Presenters



This is the 2010 page. See our new home for 2011 at:











Performers and Teachers:

Uniit Carruyo
With Brian Dozoretz, Dana Billings, and  Mike Greenberg.



You may know Uniit's angelic voice from her seven year stint as the original female vocalist in The Sim Redmond Band, or as the singer/songwriter in the harmonious trio Five2. In her latest project, she continues to write the songs that speak to directly to your heart and sing her way into your subconscious with her ethereal voice.
Uniit is accompanied by longtime collaborator, acoustic bass player Brian Dozoretz (of Black Castle and Jennie Low Stearns band), Dana Billings on drums (New Neighbors, JATAS) and Mike Greenberg on dobro (Black Walnut Band). Together they will inspire you with their toe tapping alt-country tunes and soothe your soul with plaintive ballads.


ONE LOVE Devotional Chant
A Musical Celebration of Global Prayer
 Jody Kessler, Doug Shire, Joe Smellow, Kristen Sharkey, and friends.

Throughout the ages and across cultures, prayer through song and simple body movement has been a powerful vehicle for connecting with the Divine. ONE LOVE weaves together ancient and contemporary prayer songs and chants from a rainbow of spiritual traditions and practices, including Hindu Kirtan, Sufi Zikr, earth-based religions, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and more.  The band, led by singer-songwriter and Interfaith Minister Jody Kessler, describes their unique program as an “interfaith devotional chanting experience.” They emphasize the word “experience” because they present their work not as a performance but rather as a participatory co-creation, as they invite the audience to join in with singing and prayerful movement. ONE LOVE features Kessler on guitar and vocals, Doug Shire on keyboard and harmonium, and Joe Smellow on percussion and an array of flutes, didgeridoo, and more, Kristin Sharkey on vocals and percussion (when available) plus various guest musicians and singers.  The band’s newly-released self-titled CD is an uplifting and heartful sharing of their work in a live setting. The album has over 72 minutes of music and features a chorus of 16 singers.  ONE LOVE is based in Ithaca, New York and enjoys sharing their music at churches and other spiritual communities, yoga centers, and retreat centers.

Elizabeth Muise
Tribal Fusion Bellydance.
She will be performing and teaching workshops. Don't miss this!

As a graduate of Alfred University with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and minor in dance, Elizabeth is now pursuing a life as a dancer and yoga instructor. With nineteen years of dance experience, Elizabeth has explored many styles such as Modern, Ballet, Hip Hop, Butoh, and African. Middle Eastern Dance, her true passion, has been an area of focus in most recent years. Fusing traditional middle eastern dance movements with modern sensibilities, as well as drawing from her training in art, Elizabeth has a unique brand of Tribal Fusion Bellydance. She has been described as playful, elegant, graceful, powerful, and passionate, as she accesses this sensual art form with sophistication and class. She has taught at the Starwood Festival and performed at the New York Renaissance Faire, Wicked Faire, RenCon, and Alex Grey’s CoSM to name a few! Hailing from the Hudson Valley NY, Elizabeth is looking forward to teaching and performing around the world as she travels to share this important art form! She likes to keep it classy and sassy and shake it ancient!!


Shane Chikeles
Professional Musician

Shane Chikeles is a professional musician that has been playing around the world with local and national acts since 1995. Shane is known for his previous work with the well known rock band The Ataris which he did extensive touring with worldwide as well as performing with on the Craig Ferguson show (CBS Late Nite). He also played with the progressive indie band Joshua and is currently playing drums for the New York based indie rock band Park Ranger. 
Always trying to stay musically diverse in his playing, he’s played many different styles of music from metal to country and even polka in the studio and live. Continuing on with that thirst for diversity and learning more about different types of music he has recently discovered a new passion- Middle Eastern hand drumming. He’d like to see just how far he can take playing the doumbek and above all to have a lot of fun doing it!


Lycaonfire
Fire Performer, Dancer, and Teacher


Lyca is a performer in many realms and disciplines. He has a growing fascination with circles, and finds inspiration for movement in the elements of fire and water. His performances strive for flow, and attempt to communicate the inner state of circles found in spinning. Outside of performance, he studies Architecture at Cornell University, with interests in Sculpture, LandArt, and Botany. Calling California home, he is adventuring in Rome until May, and returning to Ithaca for a summer of fire and recollection. Look him up in facebook for photos and inspiration. Lyca will be performing at the festival, as well as teaching workshops on object manipulation for those who would like to learn the art of fire play.


The Pranadhanas
Yoga dance Performers

The Pranadhanas are a performing arts group based in Ithaca, New York creating dances infused with the spirit of yoga and other spiritual disciplines. We combine elements of yoga, dance, music & poetry to create events that are entertaining, meaningful and uplifting to the spirit. Through yogadance performance we seek to inspire and bring  people together in positive and harmonious ways. Musicians Joe Smellow and vocalist Sara Speiser provide entrancing, original music composed for the dances.


Gadje
Gypsy Rock

Known for their energetic and captivating live performances, Gadje was formed in Ithaca, NY in 1998. Their original "Gypsy Rock" music is both raucous and beautiful and blends Rock with Gypsy, Middle Eastern, and other influences from around the world. 
Gadje is: Art Bakert (guitar, vocals, cimbalom, harmonica, clarinet), Jesse Koennecke (percussion, melodica, tin whistle, and vocals), Amelia Rosenthal (drums, vocals), Nikolai Ruskin (bass, vocals), Tonya Van Camp (violin and viola). www.myspace.com/gadjemusicand on Facebook.







Acrobatic Yoga with Motion Design
Erin Flanigan, Christine Hebestadt and Lex Peters

Christine Hebestadt is a former professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, model and actor with over 30 years of experience. Very early in her career she received a long-term scholarship from the city of Munich, Germany for a supporting education for highly gifted students of classical ballet. Additional to her classical ballet education she studied Modern. Jazz and Yoga. Christine performed and worked with various Dance Companies in Europe and was a member of the German TV Ballet. Furthermore she performed with famous artists like Michael Jackson (Dangerous World Tour), Will Smith, Backstreet Boys, Harald Faltermeier, Tom Jones, and Culture Beat (World Tour), just to highlight some. Additionally, she choreographed modern, jazz, and ballet performances, dance and fashion shows for Nike, Adidas, L.A. Gear, Gatorade, Willy Bogner etc. and successfully performed in commercials for Biodroga Cosmetics, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Konica… Christine also had some valuable experience in the film business and acted in the well-known movie “Neverending Story II”. She was born and raised in Munich, Germany and moved to the US in 2000.

Lex Peters is a software engineer, gymnastics coach, partner dance instructor and partner acrobat with over 15 years of experience. Lex started partner acrobats in 1997 while studying the Lindyhop. His long-time interest in partner acrobatics is now heavily focused on Acrobatic Yoga. Lex has collaborated and performed with various dance companies, entertainers, and musicians such as Rennie Harris Puremovement, Master Jay Master Moves, D.J. Venus 7, Angel Studios, Philadelphia Experiment (PEX), and the Trailer Park Trio.


Mathew Ingles

Mathew, "Huck" to his friends, is a certified and registered yoga teacher, and a graduate of Heartspace Holistic in Albany, NY where he studied under Lauren Toolin. He has over ten years experience in meditation, eastern sciences, and yoga. Currently, Mathew teaches power yoga classes at Soma Yoga Ithaca, and Cortland Yoga Center. He is the yoga instructor for the fitness center at Tompkins Cortland County Community College (TC3), and the onsite yoga instructor at the Greek Peak Mountain Resort's Hope Lake Lodge. He is also the official yoga instructor of the Ithaca SufferJets. Mathew's teachings follow the guidance given by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and the Bhagavad Gita. His classes are further influenced by Ashtanga, Iyengar, Viniyoga, Parayoga, and Power yoga. Mathew also teaches from a wellspring of philosophical and cultural understanding. Years of study and first hand experience with New Age, Pagan, Native American, Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu ideas and cultures has given him a storehouse of methods and concepts draw from.


Cahla Bloom
Holistic practitioner and creative consultant, Cahla Bloom specializes in the intersection of yoga practice and philosophy, applied positive psychology, and Buddhism. Cahla is a registered yoga teacher in the Ashtanga-Vinyasa tradition and holds a Masters of Applied Positve Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She has additional formal training in Tantra Yoga, Reiki, Radical Honesty, the Feldenkrais method, and Zen meditation. With inspired finesse, she infuses her classes with the form and tradition of Ashtanga yoga coupled with a playful encouragement of exploration. Cahla's philosophy is that there is no 'one way' - there is only Your Way, and as teacher she exceeds the role of instructor and embodies that of a guide, striving to illuminate the power, beauty, and latent potential within all of us. Above all, Cahla coaches people to identify, harness, and apply their greatest strengths and visions to the practice of flourishing in work and life; to overcome perceived limitations in creativity and ability; and to embrace and enjoy all aspects of the human experience. Cahla's seminal teachers include: Andrea Matura, Doug Swenson, Dharma Mittra, Richard Freeman, John Campbell, Professor Martin Seligman, Professor Robert Thurman and Lama Sumati Marut. She expresses her gratitude for being part of the Finger Lakes community.

Karen Snow
www.silentrhythmdance.com




Karen Snow is a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor as well as a talented Choreographer for the Silent Rhythm Dance Troupe. Karen will be sharing her love and knowledge of Kundalini Yoga with the Finger Lakes Yoga Festival this year. She has trained under Sat Dharm Singh Khalsa ~ under the Yogi Bhajan methodology, and is humbled and honored everyday by the gift that Yoga can bring to transform people's lives. She also teaches Yoga at the Canandaigua YMCA , and is the owner of The Silent Rhythm Dance and Fitness Studio. 


Sabine Starr
www.yogaonthemovewithsabine.com 
In 2008 Sabine Starr became a certified yoga instructor, through Bliss Yoga of Woodstock, NY. She teaches at Mountain BreezeYoga in Ashland, NY. This is home base for Sabine as she ventures out with Yoga On the Move to Connecticut, Long Island, New York City, and the Finger Lakes Region. With her unique training, she encourages you to leave your stress at the door and enter into the sanctuary of your own home, with the use of bolsters, pillows, and a Thai yoga mat. Sabine provides a relaxed atmosphere that encourages one to seek a deeper release within the body, relax the mind, and better understand the practice of Yoga and it's many benefits. "Yoga was a part of my training beginning with my career as a dancer in NYC at the age of seventeen. Being the first student to graduate from Greenwich High School with an Independent Study in Dance allowed me to study in NYC with famous modern dancers and choreographers such as Martha Graham, Paul Sanasardo, and Alvin Ailey.
Yoga has always been in the forefront of my professional carear as a link to staying limber and relaxed during rehearsals and performances. The opportunity to perform in NYC with Rhondo Dance Theater and Ct. with the G.B.W. was the stepping stone to touring through Switzerland and Germany, reestablishing the connection with my mothers farm in Bühl, Baden where the 2009 Yoga Retreat took place. The huge success of this retreat has been my motivation in the planing of the 2011 Retreat to Albführen, Germany. 


Mong Phu
Martial Arts

Mong Phu is the founder of both Fusion Mixed Martial Arts & Fusion Kick Fit which are based in the Finger Lakes with the main gym in Clyde, NY. Mong holds a certified black belt in Karate and Judo. 
Additionally he has several other high ranking belts in many other disciplines. With over 15 years of martial arts, exercise and weight training experiences, Mong has worked with clients from all walks of life ranging from youth to older adults and from special needs populations to competitive athletes. 
Mong’s personal mission is to help people achieve optimal health and functional performance through educating them on proper exercise methodology and nutritional habits to reach their personal goals.
His goal is to make every class fun and exciting for all ages from beginners to advanced practitioners.


Jai Hari Meyerhoff




Jai Hari Meyerhoff has been teaching Kundalini Yoga in the Ithaca NY area for over 14 years. She is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher through IKYTA and studied personally with Yogi Bhajan. She currently resides outside of Ithaca in Danby NY with her four children and husband Jonathan.




Gina Newlin
Though her yoga journey began more than 15 years ago, Gina didn't find true inspiration until 2005, when injury and increased stress led to her discovery of the vast healing power of yoga. Peace, balance, and recovery from a decades-old ballet injury came through focused practice and the loving guidance of a gifted Kripalu teacher, and so began the journey into teaching as a means to share the gifts of yoga. 
As part of her 200 hour Vinyasa Flow teacher certification, she discovered her love of sharing yoga with children, and enjoys teaching in area Elementary enrichment programs, as well as practicing with her 7 and 10 year old sons. In 2008 her adventures led to the discovery of AcroYoga and the unique level of communication, trust, and playfulness it fosters. Becoming part of the worldwide AcroYoga Kula has been one of the greatest joys of her yoga journey, as is sharing the practice with the growing community of acroyogis in Ithaca. 
Gina has had the opportunity to study with many great teachers, including Baron Baptiste, Sri Mukunda Stiles, Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klein, and most recently, Seane Corn. Her teaching style reflects a combination of these influences and others, with emphasis on careful alignment, self-awareness, and finding joy in the organic flow of vinyasa. She currently lives, works, and teaches yoga in Ithaca, NY. As a caseworker in Children's Services for many years, Gina looks forward to an upcoming teacher training with Hala Khouri, focused on teaching yoga to at-risk youth.


Sandra Halliday



Sandra Halliday (Prithi Kaur) teaches Kundalini Yoga and Meditation in the style of Yogi Bhajan. Her high-energy classes combine a fun workout with hot music and deep meditation that motivate you to reflect on the vision of the soul. Sandra is KRI certified and studied with Yogi Bhajan, Ravi Singh, and with Sat Jivan Singh and Kaur in New York City. She is author of a book "Kundalini Yoga: Unlocking the Secrets to Radiant Beauty and Health". She has taught at gyms in Syracuse and in yoga studios in New York City.



Liane Bracciale





Liane is a certified yoga instructor who has been teaching since 1988. She has studied and practiced many styles of yoga while living in New York City. She has taught at many major health clubs and fitness facilities. She is also currently enrolled in Svaroopa(R) Yoga’s advanced teacher training. She brings experience, knowledge and joy to her classes.



Amy Kathryn Brown DPT
Amy will be presenting workshops on nutrition, the veg/vegan diet, and other topics.

Amy learned to love the outdoors and physical activities as a child growing up in Canada where she spent the summers outdoors sailing, swimming, hiking and camping as well as winter skiing, camping and hiking.
Amy attended Brock University in St. Catharines, ON for her Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and Gannon University in Erie, PA where she earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. Amy currently works with special needs children as a physical therapist at Sensational Kids. She spends much of her leisure time outdoors in all seasons enjoying the beauty of nature, on a bike, skis, or her own feet.  Throughout all of the different facets of her busy life, nutrition has been a constant element. Nutrition was always an area of interest growing up with an active lifestyle, and became more prevalent through academic studies focused on health and wellbeing, and continues with the exploration of special needs of children and adults with dietary restrictions and as alternatives to medication. Amy has developed a personal love of nutrition and cooking with a busy and active lifestyle focused on the love of the outdoors and the environment.

Hawk
Hawk has been a Yoga practitioner, Teacher and Trainer for over 20 years! As creator of Ithaca Yoga Center, AHIMSA Hawk has had the opportunity to work extensively with Yoga and 'the Breath' as a vehicle for transformation and healing. Going beyond her original training as Yoga Teacher and therapist, over the past two decades she has helped thousands of people ignite their own miraculous healing powers. She brings a gentle, nurturing energy to her work that combines with the clarity and power of Spirit achieved after extensive work and study. Hawk has developed the ability to correct constrictive breathing patterns which keep unresolved issues in the mind and body. She also works with children and parents together to heal birth trauma and initiate spiritual bonding through breath.
As founding director of the Golden Yoga program in the Berkshires Hawk has had the opportunity to expand her practice in Gerontology. Working one on one with patients that have serious heart conditions, high anxiety, wheelchairs, ventilators, and other various symptoms that sometimes come with old age, has provided her with the insight that there are NO LIMITATIONS when it comes to this kind of healing work. Everyone can benefit.
Hawk was an instructor at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires teaching Yoga, Back Care, Meditation and Breathing to hundreds of people of different levels. Her background and experience in the healing arts gives her a deep compassion for human nature.
The work that Hawk offers compliments and integrates all other healing modalities. She is currently working at Cornell University and Ithaca Yoga Center, AHIMSA. Visit Hawk at AHIMSA or at www.ithacayoga.org


Emma Gabrielle Silverman




Emma Gabrielle Silverman has over ten years experience practicing yoga. She began with a dedicated Iyengar practice and, over the years, has studied Bikram, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and Vinyasa Flow. After working at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, she now teaches in the Kripalu style. In the past, she has taught chair yoga, Vinyasa yoga, yoga for kids, and yoga for health care professionals. Recently having landed in Ithaca after a move from Madison, Wisconsin, she is looking forward to working and playing in the Ithaca yoga community. 




Dena DeFrees Beratta
Dena is a certified and registered Yoga Instructor. She trained with Tony Riposo, Founder and Director of Infinite Light Yoga, a Central New York Yoga School teaching a classical style of yoga which is a blend of Riposo’s Kripalu background and the personal style he developed over 20 years of practice and teaching. Immediately after graduating, Dena joined Infinite Light Yoga as an Instructor and also works as a Teaching Assistant in the ILY Teacher Training Program.
Dena’s classes are based on the principles of classical yoga. She will guide you through a centering meditation and pranayama (breathing), asanas (postures), and relaxation. She draws on her personal practice, a B. A. in Psychology, and life experience as a wife, mother, writer and photographer. She believes yoga should be available and accessible for every person and every body so that all people can benefit from countless health benefits and enjoy the practice as a wonderful gateway to self-discovery, inner peace and joy, as well as creativity and productivity. She teaches from a strong and personal belief that the practice of yoga enhances all other areas of life.


Brenda D'Angelo
I have been practicing yoga for over ten years and am grateful everyday that I found this wonderful and powerful practice. It has influenced me in many ways and continues to bring peace, joy and balance to my life. I received my teaching certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. It is my desire as a teacher to honor this sacred practice in its purest form and to make yoga accessible to underserved communities and inviting to all. I recently relocated here from the busy and fast-paced Washington DC/Baltimore area. I grew up in a small New York town and am very happy to be back living in an area where I can bring yoga to the surrounding communities and share with others this wonderful gift. Currently I teach multi-level classes at the Cortland YMCA, Homer Center for the Arts, Virgil United Methodist Church, Dryden Town Hall and Lansing Community Center and Public Schools and Ahimsa Yoga Studio in Ithaca. I will be opening Pure & Simple Yoga in Cortland in July 2010. Please visit www.pureandsimpleyoga.com for more details and additional information about my classes.

Casey Benson

Teaching. Children. Yoga. These have been constant passions throughout Casey Benson’s life and have led her to her work as a children’s yoga instructor. Casey’s mission is to share yoga and meditation with all children as a means of enhancing their spiritual and emotional development, allowing them to tap into their inner light and let it shine.  A trained Montessori teacher, Casey has been working with children around the world for more than 15 years. She recently completed the Radiant Child Yoga teacher training with Shakta Kaur Kalsa and is certified to teach children’s yoga through Karma Kids Yoga in New York City. 
Casey creates a safe environment where children feel comfortable and confident to be themselves and try new things. Caseycommunicates with children in an honest and positive way and is the reason they keep coming back for more yoga classes.

Jeannine Gettis
Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher
Lotus Palm Thai Yoga Therapy Practitioner

Jeannine Gettis loves to help people reduce stress and develop a sense of well being in their lives. She discovered Yoga at age 18 and it was love at first asana. Jeannine has been joyously exploring many Yogic traditions over the last 13 years and taught Hatha Vinyasa classes since 2001. Jeannine is grateful to her Thai Yoga teachers from Montreal’s Lotus Palm School for skillfully and lovingly bestowing their knowledge. She plans to continue nurturing her connection with this ancient healing tradition by studying through Lotus Palm’s advanced Ayurvedic and Thai Yoga courses.