Teachers
The branches of Under the Yoga Tree are flourishing with dynamic instructors who combine their years of teaching yoga and personal experience to create a supportive and nurturing yoga class that will teach students tools for a lifetime of health and wellness.
Monica Ross, RYT
www.moniyogini.com
Monica Ross began the practice of yoga at the age of 17 but didn't find the other spiritual layers of yoga until several years later while living in South East Asia. Surrounded by the less fortunate served as a motivation for her to practice Asana with the intention of delivering positive energy back into the world. With the help of a Jivamukti book and a mentor, she found herself saluting the sun everyday to share the power of yoga with the world. From her dedicated self studies it was a natural progression to continue her studies in a 200 hour teaching training at Open Space Yoga. Upon completion of her training she is now apprenticing with Brynne Caleda to further develop her love and knowledge for yoga. Monica's practice and teaching is influenced by diversity and love for the world.
Brynne Caleda, M.Ed., RYT
www.brynnecaleda.com
Brynne has been teaching yoga to children, pregnant women, mothers and their babies for over the past 5 years. Brynne combines her educational background
(undergraduate in International Studies and Masters in Education), yoga
studies (Seane Corn, Cathy Louise Broda), and doula training (CAPPA
Certified), creating dynamic classes for women of all ages. With her passion
for yoga, children and the world Brynne divides her time between Honolulu
and abroad teaching Kids Yoga Teacher Trainings in hopes that children all
over the world will receive the joys of yoga.
Diana Hahn
Diana's love of movement began with dance at a very young age. She danced and worked as a dance teaching assistant throughout her education at Punahou School. Diana discovered yoga in 2005 at Om Yoga in New York City while pursuing a BA in poetry and movement at New York University. Since returning to Hawaii, she has deepened her practice at Purple Yoga under the instruction of Cathy Louise Broda and Brynne Caleda. In 2008, Diana completed her K-8 Yoga Ed. Certification with Brynne Caleda. She continues to learn about kids yoga from Brynne Caleda through assisting and substituting on a regular basis in schools throughout Honolulu while also working as a dance teacher and choreographer at Punahou School. Diana's personal ashtanga and vinyasa flow practice gives her a deep sense of inspiration and gratitude. It is her intention to cultivate compassion, love, and awareness in children of all ages through the fun and transformative experience of yoga.
Kelly Kennedy
Kelly has been practicing yoga for the past ten years. She was originally drawn to yoga as a form of exercise, but the acceptance and peace of mind she found are what keep her coming back. Yoga helped Kelly stay strong and self-aware on the journey through pregnancy and childbirth, and it has helped her adapt to the continual changes of parenthood. The desire to share the gift of yoga is what motivated her to complete a 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2007 with Larry Schultz and Marie Hajjar at It's Yoga in San Francisco. When Kelly is not practicing yoga, she's busy teaching English as a second language and taking care of her nearly 2-year-old daughter.
Vanesa Furnari
Vanesa Furnari is a registered yoga teacher and Yoga Ed. instructor. She
works as a preschool assistant at the Honolulu Waldorf School and runs an after school yoga program. Her yoga classes for children incorporate storytelling, games, and art to lay the foundation for experiencing yoga.
She brings her creative wisdom, spontaneity, and intuition to create a yoga class that embraces the individuality of the child while uniting him or her with the group. The overall result is a fun and positive experience that builds self-esteem, self-awareness, and friendships.
Gloria Baraquio
Gloria Baraquio found yoga in 2003 when she decided to take her life one breath at a time. Two years later, she began teaching yoga at fitness clubs and studios on the Big Island of Hawaii, in addition to working as a high school Language Arts Teacher. PE teachers, coaches, and other teachers from public, private, and UH schools began to request her as a guest teacher in their classes, and eventually, she began her own yoga curriculum at the Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science (HAAS). At HAAS, students took Yoga as a PE elective, while the rest of the community (faculty, staff, parents, students, and friends) could practice together at a donation class after school. Gloria has taught all ages and all levels of yoga, celebrating the wisdom of children and the innocence of adults. Now living in Honolulu, Gloria continues to share her practice with all parts of the community by teaching at the Outrigger Canoe Club, AAUW Center in Makiki, various elementary schools with Under the Yoga Tree, and different friends' houses.Gloria loves watching people grow through yoga, and she considers her students her greatest teachers. Her style of teaching reflects her students' needs, but her personal practice includes ashtanga, bhakti, deeksha, and seva. Her greatest wish is that we all are happy and free. You may also find Gloria as a TV show host for "Living Local", a contributing writer for Flux Magazine, and a Film Production Teacher at HAAS, sharing the stories of our beautiful Hawaii.
