TEACHERS
Lisa Bergqvist
After graduating law school, Lisa moved to New York City from her hometown of Philadelphia. While working rigorous hours as a Real Estate Finance attorney, she found yoga as a way to bring balance to her life. For the last 20 years, Lisa has continued to follow her passion for yoga and spread it to those around her. Certified in Structural Yoga Therapy, she has a solid background in anatomy and physiology. She teaches with precision, insight and sensitivity. She has a joy for all that yoga can offer - the balance of mindfulness, movement and breath along with improved flexibility and strength. Lisa encourages her students to feel a sense of freedom to discover and practice yoga at one's own pace and individual level. Although a fan and dedicated practitioner of Transcendental Meditation she is experienced in all forms of meditation and believes in its incredible power to maintain a sense of positivity, peace and calmness. She is a certified teacher of the amazing spiritual cardio class, IntenSati. Passionate about total health and wellness, Lisa is also a certified Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and has her certification in Nutrition and Healthy Living through Cornell University's Division of Nutritional Sciences. She feels blessed to be able to bring her love of yoga, health and wellness to Tenafly.
Jodi Levenson
Back in college, Jodi avidly participated in yoga, dance and sports. But it was yoga that gave her a blissful feeling from the very first class. Jodi has been a practicing Speech Therapist for 25 years. After taking a 10-year hiatus to raise her 3 beautiful children, she went back to her yoga practice. Four years ago she made a decision to become certified as a yoga teacher. To her surprise, in addition to teaching yoga classes in Bergen County, she has been able to share the mindfulness teachings of yoga with many of her adult therapy patients and has made a difference in their lives. She has practiced many styles of yoga but has a special love for the movement of Vinyasa and enjoys sharing it with others. For Jodi, yoga is an unending journey that teaches her more about herself each and everyday. She hopes to bring this opportunity to her students doing it with a vigorous, challenging and joyful approach. She encourages her students to build strength, endurance and flexibility by pairing breath with organic movement and interesting choreography.
Stacey Accardo
A natural born athlete, Stacey excelled in sports as she possessed an infallible determination, dedication, devotion & discipline. As captain of her high school & college track teams, she proved to be a consummate leader as she brought her teams to many victories. In keeping with her insatiable thirst for health and fitness, Stacey became a Registered Nurse as she continued to participate in competitive sports through triathlons. She truly found her calling when she was introduced to Yoga. After experiencing a complete transformation in her life, through, mind, body & soul, Stacey felt compelled to bestow her newfound knowledge to others so that they too could experience the profound impact it has had on her life. She went on to receive her certification through Yoga Synthesis in Ramsey by Raji Thron. Stacey has three beautiful children who also participate in the practice of Yoga.
Andrew Dolgin
Andrew has more than 1000 hours of study and certifications with Raji Thron of Yoga Synthesis, Schuyler Grant of Kula Yoga Project, Maty Ezraty, and Soma System (self body work and myofascial release). He draws upon early interests in Ashtanga, the intrigue in the movement of Vinyasa, the precision and creativity of the Kula flow, intelligence of Iyengar, and total love of inversions to create a cross-pollinated fusion of creative flow that teaches you how to go upside down with aligned integration. He is eternally grateful to teachers Schuyler Grant, Brock and Krista Cahill, Maty Ezraty, Carrie Owerko.
Paula Newman
Paula Newman is a 200-hour YTT. A breast cancer “thriver” of almost 10 years, Paula gave up her law career to pursue her love of yoga which has helped her healing process. Also, a singer in a Classic Rock band, Paula likes to find balance in her life with yoga (and includes some of her favorite music in her playlists)! Paula embraces the power of yoga to lengthen and strengthen the body and focuses on alignment, breath and ease in each pose. Paula’s philosophy on yoga is that it is truly a practice and not something to be mastered. She constantly works with a “can do” attitude to deepen both her asanas and meditation. As she is grateful for her renewed lease on life, she wants her students to let go of their “yoga ego” comparing themselves to others around them, and instructs her students to focus on finding length and strength on their own mats. Every body is beautiful and has its own power. She encourages her students to treat yoga as a life-long voyage and looks forward to guiding them along their journey.
Tori Karach
Tori is passionate about yoga and sees every class as a step toward the ultimate journey. She takes every class as an opportunity to honor every being. With each class you will find time and space to slow down and breathe. She believes in the power of intention and how important it is to practice positivity. These ideals have guided Tori to complete her 200 Hour Teacher Training Certification with Raji Thron and start teaching yoga at a young age. Tori brings her dream and yogic journey into her teaching and works to develop innovative classes for everyone.
Jill Schwalbe
Yoga is Jill’s passion. Her teaching is purposeful, drawing on anatomy and kinesiology to create intelligent sequences and give each class clear and deliberate direction. Her goal is for every student to walk out feeling balanced, fulfilled and trusting in the ability to transform their practice when discipline and focus are applied. Her classes teach the power of precision, alignment, and breath awareness, inspired by the same meticulous approach she used in her career as a CPA. Her other passions are her family, music, and continuing to explore and expand upon her own practice. All of the teachers who have shaped Jill’s yogic path have her deepest gratitude and respect, including Zhenja LaRosa, who first lit her up about the workings of the human body, and Jill’s current mentor Magi Pierce, whose sharp intellect consistently challenges her to dig deeper into her own studies and teaching.
Dilush Goonetilleke
Dilush’s passion for yoga began as a child — she has been practicing yoga since she was 15 years old. Her Buddhist upbringing introduced her to meditation practices at a young age. She was already a yoga teacher when she was introduced to Jivamukti Yoga by a friend, and she fell in love with the Jivamukti method. Soon after, she earned her 300hr Jivamukti Yoga certification at a month-long residential program in Rhinebeck, NY. She later earned her 800-hour certification in an apprenticeship program at Jivamukti Yoga, New York City.She has been teaching yoga since 2000 in New York City, teaching corporate classes, private classes, and at Jivamukti Yoga studio. Dilush helps bring students’ focus into the present moment by gently guiding them, taking them on a journey into a deeper level of consciousness. She is known for her excellent hands-on assists and meticulously planned vinyasa sequence which always includes Vinyasa, Pranayama, Side Bending, Twisting, Inversions, Standing Postures, Backbends, Forward Bends, and Meditation, ending with a relaxing aromatherapy massage. She includes classical yoga teachings that are relevant to one’s life on and off the mat, such as breath awareness, flowing vinyasa sequence, and alignment exploration. When Dilush is not teaching yoga, she works as a Clinical Nutritionist, seeing clients in New York City and New Jersey and working with several doctors to help care for their patients with nutrition and disease management.
