Instructor Bios

Allison
Ali Ritto’s yoga practice began as a way to escape the mental stresses of the daily grind but quickly blossomed into a challenging physical practice as well. She began taking classes at Freeman Yoga in 2007 and was hooked right away. She completed her 200-hour teacher training through Cloud Nine Yoga School with Samantha Gallo and Alexis Kemp in 2010 and is certified in Prenatal Yoga through Yoga Works. She teaches at locations all over Orange County and enjoys working with a varying clientele, blending vinyasa flow and power yoga styles for all levels. Constantly wanting to grow, Ali challenges herself physically in her own practice and as teacher. Most recently she began teaching yoga to 4- to 8-year-old children, which is a wonderful, albeit noisy, change of pace! In the spring of 2012 Ali will be working as the assistant instructor in a Power Yoga teacher training in Tustin, California. Yoga is truly a gift that can be shared by all, and Ali believes that everybody can do yoga, no matter their age, physical ability, strength or other limitations. Encouraging nervous, hesitant, or sedentary people to try yoga for the first time is her passion, and enjoys seeing her students grow in her classes. Ali is very exited to be back in the community at Freeman Yoga, the very place that led her on the path she is now on.

Denise
Denise starting practicing yoga in 2000 and after having her son in 2008, received her 200 and 300-hour certificates from YogaWorks in Los Angeles. In October, she will be completing another 200 hour Teacher Training with Shiva Rea. In June 2010 , she became a Certified Yoga Therapist through Loyola Marymount University. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level (500-RYT), is a Certified Yoga Therapist (CYT), and is also a member of the International Association for Yoga Therapist (IAYT). Denise continues to study with Carmen Fitzgibbon, Mela Gaskins-Butcher, Shiva Rea, and Lisa Walford. Denise’s style of teaching is flowing, fun, and nurturing. She encourages her students to bring what they have learned on the mat into their everyday lives. She integrates her knowledge in Yoga Therapy during her classes, so everyone can leave feeling welcome, happy and confident.

Glen
Glen found his way to yoga solely to alleviate the stress and low back pain brought on by running a small drafting business. While practicing meditation and yoga intensely, Glen’s stress and back pain was relieved. In doing so, a much deeper, rewarding side of yoga beyond the asanas practice became apparent. Glen continues to explore other aspects of Vedic knowledge, in particular, Thai Yoga Therapy (certified practitioner) and Ayurveda (the science of life); and has completed Yoga Alliance’s 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training program through Cloud Nine Yoga. Yoga and meditation have profoundly affected Glen’s life, he enjoys sharing his experiences with others, always striving to apply it to his daily life.

Jenai
Jenai took her first yoga class at her local YMCA shortly after high school. She mainly appreciated the well rounded workout that included stretching, strengthening, balance and breath. During a difficult time in her life, Jenai discovered the emotional and stress reducing benefits of a consistent yoga practice in addition to the physical benefits. In 2009, she decided she needed to share her passion for yoga by becoming a teacher. Jenai completed her teacher training certification through YogaWorks Orange County. She is passionate about yoga and educating others of its benefits. Jenai teaches Hatha Flow with emphasis on breathing and proper alignment in postures while striving to create both a peaceful and playful moving meditation.

Jennie
Jennie has been practicing yoga for seven years and believes that yoga benefits everyone. As an instructor, she focuses on alignment, breath, the mind-body-spirit connection and, most important, having fun. Students of all levels will feel a positive energetic shift as they work with this enthusiastic yogini, who likes to blend the heat created in vinyasa flow classes with the therapeutic advantages of viniyoga. Whether you are trying to get stronger, become more flexible, gain focus and balance, or cultivate more peace and spaciousness, Jennie will assist you in realizing your goals and finding a whole new you.

Maureen
Maureen discovered yoga at her local gym and started teaching in 2000. She is a certified AFAA Group Exercise Instructor and her first yoga training was through YogaFit. Wanting to continue and expand her yoga practice, Maureen completed Teacher Certification at Yoga Experience with Diane Harman and has taken additional training with Paul Cabanis and Marla Apt. Maureen received her Yoga Alliance 200 Hour Teacher Trainging Certificate through Yoga Works under John Gaydos and Birgitte Kirsten in 2007. Her classes are based on Hatha Flow with an Iyengar influence. She encourages her students to allow their bodies to be where they are – no judgment – and to connect breath with movement. She believes yoga gives you the freedom to be yourself and explore life to the fullest.

Monica
Monica found yoga 6 years ago here at Freeman yoga as a way to find fitness, but quickly she realized that yoga was way more than that. Through Yoga she found a connection with herself, a tool to re-discover her true essence and a way of living. Because of her passion to Yoga and its benefits, she decided to become a Yoga Teacher and in 2009 she deepened her understanding by completing her 200 hour teacher training thru “True Flow Yoga” and registered with the Yoga Alliance. Monica teaches a Vinyansa Flow class focused on synchronizing breath and movement with detail attention in alignment. Monica encourages her students to come to their mat just as they are, to leave their ego at the door, to connect with their breath, and that is OK to let go and surrender. Monica is excited to teach at the same place where she felt in love with yoga and hopes that each student leaves her class a little closer to their inner self.

Myra
Myra originally came to yoga to help combat effects of too much stress in her daily life and quickly fell in love with the practice. She found joy not only in the relief from the stress of daily life, but in the beauty and fluidity of the breath, the movement, and the incredible feeling of bliss at the end of each practice, no matter how rigorous or gentle. As time went by, she decided she wanted to share the love of her practice with others, hoping to make them feel much more in balance within their daily lives. She was encouraged to do so by her original teacher, Patrick Freeman, who first trained Myra to teach. After a couple of years teaching, Myra decided to pursue her 200 hr certification through Cloud Nine with Samantha Gallo & Alexis Kemp which she completed last year. Although there is an emphasis on strength and flexibility, Myra also places a strong emphasis on the connection between the breath and the fluidity of the movement, along with a playfulness to the class.

Newton
Newton has been teaching yoga in Southern California for about a decade. He has taught at many of the top studios in the county and has a committed following. Newton has the unique ability to connect with everyone from all walks of life. He admires people who come to classes with an open mind as he does not expect you to do all the poses, but at least expects of you to try. He is really encouraging and is very hands on to make sure you understand what it is you are doing.

 

Nichole
Nichole came to yoga over 6 years ago to understand and heal her own injuries due to an active sports lifestyle and to learn to reduce stress from working in the corporate world. The benefits she found changed her life and she is now dedicated to passing that along to her students. Nichole completed her 200 hour Teacher Training at YogaWorks in Orange County under the tutelage of Carmen Fitzgibon and Thomas Taubman. She is currently enrolled in the Professional Program at Yoga Works which will take her to RYT 500 hr level in March 2010. In her classes, she draw not only upon the skills she has acquired through professional training but also on her own experience as an athletic individual and a yoga practitioner. She believes in teaching a balance of understanding and awareness for each student during their asana practice. This balance between understanding the physical asana practice through proper alignment and concise instruction together with awareness of the breath, spirit and mind can create a sense of calm, clarity and grounding that can transcend beyond the yoga room to everyday life.

Patrick
Patrick is more than an instructor of yoga, he embraces all aspects of yoga in his daily life. Patrick began his journey of discovering and studying yoga at the young age of 12, and now has over 40 years of hatha yoga practice, including over 35 years of teaching experience. Patrick has studied yoga and meditation through the teachings one of India’s most prominent yogis, Paramahansa Yoganada, founder of Self-Realization Fellowship. Patrick was initiated into the Kriya Yoga meditation technique in 1974. Living the better part of his life with chronic pain he has always been searching for methods of physical relief. His personal adventure of overcoming pain has made him familiar with the many types of healing arts and helped him develop an acute ability to help others overcome their own physical adversity. Patrick brings care and compassion to students of all ages, types and ability levels. He has integrated his own unique teaching style, utilizing the best of various hatha yoga disciplines as well as TaiChiChuan and QiGong. He affirms, “There is a yoga practice for everyone. All people can benefit greatly from the incorporation of yoga into their daily lives.” Patrick has studied at the University of Michigan, where he received a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

Samantha
Samantha began her yoga journey at Cal State Fullerton and has returned full circle, now instructing the very same classes she had taken 6 years ago. She received her 500 hour Yoga Alliance-approved certification through Cloud Nine Yoga and is now working towards preparing instructors. Her style is a blend of strengthening Power/Ashtanga practice and the flowing Vinyasa – a beautiful balance to two opposites. Samantha has also led workshops in Partner Yoga, Intro to Chakras, and assists Glen Swindler in Thai Yoga Massage.

 

 

Sarah
Sarah discovered her love of yoga through an instructor preparation class at Cal State Fullerton. Sarah’s untraditional journey of becoming an instructor happened hand in hand during her own discovery of her yoga practice. Sarah was introduced to dance and gymnastics at a young age and continued her high school’s dance and cheer team. Sarah received her certification through Cloud Nine Yoga Alliance under Samantha Gallo and Alexis Kemp in Spring 2008. Sarah’s desire of living a healthy and active lifestyle led her to fall in love with yoga. She loves to motivate students in finding their journey in yoga and path to healthy living.

Sasha
Sasha has always been familiar with working with energy. Growing up she was taught about the chakras, intuition, meditation, reiki and massage by her family. Her family was also very much into music. Everyone in her family was gifted with the ability to sing and play an instrument. So naturally, Sasha is a singer, dancer, musician and some say a healer. For years she combined holding stretching postures & meditation as a supplement to her dance training for increasing flexibility long before she knew what restorative yoga was. In 2001 she attended her first official yoga class at her local gym and was lucky enough to have a Yogaworks trained teacher. She immediately fell in love with the mind, body, breath connection unique to yoga. After maintaining a dedicated yoga practice for six years, she was encouraged by her teacher to take the Yogaworks teacher training. She completed the 200 hour certification program with Yogaworks, OC studying under Kim Heagele-Labidi & Carmen Fitzgibbon. She continued on to complete the 300 hour professional program with Yogaworks, LA where she apprenticed under Jeanne Heileman, (a master student of Rod Stryker’s Para Yoga). Durring that time she also studied under such accomplished teachers such as Lisa Walford, (Iyengar / Restorative Master); Annie Carpenter, (Vinyasa Flow Master); and Paul Cabanis, (Another Iyengar / Restorative Master). She uses her personal experience and training working with energy, subtle body awareness and breath control to help students get deeper in their practice in a relaxed and accepting environment. She is also a practitioner of sound healing and kirtan, (a part of bhakti yoga). Sasha believes that yoga is a lifelong journey and she continues to study with Rod Stryker, Jeanne Heileman and LB Iddings in the lineage of Tantric Hatha Yoga called Para Yoga.

Tamara
Tamara first came to yoga in 2002 during her final year at UC Berkeley as a way to relieve anxiety and stress. After several years of running and weight training, Tamara felt that she needed more to relieve the built up tension in the body and to release the anxiety in the mind. After having a baby boy in December of 2006, Tamara finally realized the true benefits of calming the mind from the daily stresses of raising another. She became a devout believer in the healing effects of yoga through the mind, body, and spirit. Tamara graduated from Cloud Nine Yoga, taught by Samantha and Alexis. Tamara incorporates the Ashtanga heat building aspects of yoga into her vinyasa flow style of teaching.