Sarah Schumann
Owner
When I first stepped through Shambhala’s doors, I had no idea the magical gift I had found. In my first years in the neighborhood, I came to the studio and sampled classes with each of the teachers on the schedule. What immediately struck me was how wildly different each one was from the other! I LOVED it. I felt I’d found a place that could suit my various moods, a place where the disparate parts of my being could be matched and soothed. I could flow in a sweaty vinyasa, release into a deeply restorative savasana, be pushed hard and hugged even harder or just loose myself in the intoxicating rhythms of the drums. Yet what resonated most profoundly for me was that I felt connected. I soon realized it was because I met (and continue to meet!) my neighbors in each of these classes and shared (and continue!) the experience of moving and breathing together. Naturally, I was hooked. As Shambhala’s current guardian, I am honored to have as part of my daily practice the opportunity to connect meaningfully to and form relationships with the beautiful people my family and I have the good fortune to live amidst. That, for me, is the dance, the yoga—the union—that Shambhala celebrates. To Cathy and to all who’ve created this space, I am ever so grateful. Ashe!
Cathy Calderon
(Founder) Catherine is the founder of Shambhala Yoga & Dance Center. A dancer and practitioner of yoga for over 35 years, she opened Shambhala in 2001 with the vision of creating a warm and inviting community center which would bring together people of all backgrounds… More…
… in this richly diverse neighborhood of Brooklyn. She is a registered yoga teacher who was trained in Anusara-based hatha yoga under Todd Norian. An award-wining filmmaker and theatre director and former college professor, she draws on her passion for dance and theatre to infuse a special vibrancy and spontaneity into her teaching. Cathy has studied extensively in many traditions, including Tantra Yoga, the Chakra system, Taoist Healing practices and Insight Meditation, and she is is an initiate in the Afro-Cuban Orisha tradition, under Yemaya. A great lover of Latin music and dance, as one of the original Eddie Torres dancers, she danced at the Apollo Theatre with Tito Puente and Celia Cruz. She also produced a documentary film about Latin dance called “A Bailar!” which was shown on PBS, and is currently completing a film titled “Dancing with the Spirits” which documents and celebrates her spiritual journey.
Jeanine T. Abraham (Jeanine, The Dancing Chef) is a certified JourneyDance™ Teacher, Professional Chef, Actor and Holistic Health Coach, graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Jeanine has been facilitating JourneyDance classes and…
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…workshops in NYC since 2008 monthly workshops at Pure Yoga West,(Upper West Side) Manhattan and Cumbe Dance, (Ft. Greene) Brooklyn . She has facilitated JourneyDance workshops at: The Ailey Extension, Planned Parenthood, The Cooke Academy for Special Needs Teens, Jivamukti Yoga School, TheaterLab, Atmananda Yoga and Bodhisattva Yoga, The Omega Institute, Kripalu Yoga Retreat Center, and Blue Spirit retreat center in Nosara Costa Rica. Jeanine is on staff as a Holistic Health Counselor at Element Natural Healing Arts in Cobble Hill Brooklyn.Jeanine’s mission is Dance, Cook, Eat in Community for life! Jeanine is a Health coach and has created the Eat Well, Live Well 5 week Clean Eating Detox group coaching program and she has a 6 month individual Health Coaching program focusing on weight loss, clean eating and supporting lifestyle changes. Jeanine works with kids! She teaches JourneyDance and Yoga at PS 204 Day camp for grades K-5 and teaches Science, nutrition and JourneyDance™ a movement based science after school program for first and second graders at PS 186 in Bensonhurst.
Andrew Belcher
Andrew has practiced yoga for six years at Space, Kripalu and Yogaworks. He first came for the workout and discovered something infinite that has kept him curious ever since. After being a teacher in a traditional classroom for years, Andrew is happy to shift…
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…to a non-traditional classroom where there are less words, more sensory experience and the inquiry is completely student driven. Teaching yoga postures creates a structure from which we can observe ourselves in time and space and how we are moment to moment. You aren’t just stretching your hamstring; you are your hamstring and much more. Andrew’s classes flow while paying particular attention to alignment so students can take with them what they learn. Andrew hopes that his classes not only rock your body but also draw you deeper into the bliss that resides within yourself.
Emily received her 500-hr certification in July 2008. Since then, she’s taught kids of all ages and adults of all shapes and sizes and abilities, and has lived the wacky leap-before-you-see-the-ground life of a yoga teacher with great joy, wonder, and appreciation.
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Her class is an invigorating Vinyasa-style movement party that explores a variety of standing asanas, restorative poses, balancing postures, and inversions, as well as pranayama and meditation techniques. In addition to Shambhala and her work with private clients all over NYC, she teaches the employees of Etsy.com and Kickstarter.com. She also teaches at NYU, the High School of Economics and Finance, and The Brooklyn Yoga Cooperative. Deepest gratitude to students and teachers past and present.
Bryan Black
After my first class yoga class years ago, I was surprised at how awesome I felt. I was relieved from the constant chatter in my brain, the lethargy in my body, and old matters of the heart- all the mind stuff that blocked me from feeling free. Today my feelings towards yoga are the same and I invite students to feel…
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…their own sense of freedom within their practice. Through alignment, repetition and a vinyasa flow, I aim to help students find increased flexibility and mobility as well as strength that will challenge the mind, body, and spirit. Having always been a music lover, as well as a Dj for the past 4 years, expect music to help you breathe bigger and move deeper leaving you feeling awesome! Bryan received his 200hr certification from Laughing Lotus Yoga Center, and also dj’s various Yoga classes around New York.
Funmilayo
Funmilayo was born in Brazil and grew up in Guyana. Funmilayo traveled extensively to Nigeria and Ghana, where she lived and studied dance for three years. She also visited the Congo – the motherland of her ancestors. In 1987 to 1992 she was a member of the only traditional Congolese dance company…
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…in New York City, Malaki MA Congo. Funmilayo has been teaching Congolese Dance for close to 20 years in New York City and is the director of F.U.S.H.A. Dance Company founded in 1995. In 1996 she won the Ethnic Dance Award for best African dance instructor. Funmilayo has also studied Ballet, Modern, Tap, Sabar, Guinean, Haitian, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, Dahome, and Dunham. She is employed by the Department of Education where she teaches ethnic dance to pre k through 12th grades in the artist in residence program. Funmilayo realized that the ancient dance of the Congolese people, combined with the genius creations of their descendants have shaped the musical culture of many music and dance styles in the diaspora i.e., Samba, Salsa, Hip Hop, Reggae, Calypso, Cassav, Jazz, Hawaiian, Belly Dance, the Electric Slide, and even Michael Jackson’s “Moonwalk”. She became inspired to form Fusha Dance Company to empower and educate people on the healing powers of dance and to celebrate the richness of dance and culture from Africa and the diaspora.
Frank Ricci
FRANK RICCI began practicing yoga as a way to balance the stress of his career in the fashion industry. After attending his first yoga class, yoga soon became his passion. Right away he recognized the benefits that this ancient practice had in his life and these motivated him to teach others….
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… Frank is certified at the 500 hour level by Yogasana Center for Yoga in Brooklyn, NY in 2010. He has assisted Deborah Wolk’s Back Care class for 2 years. He regularly studies with his mentors and with Genny Kapuler and has had the pleasure and privilege of studying with great Iyengar teachers in India. His teaching also draws influence from other modalities such as Alexander Technique. He has a unique teaching style that is compassionate, encouraging and challenging..
Tara Eden
Tara’s interest in yoga was born out of a life spent moving, through dance, theater and creative impulses. She found Ashtanga in 2004 and was drawn in by its power and grace, the practice of a moving meditation meditation and building internal heat through breath. She learned how life can be enriched by grounding,
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focusing and connecting to one’s own body, as well as experiencing freedom and exuberance through movement. In 2008 Tara studied Creative Movement Therapy at The New School and returned to a dedicated yoga practice. Since then she has been studying, training and practicing various styles, approaches and schools of thought of yoga. Tara’s hope and intention as a teacher is to turn people on to the power of their own bodies, illuminate the link between the spirit and the body and emphasize the importance of cultivating this awareness.
Emily leads a breath-centered yoga practice that gently challenges us to stay present as we work in and through our comfort zones. She offers mindful, organic movement that is both meditative and vigorous. She invites us to pay attention to subtleties of our sensation and alignment in order to create space internally…More…
…making way for healing and discovery. After practicing yoga for nearly a decade, she completed her 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training in 2010 through SchoolYoga Institute with a foundation in both hatha and vinyasa based Sadhana (spiritual practice) yoga. Emily studied Yoga Anatomy Principals with Leslie Kaminoff, and has trained with Street Yoga to teach youth and adults who are healing from trauma. She also teaches yoga in NYC’s public school system with Bent on Learning. In 2009, she created Spirit Boxing, a workshop that combines her experience as a former amateur boxer and yogini, to serve women, youth, and queer / trans community. Emily is a collective member at Third Root, where the crossroads of her work as a movement professional, social justice activist and spiritual seeker joyfully meet.
Sokhna Heathyre Mabin
Sokhna Heathyre Mabin is a mother, doula, herbalist, vocalist, performance artist, & has been practicing and teaching hatha, kundalini, and prenatal yoga within both of the styles, since 1994. Sokhna Heathyre uses her life experiences, daily practice & observations as her instruction guides.
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She has taught & studied yoga around the United States, West Africa, & the Caribbean. 2011 is the formal launch year for her 3rd child, mamaSutra loving arts – inclusive tantric wellness for women.
Mariyah (Elizabeth Maria Jossick) feels blessed to share her love of dance with her students. She holds a B.A. from NYU where she focused her studies on the integration of creative and spritual work through a major in comparative religions and arts, including African and Modern dance. Her study of Oriental Dance began… More…
…with Serena Wilson and continued with many other well known teachers. In November of 2002, she was honored to dance in Tranparency with the Dalia Carella Dance Collective, a contemporary ethnic fusion dance company. She has trained as a yoga teacher through the Himalyan Institute of New York and studies Middle Eastern percussion on the dumbek and frame drum with Raquy Danziger. Elizabeth is also a visual artist who creates original mask artwork for performance.
Visit Mariyah’s website at easterndancer.com
Calia Marshall dove head first into her yoga practice in 2000 when she noticed the transformative effects it was having on her life. Calia’s teaching has been greatly influenced by the vinyasa flow and heart-moving style of yoga she delved into in her teaching certification at Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in 2002.
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She has received amazing knowledge about alignment and back care through her advanced study with Johnathan FitzGordon and Alison West. And she has studied with Cathy Calderon, who constantly reminds her of the healing power of yoga, dance, ritual and prayer. Her classes combine flowing asana, full breath, stories and poems, exploration, and occasionally partner yoga and chanting. Also a professional dancer, acrobat, singer, Reiki practitioner, and an educator of children, Calia makes space for all of these practices to find their way into her classes. Calia is so honored to share her curiosity, fascination and love of movement, music, and magic-making with her students and peers.
www.caliamarshall.com
Sarah found yoga in the neighborhood when Shambhala studio first opened. After 7 years of practice following a variety of threads in the fabric of yoga, she gained her 200-hour certification at Kripalu. Sarah’s classes offer the practice of yoga as an accessible and essential inquiry.
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Her private and group sessions help open energy channels and focus attention inward, bringing a sense of well being and possibility. You can also follow Sarah on her blog.
HanaKyle arrived at yoga and massage at the same time in her life, compelled by curiosity and a quest for knowledge and healing after dealing with injuries from many years of ballet training. She graduated from Emerson College in 2003 with a degree in Arts Management, and dissatisfied with sitting at a desk…
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…in NYC went on to attend the Swedish Institute, graduating in 2006.Hard at work as a Massage Therapist, she realized that she needed another way to contribute, especially to underserved populations. This opportunity became visible through the practices of yoga and meditation, and she completed the Vajra Yoga and Meditation/School for Compassionate Action Teacher Training program in 2008. Massage therapy and yoga are integral to HanaKyle’s focus on helping people living with chronic pain, whether it’s due to illness, injury, or any type of repetitive stress. HanaKyle also values the benefits of yoga, based on her personal experiences, as a method of getting to know oneself physically and emotionally, embarking on the path of self-study with joy.
HanaKyle is also an urban cyclist (who occasionally tours), dancer with the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, and passionate locavore. www.hanakyle.com
Jason Orrell
After years at the gym, I came to yoga in search of new physical and mental sensations. I fell in love with the endless variety of postures and techniques, and I knew early on that I wanted to teach. I spent a few years working for a number of studios, studying with some great teachers and seeking out mentors…
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…before completing my first training in 2009. My classes focus on body mechanics, building postures from the ground up in the context of a
medium-paced, athletic flow. I hope to impart a sense of discipline, confidence and curiousity through my teaching, providing students a foundation of practical knowledge on which they can build an enriching personal practice.
Julie Dohrman
Julie is a native New Yorker and dedicated yoga student committed to the path of transformation. One of the most sought after yoga teachers in New York for her spirited and positive teaching style, Julie teaches alignment principles and therapeutic aspects of the practice..
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… with clear instruction and natural flair for making yoga accessible. She is known for her ability to convey sage teachings in a practical way, and creates an environment for everyone to connect the practice to the pathway of personal growth. Julie leads workshops, yoga Immersions and Teacher Trainings with passion and commitment to inspire students’ inner awareness, creativity, and see possibility in all areas of life.
In four words:
dynamic
inspiring
strong
genuine.
Alex Phelan
After over a decade of chance encounters with yoga asana classes, I found myself signed up for a course at the Iyengar Institute in Mumbai, India in 2006. It was here that I began to deeply experience the transformative effects of a consistent, diligent yoga practice. From the opening up of my stiff…
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…unconscious body to the calming of my chaotic, dusty mind, I began down the path of yoga and never looked back. My dedication to yoga on the mat and in life, stems from my own experiences of transformation in the body and the mind. Practicing yoga has been a profoundly empowering experience for me and I aim to share a sense of wonder and empowerment with each of my students. My sense of humor infuses my approach to life, including my practice and teaching. By approaching the practice in a humorous, playful and light-hearted way, I find the beautiful absurdity of human existence that we all share.
Deidra Demens
Deidra stumbled upon Yoga while studying Theatre at DePaul University 8 yrs ago and hasnt left her mat since. She completed her 200-hr Teacher Training at Greenhouse Holistic in Brooklyn, NY. As an artist Deidra has explored movement and breath as a natural way of expression, where creativity and play opens our mind…More…
…our heart and our body. Her continuing study of Hatha Yoga and work in art shapes the creative flow in her classes which incorporates pranayama, philosophy and dance. Deidra is greatful for her many mentors Leigh Evans, Summer Quashie, Jyll Hubbard- Salk, Steve Prestianni and Corey Henderson who have inspired her journey as a student and a teacher. “For me Yoga is a purely healing and spiritually awakening practice”- Deidra Rene
Ruth Tranter
Ruth’s initial curiosity towards yoga began as an exploration for something that brought her closer to her true self, and she has found that in yoga. The practice has shown her how to bring clarity and focus into her life through the magical connection of mind, body and spirit. Ruth is honored to share that magic…
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…with others through teaching. Ruth finds inspiration from the very simple beauties in life and weaves these into her classes through each breath and each movement. Ruth is thankful to all of her teachers and students whose inspiration and support help move her to deeper levels of knowledge and passion. Yoga is contagious inspiration…
Teresa von Fuchs
Teresa von Fuchs has been practicing Hatha Yoga since 2000. She has had the pleasure of studying with Leslie Kaminoff at The Breathing Project, as well as J. Brown, Donna Farhi, Mark Whitwell and Tom Myers. Her practice is inspired by the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar…
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…and grounded in human anatomy. Teresa is happy to be part of a community that respects varied traditions and believes that the best Yoga is one that suits an individual’s needs. She also thinks an important part of the practice is learning to laugh when you fall down.
Laura Grant
Laura first fell in love with yoga at a summer dance festival in 2005, and began teaching in 2008. She completed a Level I Anusara training, a 200-hr training at Abhyasa Yoga Center (charter member, International Association of Yoga Therapists), and a Youth Yoga certification with Asana Alphabet. …
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… She has also studied Embodied Anatomy and Yoga through the School for Body Mind Centering.
Laura’s yoga practice has been an opportunity for her to focus, listen, and work intelligently in her own body, and she strives to offer her students a chance to do the same. Her teaching focuses on breath and body awareness as the foundation of a balanced yoga practice – between sthira (effort, steadiness) and sukha (ease, softness). She is passionate about engaging her students in a learning process in which observation of our patterns allows us to make more intentional choices. Through Laura’s therapeutic approach, students gain concrete skills, knowledge, and approaches to help them listen to their body’s needs, work with challenges or injuries, and develop a practice that feels appropriate for them. Even while we work hard, strengthen, and stretch, we will focus on being self-nurturing, rather than self-punishing.
Laura is also an active member of the NYC modern dance community and has performed with many different choreoraphers. She brings her lifelong passiong for movement – and her dorky dancer love of anatomy – to her yoga teaching. She also teaches yoga and dance to children as young as 2 years old, who constantly remind her to be playful and lighthearted in her own practice.
Wendy Devitt
Wendy Devitt began practicing Iyengar yoga in Boston with Patricia Walden in 1997. She became amazed how props could be used to enhance and bring ease to the postures, and immediately fell in love with the precision and clarity of the method. In 2000, she attended Columbia University Teachers College, …
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… where she received her Masters Degree in Education, specializing in visually impaired students and now teaches this specialized population in the New York City Public Schools. Since attending the Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York City in 2006, Wendy has enjoyed combining her two specialties by teaching yoga to children and adults of all levels of ability, including those with visual impairments.
Blossoming Teachers
Our Blossoming Teachers program is designed to offer recently graduated teachers the opportunity to develop their teaching voice and share their love and learning with the larger community. These teachers are mentored by our more experienced teachers in order to foster growth and community.
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Our blossoming teachers have graduated from registered Teacher Trainings such as Greenhouse Holistic, Jaya, Yogaworks, Yoga to the People and Catherine Calderon’s Teacher/Healer program.
Shambhala Alumni & Friends
Without these talented people, Shambhala wouldn’t be what it is today!
Paul Calderon
Paul Calderon is an Obie Award-winning actor and accomplished writer of plays, screenplays, short stories and novels, as well as a long-time Tai Chi and yoga practitioner. He has starred in numerous productions at the Public Theatre and New York Shakespeare Festival…
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…co-starred with Robert DeNiro on Broadway in “Cuba & His Teddy Bear,”… and has had leading and co-starring roles in dozens of major films. He has taught acting and writing for ten years, and is on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts. Paul is a certified yoga teacher in the Anusara tradition and is working toward his certification as a Tai Chi and Chi Kung instructor. Paul enjoys exploring ways to bring all of his various talents and experience together in order to help people develop their own unique creativity. He is a great lover of Latin music and dance, and as one of the original Eddie Torres dancers, danced at the Apollo Theatre with Tito Puente and Celia Cruz.
Hailejaa Euma
Hi, my name’s Hailejaa Euma, AKA The Hug Collector. I’m from Barbados and I’m a percussionist. I’ve been with the Shambhala Center since its opening. I’m also responsible for all the woodwork in the space. I perform for the African Dance Class and the Salsa Socials. Peace.
Ronnie Roc
Ronnie Roc is a Multi-Percussionist, Keyboardist and Producer who has played with many talented musicians. Ronnie studied classical piano as a child. He then went on to study African, Brazilian, Haitian, Puerto Rican and Cuban percussion. Ronnie has taught African Djembe…
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…drumming at The Drummers Collective in New York City. He has held percussion workshops for children and adults in the school system in NYC and Oakland California. Ronnie has played and recorded with many musicians such as Steve Coleman, Steve Turre, Nego Gato, Xiomara Fortuna, and many other artists. Ronnie is currently playing percussion for Saxophonist Dave Mullin. He is also musical director and keyboardist for currently signed vocalist Karen Gibson Roc. Ronnie leads his own band AFRAZZ a combination of African rhythm with jazz melody. Ronnie continues to teach, perform, create and share his musical knowledge. Ronnie is currently on staff with Alvin Ailey’s arts and education program accompanying dance classes and holding percussion workshops.