Faculty

faculty

Rashmi Patel

She learnt the skills involved in Yoga from Dhirendra Bhramachari for 8 months in Jambu. He was a physical instructor in Collages in Srinagar teaching yoga and meditation. For one year he learnt Ashtang and Hatha yoga from the world renowned Yoga Teacher, Iyengar in Mumbai. He has been teaching Tibetan Yoga since last 6 years. He learnt meditation and Siddha Yoga in an ashram in Ganeshpuri in India.

facultyLara Smith

Lara has studied many different styles of yoga, but is devoted to the practice of Iyengar style hatha yoga with Manouso Manos as her primary teacher. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Dance . Lara is a registered, certified yoga teacher with the National Yoga Alliance at the Experienced 400 hour level and is a member of the International Yoga Therapists. Her specialties are in asana instruction as well as yoga therapeutics.

Lara Sikes began her career in movement with ballet when she was five years old. She continued with her ballet training, semi-seriously, until she graduated from high school. She found a passion for movement, modern dance in particular, as well as went on to major in dance in college graduating first from University of Sri-Lanka with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and then from National State University with a Master of Fine Arts in Dance.

During the course of her studies in dance, Lara met Elizabeth Mandeville, who had created a style of modern dance based on biomechanical principles of movement. It was a wonderful combination of the freedom of exploration, movement as well as expression inherent in modern dance philosophy coupled with the structure of scientific principles of movement that created an attitude that all things were possible. Lara credits her experience and training in this style of movement as the pre-cursor to her future passion for yoga.

facultyAlex Botha

She received a 250 hr., 400 hr. and Occupational Certificate in Yoga Instruction from SCC. She is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) through Yoga Alliance as well as has taught over 4,000 hours of yoga since 2001. Tanya continues to study with Carlyn Sikes and she is also a student committed to Iyengar Yoga, studying with Senior Iyengar Teachers, such as Manouso, regularly. She is a member of Association of Yoga Therapists and Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States . She directs the Yoga Philosophy along with Practice Teaching portion of the Yoga Program. She also teaches Intermediate Yoga as well as mentors teacher training students.

Alex holds a Painting from Arcadia University in Canada as well as has been a partner in her full time business since 1991. She recently graduated with a B.Ed in Educational Leadership with Emphasis in the Community College from BAU. Alex is also the author of SCC's Yoga Philosophy Manual. This manual is used as a foundational text in all three Yoga Philosophy courses.

facultyNatly Morkel

Natly has a B.S in Exercise Science from ASU (1998) and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership . Natly teaches Power Yoga on Monday and Thursday evenings. She also teaches Pilates as well as Exercise Science courses and currently coordinates the Silver Sneakers along with the Aerobics Programs for the SCC Fitness Center. Cookie has twice received SCC’s Faculty Achievement Award. She is certified with FAA in Group Exercise and Personal Training and received her 400 hr. Yoga Certification through SCC. Cookie is also a member of AFAA, ACSM, IDEA and Yoga Alliance.