Teachers at - Esther Myers Yoga Studio

THE TEACHERS at Esther Myers Yoga Studio
	MONICA VOSS Monica Voss began her yoga studies in 1978 with Esther Myers, trained to teach with Esther, and has been teaching at the Studio since 1981. She came to yoga with a background in drama and movement and has degrees in English Literature and Education. Monica studied with Vanda Scaravelli from 1986-1998. Moving into the poses using the rhythm of the breath and the support of the ground resonates deeply for her and she continues to draw inspiration from Vanda's and Esther's teaching, from the natural world, from complementary modalities, and from interaction and dialogue with students and colleagues. Monica has received additional tutelage from Mary Stewart in London, England, Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten, Edward Espe Brown, and has attended retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh. Monica has taught adults, children, families, special needs students, pre- and post-natal women and students with cancer, in classes and privately. Monica has been training teachers since 1986. In addition to teaching weekly classes in Toronto, she offers workshops, retreats and teacher training in Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica. She co-owns and directs Esther Myers Yoga Studio and its 750-hour Teacher Training Programme and 250-hour Graduate Teachers' Programme with Tama Soble.
	TAMA SOBLE Tama Soble began practising yoga with Esther Myers and Monica Voss in 1984, and is a graduate of the Esther Myers Yoga Studio Teacher Training Programme. She has done additional training with Donna Farhi, Judith Hanson Lasater, Bonnie Bainbridge-Cohen, Thich Nhat Hanh and Edward Espe Brown. She earned an interdisciplinary BFA in dance and theatre from York University, and has trained in Body-Mind Centering, contact improvisation and various other movement techniques. As a professional dancer and choreographer, Tama had the opportunity to tour and teach across Canada, in the United States, in Mexico and New Zealand. She has taught yoga to children, teens, adults, students with cancer, students with anxiety disorders, and individuals with special needs in classes and privately. Her background in movement is a rich source of inspiration for her teaching. She finds the interplay between imagery, breath and the physical experience of the asanas particularly powerful in deepening the mind/body connection. Tama teaches classes, teacher training, advanced teacher seminars, and offers retreats in Ontario, Costa Rica and Italy. She co-owns and directs Esther Myers Yoga Studio and its 750-hour Teacher Training Programme and 250-hour Graduate Teachers' Programme with Monica Voss.
	LAUREN ANASTASI Lauren Anastasi has been practising yoga since 1997 and has been teaching since 2004. She is a recent graduate of the Esther Myers Yoga Studio Teacher Training Programme. Lauren's approach is explorative, grounding, strengthening and fun. She has taught yoga to complete beginners, seniors, children and people with various injuries and health concerns. Lauren holds a in degree in Psychology from York University and volunteers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
	MICHAELA CALDWELL Michaela has combined a career in writing with her love of yoga and wellness. She has a diploma in Wellness and Health Promotion and has studied yoga at Esther Myers Yoga Studio in Toronto since 1998. She completed her teacher training at EMYS in 2003. As the author of The Girls’ Yoga Book, published in March 2005 by Maple Tree Press, Michaela has used her love of teaching yoga, her knowledge of wellness and her writing skills to create a beautiful and unique book for pre-teen girls. Michaela is active in developing her own yoga practice and continues to build her skills in yoga at the Studio. She is involved with the Freeing the Human Spirit organization, which takes yoga and meditation into Ontario’s prison system.
	PAOLA DI PAOLO Paola has been practising yoga since 1984 and has been teaching since 1990. She is certified to teach Hatha Yoga though Esther Myers Yoga Studio and Kundalini Yoga through 3HO. Paola enjoys exploring the dynamic relationship between yoga postures, the breath, and energy. Her particular teaching interest lies in encouraging students to explore their own authentic experience of the postures in order to deepen their practice. Paola is on the faculty of the Teacher Training Programme at Esther Myers Yoga Studio and owns Four Directions Yoga Studio in Keswick, ON.
	ANNDREA LEWIS Anndrea Lewis has been a student of yoga since her early teens. She began studying yoga with Esther Myers in 1999 and continues her studies with Monica Voss. Anndrea is a gradute of the Teacher Training Programme at the Studio. She has been teaching adults, teens and pre-teens in a variety of settings since 2000. As the mother of 3 children, she brings a great deal of patience, love and understanding to teaching children of all ages. Her background in Social Work provides her with a knowledge of developmental stages and strong communication skills. Anndrea is also a Yoga of the Heart teacher, trained by Nischala Joy Devi in 2005 to teach yoga to people with cancer and heart disease.
	MAR JEAN OLSON Playful and exploratory describe Mar Jean's childhood experiences with yoga. Mar Jean met Esther Myers in 1984 and completed the Studio's Teacher Training Programme. The teachings have become a constant in her life, forming a framework for development and inquiry. Mar Jean began teaching at the Studio in 1993, and teaches in a wide variety of settings. She holds a Ph.D. in technical writing and a 3rd-degree black belt in Isshinryu karate.
	EMMA PRENDERGAST Emma Prendergast has been practising yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2004. She has taught in a variety of settings including hospitals, community centers and schools. Emma is a graduate of the Esther Myers Yoga Studiio Teacher Training Programme and continues to further her studies by attending classes and workshops regularly. In addition to her commitment to yoga, Emma is an avid cyclist and holds a degree in Environmental Studies from York University.