Our Teachers

Ellen Forman, RYT500, has been practicing yoga and meditation for over 20 years and teaching since 2003. She completed her first yoga teacher training with Satsang Yoga in Garrison NY and in 2010, traveled to India for a month long immersion to complete a 500 hour certification with The Himalayan Institute. As a teacher she emphasizes positive energy and the profound healings effects of the breath on the mind, body and spirit. Her classes include asana, pranayama, meditation, visualization, working with sound and gentle assisting. She also loves to use inspiring music to support the focus and energy of the class. Through yogic purification, energizing and healing practices, students build core strength and vitality. Ellen is deeply committed to the ancient healing art of yoga as a vehicle to cultivate awareness and restore balance for the individual and the planet, and as a pathway to the conscious evolution of all beings. Through animal advocacy and activism, Ellen uses her voice to awaken others towards compassionate living. To learn more visit her website pranamoonyoga.com.

Ellen teaches Level 1-2 Flow on Sunday mornings at 9:00 and Wednesday evenings at 7:00.

Siri Chand Kaur is a Kundalini Research Institute certified Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan teacher, certified Khalsa Way Pre-Natal Kundalini Yoga teacher, certified Excel and Celebrate Sacred Circle of Women facilitator, a Gong Yoga Therapist and a professional member of the International Kundalini Yoga Teacher's Association. Through the grace of the Adi Mantra and the teachings of the master of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, Siri Chand's classes infuse posture, pranayam, mantra, music, meditation and the sacred sound current of the gong in Kundalini Yoga’s pure form to bring about physical, mental, emotional and spiritual awakening and change. Using heart-centered projection and a love and devotion for serving others, Siri Chand encourages her students to invite the body, mind and soul to ride the energetic wave of Kundalini Yoga, the deep source of energy that connects us to the Earth, through each individuals unique essence!

Visit Siri Chand's website, manymoonsyoga.com, or her Facebook page.

Siri Chand teaches Kundalini yoga on Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm.

Dyanna Kozloski began practicing yoga in 1998 at the Yoga Zone. Inspired by the love of her own practice, she wanted to share the gift of yoga with others. She has been teaching privately and in studios since 2000, and draws her knowledge from Iyengar training, prenatal training from Yoga Works, Yoga Fit, the Satsang tradition accumulated over 500 hours of training from those that have inspired her.

Being a massage therapist allows her to bring in a deeper understanding of the asanas and proper alignment. Her classes ride the rhythm of the breath, to find the fluidity of movement, to unite to body, mind, and spirit. Students in her class are encouraged to explore, observe, and develop a practice to fit their individual needs. She offers wisdom in yogic philosophy to encourage students to bring the lessons of yoga into their everyday lives.

Dyanna offers massage and private yoga in the comforts of your own home and can be reached at dyannamk@gmail.com

Dyanna teaches Level 1-2 Flow on Saturday mornings at 10:30.

Wendy Lindbergh has been enjoying the practice of yoga for over 20 years, and teaching for 7. Her All-Level Vinyasa class is a focused physical exercise woven through with meditative breathing. It is designed to invigorate the body and soothe the mind, drawing both into a deeper rhythm, and into deeper notions of awareness. She is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher, and is currently very happy to be working on her 500-hour certification with Lisa and Charles Matkin.

Wendy teaches Level 1-2 Flow on Tuesday mornings at 9:30.

Leslie Mott began practicing yoga years ago with a picture sheet of a sun salutation and a Bikram book published in 1972. That led to taking classes and a regular practice for a number of years but it wasn't until completing Living Yoga Teacher Training with Liz Schulman and Richard Villella that
she knew she could combine her love of yoga with her love of teaching.

Incorporating  the mind's action, the body's wisdom and the spirit's leading in her teaching, her classes emphasize strength and alignment, using the breath to bring “presence,” and focusing on the detail of asana as well as bringing a larger perspective to a physical, mental, and spiritual practice.

Leslie received her Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and has served communities of faith as teacher, chaplain, counselor, pastor and director.  In addition to being certified as an RYT 200 by the Yoga Alliance, Leslie is also a Focusing Practitioner and currently working on a Certificate in Spiritual Direction.  Visit her website at Incarnatewellness.com

Leslie teaches Level 2 Flow on Monday mornings at 9:30.

Julian Paik is a RYT at the 500-hour level. His trainings include YogaWorks of Santa Monica, CA (Annie Carpenter), Satsang Yoga of Garrison, NY (Charles and Lisa Matkin), and Piedmont Yoga of Oakland, CA (Rodney Yee). He has also recently returned from a 20-month stint in India, where he has practiced under the tutelage of several internationally revered teachers, including Bharath Shetty (Hatha/Sivananda), Sri K Venkatesh (Backbending specialist), and Shashi Kumar (Tibetan Bardo meditation and Osho disciple). Julian is flattered to have had the opportunity to teach for several years, but he will always consider himself a student of the practice. He teaches a playful, uplifting, motivational, and heat-building class with much attention to alignment and isolating moments of dharana (concentration).

Julian teaches Level 2 Flow on Sunday mornings at 10:30am.

Cara Sax, RYT 200, HHC. Cara is a yoga teacher, fitness trainer, and holistic health counselor. She has been in the field of health and healing for almost 30 years. Her love for yoga began 15 years ago and it was a natural progression for her to step into a teaching role. She has completed her 200 hour training with Matkin Yoga. She is also certified in Yoga Trance Dance and Prenatal Yoga. Her passion for learning has led her to explore a variety of trainings including Urban Zen Yoga therapy and Vinyasa Flow with Shiva Rae.

Cara’s Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology gives her a strong foundation and understanding of the physical body when she creates her vinyasa style yoga classes . She believes that everyone should be strong and flexible, and encourages people to find their power; "body, mind and spirit". Her flowing yoga sequences have been called a “moving meditation” by many of her students. Cara’s students also say, “She has a calming energy about her that is contagious”.

Cara teaches Level 1-2 Flow on Friday mornings at 9:30am.

Liz Schulman, E-RYT 500, has been teaching yoga since 1999. She has created Powerflow, a vinyasa class that is crafted using breath-based, organic movement and choreography. Liz encourages each student to build strength, endurance and flexibility safely and with the right mix of respect and patience necessary for this challenging but creative practice. However, she is most inspired by the challenge of making yogic philosophy practical and bringing spirituality into everyday life. Liz has served as Director of Yoga at Monteverde at Old Stone Manor and currently runs the yoga program at The Yoga Co-op at The Garrison. Liz has been training yoga teachers since 2002, first with Lisa and Charles Matkin and currently at studios in both New York and New Jersey. Liz’s new project is the Dharma Deck©, a spiritual teaching tool used to delve deeper into yogic philosophy and it’s modern applications through the process of satsang (spiritual diaglogue).

Liz teaches Level 2-3 Flow on Monday evenings at 7:00pm, Wednesday mornings at 9:30, and Saturday mornings at 9:00.

Courtney Tarpley took her first yoga class in 1989 with Richard Villella and was instantly hooked. In 1993 Courtney graduated from Columbia University and immediately began teaching at Alan Finger’s Yoga. From 1994-1998 Courtney managed the Yoga Zone studios and helped expand the business to five studios. Over the years she has deepened her knowledge of the many branches of yoga and yoga philosophy by studying with Yogiraj Alan Finger, Yogiraj Mani Finger, Yogiraj Rod Stryker, and Richard Villella. Courtney taught classes, workshops, and privates in Manhattan steadily from 1993-2008. In 2008 Courtney decided to take a break from teaching and devote her attention to her three children. As a busy mom with little free time, Courtney teaches yoga from a practical point of view. Her Vinyasa flow classes draw from several styles of yoga and concentrate equally on the body, the breath, and the mind. The goal of each class is to build strength and flexibility in the body and to calm and focus the mind. Courtney made a yoga video with MTV in 1997 and has posed for many fitness and yoga magazines. Courtney was also on the cover of Fit Yoga in December of 2009.

Courtney teaches Level 2-3 Flow on Thursday mornings at 11:00am.

Melissa Tatge, RYT500, has been practicing yoga since 1995 — studying Iyengar, ashtanga and hatha yoga with numerous teachers along the way. Melissa received her 200-hour and 500-hour teaching certifications from Birchwood Center in Nyack, NY, in 2008. Melissa focuses on efficiency and ease of movement, proper foundation and alignment, and the importance of attention to breath in everyday activities. Melissa is certified through the Yoga Alliance.

Melissa teaches Restorative Yoga on Friday evenings twice per month, 7:00-9:00pm. Check the calendar for dates.

Richard Villella, E-RYT 500, graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics and is a former New England Patriot, model and actor. He began teaching yoga in 1985 and co-founded Yoga Zone yoga studios in 1994, which he operated until 1998. During that time Richard directed the teacher training program at Yoga Zone and was voted the best yoga teacher in the United States two years in a row by Allure Magazine. In 2003, Villella was a consultant to the New York Mets during spring training. He was brought in to specifically help their new star shortstop Jose Reyes with recurring hamstring ailments. He now teaches privately in NYC and has built an exclusive clientele comprised of the business and media elite of New York City. Some of his clients include: Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw, ex-New York Knick and ex-Senator Bill Bradley, Candice Bergen, Sydney Pollack, and Gloria Steinem, to name a few. Richard lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife — also a yoga instructor — and three children and is currently working on a book.

Richard teaches Level 2-3 Flow on Sunday evenings at 6:00.