 am
VIRTUAL: Wednesdays at 5:30 pm
and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
Steel Mace Yoga
Imagine a graceful yoga practice that adds more challenge with the addition of a steel mace. This practice creates more mindfulness in movements and mechanics.
Experience this complete practice for flexibility, mobility, strengthening, creating balance all while connecting the body, mind, and breath.
Start with an unweighted sequence. Progress to using a steel mace.
Work at your own pace. Suitable for everybody.
**Register at least 30 minutes prior to class.**
Robert McDonial
CPT, TRX Level 2 Trainer
Robert McDonial - CPT, TRX Level 2 Trainer
Robert’s fascination with fitness started in the summer before freshman year in high school. That year Robert experienced a rapid growth spurt of six inches. The coaches wanted him to play sports because he was tall but because of his growth spurt he was very uncoordinated. His training started with weight-lifting, running cross country and training with the wrestling team. These activities helped him build movement awareness and increase his size, speed and strength. His training was so successful he went on to be a walk-on player for the University of Illinois football team!
With his degree in Industrial Design, Robert worked for a company designing fitness equipment. He was there for 11 years and came to appreciate that our bodies are the best designed pieces of fitness equipment. He left to attend the National Personal Training Institute. While there, he developed his philosophy, ‘Choose to move well, move often and challenge your body everyday’. His primary training approach uses full body, primal movements with resistance as well as other other unique methods, to help his clients move and feel better.
Q&A with Robert McDonial
Q. How long have you been a personal trainer?
A. I have been a personal trainer/fitness coach for five years. Before becoming a personal trainer, I designed fitness equipment.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in body weight and non-machine based training. You can accomplish strength, endurance and hypertrophy goals with your own body weight. I prefer to use kettlebells, sandbags, superbands, the TRX Suspension Trainer and the Rip Trainer when I do use equipment.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Having designed fitness equipment for 10+ years, I saw how people routinely discarded the equipment shortly after buying it. I also so how people became frustrated waiting for occupied gym equipment and being unable to take the equipment with them while traveling. I quickly realized that there was one piece of equipment, that everyone had: their own body. They just did not know how to use it. I began to learn and teach myself various types of body weight training, so I could show others how to use the ultimate training machine, their own body.
Q. What can a new client expect?
A. A new client can expect to receive a full assessment with an explanation of the findings and a road map for the fulfillment of their needs and goals. Clients will also be challenged to safely step out of there comfort zone.
Q.What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. I like that primal/natural movement is catching on. If you can control your body, then you can control external loads and reduce your chance of injury. I also like that tools such a as kettlebells and sand bags, are starting to get programmed into training regimens.
Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current personal wellness goals are to bulletproof my body from injury and to improve my handstands. I practice primal movement patterns to activate my entire body so I can move well and with intention. I also practice my inversions a little bit everyday.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love being in and around water, so any place along the lakefront is perfect for me. If I had to choose one place, then it would be Atwater park in Shorewood. Not only is it a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the beach below, but the stairs and the walkway are ideal for training.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Having lived in Florida, I love seafood, so I like Screaming Tuna for their sushi. I have heard that the Harbor House has excellent seafood, so I’m going to have to try them out sometime. Occasionally, I will go to Kopps for a burger and custard. You can’t eat perfectly all the time, haha!
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My three favorite things to do are going to auto shows, visiting unique architecture-both residential and commercial, and watching movies at the theater.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
To de-stress, I love to listen to music while taking long walks with my dog.
Sarah Sobel
RYT
Sarah Sobel - RYT
RYT
Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.
The physical practice soon led to a mind-body connection that sparked her interest in the wellness field and inspired her to become a yoga teacher. She earned her 200hr RYT certification in 2018 from Yoga One in Wisconsin.
Her practice also sparked an interest in other fields of health and wellness leading her to enroll in a Dietetics program at Mount Mary University.
Q&A with Sarah Sobel
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. Sarah has been teaching yoga since 2018.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She teaches yoga basics, restorative yoga, gentle flow, and vinyasa yoga.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. From her classes, you can expect intermittent one breath to one-movement cues that draw her students’ attention back to their connection with their breath. Her cues help bring body awareness to help “fire up” or engage specific muscle groups in yogic asanas. She focuses on creative sequencing that is challenging enough to draw you out of your overactive mind while making sure it is still accessible to all bodies and ability levels.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. Intuitive eating is a recent wellness trend I find interesting. It works on forming healthy thoughtful eating habits and focuses on removing the toxic dynamic people can form with their food including diet culture.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current wellness goals revolve around mindfulness and meditation. As a yoga teacher, physical practice comes naturally, but I’ve always struggled with the internal practice. I set aside time every morning to journal and meditate even if my focus is wandering I devote at least 10 minutes to my meditation practice.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. My favorite spot in Milwaukee is the lakefront. Specifically grabbing a coffee or tea at Colectivo and walking my dog around Veterans Park.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I am a bit of a foodie so this is a hard question, but currently, my favorite is either Screaming Tuna or Momo Mee.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My hobbies currently are my yoga practice, baking/cooking, and I’ve recently taken up snowboarding.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. My go-to for de-stressing is getting on my yoga mat and then taking my dog for a walk ending with a lot of puppy cuddles.
Good for:
Body-weight workout
Strength and conditioning
Cardio
Classes:
ALL LEVELS | LEVEL 1
IN-PERSON: Wednesdays at 6:00 pm
Strong Flow
Vinyasa flow links breath and movement promoting mindful harmony of mind, body, and spirit. Energize, strengthen and build heat as you work to refine postures and deepen your connection to your body.
This LEVEL 2 athletic slow flow vinyasa class will challenge you through twisting, balancing, grounding, and back bending sequences. Move mindfully but powerfully and breathing deeply. Modifications are provided.
Alecia Altstaetter
RYT 200
Alecia Altstaetter - RYT 200
Registered Yoga Teacher
As a yoga practitioner for 20+ years, as well as a former choreographer and dancer, Alecia enjoys challenging her students with a creative and varied Vinyasa flow. She considers the needs of each student, ensuring a safe space where all are welcome. She strives to combine the physical and the mental side of yoga, incorporating both into her teaching.
She received her 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training Certificate at Core Essence under the instruction of Shayne Broadwell.
On the weekends, you can often find her performing at ComedySportz or other improv comedy venues around Milwaukee.
Q&A with Alecia Altstaetter
Q. How long have you been a teacher?
A. Alecia has been teaching since 2018. She has been a practicing yogi for over 20 years.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She specializes in power flow.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. She enjoys challenging her edge.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect to hear many cues to build alignment and technique. My goal is to nurture the body as well as the spirit.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. She enjoys focusing on creating themes for each practice.
Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My personal wellness goal is to strengthen the mind/body connection.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. The beer garden at Estabrook Park.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Kawa
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. She enjoys participating in improv comedy, paleo cooking, and hanging out in nature with her kiddos.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To de-stress she listens to podcasts 🙂
Good for:
Challenging your practice
Building strength
Generating heat
Classes:
LEVEL 2
IN-PERSON: Mondays at Noon
Vinyasa Flow Level 1
Vinyasa flow yoga links breath and movement promoting mindful harmony of mind, body, and spirit. Classes focus on the dynamic sequence of flowing yoga postures built around the Sun Salutations, with continued attention to technique and alignment.
Energize, strengthen and build heat as you work to refine postures and deepen your connection to your body. This mindful combination is taught from the heart and offers rhythm and precision.
This class is appropriate for all levels including beginners who are seeking an active practice. Accommodations and modifications are offered throughout the class.
Sarah Sobel
RYT
Sarah Sobel - RYT
RYT
Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.
The physical practice soon led to a mind-body connection that sparked her interest in the wellness field and inspired her to become a yoga teacher. She earned her 200hr RYT certification in 2018 from Yoga One in Wisconsin.
Her practice also sparked an interest in other fields of health and wellness leading her to enroll in a Dietetics program at Mount Mary University.
Q&A with Sarah Sobel
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. Sarah has been teaching yoga since 2018.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She teaches yoga basics, restorative yoga, gentle flow, and vinyasa yoga.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. From her classes, you can expect intermittent one breath to one-movement cues that draw her students’ attention back to their connection with their breath. Her cues help bring body awareness to help “fire up” or engage specific muscle groups in yogic asanas. She focuses on creative sequencing that is challenging enough to draw you out of your overactive mind while making sure it is still accessible to all bodies and ability levels.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. Intuitive eating is a recent wellness trend I find interesting. It works on forming healthy thoughtful eating habits and focuses on removing the toxic dynamic people can form with their food including diet culture.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current wellness goals revolve around mindfulness and meditation. As a yoga teacher, physical practice comes naturally, but I’ve always struggled with the internal practice. I set aside time every morning to journal and meditate even if my focus is wandering I devote at least 10 minutes to my meditation practice.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. My favorite spot in Milwaukee is the lakefront. Specifically grabbing a coffee or tea at Colectivo and walking my dog around Veterans Park.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I am a bit of a foodie so this is a hard question, but currently, my favorite is either Screaming Tuna or Momo Mee.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My hobbies currently are my yoga practice, baking/cooking, and I’ve recently taken up snowboarding.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. My go-to for de-stressing is getting on my yoga mat and then taking my dog for a walk ending with a lot of puppy cuddles.
Analisia White
RYT
Analisia White - RYT
RYT
Analisia was born in Oklahoma and relocated to Texas in high school. She pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design at the University of North Texas.
She graduated in 2017 and quickly found a place in the fashion industry focused on Technical Design. Technical Design is the process of engineering the fit of a garment. She handled an activewear line and this ignited her passion for understanding the movement of the human body.
Analisia relocated to Wisconsin in April of 2020 for her job with Kohl’s Corporate Office. During the pandemic, she worked on growing her yoga knowledge further with her 300-hour certification.
After needing a safe space to process life’s stresses in 2018, Analisia fell in love with yoga. She became 200-hour RYT certified in 2019 so she could share the peace she found with others. She believes that yoga is a healthy alternative to process traumas and hopes to create that same safe space for her students.
Q&A with Analisia White
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since June of 2019 upon graduating from Lifetime Fitness Yoga Teacher Training.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in teaching vinyasa, restorative, and yin yoga for all levels.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I started really enjoying yoga in 2018 when I needed a hobby that promoted my wellness and growth. Since then, I have put that at the forefront of my mind when I teach to students. I prefer vinyasa as it promotes strength and connecting breath to movement.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. New students can expect a safe space to explore the yoga practice. Modifications are always available and students have the option to take what they need, leave what they don’t.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. The industry trend of combining weights with yoga is interesting to me. I love how it has promoted yoga and brought attention to it.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Currently, my wellness goals are to learn and grow my health – physically and mentally. I try to move my body every day for at least 30 minutes and make sure I have a well-rounded diet.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. As I am still fairly new to the area, my current favorite spot is probably walking along the Milwaukee lakefront. I think it’s a gorgeous view.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I love tacos! So right now my favorite spot is Vagabond downtown.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My favorite hobbies are reading, doing yoga, and crafting/sewing.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. I de-stress with meditation or yoga. I also find peace taking long walks with my dog or doing a clay face mask after a long day.
Andrea Olson
RYT
Andrea Olson - RYT
RYT 200+
Andrea Olson has been a student of yoga for over 15 years. She followed the light she found in yoga through years of practice as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, while also studying other physical and artistic pursuits, including Pilates, martial arts, and music. Andrea Graduated from The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music- Vocal Performance.
Throughout her years of yoga practice, she has studied many styles including Vinyasa Flow, Iyengar, and Ashtanga. Years of practice and very inspirational teachers brought Andrea to want to share the magic of yoga with others. She received her 200hr teacher training certification at Yama Yoga in Milwaukee’s Third Ward in 2014. The teacher training was one of the most transformative life experiences she has ever had. Since graduating from teacher training, Andrea has taught for a number of local studios, as well as for the Sport and Recreation Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
As a yoga teacher, Andrea’s goal is to bring a fresh outlook and provide something for everybody. Because she believes yoga is for everyone, she works to ignite the yoga “spark” in more unlikely yoga students. She seeks to bring something new into every class she teaches, while enlightening students to not only the physical practice but also the spiritual and intellectual elements involved in the complex and beautiful art of Yoga.
Q&A with Andrea Olson
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2014.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in Hatha flow, with experience teaching hot vinyasa, gentle, yin and restorative.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I took bits and pieces from my own experience practicing various styles, using what I like most from each in my own teaching style. To me, an emphasis on alignment is very important, but I also like my class to flow.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. My goal is to make new students feel comfortable, while also challenging them. In my class a new student can expect to be given the tools necessary to really make the most of the class for themselves.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy? It seems that the philosophy of yoga is making its way into lots of other types of fitness and wellness practices. People seem to be waking up to the importance of the mind-body connection in other aspects of life and society and I think that is awesome!
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. I seek balance in my personal life, and my goal is to constantly be working on being a better, healthier version of myself. As a working mom, balance tends to be hard to manage, so my major focus (for myself and my family) has been on healthy eating, regular meditation and personal yoga practice, and staying active however I can.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. It’s hard for me to pick just one! I love the breathtaking views at Atwater Beach.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. This is also a hard one! The first two favorites that come to mind are Alem Ethiopian Village, and EE-Sane.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to dance, sing, and make malas and beaded bracelets in my free time.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Get a massage!
Lindsey Ruenger
RYT
Lindsey Ruenger - RYT
RYT
Yoga Instructor
A Wisconsin native, Lindsey Ruenger has been teaching yoga since becoming certified in 2018. With a background in dance, she felt naturally drawn to the practice of yoga. Her exploration as a teacher has brought her a sense of overwhelming purpose. She finds it a gift to be able to offer students a safe space to let go and find ease in movement.
But even as a teacher, she sees herself as a student – always learning and exploring the practice with open eyes. You can expect her classes to be fluid, dynamic and strengthening with an emphasis on breath. In addition to yoga, Lindsey currently teaches mindfulness practices and dances professionally.
Q&A with Lindsey Ruenger
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since getting certified in summer 2018. However, I have taught dance and fitness classes since 2011.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I love teaching all styles of yoga but have a core understanding in Hatha.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I began practicing yoga throughout my dance career, explored different styles and landed on Hatha yoga during my teacher training. But, my personal practice looks different every day. I really try to listen to my body and its needs physically, mentally and spiritually. Sometimes this can result in a rigorous flow, and sometimes a meditation or restorative practice.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. Students can expect my classes to be easeful and flowing while also strengthening and dynamic. Most importantly, I prioritize connecting the movement to breath.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’m a big advocate for kids yoga and meditation. I really believe children need it because they can internalize stress and tough emotions in the same way that adults do. I also have been involved with teaching yoga at outdoor festivals, a trend I’ve been seeing bloom over the last few years. I think bringing people together to connect with nature, each other and themselves is so rewarding. It really makes for a fun and vibrant experience.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current wellness goals are to maintain a healthy, balanced diet while continuing to move my body in a variety of ways (yoga, pilates, circuit training, etc.). Most recently, I am working on building a consistent daily meditation practice. I also have chronic pain and tightness in my shoulders so an at-home yoga practice with lots of heart openers is very needed!
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Three Bridges Park. I performed there once and it has a special place in my heart.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Too many places to choose! – EE Sane, Maharaja, Thai Kitchen
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Aside from yoga, I love to dance, travel and spend time with my family, friends and hateful cat 🙂
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Practice yoga, mindfulness/meditation, take long walks or enjoy a glass of wine with cheese
Kathleen Keegan
RYT, Barre Certified
Kathleen Keegan - RYT, Barre Certified
RYT
Kathleen Keegan was first introduced to yoga through her mom and the local PBS channel in Milwaukee. She practiced in front of the TV at a young age, feeling calm rush over her despite the craziness around her. Years later, yoga again brought her calm during difficult times. While practicing at a local studio, she began to see the effects of yoga on her mind, body, and well-being.
She completed a 200+ hour certification to teach yoga through Feel Your Best (FYB)Yoga and is aligned FYB philosophy, “the person, not the pose(TM), emphasizing that yoga is for EVERYONE. The knowledge of anatomy, modifications, and props she received, along with a sense of humor and attention to alignment, earned me a spot on the FYB Yoga Teacher Training faculty for 3 years.
Recently Kathleen’s taught at studios in the Milwaukee area, owned a yoga studio for 5 years, and worked and volunteered on staff for Yoga Journal for 15+ years. She expresses her thanks and gratitude to all the teachers who have shared and taught her yoga over the years. They helped her become aware of what is within herself that had been previously forgotten or never experienced.
Currently, she teaches Corporate Yoga and has presented at A Yoga Vacation to Jamaica for the past 4 years!
When not teaching yoga, Kathleen enjoys traveling, baking bread, being creative, outdoor activities and event planning.
Kathleen’s style of teaching yoga is a “slow flow,” meditation-inmotion, using the breath as a guide. Classes can be as gentle or as active as each student would like, as she provides suggestions to both modify and challenge based on individual needs. She invites you to come with her on this journey to see and feel the amazing benefits yoga has to offer!
Kathleen (Bump) Keegan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Cardinal Stritch University.
Q&A with Kathleen Keegan
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2003 and practicing since the 1980s.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in a mindful alignment-based yoga and am experienced in teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, yin, vinyasa, corporate, and yoga for beginners.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came to my current style of yoga practive with a need for calm and mindful movement along with meditation support.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect a class catered to them including use of props, modifications for their ability and needs.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. The effects of body memory and how yoga and mindfulness can help.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Eating mindfully and locally along with practicing meditation and being present.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Milwaukee has beautiful places everywhere – to seek them out & enjoy each one.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Milwaukee has beautiful places everywhere – to seek them out & enjoy each one.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Travel, Nature, Live & Love Life.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Meditate and enjoy time in nature.
Good for:
Challenging your practice
Building strength
Generating heat
Classes:
LEVEL 1
VIRTUAL: Sundays at 11:30 am
IN-PERSON: Tuesdays at 7:00 pm
Vinyasa Flow Level 2
Vinyasa flow yoga links breath and movement promoting mindful harmony of mind, body, and spirit. Classes will focus on the dynamic sequence of flowing yoga postures built around the Sun Salutations, with continued attention to technique and alignment.
Energize, strengthen and build heat as you work to refine postures and deepen your connection to your body. This mindful combination is taught from the heart and offers rhythm and precision.
This class is appropriate for advanced practitioners who are seeking a more active practice. Accommodations and modifications are offered throughout class.
Analisia White
RYT
Analisia White - RYT
RYT
Analisia was born in Oklahoma and relocated to Texas in high school. She pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design at the University of North Texas.
She graduated in 2017 and quickly found a place in the fashion industry focused on Technical Design. Technical Design is the process of engineering the fit of a garment. She handled an activewear line and this ignited her passion for understanding the movement of the human body.
Analisia relocated to Wisconsin in April of 2020 for her job with Kohl’s Corporate Office. During the pandemic, she worked on growing her yoga knowledge further with her 300-hour certification.
After needing a safe space to process life’s stresses in 2018, Analisia fell in love with yoga. She became 200-hour RYT certified in 2019 so she could share the peace she found with others. She believes that yoga is a healthy alternative to process traumas and hopes to create that same safe space for her students.
Q&A with Analisia White
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since June of 2019 upon graduating from Lifetime Fitness Yoga Teacher Training.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in teaching vinyasa, restorative, and yin yoga for all levels.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I started really enjoying yoga in 2018 when I needed a hobby that promoted my wellness and growth. Since then, I have put that at the forefront of my mind when I teach to students. I prefer vinyasa as it promotes strength and connecting breath to movement.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. New students can expect a safe space to explore the yoga practice. Modifications are always available and students have the option to take what they need, leave what they don’t.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. The industry trend of combining weights with yoga is interesting to me. I love how it has promoted yoga and brought attention to it.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Currently, my wellness goals are to learn and grow my health – physically and mentally. I try to move my body every day for at least 30 minutes and make sure I have a well-rounded diet.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. As I am still fairly new to the area, my current favorite spot is probably walking along the Milwaukee lakefront. I think it’s a gorgeous view.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I love tacos! So right now my favorite spot is Vagabond downtown.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My favorite hobbies are reading, doing yoga, and crafting/sewing.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. I de-stress with meditation or yoga. I also find peace taking long walks with my dog or doing a clay face mask after a long day.
Sarah Sobel
RYT
Sarah Sobel - RYT
RYT
Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.
The physical practice soon led to a mind-body connection that sparked her interest in the wellness field and inspired her to become a yoga teacher. She earned her 200hr RYT certification in 2018 from Yoga One in Wisconsin.
Her practice also sparked an interest in other fields of health and wellness leading her to enroll in a Dietetics program at Mount Mary University.
Q&A with Sarah Sobel
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. Sarah has been teaching yoga since 2018.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She teaches yoga basics, restorative yoga, gentle flow, and vinyasa yoga.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Sarah Sobel’s first introduction to yoga came from looking for a physical practice that she could do while suffering from asthma attacks and vocal chord dysfunction. She was drawn in by the way yoga integrates breath into the physical practice and connects your body to your breath and vice versa.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. From her classes, you can expect intermittent one breath to one-movement cues that draw her students’ attention back to their connection with their breath. Her cues help bring body awareness to help “fire up” or engage specific muscle groups in yogic asanas. She focuses on creative sequencing that is challenging enough to draw you out of your overactive mind while making sure it is still accessible to all bodies and ability levels.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. Intuitive eating is a recent wellness trend I find interesting. It works on forming healthy thoughtful eating habits and focuses on removing the toxic dynamic people can form with their food including diet culture.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current wellness goals revolve around mindfulness and meditation. As a yoga teacher, physical practice comes naturally, but I’ve always struggled with the internal practice. I set aside time every morning to journal and meditate even if my focus is wandering I devote at least 10 minutes to my meditation practice.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. My favorite spot in Milwaukee is the lakefront. Specifically grabbing a coffee or tea at Colectivo and walking my dog around Veterans Park.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I am a bit of a foodie so this is a hard question, but currently, my favorite is either Screaming Tuna or Momo Mee.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. My hobbies currently are my yoga practice, baking/cooking, and I’ve recently taken up snowboarding.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. My go-to for de-stressing is getting on my yoga mat and then taking my dog for a walk ending with a lot of puppy cuddles.
Margaret Teshner
RYT
Margaret Teshner - RYT
RYT
Margaret Teshner has dabbled in creative pursuits, working with children, and social work throughout the years. She is passionate about integrating mental health and spirituality, so people from all walks of life can find a healing path that works for them.
Margaret holds a 200-hour yoga certification with an emphasis in Integrative Yoga Therapy. She believes that without darkness there is no light, and balance allows us all to move and act from a place of inner strength and wisdom.
Margaret holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from Viterbo University with emphases in Theatre, Music, and Psychology.
Q&A with Margaret Teshner
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. Margaret has been teaching yoga since August 2020.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. She teaches yoga basics, restorative yoga, gentle yoga, hatha yoga, and integrative yoga therapy styles.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. Margaret found yoga when she was struggling with her own mental health. Practicing yoga has continued to help her throughout all life challenges and new beginnings.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. New students can expect to experience a self-care yoga practice that is a mixture of yin, hatha, restorative, slow flow, meditation and mudras (hand postures).
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Her current wellness goals are to be as healthy as she can so her body can move freely in the world with ease.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. There are so many beautiful spots, but she love’s walking her dog through Reservoir Park overlooking the city and river.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. I can’t say I have a favorite, but I did venture over to O’Lydia’s multiple times during the pandemic.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Sing, create, play.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To de-stress, I meditate, talk with mentors, read a book outside, play with animals, and laugh…lots of laughter.
Good for:
Challenging your practice
Building strength
Generating heat
Classes:
LEVEL 2
VIRTUAL: Saturdays at 9:30 am
Yin & Yoga Nidra
A quietly powerful practice for deep release of physical and mental tensions. Class begins with a series of seated Yin Yoga poses with a focus on relaxing the muscles in order to gain deeper access to the joints and connective tissues. Our Yin practice focuses on increasing flexibility and range of motion, strengthening the joints and connective tissues, and decreasing deeply held physical tension.
Relax and refocus. We close with the practice of Yoga Nidra, a systematic process of deeply relaxing the mind. Benefits of Yoga Nidra can include reduced stress, improved sleep, and an overall sense of well-being.
Misa Schillaci
RYT, Prenatal Yoga Certified
Misa Schillaci - RYT, Prenatal Yoga Certified
Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified Prenatal Yoga Teacher
RYT, Prenatal Yoga Certified
Yoga Instructor
Misa found yoga in 2013 while searching for something gentler than running and to help deal with everyday stress. She found far more than she ever expected beyond the physical practice and immediately dove deeper into yogic studies.
After losing many loved ones including her father, she enrolled in yoga teacher training, and in 2017 completed her 200-hour at Asheville Yoga Center in part to honor her father who taught his entire life and it ended up being a form of therapy.
The gift of yoga transformed her outlook on life, allowed her to heal and to make a deeper spiritual connection which she had been missing her entire life. In giving back, she always holds a safe space for practice and advocates that yoga is for everyone to find and connect to what they need in this moment.
Teaching vinyasa flow in Atlanta, she found the style very meditative while connecting breath and movement, and currently as a new mama she is passionate about and teaches pre/postnatal yoga.
Q&A with Misa Schillaci
Q. How long have you been a teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2017 and practicing since 2013.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I’ve trained in alignment based yoga, or Iyengar and flow-based yoga, or Vinyasa. I am currently furthering my studies in accessible and pre/postnatal yoga practices so I can share yoga with everyone, especially current and future mamas.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came to yoga to destress and find a less physically demanding exercise than running. I found a lot more than I was looking for and connected to the mental and spiritual aspects as well.
My day-to-day living has dictated what type of practice I follow. When I had a long commute and worked many hours, vinyasa flow took me to a meditative state and made me physically stronger.
After I became pregnant I took on a gentler, more restorative and yin style practice, but also continued a slow power flow to maintain strength. I now find a balance between all of these styles.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student can expect to destress via connection to their breath and meditation, to lengthen and strengthen their body with focus on proper alignment, and to be given lots of options to practice what is comfortable for them that day utilizing a variety of props.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. There seems to be a focus on quick fixes and results seen through practices such as CrossFit and Orangetheory. These are great options for those who thrive in a competitive, fast-paced workout environment but may not be sustainable depending on one’s health history, age, nutritional intake, etc. I more so appreciate the rise in popularity of yoga, meditation and gentler, meditative more sustainable practices such as tai chi and qigong.
When it comes to yoga, I am thankful to see that there is currently a larger focus on making yoga work for you and not making you work for yoga. I also appreciate seeing yoga used as a tool in the hospital setting especially relating to pregnancy, labor and delivery, in the prison system and as an overall therapy for a myriad of ailments and situations.
Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. I practice moderation across all aspects of my life and hope to re-establish a regular routine of yoga, meditation, cardio and healthy nutrition, which I lost a connection to due to postpartum complications at the end of last year.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I love the peaceful calm of Lake Michigan from Veteran’s Park as well as the view of the Milwaukee River from Invivo’s yoga and fitness studios.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. There are so many great places, many that I haven’t yet tried, but I’ve always enjoyed vegetarian delights at Beerline, lobster at Lakefront Brewery and the inventive southern inspired food at The Original.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Besides yoga, I enjoy running and hiking outdoors, playing volleyball, scrapbooking memories and beading/making malas. My real passion is travel and I am working on visiting all fifty U.S. states and all seven continents.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Anything outside to inhale fresh air and reconnect with my breath.
Cynthia Akey
RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
Cynthia Akey - RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
RYT, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
Yoga Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Wellness Director
Living with painful headaches and joint instability, Cynthia began studying yoga and strength training to improve her own well being in 2003. Wanting to share this same sense of freedom and make yoga accessible to as many people as possible, she received her 200-RYT certification from Feel Your Best (FYB) whose philosophy is the “Person not the Pose.” Upon graduating in 2005, she began teaching a gentle, benefits-oriented teaching style that incorporates Iyengar (alignment), Ashtanga (power), Viniyoga (therapeutic) yoga. Over the last 10+ years, she’s lead alignment-based, accessible yoga classes that balance effort with ease. She encourages conversation, individual discovery as well as ways to personalize the yoga practice. Cynthia’s worked with clients of all fitness levels, abilities, and ages.
Ever inquisitive, she continues her yoga education through personal study, workshops and conferences. She’s certified in Chair Yoga with Stacie Dooreck’s SunLight Yoga and certified in Core Functional Fitness with Hope Zvara. As a certified ACE Personal Trainer, she brings functional movements, postural strength, and healthy range of motion to her yoga classes. As a certified TRX instructor, she enjoys teaching accessible fitness classes on the suspension trainers. As a certified NETA Wellness Coach, she shares ways to add healthy habits and reduce stress in everyday life. She’s also a member of Yoga Alliance.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to teaching, coaching and consulting full time, she worked in corporate marketing and communication departments in several industries for 23 years.
To give back to the yoga community, for the past 10 years she has donated her service and talents at Yoga Journal Conferences around the USA.
Q&A with Cynthia Akey
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005 and practicing since 2003. But I found my first yoga book when I was 13 and started practicing some of the asanas. It opened a whole new world.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in alignment-based practice and have experience teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, chair, yin, vinyasa, corporate, yoga for runners/athletes and yoga for beginners.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came from a place of pain – migraines and joint instability. Being hypermobile, I sought structure and strength and was drawn to Iyengar yoga and its use of props to make it accessible. I am fascinated with intentional energy and breathwork incorporating these into each pose. As I age, my practice continues to evolve to better suit my daily needs.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A student can expect to approach each practice with a beginner’s mind and awaken personal “a-ha” moments. I specialize in uncovering the subtleties of asana, pranayama and meditation. In each class, I encourage discussion and offer moments for individual discovery so that each student may make the practice their own. To ensure classes are accessible, we’ll use props – wall, chairs, bolsters, blocks and straps. Mindful modifications and hands-on adjustments will be provided.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’ve seen a shift from a practice of personal development and self-reflection to one of action and activism. While yogis are here to inspire health and wellness, we can awaken and transform our hearts, minds and community.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I spent the last few years living in a land-locked city in northern California. I really missed Bradford Beach and Lake Michigan. I love to watch the waves and walk on the sand. It’s a great place to meditate and renew my spirit. I missed the seasons too – so it’s great watching the trees leaves change colors.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. So much has changed in the past few years while I have been away. It’s been fun to rediscover the Milwaukee area. I really enjoy Blue’s Egg because breakfast is my favorite meal.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To reduce stress, I visit my “beach” – in person or just visualize it. I like to get some exercise – walking in nature, riding my spin bike, or practicing yoga and pranayama. I’m a fan of old movies and musicals. So a cup of tea and “Hello, Dolly” help me laugh and smile.
Good for:
Stress reduction
Improved sleep
Deep release of physical and mental tensions
Classes:
ALL LEVELS | LEVEL 1
IN-PERSON: Mondays: 6:45 pm | May - Mondays at 7 pm.
Yoga for Body, Mind and Spirit
This class includes an equal blend of warm ups, postures, breath technique, meditation and deep relaxation. The focus in the postures will be alignment, encouraging students to completely embody their practice from head to toe in present moment awareness. By integrating the subtle and physical systems of the body, mind and breath, the practice promotes well-being and encourages students to seek balance both on and off the mat.
Biz Casmer
PYT, RYT, ACE-CGFI
Biz Casmer - PYT, RYT, ACE-CGFI
Professional Yoga Therapist and Registered Yoga Teacher
Biz has been teaching yoga since 2006 and practicing since she was a freshman in college. She enjoys dedicating her time and energy to sharing yoga with her students.
Biz is a Professional Yoga Therapist (PYT-800 hour) and a Registered Yoga Teacher (e-RYT) through Integrative Yoga Therapy and the Yoga Alliance. She is also a certified Pre and Post Natal Yoga Instructor through Global Yoga Center in Chicago and a Certified Group Fitness Instructor through the America Council on Exercise (ACE).
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Advertising and a minor in Spanish from the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, MN. Prior to teaching yoga full time, Biz worked in the fast-paced advertising world. Loved it, but she let it go to focus her energy on helping people get closer to their true self through the practice of yoga.
In addition to practicing and teaching yoga, Biz enjoys walking and running, spending time with her husband and two dogs, traveling, cooking, gardening and partaking in just about any activity outside when the weather is warm!
Biz specializes in Yoga Therapy for stress management, back care, chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s Disease, female fertility and pre/post-natal care.
If you are interested in working with Biz for private Yoga Therapy, please visit the front desk to schedule a consultation or email her directly at biz@invivowellness.com.
Q&A with Biz Casmer
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2006 and practicing since I was a freshman in college.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in Yoga Therapy for stress management, back care, chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s Disease, female fertility and pre/post-natal care.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I began my yoga journey in a health club and practiced “competitive yoga”! Because of my overly flexible body, I ended up injuring myself and learned to love the therapeutic aspects of yoga instead. This changed my personal practice as well as the practice that I share with my students. I understand the importance of energizing and heating our body, but like to balance that with fluid movements to keep our mind and body mobile and hopefully free from injuries.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A new student to my group classes can expect a balanced class including body scans/awareness, breath, energy-body work (mudras/chakras), core work, a theme of some sort and definitely meditation. A private yoga or yoga therapy client can expect the same – just catered specifically to their special needs/injury/illness.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. Not recent, but as of late I have been very connected to the nutritional side of healing.Through the guidance of nutritionists, body-workers and friends I have been changing my personal eating habits and working really hard to cleanse my system. I have been sharing this with my group classes and private clients by leading yoga practices that cleanse different systems and organs in our body. I am finding that complimenting yoga with nutritional cleansing has been incredibly helpful for me and I love sharing what I have learned with my students.
Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My personal wellness goals are to continue to find balance between work, family/friends, my personal time and my yoga/meditation practice. This will be a lifelong journey/wellness goal!
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. Anywhere along the lakefront. I love being near the water and we are so blessed to have such a beautiful lake in our city!
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. Juniper 61. It is a walk from my house and somewhere that my husband and I like to go to get a good meal and unwind.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Spend time with my husband and 2 pups, move – either yoga, walking or running and travel to new places.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. Run, walk, meditate or enjoy an at-home yoga practice. Or – watch HGTV…for as long as humanly possible.
Note: The yoga therapy components of our teaching are based on our Professional Yoga Therapy Certification through Integrative Yoga Therapy [non-YAR credential or other qualification], not derived from our status as an [RYT/E-RYT] with Yoga Alliance Registry.
Good for:
Mind-body awareness
Relaxation
Meditation
Quieting the mind
Classes:
ALL LEVELS
LEVEL 1
IN-PERSON - Thursdays: 12:00 pm (Returning in October!)
Yoga for Stiff Bodies
Are you a runner, weekend warrior, cyclist, or someone who struggles to touch your toes? Join us for an accessible yoga class that is dedicated to movements and postures that target low back, hips, quads, hamstrings, back, neck and shoulders.
Using the wall, floor, and multiple props, we will open and stretch tight muscles. Discover how to rejuvenate your joints, reduce the aches and pains of daily life, and explore self-care recovery skills.
All are welcome. This is a great class for first-time yoga students. No previous yoga experience or flexibility is required. Come with an open mind and discover a new you.
When this class meets in person, the first week of each month’s practice is Chair Yoga. Experience a self-care practice of flowing yoga movements and breathing techniques – all from the comfort of a chair!
Cynthia Akey
RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
Cynthia Akey - RYT, Personal Trainer, TRX Trainer, Wellness Director
RYT, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
Yoga Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Wellness Director
Living with painful headaches and joint instability, Cynthia began studying yoga and strength training to improve her own well being in 2003. Wanting to share this same sense of freedom and make yoga accessible to as many people as possible, she received her 200-RYT certification from Feel Your Best (FYB) whose philosophy is the “Person not the Pose.” Upon graduating in 2005, she began teaching a gentle, benefits-oriented teaching style that incorporates Iyengar (alignment), Ashtanga (power), Viniyoga (therapeutic) yoga. Over the last 10+ years, she’s lead alignment-based, accessible yoga classes that balance effort with ease. She encourages conversation, individual discovery as well as ways to personalize the yoga practice. Cynthia’s worked with clients of all fitness levels, abilities, and ages.
Ever inquisitive, she continues her yoga education through personal study, workshops and conferences. She’s certified in Chair Yoga with Stacie Dooreck’s SunLight Yoga and certified in Core Functional Fitness with Hope Zvara. As a certified ACE Personal Trainer, she brings functional movements, postural strength, and healthy range of motion to her yoga classes. As a certified TRX instructor, she enjoys teaching accessible fitness classes on the suspension trainers. As a certified NETA Wellness Coach, she shares ways to add healthy habits and reduce stress in everyday life. She’s also a member of Yoga Alliance.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to teaching, coaching and consulting full time, she worked in corporate marketing and communication departments in several industries for 23 years.
To give back to the yoga community, for the past 10 years she has donated her service and talents at Yoga Journal Conferences around the USA.
Q&A with Cynthia Akey
Q. How long have you been a yoga teacher?
A. I have been teaching yoga since 2005 and practicing since 2003. But I found my first yoga book when I was 13 and started practicing some of the asanas. It opened a whole new world.
Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. I specialize in alignment-based practice and have experience teaching gentle, therapeutic, restorative, chair, yin, vinyasa, corporate, yoga for runners/athletes and yoga for beginners.
Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. I came from a place of pain – migraines and joint instability. Being hypermobile, I sought structure and strength and was drawn to Iyengar yoga and its use of props to make it accessible. I am fascinated with intentional energy and breathwork incorporating these into each pose. As I age, my practice continues to evolve to better suit my daily needs.
Q. What can a new student expect?
A. A student can expect to approach each practice with a beginner’s mind and awaken personal “a-ha” moments. I specialize in uncovering the subtleties of asana, pranayama and meditation. In each class, I encourage discussion and offer moments for individual discovery so that each student may make the practice their own. To ensure classes are accessible, we’ll use props – wall, chairs, bolsters, blocks and straps. Mindful modifications and hands-on adjustments will be provided.
Q. What recent industry trends have you found noteworthy?
A. I’ve seen a shift from a practice of personal development and self-reflection to one of action and activism. While yogis are here to inspire health and wellness, we can awaken and transform our hearts, minds and community.
Q. What are your current wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. Balancing work and life. Too often we overextend ourselves to do more. Currently, I’m focused on mantra, meditation, pranayama, making time for reflection and some quality sleep.
Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I spent the last few years living in a land-locked city in northern California. I really missed Bradford Beach and Lake Michigan. I love to watch the waves and walk on the sand. It’s a great place to meditate and renew my spirit. I missed the seasons too – so it’s great watching the trees leaves change colors.
Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. So much has changed in the past few years while I have been away. It’s been fun to rediscover the Milwaukee area. I really enjoy Blue’s Egg because breakfast is my favorite meal.
Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. I love to travel with my husband, spend time with my cat who behaves like a dog, and learn anything. I also enjoy being creative – with food, jewelry, graphic design, and event planning.
Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. To reduce stress, I visit my “beach” – in person or just visualize it. I like to get some exercise – walking in nature, riding my spin bike, or practicing yoga and pranayama. I’m a fan of old movies and musicals. So a cup of tea and “Hello, Dolly” help me laugh and smile.
Good for:
Tight muscle
aches and pains
Reducing stress
Classes:
ALL LEVELS
IN-PERSON - Tuesdays at 6:00 pm and Wednesdays at 12:30 pm
Yoga
Our Milwaukee yoga classes offer the tools to help you achieve a high state of focused performance and wellness. From beginner to advanced yoga classes, we offer a variety of styles and levels to keep your practice inspired, balanced and challenged.
Hours
Mon: 9 am-8 pm
Tue: 9 am-8 pm
Wed: Noon - 6 pm
Thurs: 9 am-7 pm
Fri: 9 am-5 pm
Sat: 9 am-3 pm
Sun: Closed
2060 N. Humboldt Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53212 | Map
ph: 414-265-5606 | fax: 414-265-5649 | info@invivowellness.com
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