Our Teachers

Theresa Elliott

Director, Taj Yoga
Co-Director, Pacific Yoga Teacher Training

Theresa Elliott has been fascinated by the capacity of the human body since early childhood. Her exploration began in routine children's sports, made its way through music and dance, and then on to yoga in 1987. Theresa became a certified Iyengar teacher in 1990 and has gone on to establish herself as a nationally recognized practitioner and teacher of yoga. Her yoga inspiration comes from long time friend and mentor, George Purvis, and from the anatomical precision of Judith Lasater.

Core work, unique movement patterns and humor form the heart of her teaching. “Why” and “what are we doing” are continual themes in class as students come to understand the rules of the body, and then the rules for breaking the rules!

Theresa is the demonstration model for Judith Lasater’s highly acclaimed book, 30 Essential Poses: For Beginning Students and their Teachers, and the cover model for Yogabody: Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Asana, and Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. She has modeled for Hugger Mugger Yoga catalogs, posters and products and served as an Ambassador to Blue Canoe, organic yoga clothing and active wear. She wrote and released the video, "Stillness in Motion: Yoga Vinyasa" and appeared in Yoga Journal's 1996 calendar.

Theresa is a mother, an avid dancer and loves to play the djembe. She continues in her movement and rhythm studies, working with Lara McIntosh of Wassa Dance and Bill Mathews of Fremont Drum.

For a complete listing of workshops with Theresa Elliott, click here.

Read articles by Theresa and her blog A Life Lived in Spandex.

She can be contacted at theresa@tajyoga.com.

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Kelly Baker

Kelly originally came to yoga seeking relief from chronic back pain. She soon discovered her body strengthening practice also brought an increasing calm and balance to her mind. As a young mother and nanny she saw the potential of these therapeutic effects of yoga for children as well as adults. Eager to share her experience with others Kelly completed Pacific Yoga Teacher Training in 2006 and brings with her knowledge from previous studies in dance, music and psychology.

Kelly can be reached at: kellybaker2006@yahoo.com and through her website at kellybakeryoga.com .

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Tara Bernstein

Tara started doing yoga while teaching and choreographing modern dance in New York and Seattle. Drawn to yoga's mindfulness and healing qualities, she began studying Iyengar yoga in 2001 and is a certified Iyengar instructor. She presently studies with Pat Musburger and Felicity Green.

In 2007, she attended the Iyengar Yoga Teachers' Convention "The Journey from Body To Bliss" with Geeta Iyengar, and again in 2010 she attended "Reflections" on understanding yoga therapy. She also has traveled to India and has studied with Rajiv and Swati Chanchani.

Tara teaches yoga classes to adults and seniors at the University Family YMCA in Seattle, and at the Tree House Iyengar Yoga studio in Shoreline where she focuses on introducing beginning yoga students to the fundamentals of the Iyengar asanas. Tara teaches Gentle Yoga and Back Care workshops at Taj. She is known for her patience and kindness as well as her insistence on safety and proper alignment during class.

Tara can be reached at: tarabyoga@gmail.com

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Mary Kay Bisignano-Vadino

Mary Kay began practicing yoga 12 years ago while recovering from a broken foot, an injury that interrupted her life as a dancer. Yoga quickly became an integral part of her life. As a professional dancer, choreographer and dance teacher, she has spent most of her life pursuing movement as an expressive art form. Yoga has heightened her awareness of, and deepened her commitment to living fully in mind, body, and spirit. Mary Kay can be reached by emailing info@tajyoga.com.

Mary Kay recently completed the 200-hour RYT Teacher Training program at Pacific Yoga under the instruction of Kathryn Payne and Theresa Elliott. She has studied many forms of yoga with a primary focus on the Iyengar, Universal, and Baptiste styles. She has taught yoga to youth, teens and adults in a variety of private and public settings including Dance Fremont and Seattle Public Schools. She volunteers her time as an instructor with Street Yoga. Mary Kay is dedicated to sharing her love for yoga to students of all ages and levels of experience with a sense of curiosity, compassion and joy.

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Noel Caraig, P.T.

Noel is a physical therapist who has been practicing for 21 years with extensive experience in managing orthopedic and neurological disorders. His professional focus has been in the optimization of motor learning in rehabilitation. He has held certifications as a Neurological Clinical Specialist and also in vestibular rehabilitation. Additionally, he co-teaches in the popular "Mobility and Stability of Yoga" series with Theresa Elliott.

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Nikki Chau

Nikki's intention is to help her students move well and feel good in their own skin. She focuses on anatomy and kinesiology, providing tools and techniques for anyone to build a personal yoga practice. Approachable, clear communication and a down-to-earth sense of humor are hallmarks of her classes.

Nikki received her 200-hour certification from Pacific Yoga Teacher Training and is currently pursuing her 500-hour certification. She is highly influenced by the teaching of Theresa Elliott, Kathryn Payne, and Judith Lasater.

When not on the yoga mat, you can find her doing graphic and web design, playing soccer, and climbing on rock faces around the Puget Sound and beyond.

You can contact Nikki through:
Website: nikkiyoga.com
Email: nikki@nikkiyoga.com
Read Nikki's blog: www.nikkiyoga.com/blog

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Mary Sue Corrado

Mary Sue's passion is to help people increase their body awareness, find pain free exercise movements and improve posture. Her nick name is the "Posture Police."

Trained as a professional dancer, Mary Sue began her Pilates career in 1983 at Alan Herdman's Body Conditioning Studio in Houston Texas. A lifelong student of anatomy, kinesiology and movement fundamentals, she has studied many different styles of Pilates and movement therapy. She was a Pilates trainer for the Houston Ballet Academy and has guest taught and trained instructors nationally and internationally.

In 1992 she moved to Seattle to open her own studio, Bodies in Balance Conditioning Studio. She has been the Coordinator for Therapy and Conditioning at the Pacific Northwest Ballet and now is in private practice specializing in Therapeutic Pilates.

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Heidi Fischer

Heidi is a graduate of Pacific Yoga's 200-Hour and 500-Hour Teacher Trainings. Her study of yoga has taught her the value of paying attention and the power of making small adjustments. Heidi's classes emphasize plain language instruction, alignment-based movement, and relaxation. Yoga is her passion, but she also enjoys watching Seinfeld reruns and mulling the meaning of life, preferably while eating chocolate.

More information can be found on her website at http://web.me.com/heidifischeryoga, and Heidi can be reached via email at heidifischer@comcast.net.

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Mandi Grover

Mandi began practicing yoga in 2001 during college and immediately enjoyed the exercise and stress relief yoga had to offer. She continued to take classes while she worked in the social services until given the opportunity to spend a year-and-a-half in India. There, she practiced and studied yoga and vedanta with Swami Krishnananda Saraswati at the Surya Jyothi Yoga Vedanta Centre in Bangalore. She completed her yoga teacher's training and earned her certification at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Meenakshi Ashram in Madurai.

She teaches a traditional Sivananda yoga style which is a balance of breathing, postures, and relaxation. She also leads Kirtan chanting, which she discovered has immeasurable benefits in her own life. Mandi has also found a way to merge her love of yoga with her desire to continue social work by teaching Special Needs Yoga classes for people with developmental disabilities

Mandi can be reached via email at mandigrover@gmail.com or through her website at http://www.yogawithmandi.com/.

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Carol Levin

Began her movement studies as a modern dancer. She went on to teach dance and became the artistic director of a small dance company. Drawn to teaching, Carol’s personal philosophy is summed up by the following: Educardi: means to draw out... to draw out a student’s curiosity to learn. To create the conditions where students learn, in an atmosphere of safety, so that they can continue to teach themselves.

She has taught the Alexander Technique throughout Seattle, notably at the University of Washington and Cornish School of the Arts. She was certified by the Alexander Technique International in 2004 and has studied yoga since 1998.

Carol is a poet with a background in modern dance and theater. Her poems have been widely published in literary journals as well as set to music. She has two chapbooks, "Sea Lions Sing Scat," 2007, Finishing Line Press, and "Red Rooms and Others," 2009, Pecan Grove Press.

Carol can be reached via email at levincarol3@gmail.com or through her website at http://www.the-breathing-lab.com/.

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Kathleen Meehan-Lorenzo

Kathleen Meehan-Lorenzo Copyright © 2012 Taj Yoga

Kathleen Meehan-Lorenzo has dabbled in yoga for the past 20 years. She became a serious practitioner after the birth of her second child and the realization that yoga provided a mind-body balance she was unable to find anywhere else. She is a graduate of the Pacific Yoga 500-hour teacher training program.

In class, Kathleen focuses on technique and alignment with the goal of keeping students safe, but equally in charge of their individual class experiences. You will often find Kathleen teaching in partnership with Robin Werner. Their combined studies and shared interest in alignment based asana practice brings together two keen perspectives to their classes.

In addition to practicing yoga, Kathleen is an avid runner and the mom to two school-age children.

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Dylan Noebels

Underneath Dylan’s casual demeanor lies a deep respect for the tradition of yoga. Dylan uses yoga to gain a greater awareness of the body and mind. His teaching emphasizes proper alignment and clear intentions to realize our full potential a breath at a time. He is grateful for the inspired teachings of Kathryn Payne and Theresa Elliott and is certified through Pacific Yoga Teacher Training.

Dylan also write, directs and stars in his own movies!

You can reach Dylan at dylann@gmail.com or through his website at www.A-1Yoga.com.

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Kathryn Payne

Kathryn Payne, Co-Founder and Program Director, has practiced asana since 1989, and is strongly influenced by Dona Holleman and BKS Iyengar. Her understanding of yoga deepened significantly in 1995 when she began her study of Sanskrit with Vyaas Houston. Kathryn studied with the Iyengars in India and is the Co-Director of Pacific Yoga Teacher Training at Taj Yoga (www.pacificyoga.com). Locally she teaches for the American Sanskrit Institute. Kathryn believes that for everyone there is an inevitable unfolding of awareness, and that ultimately each of us will realize ourselves as creatures of light and compassion.

Kathryn can be contacted at kp@islandyogacenter.com.

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Joanne Pearson

Joanne has studied Iyengar yoga since 1970, mostly at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco, until moving to Seattle in 1990. She received certification in 1989. Her primary teacher at the Institute was Judith Lasater. She assisted Judith twice a week for three years in addition to taking classes. Joanne was one of the founders of the Community Yoga Circle at University Heights and remained a principle until 2007. She now teaches about once a month at Taj Yoga.

Joanne can be reached at joanneyoga@comcast.net.

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Jim Strange

Jim was a pre-med major at UCLA when he was 16 years old and has continued for 40 years to search for new knowledge and understanding of the body and its mechanisms. He and his wife Karan are practicing Licensed Massage Practitioners for over 23 years and have developed specialized joint and connective tissue techniques designed to effectively address the adhesions, calcifications, and scar tissue formations at the root of most joint dysfunction.

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