Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre

I found Hot Yoga in DC in 2001 as a New Year's resolution. It changed the entire trajectory of my life.

Totally inspired, I ran off to LA to get certified with Bikram in 2003. Immersing myself in teaching and connecting with students, I discovered what has become my life’s work: living, learning, teaching, and practicing Yoga, Qigong, and Taoist Healing Arts. I have been blessed with many great teachers, mentors, and students as on my journey.

In 2007, I founded what has become Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre. Now with my love, John Yanni Alexiou, we share in the mission of creating a space for wellness through community and a community through wellness, in Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre.

For every student who walks through our doors, I hope for you to fall in love with yourself and this practice as much as I did, and to allow SHY to become a best part of your day!

My training includes:

Bikram Yoga, 2003

Level 2/3 Barkan Method Hot Vinyasa 2008, 2014, 2020

500 Hour Zen Wellness Zen Yoga and Medical Qigong, 2015

10,000 Hour Doh Yi Masters Council, 2018

500 Hour Barkan Method Hot Vinyasa, 2020

In 2009, I began my yoga journey at SHY.  That one class many years ago changed the path of my life forever. Since then, I have become an instructor at SHY and love to share my passion for yoga with my students.  I found my love for the hot yoga lineage as it has helped be overcome lower back injuries while strengthening my mind, body, and spirit .  

Yoga changed my life, and taught me more about myself than I ever thought possible. It led me to the path of self-realization.

I wish to share a gem of wisdom from the lineage of this practice:

“Do not continue to live in the same old way.  Make up your mind to do something to improve your life, and then do it.  Change your consciousness; that is all that is necessary.”       Paramahansa Yogananda

My training includes:

200 hour YTT Master’s Path and Certified Xen Yoga Instructor through SHY, 2016

 Level II/III Barkan Hot Yoga Vinyasa Certified under Jimmy Barkan in 2019, 2020 and upcoming Spring 2021.  

 Zen Barre, 2018

After practicing yoga for 12 years at SHY, I was inspired to go deeper and completed my 200 hour teacher training in 2019.  I knew that yoga could boost my strength and flexibility. What I didn’t realize was that the breath work and emphasis on quieting your mind even for an hour can have such a positive effect on your life off of your mat. The supportive community at SHY has allowed me the space to grow and learn more about myself through my practice.

As an instructor, I hope to offer the same support and space for growth for you in my classes. 

My training includes:

Hot 26&2 with Lara Alexiou and Jimmy Barkan, 2019

Barkan Method Level 2/3 Hot Vinyasa, 2020

Zen Barre, 2020

I started Hot Yoga at SHY on a hot July day in 2009! I am now a 200 Hour Register Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance and completed the Hot Vinyasa Teacher Training Level II & III with Jimmy Barkan/SHY in the Fall of 2020.

I love teaching because I get to see new students experience the excitement of their first class but also I love watching the long time members grow and deepen their practice. My practice differs everyday and has changed over the years which has been the most surprising and enlightening experience. I always come in with an open mind and heart no matter if I am teaching or practicing.

The SHY community is always expanding which brings me such joy! Watching how the studio welcomes new members and seeing how are long time members have changed and grown in their practice has been the most rewarding experience of all!

My training includes:

Hot 26&2 with Lara Alexiou and Jimmy Barkan, 2019

Barkan Method Level 2/3 Hot Viyasa, 2020

Zen Barre, 2020

Yoga has been a part of my life since I was a teen.

After moving to NEPA in 2015, a friend recommended I check out SHY not only for yoga, but also as a place to meet people, make friends and get a feel for the area. I'm so glad I did!

When I walked into Steamtown Yoga I immediately knew hot yoga was the type of yoga I had been looking for and that this was the place for me. My practice has helped me to grow stronger, more flexible and mindful on and off the mat.

In my classes, I love to bring an energy that inspires the students to deepen their practice while also being mindful and listening to their bodies. My hope is that you step off your mat feeling balanced and taking that energy into your everyday life. 

My training includes:

200hr teacher training with Lara Alexiou, 2016 

Level 2/3 Barkan Method Hot Vinyasa with Jimmy Barkan, 2017

Zen Barre, 2020

I found Hot Yoga in DC in 2001 as a New Year's resolution. It changed the entire trajectory of my life.

Totally inspired, I ran off to LA to get certified with Bikram in 2003. Immersing myself in teaching and connecting with students, I discovered what has become my life’s work: living, learning, teaching, and practicing Yoga, Qigong, and Taoist Healing Arts. I have been blessed with many great teachers, mentors, and students as on my journey.

In 2007, I founded what has become Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre. Now with my love, John Yanni Alexiou, we share in the mission of creating a space for wellness through community and a community through wellness, in Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre.

For every student who walks through our doors, I hope for you to fall in love with yourself and this practice as much as I did, and to allow SHY to become a best part of your day!

My training includes:

Bikram Yoga, 2003

Level 2/3 Barkan Method Hot Vinyasa 2008, 2014, 2020

500 Hour Zen Wellness Zen Yoga and Medical Qigong, 2015

10,000 Hour Doh Yi Masters Council, 2018

500 Hour Barkan Method Hot Vinyasa, 2020

Recognizing how I've grown in my own practice over time, I strive to guide my students to discover their own potential both on and off the mat.

I love watching students evolve what usually begins as a strictly physical practice into a more deliberate connection of body and breath, then ultimately into an immersion of their whole being into their practice. The transformation is awesome. 

In my own practice, I enjoy walking the edge where I'm striving for that next level in a posture, but never struggling. I find my yoga practice humbling at times, so a little smile and love for myself goes a long way! Enjoy the journey! 

When I attend any of the classes or events at SHY, I always feel like I'm at home. There's a beautiful supportive energy at the studio. It fills me up when I walk in the door, and like a mirror, I radiate that joyful energy inward and outward! It absolutely is the best part of my day!

The first benefit i noticed when I began Hot Yoga was the intense peace I felt at the end of each class. As an instructor, I hope to give that gift to my students by helping them grow the connection of mind, body and breath through clear direction, so that each student need only listen, follow along, and breath to get the most out of their class. And an occasional giggle doesn't hurt either!

My training includes:

200 hr 26x2 teacher training at SHY, 2016

100hr Yin yoga and Restorative, 2019

Level 2/3 Barkan Method Hot Vinyasa, 2019

Zen Barre, 2020