Guest Teachers

Bethany Eanes

Nicknamed "Taz" as a child, Bethany is a high-energy former collegiate athlete. But despite spending 20 years in a gym or on a soccer field, she was never able to develop a sincerely "healthy lifestyle." When she opened the door to yoga, Bethany discovered true happiness and deep peace. Though she still honors her Taz roots with an athletic-inspired yoga style, Bethany also honors a newfound stillness of heart. With a goal of passing this on to others, she received her 200-hour teaching certification at Mukti Yoga School, where she is pursuing a 500-hour level certification. Bethany believes everything (EVERYTHING) is yoga and develops her classes taking cues from everyday life. On a purely physical side, students can expect a balanced class with alignment instruction, safe sequencing and a great, fun sweat. On a personal note, they will enter a supported environment where they are encouraged to feel freely, leaning on the knowledge of great guides and teachers for help when they need it. >> More/Less

Sarah Isenberg

Begrudgingly, Sarah began practicing yoga as a young child with her mom. Compared to her other hobbies, it felt slow. Sarah was the United States Junior Olympic and National Foil Fencing Champion, a black belt in karate and a figure skating champion. She finished every day with an hour swim. It wasn't until college in New York City that she realized this boring "thing" her mom made her do could actually be cool. In NY, she discovered Jivamukti yoga, Yoga Zone, and Om Yoga, and realized yoga could be athletic and exciting. She dedicated herself to a daily practice, and within months she felt leaner, stronger and mentally clear. After only a year of daily practice, Sarah looked around at her life and saw that all the negative influences around her had disappeared, and that the negative choices she had been habitually making, were reversing themselves into positive living. All of these benefits were unexpected - because she she was initially just practicing because it was fun, challenging and grounding. >> More/Less

Nathan Johnson

After years of weightlifting - and enduring the tight shoulders, back pain and slouching that resulted - Nathan was cornered, flogged and dragged by a friend to his first yoga class with the incomparable Maureen Maguire of Yale University. His experience was so cathartic that people could have cursed, spit in his face and thrown rotten tomatoes at him in the street, and he would have opened his arms and said, "I love you, man!" Since then, he tossed (or rather gently put down) the dumbbells and never looked back. Ten years, three mats and thousands of downward-facing dogs later, Nathan felt it was time to share his love of yoga with others and became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) through Black Dog Yoga in Sherman Oaks, CA. His training is influenced by Anusara as well as Ashtanga Vinyasa flow, and he marries these two styles into a class that is dynamic, invigorating and downright fun. Using an eclectic mix of world and alternative music - and lots of breath, sweat and creative sequencing - his classes are supportive, physically challenging and spiritually inspiring. More at NathanYoga.com

Dearbhla Kelly

Dearbhla Kelly discovered yoga in 1994 while studying philosophy in Amsterdam. She returned to her hometown, Dublin, Ireland, to complete her M.A. and deepen her practice. In 2001 she relocated to Chicago to pursue a Ph.D and teach yoga. She is currently based in Los Angeles and Berlin. Dearbhla leads workshops and participates in yoga and music festivals throughout the U.S. and internationally. Over the last five years, she has been on the schedule at several studios in Los Angeles; this class at InYoga Center marks the first time she has taught in the Valley. A skillful and intuitive teacher, Dearbhla's classes are invigorating yet relaxing, challenging yet nurturing, engaging not just body but also mind and spirit. She believes that yoga is a technology designed to connect you to your deepest self, to your radiant body of bliss and love. Her lilting Irish accent and Dublin wit make her classes uniquely enjoyable. Dearbhla's teaching style bears the imprint of her studies of Forrest Yoga, Anusara, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa flow, Ashtanga, Yoga Nidra and Bhakti Yoga. She has completed foundation and advanced trainings with Ana Forrest, and taught at Forrest Yoga Institute in Santa Monica until it closed, as well as trainings with Saul David Raye and iRest/Yoga Nidra with Richard Miller. She now mostly practices ashtanga, and has been blessed to study with Danny Paradise, Annie Pace and Manju Jois. She is particularly interested in the biochemical basis of bliss and the ability of scientific language to explain seemingly mystical and transcendent experiences. She believes that accounting for such experiences in the language of science heightens rather than diminishes their meaningfulness. Dearbhla is deeply motivated by the project of articulating a new paradigm which can accommodate the fundamental insights of both the scientific and spiritual worldviews. Her article 'Karma is Chemistry' has recently been published in LA Yoga Magazine, and Yoga Journal, Germany. More at www.durgayoga.com/

Ariel Kiley

Ariel grew up riding horses and getting lost in the woods in the emerald green Vermont countryside. She took her first yoga class ten years ago and absolutely hated it. But then upon giving it a shot several years later, she found yoga to be a profound practice for transformation and revelation. She was hooked! Ariel completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training with master teacher Annie Carpenter at YogaWorks. She is also a marathon runner and certified Yoga for Runners instructor with Christine Feldstead's Yoga for Runners Toronto teacher training program. Furthermore, she has recently delved deeper into the study and practice of Yoga Therapy with Jill Miller's Yoga Tune Up¨ training. Ariel's classes emphasize precise physical alignment, an open-hearted attitude and attention to the present moment. Ariel believes yoga should not feel exclusive but should meet every practitioner exactly where they are. Her primary intention as an instructor is to help each student merge with the truest teacher possible &mdash the unfailing guide within. More at www.facebook.com/ariel.kiley

Todd Leach

With a background in weight training and plyometric based exercise, Todd Leach (RYT 200) brings his passion for fitness onto the mat. It was the search to add something "new" to his fitness regimen that led Todd to yoga. After experiencing firsthand the physical and meditative benefits of yoga, Todd believed that there was not only a place for fitness training and yoga to co-exist, but that the two complimented each other, beautifully.

And, it was during a somewhat rough spot in his life that Todd found InYoga Center. He is among InYoga's earliest and most devoted students. His practice grew quickly and impressively, and his life took flight again. (Check out the pics!) Todd is P90X Certified and recently completed his 200 hour yoga teacher training at Yoga Works on Larchmont, with the amazing Jeanne Heileman and Thomas Taubman. (Jeanne is known for her very intense abdominal core work - so get ready!) >> More/Less

Nino Mendes

Nino Mendes discovered yoga in New York, walking into the 23rd street studio of Dharma Mittra Yoga Center. Upon experiencing the presence and sensing the energy of Dharma Mittra himself, Nino immediately felt that this encounter would be a turning point in his life. "Self-revealing, indeed," he says. Nino's classes are based on the teachings and traditions of his Guru, Shri Dharma Mittra. Nino's approach - using various asanas, breathing techniques and meditation - helps lead students to reach a better understanding of themselves by working with the body as a tool to know one's mind. His teaching brings the knowledge of yoga's 5,000-year science, and incorporates his own experience and understanding of movement that he's gained through his extensive study of movement, including dance, martial arts, circus and acrobatics. Nino recently moved to Los Angeles (he's a Valley Village neighbor) from France; he previously taught at Dharma Yoga Centers in New York and Paris. He believes that the body is a divine vehicle with which to express ourselves. His classes are challenging, and designed to encourage and support students who want to explore and play with all of the jewels yoga offers. He speaks English, French and Spanish. Seriously, Nino's classes are sweet.

Mackie Osborne

Mackie is filled with gratitude for this wonderful practice and to her many teachers and friends, especially Chloë Chung Misner, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Gil Hedley, Tiffany Fraser, Noah Maze, and Darren Rhodes. For her Yoga is so much more than just an exercise, it is a profound spiritual journey. She is a "somanaut", a dedicated explorer of inner space, investigating the experience of human embodiment. Mackie is excited and passionate about yoga and strives to make her classes practical and accessible to anyone looking to create transformation in their lives, whether their desire is to open their minds and hearts or their hamstrings… She believes that the end result of either intention brings us closer to achieving both. She lives in Laurel Canyon with her husband and their furry friends.

Dove Rose

Dove Rose has been teaching for more than 26 years. In 1991, she founded Dove's Bodies, a boutique fitness studio in Studio City. Her classes, an eclectic fusion of cross training incorporating her love of dance, fitness -- and yes, yoga -- are legendary in L.A. Known for its intense workouts and life changing results, Dove's Bodies has been the west coasts "go-to" studio for clients who want to truly be present in their bodies and deeply engaged in wellness and self care. But what she is "teaching" now has evolved even more. Her instructional approach has shifted into a deeper focus of balance, mind-body-breath experience. As her own yoga practice is evolving -- and with recently completing her 200-RYT certification with Rising Lotus Yoga -- she's finding a deeper place from which to "teach." >> More/Less

Sasha Stone

Sasha's yoga journey began in Toronto, Canada, with a weekly Hatha class at a local community center. Though health and fitness were always a huge priority in her life, her practice allowed her to access her body and quiet her mind in a way she had not yet realized. After moving to Los Angeles, she became an avid practitioner at Center for Yoga, where she completed her Yoga Works teacher training in 2008, with James Brown and Amy Lafond. She recently completed Yoga Therapy RX with Larry Payne at LMU and is currently training with yoga teacher and movement therapist Linda Lack. Yoga has been, and continues to be, a profoundly transformative practice for her that allows healing to take place on many levels. Sasha believes everyone can benefit from yoga as they allow their practice to open them to their own innate beauty and true potential within. Her classes are approachable and nurturing, while encouraging students to explore their boundaries and release old habit patterns. She uses mindful asana instruction and a breath-centered approach that allows students to experience greater fluidity and grace in their practice, while cultivating strength, flexibility, and balance in all aspects of the self. More at www.beopenyoga.com/

Casey Stroud

Long before Casey Stroud started her yoga practice, her favorite quote was, "No matter how smart you are, you can always learn." As student and teacher of yoga, Casey is always learning.

Like many of us graduating from college, Casey was dazed and confused - and somewhat depressed. In a state of her (perceived) failure, she created a list of goals, and made a commitment to herself. Among them was: "Do yoga, everyday!" she really knew nothing about it, except that it was good for her. Casey showed up one day at Black Dog Yoga, and immediately found her favorite teachers: Cindi Lee, Sigrid Matthews, Tiffany Fraser and Maria Christina Jimenez. Sometimes she showed up twice a day. Soon, she found herself feeling strong, more complete, and open... with tons of room to keep learning and growing. She completed her first teacher training (RYT 200) within a year of starting her practice. She was forever transformed. >> More/Less