Kids Yoga

Class Description: Yoga Games, laughter and fun! Sun salutations and yoga games wake up the body in a dynamic way. Children will make interesting shapes to the sounds of energizing music. Join Ana as she teaches yoga games as play and fun for all ages.

Bio: In 2001, Ana began her formal studies in yoga and Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Her first yoga class was a video with Patricia Walden, given to her by her twin sister, Melissa. In the summer of 2003, she completed Yoga Alliance’s 200 hour level teacher training through 7 Centers Yoga Arts in Sedona, Arizona. Here is where she met many of her gurus of yoga: Rama Jyoti Vernon, Shraddhasaggar (Ruth Hartung) , and Ambaya (Pilar Martin of Ambaya Gold). Shortly after receiving her 200 hour level training, she worked at 7 Centers Yoga Arts as a yoga instructor and an ayurvedic chef for the teacher training programs. She received darshan from Sri Karunamayi, an embodiment of divine motherly love. Also, she received darshan from Ammaji, the hugging saint of India. Ana Hansen continues to study them as examples of holy women. In 2005, Ana completed her Yoga Alliance 500 hour level teacher training program with the International Yoga College. This time she concentrated her studies on Conflict Resolution as taught by Rama Jyoti Vernon and Max Lafser. In 2006, she opened and operated Embody Yoga in Phoenix, Arizona. In March of 2009, her greatest guru was born; her son. Today, Ana teaches peace curriculum, kids mindfulness and kids yoga at a local Sedona school. Ana is the founder and director of Growing Hearts, Minds & Bodies. 

Class Description: Students will share feelings and do activities and explore the brilliant functions of the brain. Students will read and discuss My Brain is a Thinking Machine.

Bio: I love being a mom. It’s the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. If you want enlightenment, immersing yourself in this physical experience is the fastest way for your “stuff” to show up… then you can look at yourself, your stuff, and really heal. Thank goodness for BodyTalk to help with all those consiousness shifts and releasing the old stuff! BodyTalk has really helped me become the mom and person I want to be… that’s responsive and loving rather than reactive and emotional. Being a mom has accelerated my growth as a BodyTalk practitioner and my love for the work… I like to look at each session with the curiosity of a child, and just wonder what will come up for each person. What great jobs I have in the office with BodyTalk and at home as a mom!

Class Title: Create Your Own Civilization!

Class Description: Create your own civilization!  We will start with a read aloud of Weslandia, by Paul Fleischman, then children will work on creating their own civilization including their own written language.

Class Title: Nature Mandalas

Class Description: Children will venture outdoors to collect natural materials, then they will to use their collected materials to create a natural mandala piece of art.  

Class Title: Create a Rube Goldberg Machine

Class Description: Create a Rube Goldberg machine! Children will link together chain reactions to reach the goal of ringing a bell.  This session will require innovation and patience, but it will be a whole lot of fun!  

Bio: This is Laurie’s second year working with us at the Sedona Yoga Festival.  She is a certified teacher who is working on opening a children’s hands-on, interactive STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) museum in the Verde Valley called The Science Vortex.  

Class Description: Students will visualize and learn about the elements that make up the body. Students will do a craft for each element.

Bio: Melissa is one of alternative medicine’s most gifted practitioners. Intuitive and knowledgeable, she is a Licensed Acupuncturist, and certified in Ayurvedic medicine.  Trained in yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic cooking, she’s able to offer exceptional healing services including Acupuncture, Cupping, Acupressure, and various Ayurvedic body therapies.  She counsels on nutrition, exercise, meditation and lifestyle.  She is a graduate of Dr. Vasant Lad’s Ayurvedic Institute, and received her Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine from the Southwest Acupuncture College-Santa Fe.  Internationally trained and former Ayurvedic cook of 7 Centers, she feels blessed to return and contribute to Sedona, Arizona’s first and finest yoga studio.  She is a regular contributor to yoga and health periodicals, and teaches Ayurvedic workshops throughout the Southwest.

Class Description: Cosmic Yoga is a local community gathering for yogi parents to meet and share a breath. A light-hearted class of movement, play and support where families can connect. Children (approximate ages 1-5) can follow along or explore in this safe and magical space. 

Bio:  Melissa Osborne (E-RYT 200, RCYT) completed her Hatha-Flow certification at Yoga Yoga in her hometown Austin, TX in 2012. Melissa is a passionate student of Vedic astrology and yogic lore. Melissa is a peace advocate, poet and painter. She is inspired by the energies of the Earth, planets and stars. She encourages her students to connect with the cosmos through movement and breath. Melissa believes yoga should be accessible for all bodies and will offer modifications for any level of experience. She incorporates strength training and often utilizes props. Melissa and her spouse, Colton, live in lovely Sedona; they have a 2-year-old son-Fox, 2 dogs and 2 cats. Together they lead the monthly Full Moon Gong Baths at 7 Centers in accordance to the astrology of the day.  Melissa taught for the Kid’s Program during the Sedona Yoga Festival 2017. Melissa had the joyous opportunity of earning her 100-hr Children’s Yoga teaching certificate from 7 Centers in 2018. She teaches Kid’s Yoga in the yurt at 7 Centers weekly; with assistance from her happy baby, Fox. Most loved local spots: Seven Sacred Pools, Airport Vortex & Stupa Amitabha Peace Park. (Vinyasa, Kid’s Yoga)  ?

Class Description: During this class, participants will explore ways in which we find peace within and how to share that with the world.  Each participant will design their own peace rock.

Class Title: Drawing Your Breath- A Mindful Art Exercise

Class Description: Participants will have an experience with a mindfulness tool that builds awareness of the breath.  Each participant will leave with watercolor resist images they’ve created.

Bio: Trisha Koons is a Montessori Elementary teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  She has degrees in Comparative Religion (B.A.) and Elementary Education (M.Ed.), as well as a Montessori 6-9 level certification.  She has taught kids mindfulness and kids yoga throughout her teaching career. When she’s not teaching, Trisha enjoys doing yoga, meditation, and adventuring in nature.

Class Description: This session–specifically for teens and preteens–explores key practices for finding inner peace in daily life. We will learn and practice mindfulness techniques, meditative visualization practices and peaceful breathing to help teens achieve a greater sense of calm. Practical tips for making these practices one’s own will be highlighted. This session will help teens establish and use yogic practices for portable peace… offering a map to peace wherever they may find themselves.

Bio:  A popular Yoga Therapy resource for adults, Ann teaches meditation and goal centered yogic practices through Plein Air Yoga LLC. She founded Plein Air Yoga more than ten years ago to utilize the many therapeutic benefits of practice in natural settings. Ann sees adult students individually by appointment. Ann offers support in the Chicago area within a children’s hospital, at a top high school’s special education department and through an extensive private practice with adult and youth clientele.

Class Description: Through imagination and play, children will receive the physical and mindful tools that yoga provides. Using our “super power” (our breath) we will explore yoga poses through imagination, sensory exploration and movement. We will play during our structured flow with fun props and music. The class will connect to the oneness of nature, with our friends and most importantly with our self. Our class will wind down using breathing and relaxation techniques which can be applied toward everyday situations.

Bio: Ruthann is a fitness and yoga instructor, as well as a mind-body movement practitioner.  From a very young age she has been drawn to study and understand the science behind fitness and health. This inspiration throughout the years has allowed her background and field of study to become very diverse.  In 2000, she gained certification as a personal trainer and studied exercise science in college. Her initial draw to yoga, was simply just to learn better ways to stretch her body, but it quickly became much more. She was captivated by the fact that her yoga practice began to enhance all areas of her life. ?Over the last 12 years she has actively pursued and has been devoted to understanding the many rich facets of yoga and meditation.
Ruthann is a Yoga Alliance Certified teacher in Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga. She enjoys continuing her education allowing it to enhance her own practice as well as gaining knowledge to offer to her clients. Ruthann has been involved in several different children’s yoga teacher trainings, including a 100-hour teacher training in Asana for Autism and Special Needs. This allows her to cater and develop teachings and classes for children from any background and or from many diverse levels of ability. Currently she is participating in an Advanced Yoga training with Therapeutic and Ayurveda emphasis. It is her wish to make yoga, fitness and wellness accessible to everyone, while catering and developing classes for people from any background and/or from many diverse levels of ability.  It is her wish to share yoga with everyone and anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the human form, its functions and capabilities.   Her relationship with yoga philosophy continues to grow in her everyday life and practice. With her knowledge, technique, heart, and the gems given to her by the amazing teachers she has studied with, she is dedicated to guide her clients and students to become all they can become.

Bio: Solomon started his spiritual journey at a young age. He first began to practice yoga in 2005 following a severe injury while playing college football.  At first yoga helped to bring equilibrium to his body. Later after continuing practicing he fell in love with all that it offered mentally, physically, and spiritually. Eventually this love led him to take the 200 hr yoga teacher training at Dave’s Astanga Yoga in Scottsdale Arizona. This is where he practiced and learned from Cheryll and the late Dave Oliver in Astanga Yoga in the lineage of Patthabi Jois. This is where his practice deepened while developing the 8 limbs of yoga. During this time Solomon also studied the Yoga Sutras, Vedic chant and other philosophical books. He also trained in Yoga Nidra under Steve Price under the lineage of Amrit Tusi. Since then Solomon has spent majority of his teaching time working with many special needs children. Solomon is now here with his gifts and talents to serve in the Sedona community.

Bio: Amber Brovelli is an E-RYT® 500  Experienced Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher, studied an applied science degree in Sustainable Food Systems in Arizona and is certified as a Permaculture Designer through Permaculture College Australia. She is a Lifestyle Naturalist devoted to optimal health, healing and to the rights of nature for over 25 years having facilitated classes in over 17 countries and in festivals such as Shatkifest & Bhaktifest in California, Telluride Yoga Festival, International Yoga Festival India, Burning Man, New Zealand Eco-Festival and YAMM Festival Italy, among others. Amber is continually learning, discovering, hosting and organizing community events based around Natural Vitality and Preservation of Biodiversity and currently volunteers with the World Elephant Alliance (W.E.A.) and is open to share time empowering youth and to support rights of nature.

Bio: I received a 200 hour yoga teacher certification in 2006 through Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ. I have been teaching yoga consistently at small studios, gyms and private sessions since I received certification. Most recently, I have been volunteering to teach yoga at the Christown YMCA in  Phoenix since 2012 and doing private sessions in people’s homes for over two years. I am trained in Integrative Restoration (iRest) yoga nidra/guided meditation and am excited to bring this knowledge into my general practice and working with others. I came to yoga as a way of dealing with stress from my job as a social worker, which I did for 16 years. This led to a passion for not only the physical benefits but also the level of benefit for the mind and spirit. I love being able to share benefits for people of all levels and ranges of ability. I work with all levels of yoga students to beginners with no knowledge of yoga whatsoever (which I find really gratifying), to people who have a regular practice. I also like to personalize sessions for people who have injuries or limitations. Currently, I’m excited to be extending my knowledge by working toward certification in Integrative Restoration and Bones for Life.

Class Description: Danielle will teach a dance class for children 7 and up.

Bio: Danielle Vardakas E-RYT500 DYT1000 BFA began dancing at age 3 in Philadelphia. She continued to study dance at the Philadelphia Creative & Performing Arts High School. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Temple University and the Tyler School of Art in 2001. Danielle fell in love with yoga in 1994 while dancing with a junior ballet company and began teaching yoga in 2000. Her practice continued to create balance in her body and mind through her professional dance career which included mainly Hip Hop and Breakin with a bit of Contemporary Modern. She was mentored by Cara Bradley of Verge Yoga. She is also strongly influenced by her teachers Dharma Mittra , John Friend and Kausthub Desikachar. Danielle is continuously training and has completed over 4000 hours of teacher training programs all over the globe. She is a registered 1000 hour Advanced Teacher with Dharma Yoga. Danielle & her family moved to Vermont winter 2009. She currently directs Honest Yoga Center in South Burlington and teachers teacher trainings, retreats and festivals throughout the country and beyond. She teaches monthly in South Florida. Danielle’s vinyasa style incorporates principles of alignment with power flows and bliss energy. She themes each practice so the student can evolve spiritually as well as physically.  A teacher to teachers, Danielle created Honest Yoga 200 & 500 hour teacher trainings. Additionally, her yoga classes are featured onwww.udemy.com. She teaches yearly at Sedona Yoga Festival, and has taught for Liberate and Wanderlust Festivals. She currently is an ambassador for Danaloufit Clothing because it is a conscious, made in USA small batch company. Danielle is a vegan, Tao cultivator and proud mother to an amazing little yogi.

Class Description: Katarina Houser will teach about the principles of peace. Children will create a Peace Dove Finger Painting craft.

Bio: Katarina Houser is a full-time Montessori teacher at a local Sedona school. Katarina loves being creative and teaching children to express themselves through art.