Absolute Yoga

		Leslie Luft Leslie is the owner and director of Absolute Yoga and an E-RYT 500 Yoga Alliance registered instructor. Prior to opening the studio and becoming a full-time yoga instructor and practitioner, Leslie spent 20 years working as a corporate/securities attorney in New York City and Long Island. When the stress of her career and the commute, together with her full time job as a mom to her two children, became overwhelming, she turned to yoga, which she had dabbled with on and off in college. Enjoying the many benefits that yoga had to offer her, she was inspired to get her teaching certification and bring the gift of yoga to others. Leslie received her 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification in ISHTA Yoga. Developed by Guru Alan Finger, ISHTA yoga is a modern, dynamic distillation of spiritual traditions which allows you to develop a personal yoga practice that meets your individual needs. Leslie has continued her studies in various styles of yoga, including Anusara™ yoga, and is an Anusara™-inspired instructor. She has her 500 hour Yoga Alliance teaching certification from the Long Island Yoga School. She brings to her classes the benefits of each of these various styles, combining emphasis on the breath, with precise alignment, in a dynamic Anusara™ inspired sequence, encouraging her students to open not only their bodies and their mind, but also their hearts. She also has a certification in Pre-Natal yoga. Leslie credits her husband with encouraging her to follow her heart on her yogic journey and share her joy with others in the studio. She is thankful to all of her teachers who have inspired her and given her guidance over the years.

		Adriene Passannante Adriene has been a dedicated student to her yoga practice for over 13 years. After experiencing many styles of yoga, she happened upon a class given by Alan Finger at yoga Zone, and that encounter changed her idea of what yoga was all about. “I loved that ISHTA Yoga was about finding your own personal path, and that the asana and meditation techniques were accessible to all. It seemed like a very natural practice to me.” Encouraged by her teachers to become a teacher as well, Adriene completed her certification through Yoga Zone. In addition to her training, she has continued her studies with teachers Angela Farmer, Ana Forrest and Bryan Kest, bringing an eclectic mix to her classes. She truly believes that yoga is for everybody and that the benefits are profound. She seeks to find a way to modify the asana where each student’s practice becomes an expression of the self. She combines the emphasis of the breath, with a flowing, vinyasa sequence that guides her students to find their edge while honoring themselves and the transformation that yoga can bring. Adriene has been featured in Fit magazine and yoga related catalogues. She would like to thank all of her teachers, past and present, for helping her along her path.

		Sharon Greenstein Sharon has been sharing her love of yoga through her teaching since 2001. She began this quest by taking a Yoga Fit Certification which enabled her to teach a fitness based vinyasa flow class while maintaining the safety of proper alignment. She then expanded her studies with a 200 hour certification in ISHTA yoga from Be Yoga under the guidance of Alan Finger. This training incorporated not only the additional attention to alignment that is very prominent in her style of teaching, but also added a meditative and philosophical flair to her classes. In addition, she has completed trainings in Yoga Kids as well as Power Pilates. Now an Anusara™-inspired instructor, she brings further alignment refinement and heart opening qualities to her classes. To add to her versatility, she has attended workshops in Anusara™, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa Flow taught by master instructors John Friend, Baron Baptiste, Shiva Rea, and David Swenson, as well as many others.

		Adam Dobbs In 1997 Adam completed the Spiritual Lifestyle Program at The Kripalu Yoga Center and later that year worked on staff at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. He holds certification in Kripalu, Ashtanga and ISHTA yoga schools and is also a Licensed Massage Therapist with continued studies in Thai and Ayurvedic Massage. Adam has had additional training in the Art of Contact Yoga/Yogassage under Nateshvar Ken Scott and studied under Edward Clark of Tripsichore Yoga Theatre in both the U.S. and London. Adam has maintained a daily meditation practice since 1995 tand has been a yoga teacher since 1997. Adam emphasizes meditation and the spiritual aspects of yoga within his own personal practice as well as within his teaching.

		Elyce Neuhauser Elyce strives to create a nurturing and safe environment for her students while providing challenging classes that encourage self-awareness, acceptance, and a deeper exploration of each student’s unique qualities. She is registered with the Yoga Alliance and received her 200 hour certification through Suzanne Cardinal’s Into This World Yoga teacher training. Elyce is also a Pilates instructor, with certifications from Power Pilates, Pilates Institute of America and IM=X Pilates. Additionally, she is a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the Academy of Applied Personal Training Education/Hofstra University. Elyce continues to pursue her studies through classes, retreats, workshops, conventions and self-study. As an award-winning writer for over twenty years, Elyce contributes features to local publications on the subjects of wellness, fitness and lifestyles.



		Jenny Van Dyke Jenny is a certified, registered yoga instructor who has been practicing yoga for 13 years and teaching for ten. She has dedicated herself to the study of Iyengar yoga, which emphasizes safety and healing through proper alignment in the poses, and meeting individual needs through the use of props. Jenny is also a speech therapist and special education teacher and has been working with children with special needs since 1995.



		Cindy Valentine Cindy is a 200 hour certified yoga instructor. Cindy taught sixth grade for five years in both Florida and in Nassau County. She is a New York State certified teacher, and has received training from some of the foremost and highly recognized Children's Yoga Programs such as YogaKids (All Three Phases), Sonya Sumar's, "Yoga for the Special Child", and Radiant Child Yoga Program. She stays active in her own community, as well as volunteers in many classrooms throughout Nassau/Suffolk County. Cindy is described by teachers and her students as, "compassionate, creative, fun, energetic, and motivating." She founded and taught a comprehensive pilot children's yoga program in several Syosset Elementary Schools throughout the 2003-2004 school year. Cindy is also an independent consultant, and a consultant for SCOPE. In addition she is sought out by many schools for various character education and yoga programs.

		Evelyn Fleck Evelyn Fleck began practicing yoga in 2001 to help manage the stress of a busy life. As her studies progressed, the richness of the yoga unfolded along with the transformative aspects. She has been studying Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow with Adam Dobbs since 2002 and attributes to him her discovery of the true essence of yoga. She has also enjoyed attending workshops with David Swenson and David Williams. In her quest to delve deeper into her practice, Evelyn began studying Anusara Yoga in 2003 with Amy Ippoliti. She believes the marriage of flow with breath and alignment is a perfect fit. Since that time she has attended numerous workshops with Amy Ippoliti, Desiree Rumbaugh, and John Friend. In 2005 she completed her first Immersion with Amy. In 2007 she completed a 200-hour teacher training with Sue Elkind and Naime Jezzeny and is certified through Yoga Alliance. Evelyn is also a student and practitioner of Buddhist meditation, philosophy, and Yin Yoga. She has been studying regularly with Sarah Powers since 2003 and has been greatly influenced by her as well as the teachings of Sharon Salzberg and Pema Chodron. It is with much gratitude that she thanks all her teachers for guiding her on the yogic path including her husband, Greg, who has been one of her greatest teachers. Evelyn wishes to share her love and passion for yoga with her students and hopes that everyone can experience its transformative effects

		Nicki Spatacco Nicki Spatacco started her yogic journey in 1998 and began a dedicated practice in 2003. She found that practicing yoga not only helped increase her strength and flexibility, but more importantly it helped to calm her busy mind. Nicki moved from the Philadelphia area to New York one year after graduating from college. Three years later she enrolled in the Yoga Works teacher training program in NYC. During her 500 hour training, Nicki realized her passion for yoga could blossom into the career she had always dreamed of. Her teaching style is directly influenced by the Yoga Works style of teaching which blends the flow of Ashtanga and the precise alignment of Iyengar yoga. Nicki is forever grateful to all of her teachers who have inspired her, and to her students who continually teach her on a daily basis. Nicki’s light-hearted teaching style encourages students to move forward in a safe environment, while experiencing their connection between body, mind, and spirit. Laughter is always welcome!

		Sarah Tacey

		Lana Russo Lana Russo, a former ballet dancer and magazine editor, completed her 200-hour training in June 2008 with Laurie Ahlemann and Nicki Spatacco of the Long Island Yoga School. Since then, she has gone on to mentorships and advanced training, and completed her RYT 500 in November 2009. A member of the Yoga Alliance, she is also CPR certified and always seeking ways to expand her knowledge. Yoga is a true passion in her life and she thoroughly enjoys each class, exploring the sequencing of the poses in such a way to keep her students challenged, safe and excited. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her hubby and daughter.

		Nicey Berkenfeld Nicey Berkenfeld is a certified yoga instructor having completed the 500 hour level of training from the Long Island Yoga School in Great Neck, New York. This program concentrated on a vinyasa flow style of yoga which emphasizes detailed alignment, core strength and attention to the personal practice of each student. Nicey infuses her classes with a balance between the physical flow of the body and the spiritual journey of the mind. Nicey continues to build on her yoga education by attending workshops on various topics from philosophy to physical alignment. She also conducts weekly classes in her home donating the contributions to different charities each month. Nicey continues to attend classes in vinyasa flow, anusara and ashtanga styles of yoga. She is CPR certified with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of the Yoga Alliance

		Doreen Garrido Doreen is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified Vinyasa Flow yoga instructor. Her classes are upbeat, fun, and inspirational; they combine the workout of a flow class with techniques that provide relaxation and renewal each time you practice. Doreen believes that the more you relax, the safer, stronger, and more powerful your yoga practice will be. Her study of anatomy & physiology incorporates science into the yoga practice. Her classes create space in the body and the mind, emphasizing breath and alignment, while challenging students to tune in to every corner of their body – and have fun at the same time. She understands that the beauty and strength in each student is revealed on the mat. Everyone has their own individual yoga goals, and Doreen specializes in helping students with fitness goals, while fulfilling themselves with the mental aspects of yoga. Doreen’s classes focus on really connecting with and embracing your own body. She emphasizes taking yoga into your daily life. Students leave class feeling more fit, revitalized in body and mind.

		Lori Zwick Lori is a NY State Certified N-6 teacher who has been teaching for 15 years – 7 in elementary school and the past 8 in preschool. She began her yoga practice 5 years ago and was hooked by the profound sense of calm and openness that she felt from practicing. After introducing yoga to her preschoolers and seeing them beg for it again and again, Lori decided that she wanted to teach yoga to children. After an 18 month process, she is now a Certified YogaKids Facilitator (CTYKF). For the last 5 summers, she has been happily bringing the gift of yoga to children at the summer camp program where she teaches during the year, as well as in afterschool programs at two private schools on Long Island. In addition to fitness benefits, her classes offer children the tools to navigate the hurry-up world we are living in as well as helping them develop a sense of well-being and connectedness to each other and the natural world that surrounds them

		Natalie Mason Natalie began her yoga practice in 2003 while she was pursuing a PhD in Social Anthropology at Harvard University. As a track athlete in college she was accustomed to "running" away the stress of academia, but through yoga she found an unparalleled peace from learning to be still. In 2007, she decided to put her doctorate on hold to devote her full attention to the study of yoga, and in 2009 completed her 200hr training with Jeanmarie Paolillo of YogaWorks. While in the midst of completing her 500hr training through Long Island Yoga School, Natalie also attends as many workshops, classes and trainings as possible, thrilled to be a student for life. As a teacher, she incorporates her background in anthropology to help her students learn about themselves--both their individuality and the shared universals of the human experience. Natalie’s classes emphasize alignment in a flowing manner, giving students a chance to take pause and learn to live in the current of life’s flow.

		Janice Ventresca .

		Michelle Rogowsky

		Martha Flanagan

		Alie Klein