A solid commitment to diversity, anti-racism, quality teaching and finding a path forward regarding cultural appropriation is the reason I joined The Connective. This cohort of movement professionals are caring, passionate and hardworking; they are the reason I stay. It’s a special thing to work with a group of teachers who are truly united in their values. I believe it is what keeps all our fires lit.

I’ve been teaching since 2003, and after some traumatic experiences, my teaching moved in a direction of being more understanding and trauma informed. Everyone experiences trauma, and everyone responds differently. It goes without saying there is trauma in the room of any group class. I wanted my teaching to gain the depth that is necessary to truly be a sensitive and empathetic teacher. Teachers take many forms, and I’ve been lucky to have had some skilled gems guide my path.

My classes are vinyasa practices, with an emphasis on breath and philosophy. Monthly themes are set up to give the students inspiration to work with as they move and breathe. As a practitioner, I’ve always found the most moving practices include much more than asana. I aim to offer that to my students, even as we interact virtually. To deal with the chaos of the world, we wind down for at least ten minutes at the end of each class.

(Photo credit: Marguerite Seger)