Our Teachers

A Brooklyn native, Allaya began exploring yoga sixteen years ago, expanding on her love of movement, music and theatre. She is a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200, specializing in Vinyasa yoga, which combines an athletic practice with the breath to create flow. In addition to teaching yoga, Allaya holds a Pilates certification, a degree in Psychology, and has been recognized as an Integrative Wellness & Life Coach. She enjoys helping people find greater awareness and appreciation for themselves through an energetic, alignment-based yoga practice.

Carolina grew up in Sweden and came to New York City to continue her dance studies and decided to move here permanently because of love. Through her dance studies she came across yoga and since her move here, yoga became the anchor that helped her through that transition and beyond. Carolina completed her 500 hour Teacher Training with YogaWorks in 2015. She got certified in Prenatal Yoga through Maha Mama in 2017. She has since then continued to study Restorative yoga, Accessible yoga and Carolina is, through Yogi Beans, a certified kids yoga teacher and teaches kids all around the city. In her kids yoga classes, joy is at the center of the practice! We go on adventures, learn to breathe in different ways, play mindful games, practice relaxation and have a lot of fun. For her adult yoga classes, Carolina likes to teach different styles and always incorporates a spiritual or emotional theme to explore. She’s a firm believer that yoga is for everyone and loves the connection that is created in the practice, both the inner connection and the connection within the community.

Dublín Salas was born in Caracas Venezuela. He began his yoga practice in New York with a family member, Marco Rojas according to Sonima one of the 100 more influential yoga teachers in America In 2012 after he completed his 200 RYT at Yoga Works under the guidance of Jenny Arthur and Chrissy Carter he began to assist Rojas in classes and workshops around NYC. Dublin Salas teaches and practices are influenced by the Ashtanga Vinyasa System, Hatha, Iyengar and meditation. His exploration of sun salutations follows an intelligent, simple yet challenging sequencing focused on alignment, actions, movements, and Pranayama( breath control) 2015 he completed 100 RYT advanced yoga teacher training with a master teacher Maty Ezraty, 2017 He finished his yoga anatomy advanced teacher training certification with Jason Ray Brown Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Injury Awareness/Prevention, Biomechanics, and Kinesiology of Yoga Asana, 2019 He did a 25 hours meditation training with Master teacher Alan Finger, Sarah Finger, and Peter Ferko

Erica Barth ran into a yoga class while training for a marathon over 12 years ago and has been practicing yoga ever since. A soccer player and runner, she was impressed by the strength and flexibility yoga gave to her body, and even more by the serenity and balance it brought to her mind. Erica continued to deepen her asana practice and delve into the other limbs of yoga, obtaining her teaching certification from the Integral Yoga Institute of New York - where she met Laurel and the two decided to open Harlem Yoga Studio! Her classes combine a focus on alignment with a playful and creative sequencing of postures, leading students to find a relaxing and energizing union between breath and body. Continually inspired to deepen her knowledge of both the body and mind, Erica has studied Yin Yoga and Mindfulness with Sarah Powers, as well as Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff. Erica is certified to teach Yin Yoga, Teens, and Children, and has many years of experience working with children of all ages, teaching Yoga to Kids from NYC to Mysore India. She has studied with Saraswati Jois at the Shri K Patabi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India, and at the Shivananda Institute in Nayer Dam, India. Erica holds a Masters degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, where she focused on group dynamics and conflict resolution. In her work with clients both on and off the mat, she incorporates yoga philosophy to help groups and teams work together more effectively.

Lauren “LG” Estigarribia a proud NYC Yogi born in Brooklyn and currently living in Harlem. LG believes Yoga has saved her life at least once / definitely twice / and maybe even more times than that. It was during the Pandemic that LG realized this is a gift she wants to share with others and not only ALWAYS be the Student / also hold space as the teacher on her mat at the front of the Studio bringing A Mindful Moving Meditation to everyone who attends her classes as well as unexpected tunes that will make you want to move your body and elevate your soul. As an instructor, LG draws from all that her teachers have taught her and their teachers have taught them to continue this beautiful lineage of Yoga and give back to our amazing Harlem community that needs Love + Healing + Gratitude more than ever right now.

After running track, weight training, and playing rugby in high school, Lisa remained active, taking aerobics, Pilates, dance, and yoga classes over the years at various gyms and studios. Seeing a need in her school community for self-care after the suffering caused by the COVID pandemic, Lisa resolved to share the benefits of the practice of yoga with others by completing the 200-hour Yoga Teacher training through 'Breathe for Change' (a yoga teacher training for educators), which includes a Social Emotional Learning component and teaching with a trauma-informed lens. Lisa currently teaches yoga to the students and her colleagues at a high school for students with severe disabilities, in studio classes and private clients.

Mimi is a 200-hr yoga teacher, trained right here at Harlem Yoga Studio. She teaches a trauma-sensitive, mid-tempo flow class that always ends with a restorative posture. Her heart-centered practice seeks to help folks slow down and reconnect to themselves. She is trained in the Exhale to Inhale trauma-informed yoga methodology and has a deep knowledge of the chakra system and Five-Element Theory – a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Mimi is also a Reiki master.

Sandra Voss completed her 200-hour training with Harlem Yoga Studio in December 2020, and has completed level 1 of Yoga for Arthritis® training. She has been practicing yoga since high school and has found it especially helpful since she was diagnosed with Spondyloarthritis, an inflammatory arthritis condition that mainly affects the spine and feels better with movement and stretching. Sandra's classes emphasize mindfulness, accessibility, connecting with our inner experience; and finding the version of a pose that feels best in *your* body, rather than practicing in order to achieve a “perfect” or “fancy” pose. Sandra is also a clinical social worker, and loves reading about the benefits of yoga for mental health. Sandra lives in Harlem and enjoys riding her bike all over NYC. She looks forward to seeing you in class!

Wendell Odom started his movement journey as a dancer. After working professionally and traveling the world for many years, he became a court reporter and later a closed captioner. The corporate world was not his destiny, it turns out, and once again movement took center stage. At 50, Wendell decided it was time to take the leap and become a yoga instructor. He earned his 200 hour teacher training certificate from Harlem Yoga Studio and started teaching his first class soon after. Wendell combines interoception with challenging flows, core work, balances and a challenge or two to create a well-rounded class for those looking to learn more about their own bodies. He believes yoga is truly for everyone.

Amy Tobin has been practicing yoga in NYC for nearly 20 years. Her training is based on the lineages of Krishnamarya, and T.K.V. Desikachar which guides her in sharing a dynamic balance of stability and freedom in the body, mind and heart. Amy's classes combine a challenging flow of Vinyasa Yoga with the strong alignment principles of Iyengar Yoga. She encourages her students to link breath with movement, and to explore the benefits of yoga at their own pace. Amy believes that yoga - like life - should be approached with warmth and humor.

Corinne Flax is a non-traditional educator, specializing in outdoors and arts education. Having finished her 200 hour yoga teacher training and a 20 hour kids & teen yoga certification in 2022 at Harlem Yoga Studio, she is excited to be a part of the Harlem Yoga Studio Family. When Corinne is not teaching or taking classes she is Manager of School and Community Partnerships at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich CT. Corinne believes yoga is for all abilities, every-body and all ages.

Ellie is a Spiritual Nutritionist who believes in the importance of caring for the whole body- mind, body and spirit. She is a graduate of the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified holistic health coach. After reaping the personal benefits of meditation for over 10 years, she attended a 200 hr meditation teacher training at Three Jewels NYC under the Tibetan Buddhist lineage. She currently resides in Harlem, NYC with her daughters where she is committed to raising vibrations both internally and externally.

Jess has been teaching yoga since completing her 200-hour training at Harlem Yoga Studio in 2017. Her classes have been described by one discerning student as “slow, but kinda intense.” She draws on her experience with ashtanga, yin yoga and trauma-informed yoga to incorporate many different movement and breath practices to help students relax, get grounded, build strength, and most importantly, feel good. Outside of teaching yoga, she works at a university where she advises college students and occasionally teaches classes on literature and culture--which she would do more often if, like teaching yoga, it didn't require grading. She has lived in New York since 2007, where she enjoys spending time in the city’s parks, biking over its bridges, and trying to keep her houseplants alive. jesscullenyoga.blogspot.com

Laurel Katz-Bohen is a native New Yorker, a longtime Harlem resident, momma of two, and the founder of Harlem Yoga Studio. A graduate of the Integral Yoga Institute, she is certified to teach Hatha Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, and Raja Yoga Philosophy. Laurel also completed Vinyasa Training with Seane Corn and Advanced Teacher Training with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman. Laurel is a DONA International Certified Birth Doula, a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and trained as a Midwife Assistant with Ina May and the rest of the legendary midwives at The Farm Midwifery Center. She offers emotional support, encouragement, and wisdom to women and families throughout labor, birth, and postpartum. Laurel has practiced yoga since the age of five and enjoys planting a life-long love of “playing yoga” in her Children’s yoga classes. Laurel is a singer and songwriter who has toured throughout the United States and the world with various groups, and currently works with one of her favorite icons, Blondie. She is the winner of an Emmy award for outstanding Journalism. In addition, she has a background in childhood education and has taught elementary school in the New York City public school system. It is Laurel’s intention to serve the vibrant and diverse New Yorkers in the Harlem community by offering peace, wellness, and a sense of oneness.

For Lucia Russett, yoga is a means of self-expression and cultivating compassionate self-awareness. She completed her 200-hour teacher training at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in 2013, and her advanced (300-hour) training in 2023. She holds additional certifications in Chair Yoga and Trauma-Informed Yoga. Lucia is also a social worker, who has worked with immigrant families in East Harlem and seniors experiencing cognitive decline. She believes deeply in bringing the benefits of yoga to all, and is thrilled to be part of the HYS community.

Nyota Nayo came to the yogic lineage via her journey as a dancer and is now a long-time practitioner and teacher. She is certified to teach Hatha Yoga and Prenatal Yoga through the Integral Yoga Institute, and is certified to teach Core Vinyasa Yoga through training under Sadie Nardini. Nyota is a DONA trained Doula and has supported many mothers in Harlem through their labor and births. Additionally, Nyota is a Reiki practitioner and teaches and performs Egyptian Belly Dance and Brazilian Samba. Currently Nyota is in training in the US, and in Egypt under the Temple of Aset, towards certification in Egyptian Yoga and Meditation. Nyota’s mission is to use her myriad of experiences to empower all who are on the quest for wellness of mind, body and spirit.

Shabnam Ahamed took her first yoga class in 2008 and like many, was initially just looking for a way to stay physically active. A decade later, her yoga practice had become as much of a spiritual and mental practice as a physical one and she decided to complete her 200-hour teacher training at Harlem Yoga Studio. Shabnam’s Hatha classes incorporate asana (physical poses), pranayama (breath work) and meditation. She is certified in Medicinal Aromatherapy and uses various plant essences in her classes. Shabnam is also a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) and has worked in community health in Harlem and the Bronx.

Angela Boswell completed her 200 hour teacher training at Harlem Yoga Studio. Her personal yoga practice prior to this took on many forms. Traveling a lot for work allowed her the opportunity to take a variety of yoga classes all over the world- India, China, France to name a few. Having explored multiple styles of yoga, her teaching entwines them making each class an exploration of poses. Angela has certifications in Trauma Informed Yoga and Y12SR, yoga for 12 step recovery. She believes deeply in the healing of movement. Fitness has always been part of her life and she is also certified in HOT HIIT®. Angela lives in Harlem with her son, husband and dog. You can follow her on Instagram @knitty&knice where se shares her passion for knitting and yoga.

Danielle began her yoga journey in 2013 with a leap of faith—stepping into her first class in a brand-new city, entirely in Spanish. What started as a playful way to get active and pick up some Spanish quickly turned into a humbling and transformative experience. Since then, she’s continuously deepened her practice, which led her to complete her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Harlem Yoga Studio in 2020. Throughout the years, she has found yoga to be the singular pillar she always returns to in order to feel mentally and spiritually grounded. In her classes, she reminds students how the connections we develop with our bodies and breath in class can serve us outside of the classroom. She enjoys building heat through flows to challenge the mind and body in new ways while also taking time to give back to ourselves in equal measure. In her spare time, she likes to explore bookstores (she’s always open to recommendations!), practice her amateur photography skills, and smile at dogs on the street.

Ellyn’s practice and teaching are informed by over three decades of combined experience as a Labor and Delivery Nurse, Childbirth Educator and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. Her individualized class sequences are safely and lovingly curated using warm, invitational language and methodology. Ellyn has completed nearly 1000 hours of Yoga and Fitness Teacher Training. She holds Yoga Teacher Certification with New York Yoga, Advanced Yoga Certification with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman, Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga with the Prenatal Yoga Center, Yin Yoga with Integral Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga with Exhale to Inhale, Accessible Yoga with Jivana Heyman, and Baby and Me Yoga with Kidding Around Yoga. She has also studied Alignment with Leslie Kaminoff, Pranayama with Richard Rosen, and Yoga for Recovery from Eating Disorders with Chelsea Roff. She studied Pilates Mat with Power Pilates, and is a NASM Certified Women’s Fitness Specialist. Currently, she is working towards her certification as a Pelvic Floor Yoga Teacher with Leslie Howard.

Julie McNamara first discovered yoga back in high school, when she was literally dragged to class one Sunday morning. As an ambitious musical theater performer and also a self-professed type-A overachiever, yoga helped her learn to accept the flow of things and to rediscover joy not only in her art but in her life as well. Julie received her 200-hour certification at Princeton Center for Yoga and Health in Skillman, NJ, in 2012, while also working towards her bachelor’s degree in Voice Performance at Westminster Choir College. She was particularly amazed at yoga’s ability to unlock her mind-body connection as a performer. Julie’s classes balance flow and fun with breathing and letting go. She believes that yoga is for everyone, and loves helping her students find and embrace their beautiful, individual selves through their practice!

Growing up as an athlete I used to view yoga simply as a way to cool down from high-intensity workouts practicing the poses of yoga. It was through practicing while facing adversity that I realized how immensely the practice of yoga benefited my mental health and gave me the strength I so desperately needed. Since graduating from Harlem Yoga’s amazing Teacher Training program in June 2022, I’ve made it my goal to create a safe space for people to slow down, look inward, and bring a touch of awareness back to the parts of ourselves that we’ve understandably worked hard to suppress. I know just how hard it is to slow down and move mindfully in today's society so I want to empower people to take that time for themselves and know that they deserve it.

Marcy Tropin came to yoga from a bicycling accident. Inspired by her own healing she pursued teaching and became certified in Alan Finger’s Ishta Yoga in 2001. Marcy continued her yogic studies with Judith Lasater’s Relax + Renew Training in 2003, Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training with Shiva Rea in 2005 and Yin Yoga Practice + Theory Teacher Training with Paul Grilley in 2007. She has a B.F.A. from the California College of the Arts and published her first book, ‘Yin Yoga Master Class: A Memoir’ in 2017. In 2021 she started www.thumbsky.com, as creative outlet. Marcy's teaching style combines alignment, humor and intuition to create a practice that is in the moment, for students. When not teaching Marcy can be found doting on her beloved dog Buster.

Sage Mehta, RYT 500, PYT, has been teaching Yoga for twelve years. She empowers her students to delve deeper into their understanding of poses on the mat and to take what they have learned off the mat. Sage has trained in Vinyasa, Structural, and Anusara Yoga, and she continues to study Iyengar Yoga plus Yoga for Backcare and Scoliosis. She is a Yoga Alliance RYT 500 and a Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (PYT).

Spring Cooper has been practicing yoga since she reluctantly began attending classes at the age of 18 and has been teaching fitness and yoga-based classes for 20 years. After being certified in 2008 she has continued to grow and blossom through her daily yoga practice and by working with mentor teachers to further her development. She is now a 500 hour registered yoga teacher and also certified in Katonah yoga. Spring teaches a dynamic and physically challenging yoga class, but there are always options for any level of yogi or yogini. Spring‘s personal practice has helped her find happiness and peace with her body; she recommends yoga as a therapy and life-balancing practice for everyone.