Teachers

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We have exceptional staff here at the Bindu. Scroll down for detailed information about each of our talented teachers.

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Kelley Gardner, Yoga Instructor
Sari Weston, Yoga Instructor
Patti Boug, Yoga Instructor
Mary Kennedy, Yoga Instructor
Yvette Harrold, Yoga Instructor
Sally Phillips, Yoga Instructor
Megan Hively, Zumba Instructor
Matthew Seneca, Tango Instructor
Lori Quinn, Tango Instructor
Denise Feldman, Chakra Dance Instructor

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Kelley Gardner, Yoga Instructor

Kelley began the practice of Yoga in 1989. After becoming certified in Kripalu Yoga (1994), she founded Lake Norman Yoga, Inc. Kelley began to study and practice Anusara Yoga® in 1998 and became a certified Anusara teacher in January 2005. Weaving life-affirming Tantric philosophy with clear understanding of body mechanics, Kelley’s classes are fun, challenging, and spiritually relevant. Kelley’s enthusiasm and knowledge inspire her students to grow in their practice both on and off the mat.

Kelley believes that daily meditation practice grounds us in a deeper relationship with and understanding of consciousness. She combines a BS in Social Work (’80 WCU) with 20 years of practicing meditation to help clients remember that our very essence is supreme consciousness. When we embody that understanding fully we honor each other and serve mankind with the highest integrity.

As a gifted intuitive and energy healer, Kelley has guided hundreds of clients on the journey to foster clarity and conscious living. For the past decade, she has studied the human energy system, its impact on the quality of our lives and how to correct imbalances using energy healing. Her approach to teaching about the energy system is therapeutic and applicable to our daily lives. Clients experience profound personal shifts as they do the work to clean up old unnecessary (and often inaccurate) beliefs that keep them from reaching their fullest potential.

She is deeply grateful to her primary teachers, John Friend, Paul Muller-Ortega and Douglas Brooks for their wisdom, teachings and commitment to integrity and excellence. As the dance of discovery grows richer through relationships, Kelley bows to the heart of her wonderful husband Joe, to her children, and to her students who keep her laughing and growing every day.

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Sari Weston, Yoga Instructor

Sari Weston took her first Anusara™ Yoga class from Sarahjoy Marsh in 2001 and has studied Anusara™ exclusively since 2002.  A former dancer, gymnast and karate instructor, she was profoundly stirred by the union of life-affirming philosophy and intelligent alignment offered in the Anusara™ tradition.

Sari recently completed a 200-hour teacher training and Anusara™ Immersion and is working towards becoming Anusara Inspired.  She looks forward to helping her students catalyze real and lasting change in body and spirit.  As a writer and poet, Sari infuses her yoga classes with graceful lyricism while challenging her students to engage themselves fully in the practice.   Sari continues her studies with Kelley Gardner and other Carolina Anusara™ Yoga teachers, including Sarah Faircloth and Stacey Millner-Collins.  She also bows to all of the other, excellent teachers in her life, especially her husband and son.  When she’s not upside down in a handstand, she can be found celebrating life in her garden, kitchen, or nearest playground.

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Patti Boug, Yoga Instructor

After taking her first yoga class over 12 years ago, Patti was hooked!  She embarked on a path of study with teachers from across Canada, Europe and the United States sampling Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram’s Hot Yoga, Yin Yoga, Jivamukhti, Kundalini and Power Yoga classes.  She is forever grateful to Kelley Gardner for introducing her to Anusara™ yoga and strives every day to expand her understanding of this beautiful and intelligent practice.  She continues to grow in the Anusara™ light by studying with Kelley Gardner, Sarah Faircloth, Stacey Millner-Collins as well as the founder of Anusara™, John Friend. As a certified Yoga Therapist (230 hr) as well as a Children’s Yoga teacher (achieved through the Asheville Yoga Centre) Patti creates a calm and heart-felt environment.  In each session, students can expect to find a space in which to explore and discover themselves under the eyes and instruction of a skilled, confident guide.  Come take a class and step into the flow of grace!  She honors the kula of teachers and students who continually open her heart and mind.  Patti enjoys reading, cooking and relaxing by the water with her family and friends…when she’s not hanging upside down in her closet in a yoga pose!

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Mary Kennedy, Yoga Instructor

After many years of running, aerobics, and tennis, Mary began practicing Vinyasa and Power yoga in 1999 in an effort to improve her flexibility and balance.  She discovered Anusara Yoga 3 years ago and fell in love with its life-enhancing qualities, along with its beautiful alignment principles.  She thought to herself, “Why isn’t everyone doing this?” and began teacher training so that she could share her enthusiasm for Anusara™ Yoga with others.  She completed her Teacher Training in March under the instruction of Kelley Gardner, Sarah Faircloth, and Stacy Millner-Collins and is currently working toward becoming Anusara™ Inspired.  Mary’s classes are bright and upbeat, and her students love her glowing positivity.   She passionately pursues furthering her Anusara™ and meditation studies with her primary teacher, Kelley Gardner.  She also broadens her knowledge by studying Anusara™ and tantric philosophy with teachers from around the region.  When not in the yoga studio, she and her husband James are raising three wonderful children.  Mary aspires to integrate the teachings of Anusara™ Yoga into all aspects of her life.

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Yvette Harrold, Yoga Instructor

Yvette began practicing yoga in 1997 in the basement of a Charlotte church, and she greatly values this early learning experience with Kripalu teacher Mary Lou Buck.  Yvette quickly determined that yoga was a powerful way to enhance her physical workouts and to bring better life balance.  She knew that the practice of yoga would become a permanent part of her world.  As a student Yvette’s love for yoga grew through the influence of teacher Amy Schneider; and in 2004 Yvette was introduced to Anusara™yoga by her current mentor, Kelley Gardner.  Yvette finds the principal of alignment to fit well with her approach to life.  Becoming a yoga teacher was a natural step for Yvette as she has been a business executive trainer by profession for over 10 years.  Taking her teaching skills into the yoga discipline has enriched all facets of her life.  Yvette is a 2009 graduate of Carolina Yoga, a 200-hour teacher training program offered by certified Anusara™ teachers, Kelley Gardner, Sarah Faircloth, and Stacey Millner-Collins.  She is honored and humbled by these life-changing teachers.
Yvette has a natural ability to assess her student’s needs.  She physically challenges her students to explore their edge and to enjoy the moment.   She also encourages the application of yogic principals to life off the mat as a vital nutrient to relationships and life challenges.  Yvette loves to travel and finds herself practicing yoga in studios all over the country.  In addition to Yvette’s regular yoga practice she recharges through hiking, volleyball, reading, and spending every moment she can outdoors. Yvette has also published two children’s books.  As a writer, Yvette is inspired to instill in children awareness in conservation, nature, and simplicity.

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Sally Phillips, Yoga Instructor

After decades of weight-training and endless hours on the treadmill, Sally found workouts uninspiring after the birth of her daughter.   She yearned for something that would soothe her mind and bring suppleness back into her body. That’s just when the Universe brought Kelley Gardner into her life.  That was 1997 and Sally continues her yoga journey, learning how to apply yogic principles both on and off the mat.

Sally earned her vinyasa certification in 2000 from the Asheville Yoga Center and has taught flow yoga for more than 10 years.  With the opening of the Bindu, Sally has become a dedicated student of Anusara Yoga.  This fall she will begin her AnusaraTM immersion studies.  In addition to being mentored by Kelley, Sally has participated in workshops from noted Anusara teachers Sienna Sherman and Suzie Hurley and from Anusara founder, John Friend. In addition, she has taken workshops from Bryan Kest and Kathy Budig.

Sally’s yoga philosophy is based on cultivating mindfulness to gain more balance and find greater joy in all aspects of life. Her classes are fun, lively and full of enthusiasm.   When not on the mat, she is a marketing director for a technology firm, a sporadic (and sometimes spastic) radio commentator, a voracious reader and fair-weather gardener.  She enjoys spending down time with her husband, Dave, daughter Brooke, and “Huskador,” Roxie.

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Megan Hively, Zumba Instructor

I took my first Zumba class in 2007 and immediately fell in love!  The freedom of the movements and the fun, uplifting music kept me coming back week after week.  I realized quickly that I wanted to share this workout with others and took my first instructor training in August 2008.  Since then I have continued my enthusiasm for Zumba by becoming a ZIN (Zumba Instructor Network) member, attended workshops and additional trainings.

I have always had a passion for dance and do my best to incorporate it in my life when I can.  Whether I am watching a performance, taking a lesson, or jamming out in a Zumba class, I am always captivated with how dance allows us to express ourselves through movement.  Another passion of mine is encouraging and empowering others to find their joy.  Zumba allows me to combine this passion with my passion for dance by creating an exciting, energizing, non-judgmental environment in which students can have fun and get a great workout.  I look forward to sharing Zumba with the Bindu community!

Zumba site: http://www.zumba.com/us/

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Matthew Seneca, Tango Instructor

Matthew Seneca has been dancing various forms of social dance including Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing for the past 10 years.  He discovered Argentine tango in 2007 and hasn’t looked back since.  He is a student of Daniel Arredondo at the Passion For Tango school in Charlotte and has traveled to many festivals and workshops studying with a wide range of master dancers.  Last year, he and his partner Lori were featured in a showcase of new dancers at the Asheville Regional Tango Festival.  Matthew is also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and practices Pilates regularly with Kristine Gresham.  He teaches 10th Grade English at Hopewell High School.

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Lori Quinn, Tango Instructor

Lori Quinn has been studying ballroom and latin dancing since 2004. Shortly thereafter she was introduced to the Argentine tango in 2005.  She studied both disciplines for over three years when the art and beauty of the Argentine tango pulled her focus to study solely with Daniel Arredondo and Bill Temples at the Passion For Tango school in Charlotte. She has traveled to many festivals and workshops studying with a wide range of master dancers.  She has perfomed in multiple showcases for both ballroom dance and Argentine Tango including a performance with her partner, Matthew, at the Asheville Regional Festival in 2009.   By day Lori also works as a City Planner for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department.

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Denise Feldman, Chakra Dance

Denise has studied sacred dance forms for over three decades and loves to share her love of the dance with others. Her classes focus on taking ancient movements and making them relevant for modern women. Her personal journey has taken many paths and she continues to seek out and explore the common spiritual roots uniting us all. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, she spent her formative young adult years in San Diego, CA. Her heart remained in the Carolinas, and she returned to the Charlotte area to begin a family. She began her yoga journey after the birth of her second child; this inspired her to focus on body awareness in many diverse forms. She worked as an intuitive massage therapist for several years, and began practicing T’ai Chi and Qi Gong. Currently she grows heirloom roses, edits media for T1 Tapas, teaches workshops in dance and Qi Gong, and has fun creating a home for her husband, two daughters and three cats.

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