Amy Beth Treciokas
Amy started Yoga in high school with a Sivananda Yoga class at her suburban Boston high school where she also studied the Bhagavad Gita in English class. She ran Varsity track on the state championship team and was Bay State All Conference in cross-country, and figure skated. She was Salutorian of her high school class and studied music from an early age, starting with piano at age 6. She learned piano for 11 years, flute for 6 years, and cello for 3 years.
She studied molecular biology at Princeton University, earning a B.A., where she was a soprano soloist in the Glee Club and on the Varsity Sailing team. She toured Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, and Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Austria and France with the Princeton University Glee Club. She won the Alvan T. and Viola D. Fuller – American Cancer Society Research Fellowship for Cancer Research in 1987. She was a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Fellow at Cornell’s Medical campus in Manhattan as a Ph.D. candidate in Immunology. She has also done graduate work in Physiology.
After graduate school, Amy worked as an actuary at Towers Perrin, and at Shand, Morahan, and Company (now Markel Corp.), earning an Associateship in the Society of Actuaries, and becoming a Member of the Academy of Actuaries.
She resumed her yoga studies as an adult in 1993 at the Evanston Athletic Club with Kim Schwartz of the Temple of Kriya Yoga. Amy then studied with Suddha Weixler of Chicago Yoga Center who introduced Amy to Ashtanga Yoga, and told her about the founder of the Ashtanga Yoga system, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji). Amy went to Mysore, India for the first time in December 1996, for the first of 14 trips to study with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson, Sharath Rangaswamy at the yoga shala in Mysore. In 1999, she was granted authorization to teach Ashtanga Yoga. She was a direct student of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois from 1996 until 2009. Amy also studied with Manju Jois, Guruji’s son and with Dena Kingsberg in Bali, Tim Miller and Lino Miele, Graeme Northfield, David and Simi Roche, and Radha Warrell in Crete, Greece. She completed Teacher Trainings with Suddha Weixler and Tim Miller. While in India, Amy found kirtan, call-and-response chanting the names of the Divine in Sanskrit.
She received her RYT-500 from the Himalayan Institute and is certified at the highest level through Yoga Alliance (E-RYT500). She is also certified in Hormone Yoga Therapy for Menopause and Yoga for Diabetes by Dinah Rodrigues (IYTA). Amy has also studied Reiki, and is a Reiki Master. She has completed a vision quest with a Native American elder.
On July 8, 2003 Amy founded Yoga Now in Edgewater, then on March 25, 2006 moved Yoga Now downtown to 742 N. LaSalle, a new all eco-friendly studio. She teaches Ashtanga Yoga, Bhakti Vinyasa Flow and Yoga Teacher Trainings. She also leads her band, Amy and the Bliss Tribe in monthly kirtan. She teaches yoga and leads kirtan at Bhaktifest Midwest, Sukhava Bodhe and other festivals.
In 2012, Amy was selected to be part of the first cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program in Chicago, where Warren Buffett was the graduation speaker. In 2013, Amy was selected to join the Inner City Capital Connections program (part of the Initiative for the Competitive Inner City). In 2014, Amy won an award at the Enterprising Women of the Year Conference in Sarasota, FL. Amy is on the Board of Directors of the Princeton Club of Chicago.
Alisa Volpe
Alisa was introduced to world religions during college and was drawn to the
meditation practices of Eastern religions. After joining a yoga class in her loft’s
community room, she experimented with different styles of yoga. It wasn’t until
she attended an Ashtanga class in 2005 that she found a practice that resonated
with her. Drawn to the rhythmic Sanskrit counting while linking the movements
and the breath, she found the physically challenging practice brought her to a deep
state of meditation.
She began practicing in earnest at Yoga Trek with Kali Om and Terri Smith, an
Ashtanga Certified Teacher through Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of the
Ashtanga Yoga system. Over the years, she’s been a student of many local
Ashtanga teachers and has attended workshops with Tim Miller, David Swenson,
Kino MacGregor, and Dharma Mittra. Alisa attended two of Manju Jois’ 25 Hour
Teacher Training adjustment intensives at the Chicago Yoga Center in 2012 and
2013. For the past 12 years, she’s attended bi-annual retreats with Kali Om to
study Dharma Mittra-based yogic practices and Vedic philosophy.
After a substantial injury, she developed an acceptance for honoring where one is
at each time on the mat. The experience shaped her desire to teach in order to help
others experience the physical and mental benefits of the mindfulness practice of
yoga. Her classes, whether Gentle Hatha or Zen Vinyasa, emphasize breathing
cues designed to calm the central nervous system, which is key to healing.
Alisa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Business
Management from Loyola University. She enjoys studying the neuroscience of
yoga and meditation, while also respecting and incorporating the ancient Vedic
philosophies into her personal practice.
Alisa completed her RYT-200 at Yoga Now and feels blessed to have been referred
to the studio. She apprenticed Amy Beth Treciokas’ Ashtanga class during the
training. In 2023, Alisa completed Level 1 & 2 Karuna Reiki Training with Tiffany
Ketchmark and a 20 hour Restorative Yoga Training with Nicole Schneider.
She lives by her dad’s favorite mantra, “A body in motion, tends to stay in
motion.” She welcomes you to join her at Yoga Now to stay in motion or
completely relax during restorative yoga!
Angela Nakalembe
Afsoon Gagninidze
Aura Dukynaite
Aura was born and raised in Lithuania. Came to United States in 1996 and lived in Chicago since. Aura has started her yoga journey in 2008. First class was Bikram hot yoga class. It was super challenging and got Aura curious about it. Within a year Aura knew she wanted to teach yoga. Aura went to Bikram’s teacher training in 2011 and has been teaching full time since. Continuous education – Aura completed Progressive 26+2 training, Intermediate training and Rocket Vinyasa training. Aura trained, competed and placed first in Illinois USA Yoga competition in 2013. Aura also did Thai Body Work school. Which deepened anatomy knowledge and helps while working with students with injuries. Yoga and Thai body work knowledge helped to heal Aura’s personal injuries as well. Love and interest for yoga has been growing with each year. Aura learned that practice on the mat creates positive changes in life as well. Aura is looking forward sharing her practice with you – Rocket, energetic vinyasa based on Ashtanga primary and intermediate series, fun, challenging but also accessible sequence. It’s called Rocket because it will get you ‘there’ faster 
Brenna Gordon O’Dea
Brenna was born and raised in Chicago and first discovered yoga during her freshman year at UW-Madison. She completed her 200 hour training with Amy at Yoga Now in 2020. Brenna aims to make yoga and breathwork feel approachable and accessible for all bodies and minds. Her teaching style is calming and caring. From deep neck stretches to deep chair pose holds, come to class ready to feel both relaxed and energized. Brenna is thankful for finding yoga and for her increased levels of self confidence and peace of mind she has developed over the past eight years practicing. She hopes to see your shining face in class one day soon and for you to leave your mat with your head held high and your shoulders at ease!
Britta Eumann
C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, Yoga of the Heart ® – Cardiac and Cancer Certified teacher, iRest® Level 1 Teacher and Yoga For Scoliosis Teacher Trainer.
Britta is a certified yoga therapist C-IAYT, an experienced yoga teacher E-RYT 500, Yoga of the Heart ® – Cardiac and Cancer Certified teacher, iRest® Level 1 Teacher and Yoga For Scoliosis Teacher Trainer.
Since discovering the various benefits of practicing yoga in her own life, Britta has not only deepened her own practice and studied continuously, but as a teacher she is passionate about helping people experience those benefits for themselves. Finding yoga while working in a high stress corporate management job, she immediately noticed the beneficial and transformational impact of the practice on her body and mind. Having been diagnosed with scoliosis as a teenager, she also noticed the importance of having skillful and well-trained teachers who can help develop a save practice for this condition. She is deeply grateful for having been able to study with amazing and experienced teachers from a variety of lineages since embarking on her journey as a yoga teacher giving her an extensive toolbox to draw from. This is reflected in her classes, where she emphasizes creating a safe space for every student, meeting them where they are in their personal yoga journey and guiding them safely to self-exploration and awareness of body, mind and breath and she is especially passionate about teaching yoga to all those who think they are too inflexible, exhausted, old, injured, ill or feel otherwise limited or excluded from the practice of yoga.
Languages: English, German
Website: www.brittaeumann.com
Colleen Nyland
Colleen was initially drawn to the physical practice of yoga to increase flexibility, balance and strength and prevent injury from dance training and has grown to love the subtle and spiritual aspects of yoga as well. She developed a regular hot yoga and vinyasa practice and eventually completed her 200RYT with Bent Dog Yoga in St Charles.
In 2020 she discovered Rocket vinyasa, a structured Ashtanga style practice, and was drawn to and inspired by the challenge, freedom and creativity that Rocket provides. She traveled to London, UK to train with Leon London and Maayan Shenhar to become a certified Rocket teacher through the Progressive Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga School and continues to practice with the international Rocket community.
The study of Rocket and its roots drove her to deepen and broaden her practice in Ashtanga and yoga philosophy. She is currently working toward her 500RYT with Amy Beth Treciokas at Yoga Now and practicing Mysore under the guidance of Todd Boman.
Her vinyasa classes are based on the Rocket series and incorporate drills for strength and mobility for arm balances and inversions with accessible variations for practitioners of all levels.
Danielle Zielinski
Dani came to yoga to heal and focus on her breathing after a lung surgery almost 2 years ago now. She had always practiced some yoga in a physical sense for years (“gym yoga”) but had never really given herself fully to the holistic spiritual practice. Yoga is a rich path, in which you gain a deep understanding of yourself – body, mind and soul. Dani believes in the power of coming to your mat everyday no matter the outcome. By trade she is a Nurse Practitioner and a Whole Food Plant Based Diet Nutritionist. In her spare time she likes to volunteer at a local urban farm and ride her bike. Having just finished her YTT-200 training here at Yoga Now under the instruction of Amy, she is a novice teacher, but committed to shaping classes where students feel accepted, guided, challenged and find some joy while working through different asanas, breathing exercises and meditations. She likes to find ways to bring back a sense of balance and equilibrium to the body and mind after living in our modern world.
Dyal Gobinde Singh
Dyal Gobinde Singh (Sustainer of Compassionate Grace), an Evanston Native, has been teaching Kundalini Yoga for seven years in his hometown Chicagoland. Ever since it came into his world he’s been graced by the practice of yoga and continues to find new, better ways to learn, grow, serve, share, teach, and inspire through that same power of evolutionary yogic grace. He received his 200hr kundalini instructor training in New Mexico in 2016, is currently getting his 500hr kundalini teacher training, and received a 600hr Taoist Healing Arts Massage Training in Crestone, Colorado in 2020. In 2021, he began humbly walking the Path of the Red Road and is a committed student of indigenous original wisdom healing traditions.
Emma Cameron
Eva Yam
RYT-200
Eva started down the path of yoga by accident in 2001, seeking a brief escape from the corporate world with a week-long spa experience. It happened to be ‘Ashtanga Yoga Week’ at the spa; by the end of the week, she had completed the primary series and was hooked on yoga. Since then, Eva has traveled extensively to seek out and to study with senior teachers both in and out of the Ashtanga system, with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and R. Sharath Jois US Tours, teacher training from David Swenson and Tim Miller and in-depth studies with Rolf & Marci Naujokat, Chuck Miller & Maty Ezraty and Tim Feldmann & Kino MacGregor. While her focus is Ashtanga yoga, she recognizes that each body is different, and works with each student based on their respective approach to their practice. Eva firmly believes the yoga practice is therapeutic and healing and transmits this accordingly. She is indebted to all her teachers for their guidance, support and endless patience.
Fi Garvey
Francelia Serrano Chavez
RYT-200
A native of Texas, Francelia discovered Yoga in 2007 as part of a cross-training exercise and ended up loving how Yoga strengthened her mentally and physically. In 2013, after many years of practice, Francelia received her 200-hour Soul Awakening Yoga Teacher Training certificate from Southtown Yoga Loft in San Antonio, Texas.
After finishing her teacher training, she moved to Oaxaca, Mexico where she practiced Yoga in Spanish, planting the seed to take this practice to her own community. Upon her return in 2016, she moved to Chicago and shortly thereafter found Yoga Now Chicago studio where she received an additional 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training certificate under Amy Beth Treciokas. She also teaches Restorative, Meditation, Yoga for Kids, and Bilingual Yoga. Francelia is a registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance.
Francelia’s classes provide a space where people of all shapes and abilities have the opportunity to discover the truth in transition and the sense of lightness they seek in their practice. All of Francelia’s students from beginners to advanced feel completely comfortable moving at their own pace and ability levels. In her class you will experience creative sequencing, playfulness, and spirituality. She helps students explore meditation by practicing breath work, body movement synchronized with breath and stillness.
Outside of the yoga studio, Francelia works as an accountant for a nonprofit organization in Chicago, IL. She also enjoys traveling and spending time with her dog Chicago
Ilana Emer
Ilana studied deeply with yoga, meditation and movement practices over the last ten years. She has spent the last 6 years teaching various forms of Asana, primarily Ashtanga, Hatha and Vinyasa, all over Chicago. Since 2018, she has sustained a daily practice and gratefully studied with my beloved teacher, Rich Gonshak. Her intention is to reveal the curiosity and compassion within so that we may continue our journey inward. Ultimately, no teacher is greater than the one within.
Joanne Barrett
Julie Melidis
RYT-200
Julie began teaching yoga in 2003 after discovering the therapeutic effects of yoga during a difficult pregnancy and wanted to help others. A few years later she completed her 200 hour RYT certification at Yoga Now and was introduced to Ashtanga by her teacher Amy Beth Treciokas. She expresses her gratitude and love to Amy for allowing her to continue to learn and practice with her over the years. Julie has drawn much inspiration from her teachers Bill Shapleigh and Jessica Aiken who inspire her on a daily basis. She has been fortunate enough to practice with Sharath Jois and Eddie Stern and learns more about this beautiful practice every day. Julie strives to share the tradition of the practice and encourage the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of yoga in her classes.
Mara Goldfine
Mara Goldfine began yoga her freshman year of college, coinciding with her metal sculpture practice. The two practices complemented each other physically, while resonating deeply intellectually. Mara earned her 200 hours teacher certification at Frog Lotus yoga in Ubud, Bali, finding the beauty Indonesia a wonderful accompaniment to the intellectual stimulation of a traditional yoga education. Additionally, Mara recently completed a 500 hour teacher training with Andrey Lappa, the founder of Universal Yoga. She has gone on to further her yoga knowledge, expanding it to the therapeutic practices of Thai massage and to the more active practices of AcroYoga. Mara currently working on completing her doctorate in Physical Therapy, further integrating western anatomical knowledge into the energetic practices of yoga.
Mary DeLaney
Yoga became a part of Mary’s life as the result of running Marathons, doing Triathlon’s and teaching Spinning.
Someone suggested the stretching would help her recover better. The club she was teaching at needed a Yoga Instructor, so she got certified which allowed the club to offer Yoga. Then, Mary got certified in Pilates for the same reason. Both modalities helped relieve the stress of a high-powered job that required a lot of travel. And some of the similarities intrigued her. She continued to take workshops and trainings.
While traveling for work Mary was able to experience various styles of Yoga by seeking out studios to visit. She found it made her better at her job by pushing her comfort zone, expanding her self-acceptance, body awareness, as well as building compassion and communication with customers and co-workers.
As she has matured, Mary found that “Yoga for All of Us “is her goal. No expectations of the class, myself or participants. Creating a space where, regardless of experience, injury, illness, pain, etc each person can be themselves and do what is accessible to them, in that moment. And they can find that peace, safety and self-comparison we all desire.
One of Mary’s early teachers was at the YMCA New City (North and Clybourn – no longer there ) was Becky Love. Becky taught well into her 90’s and had a huge following. Becky honored her body as she added years to her life and was an inspiration to so many people. Mary feels that if she can spread even a little bit of the acceptance that Becky showed others in her practice, she will have done well.
Matthew Berean
MBA, Certified Advanced Rolfer, RYT-500
Matthew Berean integrates long experience with anatomical and cognitive techniques to benefit
his clients and students. His experience in athletics extends over twenty-five years as a
competitive rower and a coach. His study of cultural mental constructs began as a boy with an
intense interest in the myths of multiple cultures. He learned meditation as a teenager and has
been involved in the healing arts of structural bodywork and yoga for over a decade. He draws
on his personal experience and his training in assisting clients and students.
In addition to completing his basic and advanced Rolfing® Structural Integration training,
Matthew has deepened his knowledge through extensive training in Osteopathy-based Visceral,
Vascular, Neural, Cranial and Joint Capsule Manipulation with Jeffrey Burch; SourcePoint
Therapy energy medicine certification; a 500-hour yoga teacher-training certification through
Prajna Yoga with Tias and Surya Little; and a 300-hour certification course with Khenpo
Samdup Rinpoche on The Stages of Meditation.
Matthew has been fortunate to continue his study of Buddhist philosophy, traditional texts, and
practice, in both formal teachings and retreats, primarily under the tutelage of Drupon Ratna
Vajra (Rinchen Dorjee) Rinpoche, Garchen Rinpoche, and other highly accomplished Lamas
primarily from the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
Matthew has accumulated more than 5,000 classroom hours studying the body, the mind, and the
relationship between the two. He uses all of this experience to help clients and students learn
how to fundamentally change the way that they relate to others, to themselves, to their bodies,
and to their world. He teaches Hatha yoga classes which focus on alignment, through the use of
props when needed, to help students feel the grounded space and ease possible in the pose.
Matthew also teaches Restorative yoga classes which draw heavily on slow subtle somatic
movements to help students how to slow down, drop in, and feel the subtle energetic body with
greater acuity. More information about Matthew and his practice can be found at
MandalaAwareness.net
Maureen Yasko
RYT-200
Maureen has been practicing Yoga for about ten years. She discovered Yoga while pursuing a career in Acting and Stage Combat, two other huge passions in her life. Sun Salutations and Asana quickly became an essential part of her process before rehearsals and performances. She found that Yoga not only warmed up her body and aligned her with her breath, but it also brought her a sense of calm and a strongly connected focus. All of these benefits have been integral in her career as a movement oriented performer. Soon, Maureen realized that Yoga brought that same sense of calm and connection into her ever-busy daily life as well, which is a wonderful blessing! She started developing her home practice, studying books on Yoga, and began taking more classes. This journey led her to discover Vinyasa and Ashtanga Yoga, which in turn brought her to completing her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Now Chicago with Amy Beth Treciokas, a long time student of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Maureen is very grateful to be on this path! Yoga continues to teach her about connecting deeper to that peaceful inner soul space where love and acceptance live; about seeking truth and joy in the present moment no matter what judgments there may be; and about cultivating a fierce warrior spirit both on and off the mat. Maureen hopes to share this with her students. “Be Love. Be True. Be Warrior You.”
Peggy Kern
Peggy’s upbringing was a unique one, as she had the opportunity to live in six different countries: China, India, Malaysia, Serbia, Ethiopia, and the United States. Her travels instilled in her a deep appreciation for various cultures and ways of life. Being of Chinese descent, Peggy was raised with a strong Buddhist influence and a belief in Eastern medicine, which eventually drew her to the practice of yoga.
At the age of 15, Peggy began practicing yoga alongside her mother, and soon found herself captivated by the practice. She made it a daily routine and continued to practice on and off throughout her college years. However, during the pandemic and while attending law school at Northwestern, yoga became more than just a hobby for Peggy – it became her salvation. She turned to the practice daily, along with meditation, to help her overcome the challenges of law school.
During her second year of law school, Peggy completed her RYT200 with Amy at Yoga Now, and has since started teaching at the law school. In addition to her love for yoga, Peggy is an avid reader and consumes almost 200 books annually. She is particularly passionate about radical feminist and queer theories, and enjoys playing the flute and golf in her free time. Recently, Peggy obtained her Karuna Reiki Level I and II certifications with Tiffany Ketchmark, illustrating her ongoing dedication to holistic practices.
Shelly Gies
Shelly has been practicing yoga since 1998. After experimenting with different
types of yoga—Vinyasa, Bikram, Dharma Mittra, Anusara, and Forrest—she
focused her practice on Ashtanga because she enjoys the challenging physical
poses and mental aspect of the Mysore practice. Shelly completed her RYT-200
at Yoga Now with Amy Beth Treciokas in 2011 and has had a consistent Mysore
practice for the past 12 years with her teacher Todd Boman. Shelly has had the
honor of practicing with master teachers such as David Williams, Kino
MacGregor, Eddie Stern, Harmony Slater, and Sharath Jois. She loves the
tradition of the Ashtanga practice and appreciates how much it can be modified
to accommodate all levels and ages.
Sirena Zapata
Sofia Sorensen
RYT-200
Sofia received her 200 RYT training in Vinyasa at College of Lake County. She started her journey during the pandemic and is beyond grateful that she filled her days during isolation by practicing and learning about yoga philosophy.
Sofia has been a student for over 12 years of her life, but only started her quest on becoming a teacher 2 years ago. She fell in love with the magic of yoga and hopes to share it with you. Sofia has been an athlete her whole life, she is excited to work with other athletes to promote recovery and enhance performance.
Sofia is originally from the suburbs of Chicago, and is now living in River North. She hopes to send you away from the chaos of the city during her practice and join her in a moment of relaxation.
She is honored to be a part of the Yoga Now team and to share her practice with you.
Outside of teaching Vinyasa, Sofia loves to skateboard, dancing, travel to music festivals, camping, and painting.
Tara Ellison
Tara’s first exposure to yoga was through her family, who introduced it to her as a teenager growing up in Detroit, Michigan. As she reached young adulthood, however, her interest in the subject flourished, and she began her exploration of a newfound passion.
While achieving her undergraduate degree at DePaul University, her near-everyday engagement with yoga cultivated a greater appreciation for the more philosophical and spiritual dimensions of yoga practice, as well as the positive effects it had on her physical and mental health. Soon after graduating, she began pursuing a journey to spread the message of yoga with the world, and has since completed her YTT-200 with Amy at Yoga Now.
Looking to inspire others to see the beauty of yoga, she is excited to share her knowledge with newcomers, and hopefully, convert some beginners into full-blown yogis. In Tara’s Zen Vinyasa class, you can expect a tranquil and immersive experience—pure serenity to rejuvenate one’s mind and foster a deeper connection to the self.
Taylor Quinn
Todd Boman
Todd Boman starting practicing yoga regularly in 2000. Shortly after he discovered Ashtanga yoga and began a daily practice.
In 2004, he traveled to Mysore, India, the home of Ashtanga Yoga and practiced at the KPJAYI with Sri K Pattabhi Jois and his teacher Pramagura Sharath Jois.
After annual studies in 2008, Todd received the blessing from Paramaguru Sharath Jois’s to teach the traditional Mysore style Yoga in Chicago.
Todd has had the privilege of assisting Sharathji’s in Mysore. His direct experience with his teacher has grounded and established him firmly as a yoga teacher.
Todd received his Level 2 Authorization which allows’s him to teach the Primary and Intermediate Series.
Todd is honored to share his experience of Ashtanga Yoga with Chicago, contributing to what is a happier and healthier community.
Tomoko Horikawa Morganelli
yogini, dancer, healer and performer
Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Tomoko would eventually move to New York City to fulfill a dream of dancing and take the training program at several schools. Inspired as a young girl by Broadway musicals, she would study dance, movement, and voice and perform professionally with a theater troupe. She soon joined aerial dance and performed off Broadway with “Fly By Night” and “Aloft” later in Chicago.
Tomoko has pursued her love of Yoga for more than twenty five years. She became certified as a teacher, taking training from 2002-2003 for 200 hours in NY. She has taught yoga across Japan, Chicago and the Midwest, the New York metro area, and as far away as London, England. She has also taught yoga teacher training in Japan and for ten years taught both Yoga and dance to the deaf both in Japan and America.
Tomoko has also studied Oriental medicine and healing from a Japanese teacher and mentor and became certified in Makko Ho, a Japanese stretching art, and bodywork. She has continued teaching Makko Ho for more than twenty five years.
Tomoko loves to challenge herself and discover her potential. She encourages students to dive into their own inner journey with joy and discover something new about themselves through yoga practice.
Tsha Marie
Tsha Marie is a former professional dancer turned yogi. She has spent most of her life in either a dance or yoga studio and knows first hand how daily mindful movement can change you from the inside out. As a dance teacher she found her voice and as a yoga teacher, found her purpose. Her classes are a blend of fluidity and strength with an emphasis on curiously discovering oneself through movement and grace. Tsha believes how we move on our mat is how we move through our life.
Tsha received her 200hr with Yoga Six (Vinyasa) in San Diego, 300hr certification with YogaMea (Hatha/Ashtanga) in Italy and 50hr Yin certification with Drishti Yoga. Tsha is an E-RYT 500hr, ACE Certified, Trauma informed, Yoga Alliance continuing education provider and is lead facilitator for Yoga Six 200hr Teacher Trainings. When she’s not on her mat, you can find her near the water or traveling the world.
“Witnessing students grow and have “ah ha” moments light me up. Watching my friends live their passions fills me with joy. Traveling fills me with awe. A great glass of wine and a sunset can cure anything!”
Wade Gotwals
As an international traveling yogi, Wade leads retreats, teacher trainings, workshops and events around the globe and is known for his innovative approach and inspirational teachings. He creates a sense of community with heart and humor and challenges students to explore their full potential during his uniquely sequenced Vinyasa classes. The Vinyasa flow fusion is derived from his travels and from the inspirations of his senior teachers, always incorporating aspects of the other limbs of yoga … meditation, dharma, bhakti and elements of thai and acro yoga into his teachings. His style is structured, but at the same time playful, always offering options of openness, depth and strength so that everyone will be appropriately challenged and able to share their energy. He is guided by the dharmic principles of Advaita or ‘oneness and non separation’. Wade strives to find interesting ways to keep others inspired and connected and receiving inspiration from others is what keeps his love for yoga alive.
Zuzanna Dlugi
RYT- 200
Zuzanna began practicing yoga when a series of events forced her to seek new ways of
channeling her somewhat chaotic energy. Remembering that a Yoga class she got a chance to
attend once has made her feel better, she decided to search for a yoga studio in her
neighborhood… and that’s how she found Yoga Now, a secret haven in the heart of Chicago
and her life was simply never the same again; The serenity of the place, knowledge of the yoga
teachers, and an incredible feeling of peace after each practice, inspired her to dive deeper into
the yoga philosophy. In October of 2022, she went on completing the 200 hours of Teacher
Training in the sacred valley of Peru. Appreciating yoga for the impact it has on her mental
health Zuzanna loves to share the practice with others looking to find a peace of mind. Her
classes are usually slower in pace, with attempt on cultivating a meditative state through
surrender to each pose and the use of breath. Another thing Zuzanna has a lot of respect for is
the immense power of music. Realizing that music can heal people she likes to incorporate it
into her classes. If you decide to attend you can be sure to hear some sounds that will
hopefully leave you feeling gently uplifted in the beginning, and completely relaxed at the end,
helping you settle into your Savasana.