Instructors
Photo by Amanda Marie Mason
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Dev Atma LaPlante: Dev Atma began his practice of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation in 1985. After several years of study at the Sat Tirath Ashram in Kansas City, he began teaching there in 1990. Continuing to learn from the master Yogi Bhajan, and other internationally recognized Kundalini teachers, Dev Atma expanded his personal practice and adopted a more yogic lifestyle.
He is a certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher through IKYTA, and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) through Yoga Alliance. While his classes are centered around the Kundalini Kriyas and Meditations taught by Yogi Bhajan, he includes the experience of his own personal practice and yogic lifestyle for the benefit of his students. Today, in the Age of Aquarius, Dev Atma continues to share the teachings of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. He brings more than 30 years of teaching experience into each class to make that special connection with his students, from beginners to the more advanced yogis. Each class will consist of a dynamic blend of the classic yoga postures, breath focus & control, and Meditation utilizing the science of mantra and a healing Gong Bath that moves energy in the body to help one be their best self. |
Photo by Amanda Marie Mason
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Aubrey Bird: Aubrey began her yoga journey in 2014. Her first classes were right here at Rosemary Court! After a couple of years spent casually developing her flow, Aubrey began to dedicate more discipline to her practice in 2016. Turning that practice into a passion, the timing was right for Aubrey to go full force into yoga teacher training with her first two teachers, our own Jamie and Stephanie. Their passion and knowledge of anatomy and alignment, as well as their fun-loving spirits, have guided her immensely through her path to becoming an instructor.
Aubrey is enjoying developing her style of vinyasa flow, combining fluid movement and inspiration from nature. You will find her incorporating themes that bring her joy and peace from the world around her, with mindfulness to each student's alignment and unique physical capabilities. Her classes are designed for all levels, offering modifications and challenges wherever possible! |
Photo by Amanda Marie Mason
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Cheryl Chaffee: Cheryl Chaffee (ERYT-500, YACEP) has been teaching yoga since 2005 and is one of the country’s top teacher trainers in Ashaya Yoga. She has studied intensively with Todd Norian, the founder of Ashaya Yoga, and has studied with Tantric Yoga philosophy scholars, Paul Muller Ortega, Douglas Brooks, and Bill Mahony.
Cheryl loves the depth and intensity of Ashaya Yoga. She feels that the purpose of yoga is not to do the most difficult asanas, but is to go deeper into the understanding of the Self through the body, and connect to the Heart. Ashaya Yoga invites students to look at the places where yoga (and life) is challenging, and encourages everyone to connect to their own authenticity. Cheryl teaches authentically from her heart in order to help her students bring about their own transformation. Cheryl is also a kirtan leader. She enjoys chanting the sacred names of the Divine with others. Her sweet melodies are uplifting and easy to follow along with. Her first album, Prashamana, is available wherever you stream music. |
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Stephanie Cole: Formerly a certified personal trainer and nutritional consultant, Stephanie has been in the fitness industry since 1993. Her yoga journey, which began in 2001, has included Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Yin, and Bikram traditions. Her dedicated practice and further studies led her to become a certified yoga teacher, registered with the Yoga Alliance, in 2005. She expanded her certifications to include Aerial Yoga in 2011. Her teaching is most influenced by Kino McGregor, Govinda Kai, and Sarah Powers. She takes these teachings, and others, and blends them with her own caring style for a wonderful yoga experience. The joy and lightness she creates in the room is her beautiful parting gift to take with you out into the world.
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Photo by Amanda Marie Mason
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Rebecca Harp: Rebecca has completed 200 hours through Garden of the Heart Yoga Teacher Training Course and is 200 RYT through Yoga Alliance. She is also a Certified NeuroMuscular Massage Therapist and a Certified Reflexologist. She has had her own practice for 10 years and has been practicing as a Massage Therapist locally in Sarasota for 16 years. Her passion for yoga began her first day in the massage therapy program at Florida College of Natural Health, where she experienced her first Surya Namaskar, salute to the sun. Since then, she has practiced with a wide range of yoga instructors here locally and became inspired to go through an intense alignment based training at Garden of the Heart using principles of alignment from the style of Anusara Yoga. She very much values these principles and hopes to create a wonderful yoga experience for her students.
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Meredith Kaplan: Meredith Kaplan, RYT 200, received her teacher certification at Garden of the Heart Yoga Studio in Sarasota, Florida in 2009 and has been teaching in the community ever since. Meredith’s training and teaching style is a Hatha based alignment yoga which focuses on the connection between breath and movement bringing an overall sense of greater freedom, strength, and empowerment to each student, and harmonizing body, mind, and spirit. Classes always include modifications and cues so that everyone at any level may participate comfortably and safely. We will weave some core work into our flow of yoga asanas (poses), stretching and strengthening, and always conclude with a deep relaxation to recharge and set a positive mindset for the day. |
Photo by Amanda Marie Mason
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Laura Mahoney: Laura has been teaching yoga since 2000 and teaches several styles of yoga. Her classes are on the gentle side of effort and complexity. She is a healer, a channel, and an Angel Therapist. She loves sharing healing energy and angel messages and their Light with her students during class. |
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Michelle Roy: Michelle Roy is an RYT-certified yoga instructor with more than 20 years of experience. Her system is alignment-based, teaching each student how to safely move and arrange the body for each pose. Michelle’s yoga instruction is heart-felt, empowering and introspective, providing an atmosphere in which each student can explore the practice free of competition and judgment. Her extensive anatomical and therapeutics training, combined with her skills in other healing modalities, offer a more holistic approach to the yoga practice. |
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Valerie Schneiderman: Valerie Schneiderman (ERYT - 500) has studied and practiced ashtanga yoga for the past 25 years. Under the guidance of many exceptional teachers, including Tim Miller, Beryl Bender Birch, members of the Jois family and many others, her individual teaching style has been nourished and developed over time. Valerie believes that yoga practice is open to all, and she actively seeks to dispel the misconception that a student need be physically flexible in order to practice yoga. The traditional yogic teaching of mindful movement, breathing technique and meditation are of benefit to all interested practitioners, regardless of age, technical ability and/or level of experience. At its heart, Yoga is about getting to know ones true nature...a place of joy, stillness, abundance and well-being. Valerie's goal as a teacher is to share with others, the traditional teachings that have been transformational in her own life...those practices which enhance and support mental, physical and spiritual growth and well-being. It is with a deep sense of gratitude and commitment to the teachings, that she shares this practice with interested students.
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Liana Sheintal Bryant: Liana truly lives her yoga both on and off the mat. Joyfully dedicated to her practice and her students, Liana empowers all who come to yoga to live it as fully and as happily as she does, whatever their level of fitness or experience. Known for her bright smile and infectious warmth, Liana infuses her classes with the same spirit of nurturing care. With a background in gymnastics and college cheerleading, Liana soon discovered her passion for yoga after graduating from the George Washington University in 2002. After four enjoyable years working at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, she has now made yoga her full time career. Previously a YogaWorks Studio Manager in New York City, Liana has now returned to her hometown of Sarasota, FL and in addition to teaching her beloved classes, she is also the owner of Rosemary Court Yoga. She is an active part of the yoga community, and after helping to launch the lululemon athletica store openings in the Washington, DC area by serving as one of their first Ambassadors, she was honored to return to Sarasota and be invited to serve as an Ambassador there as well. She is also a Product Ambassador for Manduka. She has completed the YogaWorks Teacher Training Program and is a 500-hour Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) through Yoga Alliance. Liana has drawn inspiration from all her teachers, including Jenny Aurthur, Erika Hildebrandt, and Kino MacGregor. For more information about Liana, visit her website at www.lianayoga.com.
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Photo by Amanda Marie Mason
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Stacy Tarter Fradkin: Stacy is a seeker of peace through experience with a passion for sharing what she has learned. Stacy teaches meditative breath work practices from the Kundalini Yoga tradition (KRI 200 hr level 1 teacher and level 2 stress and vitality) and loves offering the ways in which the breath relaxes the body and mind. Stacy is also a sound bath practitioner and gives new and full moon sound journeys an astrology based, witchy twist! Stacy has studied sound and vibration with teachers in Asheville, Mallorca and London. She is an Integrative Sound and Music Practitioner (Open Center, NYC 2021). Other training includes Thyroid Yoga™ teacher, Reiki Master and Compassion Cultivation (Stanford University). |
