Arline Jernigan

A graduate of Memphis College of Art and a long-term physical fitness instructor before coming to yoga, Arline brings a unique blend of physicality and artfulness to her teaching. The yoga mat serves as a different kind of canvas for Arline, who continues to paint and exhibit her work in Memphis art galleries. Through her teaching as well as her art, she inspires others to feel more and move beyond preconceived notions of personal limitation.

She has been teaching for about 10 years, and keeps discovering new territory within her own practice.

She draws her teaching inspiration from several teachers, though Shiva Rea had a great impact on Arline’s initial direction. “Shiva opened my eyes to the beauty of flow, the freedom that personal power offers us, and the gateway to it on the yoga mat.”

Arline received her teaching certification through Yoga Alliance. She teaches both public and private classes, and takes students on yoga adventures around the world.

Arline's classes:

Saturday

08:30am - 09:45am Shakti Flow studio b

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Bonnie Keene

Bonnie teaches in order to share. Each class combines breath with movement to create a body that is flexible and a mind that is both calm and connected to the present. Bonnie began teaching after 10 years of yoga practice and completion of Midtown Yoga’s 200 hour teacher training program in 2011. She continues to find inspiration through her personal practice, workshops and studies of Yogic practice and philosophy. According to Bonnie, “Observant participation for the teacher and the student brings new knowledge that leads to choices that build strength, awareness and health.”

Bonnie's classes:

Friday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Yoga Flow downtown

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Carey Bowen

When people find out you teach yoga, you get many reactions such as, “I’d like to try yoga once I’m more flexible” or “My doctor told me it would be good for me”, and so on. Carey relates that when she started her yoga practice over 20 years ago, she couldn’t fathom being able to touch her toes and her motivation to begin her practice was also being told it would help a severe, chronic health condition. Today, she is proud to say she can touch her toes and the breath work (pranayama), meditation and comprehensive exercise style of yoga DID improve her health. This experience is what Carey brings into her classes to assist clients through life situations being held in their body, to complement rehabilitative work, to assist addicts, or simply to offer a fitness element as needed. Since 1997 Carey has worked as a birth/postpartum doula, lactation consultant and in 2000 began teaching yoga, pilates rehab, postpartum pilates rehab, water aerobics and personal training molded to the client’s need. Carey is also a Reiki Master and trainer of instructors for Y-USA.

Carey's classes:

Tuesday

06:00am - 07:00am Vinyasa and Pranayama- All Levels studio a

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Carole Manley

Carole feels that it is an honor to teach the gift of yoga. Her consistent practice began in 2004. Early on, she recognized that yoga offered many life changing experiences. Changes really began to manifest in Carole’s life as she completed the 200 Hour Teacher Training Program with Sarla Nichols at Midtown Yoga. She says that yoga has brought strength and balance to her mind, body, and spirit. Carole asserts that it is a privilege to share her passion for yoga with others.

Carole's classes:

Wednesday

05:30pm - 06:30pm Yoga for Life downtown

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Caroline Schmidt

Caroline is a natural vinyasa teacher, and effortlessly imparts her enthusiasm and affection for yoga. She favors creative transitions and deep opening. Her style is reminiscent of Shiva Rea, but her spirit is all her own. She is a bright light and you know it when you meet her. You’ll feel it when you come to her class.

Caroline's classes:

Monday

07:00pm - 08:15pm Vinyasa- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio a

Tuesday

05:30pm - 06:30pm Yoga for Cancer Patients and Caretakers - All Levels - FREE studio b

07:00pm - 08:15pm Vinyasa- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio a

Thursday

10:00am - 11:15am Alignment Based Yoga - Levels I and II studio a

05:30pm - 06:30pm Yoga Sculpt - All Levels studio a

Friday

05:30pm - 06:30pm Alignment Based Yoga - Level I studio a

Sunday

05:45pm - 07:00pm Vinyasa - All Levels - Community studio a

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Cate Plekon

Cate grew up on the Gulf Coast of Alabama and began practicing yoga there in 2003. She has been studying at Midtown Yoga since 2007. Cate participated in Sarla’s 2010 Teacher Training Program. Through her studies of yoga and through personal experience, Cate has learned the value of maintaining a healthy practice both on and off the mat. She believes that yoga has had a profound influence on her life and she wishes to share that light with her students. Her intention is to incorporate strength-building techniques as well as nourishment, reflection and relaxation practices into her classes.

Cate's classes:

Monday

05:00pm - 06:00pm Hot Yoga- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio b

Wednesday

07:00pm - 08:00pm Alignment Based Vinyasa - Level I and II - pay what you can studio b

Thursday

08:30am - 09:45am Vinyasa- Level II and III main

06:00pm - 07:15pm Hot Yoga- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio b

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Christy Washington

Christy is passionate about traveling, new experiences, and culinary delights from street food to fine dining and sharing those experiences with others. Her travels include backpacking through Latin America, teaching English in China, trekking through Europe, embarking on roadfood trips throughout the United States, and navigating the judicial system for her clients. She is most at home on the road, whether that road is on her yoga mat, a highway, or a bumpy bus ride through the mountains.

While studying at the University of Memphis, Christy attended her first yoga class in 1998 and has continued practicing and studying with teachers here and abroad. She received her 200 Hour RYT Certification from Sarla Nichols at Midtown Yoga, and her style combines vinyasa flow, restorative, yin, breathwork, and meditation. She helps you create a personal practice that fits your needs and lifestyle while also offering opportunities to challenge and nurture yourself.

“I practice yoga to balance my various roles – attorney, community volunteer, friend, family member, traveler, animal lover, gardener – and to set aside time to slow down, suspend planning, analyzing, and problem-solving, and be in the moment. By reconnecting with my breath, I remember that I am more than the sum of my roles, and I am able to connect with something greater than myself. Through teaching, I strive to guide my students to reconnect with themselves and to find joy in life.”

Traveling and meeting people from around the world has taught Christy that we have more in common with each other than may appear at first glance, so set aside any notions about what yoga should or should not be, bring your passport and an open mind and heart, and join her on the journey that awaits you – to experience your True Self! Namaste.

Christy's classes:

Thursday

06:15pm - 07:30pm Yoga for Life- NO CLASS 5/17 downtown

Saturday

04:30pm - 05:45pm Restorative Yoga main

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Debbie Denny

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Debbie walked away from a 10 year career in gaming hospitality to teach yoga. The quote from Emerson summarizes her approach to teaching, “As we practice yoga, we learn about ourselves through the breath.” Debbie’s personal practice includes traditional asana, meditation, and breath awareness. This enriches her classes and gives her students the opportunity to deepen their own individual practices. Debbie’s classes are challenging and humorous, a true reflection of life off the mat.

Debbie's classes:

Thursday

07:00am - 08:00am Alignment Based Yoga - Levels I and II studio a

Sunday

09:00am - 10:15am Alignment Based Vinyasa - Level I and II - pay what you can studio a

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Fontaine Brown

Fontaine began practicing yoga in her 20’s, but committed to the practice in 2010 when certified through Midtown Yoga as a teacher. “Yoga has had a powerful impact on me. The practice has been significant in helping me to navigate the biggest challenges I have faced and has helped me to become clearer about who I am and how I want to live. The practice is a journey and a process that gets richer day by day and sharing this practice through teaching is an honor. Come join me on the mat!”

Fontaine's classes:

Monday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Yoga Flow downtown

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Geoff Bleech

Geoff began practicing yoga in 2005. He quickly realized the positive impact, both physically and emotionally, that a regular yoga practice can have in one’s life. “Yoga continually clears my mind and helps to add balance in my life. It’s made me a better friend, partner, employee, and citizen. I’m a stronger person because of it.”

A Graduate of Midtown Yoga’s Teacher Training program in 2007, his flowing alignment-based vinyasa classes contain something for all levels of students.

Geoff's classes:

Monday

08:30am - 10:00am Yoga Flow - Level II and III studio a

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Grace Harwood

Poise and precision aptly describe Grace’s teaching style. A dancer for 21 years and a mother of three, she found that yoga filled the void dance left in her life and taught her how to slow down and breathe in the often chaotic routine of raising a family. Grace values the strength and beauty of Vinyasa Flow and encourages her students to find joy in their practice. Practicing with Grace is a treat not to be missed.

Grace's classes:

Tuesday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Flow with Grace - Level II and III studio a

Wednesday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Yoga Flow downtown

Thursday

08:30am - 10:00am Aerial Yoga- NO CLASS MAY 13 studio b

Friday

08:30am - 10:00am Flow with Grace - Level III studio a

Sunday

04:00pm - 05:30pm Aerial Yoga- NO CLASS MAY 13 studio b

05:45pm - 06:45pm YogaFly- All Levels- Pay What You Can- NO CLASS MAY 13 studio b

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Jimmy Lewis

Jimmy Lewis dabbled in yoga in the 1980s, became an earnest pratitioner in the 1990s, became student of Rod Stryker’s in 2008, and achieved ParaYoga Level 1 certification in 2012. His background includes an 18 year stint as a natural foods retailer, and a 14 year second career as a commercial real estate developer and broker.

He is a vegetable gardner, an avid music listener, and a cyclist. Jimmy is married to Sarla Nichols, founder and director of Midtown Yoga.

Jimmy's classes:

Friday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Vinyasa- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio a

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Kathleen Hall

Kathleen Hall began her yoga journey 13 years ago in New York City at Integral Yoga and during a time before yoga was main stream in this country. One would surmise that she has been teaching yoga for most of her life because she truly embodies a pure yoga persona that undoubtedly shines though in all of her classes. Kathleen is quite gifted in her capacity to combine and impart clearly, knowledge of yoga postures and sequences, with a perfect balance of yin and yang in her teachings. Her desire for each student is to encourage them to let go of their expectations and external and physical strength, and focus on the breath and the flow of movement to find one’s true power, which is cultivated from within.

Kathleen's classes:

Sunday

07:00pm - 08:15pm Hot Yin Yoga studio b

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Kathy Fish

A financial planner, business owner, wife and mother, Kathy Fish is also a devoted yogini who relishes her early morning classes at Midtown Yoga. Her students are equally enthusiastic about their practice with Kathy.

“Yoga has helped me bring balance to a very hectic life. I know about multi-tasking, and am so grateful for yoga – and for the opportunity to share something I love with others.”

Kathy teaches with humor, compassion and grace. Her attention to the subtleties of correct alignment helps her students to both deepen and refine their yoga practices.

Kathy's classes:

Monday

07:00am - 08:00am Rise and Shine - pay what you can studio a

Wednesday

07:00am - 08:00am Rise and Shine studio a

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Kirsti Burgener

Kirsti has always had an interest in physical activity and spirituality. She considers yoga to be the perfect marriage of both.

She received her 200 hour teaching certification at Midtown Yoga and went on to complete a 500 hour professional certification at Kripalu. Kripalu Yoga includes standard yoga poses and concepts of inner focus, meditation, pranayama, quieting the mind and relaxation.

Through her teaching and her own personal practice, Kirsti sees yoga as a gateway to knowing oneself. The principals learned on the mat are tools to be used in day to day life. Each class has a yogic theme or principal. Through various breathing techniques, asana flow and your own personal free flow movement, you will be given the opportunity to further explore your Self.

Kirsti's classes:

Thursday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Inner Journey Yoga studio a

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Lacy Apperson

Lacy began practicing yoga to balance the hustle and bustle of city life while living in New York. She quickly realized that the obstacles we meet on the mat are metaphors for the challenges we face in our everyday lives. If we can tap into what we learn in our practice, we are better able to stay present and calm, even during trying or uncertain times.

Yoga is the study of balance, and Lacy believes the breath is the key to finding this balance between effort and ease. Allowing the breath to lead the physical practice encourages us to stay in the precious present – after all, this moment is all we have.

Lacy completed her 200-hour certification with Sarla Nichols at Midtown Yoga, but will always consider herself a student first and foremost. For her, yoga is a lifelong journey that brings us full circle – not to a new self but rather, back to our true nature.

Lacy's classes:

Tuesday

10:30am - 11:45am Slow and Steady - Level I and II studio a

Wednesday

08:30am - 10:00am Vinyasa- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio a

12:00pm - 01:00pm Vinyasa- All Levels studio a

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Larrie Rodriguez

Larrie is a certified Yoga Teacher and Licensed Massage Therapist trained in Thai Yoga Bodywork. She has dedicated herself to the practice of yoga since discovering its joys and benefits in 2006 and became a yoga teacher in 2009. “I am always looking for ways to connect what I learn on the mat to my life off the mat, and the goal of my classes is to help students do the same.” She continues growing as a teacher and yogini by attending advanced workshops with teachers such as Rod Stryker, Chris Coniaris, Brenna Geehan, Sean Corn, Richard Freeman and Tanya Boigenzhan Soward. Larrie is originally from Boston, MA but has called Memphis home for the past 11 years. To learn more about Larrie or inquire about Massage and/or Thai Bodywork visit her website at www.BodyThais.com.

Larrie's classes:

Friday

07:00am - 08:00am Hot Yin Yoga- All Levels- Pay What You Can studio b

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Laura Charbonnet

Laura began teaching exercise classes over 25 years ago with the goal of losing the “Freshmen 15” (actually 30). At that point she never dreamed yoga would become a part of her life. She has taught a variety of fitness classes including aerobics, mat, prenatal, mommy and me and water aerobics. After attending studio classes for some time, she completed yoga teacher training at Midtown Yoga in 2010. Of all the exercise forms that have become a part of her life, yoga is her favorite as it exercises the mind as well as the body. Laura believes it is an integral piece of the puzzle to maintain a healthy mind and body.

Originally from New Orleans, Laura and her family have lived in Memphis for 15 years. She loves Midtown Yoga and now can’t imagine life without the benefits of yoga.

Laura's classes:

Tuesday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Yoga Flow downtown

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Leigh Ann Johnson

Leigh Ann came to her first yoga class to get back in shape after giving birth to her third child, and along the way discovered the beauty and benefits of yoga practice on and off the mat.

Though her family does not practice, she accredits the stress reducing aspects of yoga with saving their lives. (Because without yoga, she may have killed them.)

Since that first class, her practice has evolved into a life altering journey that has lead her to complete the Teacher Training Program with Sarla Nichols at Midtown Yoga.

Leigh Ann is a lighthearted, down to earth teacher excited about sharing the transformative power of yoga. Join her for a fun and challenging class that will inspire you to connect with your body and spirit. You will leave class better able to handle the stresses of everyday life.

Leigh Ann's classes:

Saturday

12:00pm - 01:15pm Prenatal Yoga - All Levels studio b

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Leslie Jones

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Leslie began practicing yoga in earnest shortly after moving to Memphis in 2004. She has been teaching since completing the Midtown Yoga Teacher Training program in 2007. Her teaching style is compassionate and thoughtful, but can be challenging. In her classes Leslie encourages her students to explore both the physical power and the transformative potential of yoga. She endeavors to develop mindfulness, confidence, and compassion through an emphasis on the breath, heart, and body alignment.
A lifelong athlete, Leslie grew up riding horses and ran track at the University of Arizona. She continues growing as a teacher and yogini by attending advanced workshops with such teachers as Rod Stryker, Chris Coniaris, Brenna Geehan, and Jennifer Brilliant.

Leslie's classes:

Monday

06:00pm - 07:10pm Yoga for Life downtown

Tuesday

06:00pm - 07:10pm Yoga for Life downtown

Saturday

08:30am - 09:45am Yoga For Life - All Levels main

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Maggie Reese

Maggie has been practicing yoga for 15 years and teaching yoga in Memphis for almost a decade. Her yoga training was an extensive certification program from OM Yoga of New York City, which is certified by the Yoga Alliance. Her class pace is a balanced combination of semi-slow and semi-fast which also includes breathing exercises and relaxation. Her instructions are purposeful and are designed to open and strengthen even the most resistant bodies. In 2011, Maggie completed her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Her long time practice, education and training, knowledge of the body, and teaching experience make her classes a quality experience.

Maggie's classes:

Thursday

07:00pm - 08:15pm Vinyasa - Level I and II studio a

Sunday

04:00pm - 05:15pm Vinyasa - Level I and II studio a

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Natalie Ensminger

Natalie was introduced to yoga in college. It was there that she developed an appreciation for the calm she experienced. Since college, she has continued her yoga practice to balance her roles as mother and pre-Kindergarten teacher. She was part of the 2012 class of 200 Hour RYT through Sarla Nichols at Midtown Yoga and she gratefully acknowledges all of her teachers through the years. In Natalie’s words, “Yoga is a way for me to continue learning and sharing.”

Natalie's classes:

Thursday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Yoga Flow downtown

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Sarah Ledbetter

Sarah is a dancer, filmmaker, writer, and performer. For Sarah, the practice of yoga is the most powerful means of coming home to the present, the body, the community, and the higher self. She began practicing yoga in the late 80’s and began teaching in 2001, completing further studies with Sarla in 2007. She brings both curiosity and years of experience to her ongoing teaching practice.

Sarah's classes:

Thursday

04:15pm - 05:15pm Yoga for Life downtown

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Sarla Nichols

Sarla is the founder and director of Midtown Yoga. The studio has flourished since she opened the doors in May 2001. Yoga students from all corners of Shelby County and the surrounding area can be found practicing there on any given day.

Sarla’s love for yoga and commitment to her students permeate the studio and keep it humming. Her commitment to the community is reflected by the large staff of certified teachers at Midtown Yoga and the many classes offered there each week.

Sarla has been practicing yoga for 27 years and teaching for 15. She is an E-RYT 500, ParaYoga Level II certified teacher. Her instruction is clear, confident and compassionate. Her passion for yoga and for teaching is almost palpable, “I love this practice and credit it in no small part with saving my life. I consider the seat of the teacher a place of honor and responsibility. I hope that through my teaching I can pass on to others what my teacher, Rod Stryker, has given me.”

Sarla's classes:

Monday

05:30pm - 06:40pm Yoga For Life - All Levels - new to yoga welcome studio a

Wednesday

05:30pm - 06:45pm Vinyasa, Pranayama & Meditation- All Levels - new to yoga welcome studio a

Saturday

10:00am - 11:30am Vinyasa- All Levels main

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Shantih Smythe

Knowledge, experience and commitment distinguish Shantih’s teaching. Her calm, down-to-earth demeanor endears her to Midtown Yoga students. Her classes are grounded in her ongoing study of anatomy and inspired by her love of movement.

“I believe that flexibility of the body brings flexibility of the mind, and that strength of the body builds confidence and creates courage both within the yoga practice and out in the world.”

Shantih’s ability to clearly relay fundamentals of the asana practice and to maintain a compassionate and supportive environment result in students that are among the most loyal at Midtown Yoga.

Shantih's classes:

Monday

10:30am - 11:45am Alignment Based Yoga - Level I studio a

Tuesday

05:30pm - 06:30pm Alignment Based Yoga - Level I studio a

Wednesday

10:30am - 11:30am Alignment Based Yoga - Levels I and II studio a

Friday

10:30am - 11:30am Alignment Based Yoga- All Levels studio a

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Steve Black

Steve, in his personal practice and as a teacher, takes a playful, exploratory, sometimes raucous, approach to yoga, focusing on gracefully and dynamically linking poses to the breath. A graduate of the Savannah (GA) Yoga Center’s 200 hour program and the Asheville Yoga Center’s 500 hour program, he has had the privilege of studying with a number of gifted teachers, including Stephanie Keach, Kelley Boyd, Desiree Rumbaugh, Cora Wen, Doug Keller, Max Strom, David Keil, and Scott Blossom. Steve approaches yoga as a movement meditation that deepens our awareness of our bodies, minds, and spirits.

Steve is an RYT 500/ERYT 200 certified teacher.

Steve's classes:

Monday

12:00pm - 01:00pm Vinyasa- All Levels studio a

Tuesday

08:30am - 09:45am Vinyasa- All Levels main

Saturday

11:45am - 01:00pm Vinyasa- All Levels studio a

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Yolandrea Clark

From her first yoga class, Yolandrea felt an instant shift in her total awareness and considers yoga to be perfect for simultaneous nourishment of the mind, body and spirit. She enjoys sharing her passion for yoga with others and employs a three-dimensional approach to teaching by incorporating breath awareness, physical alignment and yogic philosophy into each class.

She has attended workshops with Rodney Yee, Cyndi Lee, Jennifer Brilliant, Richard Freeman, Chris Coniaris, Hart Lazer and Shiva Rea. She has studied with Sarla Nichols since 2002.

When not on the mat, Yolandrea navigates through the world of finance as both an investment professional and an adjunct college professor. During less taxing times, Clark can be found reading or poring over a game of Scrabble.

Yolandrea's classes:

Monday

06:45pm - 08:00pm Yoga for the Buddha Body - All Levels - Pay What You Can studio b

Wednesday

08:15pm - 09:30pm Good Vibrations - All Levels - Pay What You Can studio a

Friday

07:15pm - 08:30pm TGIF Happy Hour - All Levels - Pay What You Can studio a

Saturday

10:45am - 11:45am Yoga for the Buddha Body - All Levels - Pay What You Can studio b

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