My yoga instruction is informed by my own creative process as a filmmaker and from my exploration of the therapeutic process from psychoanalytic training. I have learned over and over that truly participating in any formal process of self-exploration leads to transformation whether it be physical, psychological or intellectual. My goal is to engage students of yoga in the dialogue between their conscious and their unconscious selves. It is through that effort that we potentiate ourselves. It is my intention as a teacher to cajole each student in that most rigorous effort to be grounded, to grow upwards, and to open one’s heart in order to create their best self.
Abbie Galvin
I have been working on my yoga practice for over 35 years. It is through the practice that I have found the magic of organic, organized nature. Taoist study has deepened my sense of this inner directional intelligence of the body. Manipulating the form of the body through asanas and refining the measure and meter of the breath through pranayamas, yoga has provided me with tools for my personal and communal growth. Yoga practice promotes the joys of integrity, of virtue, and of honing skills for developed well-being.
Nevine Michaan
Harriet Schreger has been teaching yoga at Katonah Yoga for the past 10 years. Harriet shares her compassion, humor and strength to help her students use yoga to fortify their own lives. Harriet is very hands-on in her classes and her adjustments are as affirming as are her words. Harriet’s classes emphasize structure and alignment and are augmented by references to a philosophy unique to Katonah Yoga.
Harriet Schreger
May has spent her life learning to cultivate both sides of her brain, architecture and computer science, but her true passion was revealed to her in 1996 when she stepped into her first yoga class. She has studied and practiced a variety of yoga styles including Iyengar, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Bikram yoga. However, Nevine Michaan at Katonah Yoga was by far the most intelligent, structured practice that appealed to her inquisitive mind and made her carve her busy schedule starting in 2001 to include regular training for certification. May sees yoga as the absolute union of the physical, spiritual, and intellectual realms that she has spent her life exploring. She brings her love for yoga and boundless energy to her classes.
May Kirk
Gail Greenstein has practiced yoga since 1969 and has taught since 1984. She taught elementary school for twenty years (first grade), is a trained dancer and actress as well as body worker, Tarot reader and leader of spiritual ritual and ceremony.
Gail Greenstein
Tina Sferra, MSPT is a physical therapist specializing in manual therapy, dance medicine, sports medicine, yoga and pilates. She was a SUNY Purchase Dance Major. She received her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from New York Medical College in 2000. She has worked in NYC Dance Medicine at Performing Arts Physical Therapy as the Primary PT for the Lion King at the theatre and has also treated cast members of Chicago, Cabaret, 42nd Street, Swing, Fosse, Radio City Rockettes, Saturday Night Fever, Aida, Kiss Me Kate, A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, David Parsons Dance Company, Sesame Street Live, etc. She currently continues her practice specialty of Dance Medicine with the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. She is a Certified Pilates Instructor through the Physical Mind Institute in NYC (Mat & Standing 2004) & (Pilates Apparatus 2012) and is a Mad Dogg Athletics Certified Spinning Instructor. She has a private practice integrating the traditional physical therapy model with alternative holistic techniques to relieve pain and prevent its recurrence. She incorporates a Functional Manual Therapy approach. With her combined background she has an interest in helping to restore functional performance for all who are experiencing functional limitations and a special interest in helping dancers and athletes restore elite performance back into their lives. She truly bridges the gap with Rehabilitation and Wellness by offering Pilates Apparatus Privates as well as teaching her specialty, Pilates Physioball.
Tina Sferra, MSPT
Gina Sharpe is a co-founder and a Guiding Teacher of New York Insight Meditation Center. She has been studying and practicing meditation in the Zen, Tibetan and Theravada traditions of Buddhism for over 30 years. She trained at the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, is a graduate of the first Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program and is currently mentored by Jack Kornfield. She has taught at New York Insight, Asia Society, Tibet House, the New York Open Center, Hunter College, Mid America Dharma, the Garrison Institute and elsewhere. She has been teaching at the Katonah Yoga Center for more than ten years.
Gina Sharpe
Tracey has been educating people in the art and science of Yoga since 1994. She began her practice 25 years ago but it wasn’t until a car accident in 1989, leaving her with severe spinal injuries, that Tracey learned the practical and profound healing power of Yoga. She received her teacher’s training under the exceptional guidance of Bobbi Goldin, founder of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Miami, first generation Iyengar Yoga teacher and personal friend of Mr. Iyengar. Tracey had studied with Rodney Yee, David Swenson, Bobbi Clennel (1st gen. Iyen.), Joan White (1st gen. Iyen. and director of Teacher Certification Iyengar Assoc. US) and of course, our own Nevine Michaan. A well-rounded class, Tracey incorporates years of study of holistic nutrition, world theology/philosophy and the human body.
Tracey Pagan
Monique Michaels
I began practicing yoga relatively late in life. At 58 menopause was taking its toll. The strength and flexibility I had taken for granted were disappearing. I chose to start
practicing yoga with very little faith or belief. My teachers were either much younger than I, or if they were my age, had been practicing for 30 years. Of course, THEY could do it. But I showed up, and kept showing up. And in showing up, miracles happened, transformation occurred. If you had told me then I would one day be teaching I would have laughed. I’m laughing now. But not for the same reason. I offer myself as an inspiration to anyone who thinks it’s too late to start. Paradoxically it is the most important time to start. Yoga has given me back strength, flexibility and tools for a challenging life. I’m so grateful.
Diane Gershen
Beth Mendoza
In yoga, we work with our whole body. There is unity created when all the different parts participate together at the same time. This is the beauty of yoga.
Yoga has enriched and changed my life for 17 years, inspiring me to become an instructor under my primary teacher Nevine Michaan. My classes focus on the basic tools for yoga. We practice the foundations of alignment and the flow and function of breath. Each time a student comes to the mat, we explore strength, structure, and stability, using a blend of practiced and approaches. My classes are appropriate for all levels.
Lynn Ivey
Danielle's yoga classes are dynamic, informative, and fun! Danielle tends to focus on making the most out of every position while being highly hands-on throughout the practice.
Danielle is passionate about maintaining a strong practice through the entirety of class while at the same keeping the atmosphere light and welcoming. Her attention to detail and passion for Katonah Yoga's method enables Danielle to connect and inspire students of any level.
Danielle Rosati
I came to Katonah Yoga 20 years ago while I was a professional dancer with a rigorous performance schedule and with several dance injuries. Nevine, Abbie and the technique of Katonah Yoga taught me alignment, structure and how to move freely without injury in my dance career. Since retiring as a dancer, Katonah Yoga has helped me through life - physically and spiritually. I love the feeling I get from the classes and from the Katonah Yoga community. I have had the pleasure of assisting Abbie and Nevine through many classes - which allows me to meet and work with many of our students. In my classes I teach the Katonah Yoga technique in a slow, fluid class with a "hands-on" approach that is suitable for beginners and advanced students alike!
Ellen Sirucci
Osi has been a student at Katonah Yoga studying under Nevine for over 20 years. Her teachings draw deeply from the traditions of Kabbala, Kundalini, Shambala, and Ayurveda. Her philosophy stresses the importance of living a life of purpose and intention. while keeping the creative spark lit and being open to self-reinvention. The dialogue between the intimate sphere and larger world is fundamental to Osi’s work helping individuals find balance and vitality. Even as Osi stresses the importance of a simplified life, she lives by the principle of commitment, something she learned by studying yoga and serving as a yoga instructor for more than 13 years. Training students to cultivate their inner beauty and strength is her passion.
Osi attracts students of all ages and ability. Her strength is to bring each student to the edge of their practice.
Osi Mizrahi
Carlos Lu is a devoted yogi and yoga teacher who seeks to inspire others to live a joyful, easeful and graceful life. He has trained extensively with Nevine Michaan, Kia Miller and Abbie Galvin. He obtained his certification in Radiant Body Yoga with Kia Miller in Rishikesh, India. He is grateful to Elena Brower for her teaching mentorship and is studying Tai Ji with Master Chungliang Huang. His classes use the Katonah Magic Square as a map; setting up conditions to receive the blessing of the Asanas, Kriyas, Pranayama, Chants and Mantras, weaving personal narrative threads, applying Taoist principles to open the spaces for organs, Tai Ji movements to become buoyant, and Kundalini Yoga to deepen relaxation and increase awareness, thus awakening to one’s higher bliss nature and living a life of deep presence.
Carlos Lu
A practicing Yogi, for almost a decade, Monique's unique method of teaching drawing from studying the lineages of Iyengar, Ashtanga, Indra Devi and Deskichar and the Katonah Yoga Method, she works from a therapeutic, intuitive and compassionate perspective weaving together a blend of knowledge that is alignment based. Her intention is to create a practice space that is relaxed, informative and welcoming for a beginner to the most advanced yoga practitioner and is thrilled to be part of the Kaonah Yoga Community of teachers. Monique is a E-RYT 500 hour Yoga Alliance Certified Instructor and has a minor in Psychology from Iowa State University. She completed a 200-hour certification program with Natasha Rizopoulos and James Brown and a 300-hour professional program with Jasmine Lieb at Yoga Works, in Los Angeles, CA. She also holds a degree in Yoga Therapy from Loyola Marymount University and studied with Larry Payne. She's completed a Restorative Yoga Teacher Training with Jillian Prasnky in New York, NY and currently studies with Nevine Michaan, Abby Galvin, Beth Mendoza, Harriet Schreger, Melissa French and Kate Bovers at Katonah Yoga.
The Katonah Yoga method is second nature to Eva as she has been apprenticing and working for Nevine for over ten years. Over the last four years she has taught in different parts of the country; encouraging students to use their practice as metaphor to potentiate their wellbeing. Eva's classes are intuitive and nourishing. She utilizes Taoist principles, the qualities of the seasons and her background in plant medicine to inform her teaching. Eva is so grateful and excited to be back and immersed in the Katonah Yoga Community!
Many thanks for Katonah yoga teacher Harriet for her guidance and facilitation in sharing Eva's love of teaching the Katonah Yoga method. And of course Nevine for her endless wisdom, love and support.