jo ann became committed to yoga while working long hours for a nonprofit organization. it gave her a chance to still her mind and exercise her body. she became involved in the tranquil space community first in bethesda where she was a pr assistant during the days at the church and completed level one teacher training there with siobhan. she continued on her journey taking the 200 hour training and taking a full time job with tranquil space as studio manager.

jo ann loves tranquil space's encouragement of balance between nourishment and challenge. she teaches a grounded flow that inspires awareness and relaxation. her music ranges with whatever is making her feel like moving that day and includes folk, modern, and instrumental. she is grateful to kimberly wilson and the tranquil space teaching team particularly kevin waldorf-cruz and siobhan troy-carranza for inspiring her practice and teaching.

dave believes yoga found him exactly when it was supposed to, and he is thrilled to join the teaching team at tranquil space. he is also a 500-hour teacher-in-training excited to help students find room to breathe in a crazy urban landscape.

you're invited to stop by one of dave's classes to recharge your battery. there, you'll find a playful flow with loving, supportive twists and turns which will nourish your practice and challenge the space you occupy in this world. a 5-time marine corps marathon finisher, dave uses the energetic qualities of yoga to balance the madness of distance running with the push and pull of everyday life. dave's only request is that you groove and move as your own energy takes you where you need to go. along the way, you'll vibe to vintage 80's, classic rock, ambient, and all flavors in between.

dave holds a degree in french for international trade, and is currently reconnecting with his francophone mojo after many years. dave owes his path to the entire tranquil space community. as a teaching assistant at the 17th street studio, dave understudies the creativity, strength, and sensitivity of melissa van orman and kevin waldorf-cruz.

live the moments ~ trust intuition ~ laugh at yourself ~ often ~ namaste

alison began practicing yoga in 2001, and completed both level 1 and 2 teacher training at tranquil space and an advanced yoga therapy training with joseph lepage of integrative yoga therapy. she has also studied with such noted teachers as doug swenson, cyndi lee, rodney yee, shiva rea, darren main, baron baptiste and alanna kaivalya.

alison has taught human sexuality, yoga, and pilates in the exercise science department of george washington university. her work at gw also includes a "therapeutic yoga for depression" series that she taught at the center for integrative medicine and a teacher training for future gw yoga teachers. she has created yoga workshops on back pain, stress reduction, and women's health, as well as taught yoga to such diverse groups as the american medical association and the kaiser family foundation.

alison's favorite yoga music can be described as "yoga lounge" and is heavily influenced by thievery corporation and zero 7, with a dash of french hip hop and various styles of indian music.

she holds a b.a. in public relations and psychology from syracuse university, and a master's degree in health science from the johns hopkins university school of public health. in her "day job," alison works as a health educator in the food and drug administration's office of women's health. she travels extensively as an exhibitor and speaker at health conferences throughout the u.s., and makes sure to sample yoga studios along with way.

susanna began practicing yoga in 2001 as a way to recover from a soccer injury. she studied the iyengar method until 2003, when she took a vinyasa class with kimberly wilson at tranquil space and discovered the joys of linking breath and movement in a vigorous flow. since then, she has been hooked on vinyasa yoga and has considered tranquil space her yoga “home.” susanna has completed tranquil space’s 200-hour teacher training program, as well as the studio’s baby & me and prenatal yoga teacher trainings. she is absolutely delighted to share the gifts of yoga with others as a teacher at tranquil space.

susanna brings enthusiasm for and love of yoga into her classes and aims to help her students nurture their bodies and minds through the combination of asana, pranayama, and meditation. she particularly enjoys breaking down advanced poses into stages so that everyone -- from beginner to advanced practitioner -- can do at least the beginning stage of the pose. susanna generally plays mellow alternative rock music often from the uk, occasionally adding in songs in french and italian.

in her day job, susanna advocates for greater consumer protections on financial issues such as mortgage lending, foreclosures, and credit cards. in addition to her yoga practice, susanna is an avid soccer player and a dc united soccer fan. she is half-italian (as you might guess from her last name) and roots for both italy and the united states in international soccer competitions.

caroline is deeply devoted to the practice of yoga, having studied in washington since 1999 and with kimberly wilson since 2000. she is among the first group of graduates of the tranquil space 500-hour teacher training program and is a registered and certified with yoga alliance (ryt500). her approach to teaching and life is dynamic and adventurous. caroline has also studied with darren main, ana forrest, simon park and doug swenson, all of whom have influenced and inspired her to teach from a place of compassion and intuitive wisdom.

caroline has a playful and supportive teaching style as she encourages students to explore the boundaries of the mind, body, and soul as they celebrate the authentic joy and beauty within themselves: their atman. caroline believes having fun on the mat is key and loves to quote julia child, "above all, have a good time!" she uses purposeful sequencing and includes the energetic yet meditative flow of mandala namaskar, in which students open their bodies safely using proper alignment, recharging and feeling satisfying evolutions and in their practice. her style considers elements of ballet and modern dance. she believes her own practice reflects her conviction of yoga's strengthening powers on and off the mat.

her classes are filled with carefully selected music, creating an environment for focus and movement through vinyasa flow. In caroline's classes, you'll hear a melange of tunes from pablo casals' interpretation of j.s. bach's unaccompanied cello sonatas, to 60s and 70s music from france and brazil, to 70s "soul street", perhaps even circling back to maria callas singing tosca or ancient asian melodies. cervantes said: "where there is music, there can be no evil."

born and raised in the south, caroline is a classical pianist and singer having studied piano performance, music history and theory at the university of georgia and singing with the late robert shaw in atlanta. as director of music at the phillips collection, she can be found hosting classical chamber concerts and post-concert discussions each sunday afternoon october through may. she and her husband cedric have a son, Alexandre, born during the snowstorms of early 2010!

jenni views yoga as a means to engage the body in conscious dialogue. encouraging the student to be their own best teacher, she offers options to students to modify their practice (yogi's choice). her creatively sequenced classes are often centered around the breath, which she believes helps students calm the mind and enjoy the present moment.

her playlist includes mostly instrumental music with a down tempo flow. her music choices compliment the movements and tempo of the class; calm and steady during meditation and seated poses, upbeat and energizing during the vinyasa flow.

jenni has practiced yoga since 1999 and began her teaching journey in 2006. she completed the 200-hour teacher training program at tranquil space and began working as a teaching assistant for anne thiel and danielle pollen, which helped to nurture her understanding of the art of yoga instruction.

she is most grateful for the community at tranquil space, people who are dedicated to yoga on the mat and in their daily lives.

danielle, a native of texas, initially sought out yoga as a means of recovery from recurring dance-related injuries, but quickly found that the effects of her practice reached far deeper than the major muscle groups. while danielle currently earns her livelihood as an immigration attorney, she views the role of teacher as a great privilege, and has enjoyed teaching a variety of movement, writing, and law courses over the years. she completed the 200-hour teacher training at tranquil space, and her classes reflect her solid grounding in both the iyengar and anusara traditions coupled with the vinyasa flow. in addition, both her respect for yoga and her interdisciplinary teaching style continue to be informed by ongoing studies with shiva rea, rodney yee and sarah powers, among others.

danielle is also a massage therapist specializing in deep muscle massage and brings to her classes a solid foundation in anatomy and physiology gained both from her training in massage therapy, and from her many years in the dance studio. danielle has been a longtime member of the spanish dance theater, and has also performed as a dancer with the washington opera, gala hispanic theater, ballet el paso and ballet chrysalis, among others.

danielle believes creative expression to be a powerful, transformational force, and aside from her dancing, enjoys creative writing, photography, road trips, and quality time at the dog park with her willful but soulful xoloitzcuintle dog, miss mulabandha. she also volunteers her time as chair emeritus of the international "just say no to bakasana" coalition. when not at the studio or lobbying for positive immigration reform, danielle can be found at her favorite local cafe, penning anonymous love poetry to senator ted kennedy or working on her autobiography, tentatively entitled "men & hair — my not-so-secret obsession." she also continues to be haunted by the eternal, burning question — "kirk or spock?"

danielle is grateful to, and continues to be inspired by, kimberly wilson, as well as by her fabulous colleagues and students here at tranquil space. through a sense of compassion, humor, and intuitive awareness, danielle encourages her students to challenge themselves while simultaneously accepting and embracing their current state of being.

diane slavin discovered tranquil space through friends who took her out to lunch –lunch hour yoga class − and it was love at first asana! she began her teacher training journey, graduated 200 hours from tranquil space, and is a registered yoga teacher through yoga alliance. motivated by tranquil space teachers and other teachers near and far, she takes that inspiration to fashion a fun, energetic, and therapeutic yoga class. creating an atmosphere encouraging the dance-like movement of vinyasa yoga, her music is new age combining yoga and meditative melodies to allow the body and mind to unwind on and off the mat. diane is certified by the aerobics and fitness association of america, teaches at a local ymca, and is a legal secretary.

"the sun and moon guide me, lift me and soothe me . . ."

it is the spirit of this image that drew niya to yoga — the forces of opposition and the resulting space created where passion, peace, and love reside.

her teaching style focuses on breath and alignment coupled with creative flows emphasizing the bandhas or system of energy locks in the body. she connects challenges on the mat with the world outside, hoping to help guide students along their respective paths to their own truth. you'll often hear traditional sitar and tabla, or other Indian instrumental music in her class, along with the occasional jazz or soothing pop/reggae tunes. though she was born and raised in the midwest, her passion for yoga stems from numerous life-changing trips to India. she sincerely thanks her teachers, students, family, and friends for supporting and inspiring her on her own journey. after practicing many years on and off, niya completed the 200-hour teacher training at tranquil space and she is certified through yoga alliance. she is elated to be part of the tranquil space community and thankful for her training with such an amazing group of yogis. she is also director of the karma program at the studio; the yoga of selfless action. niya views every class as an opportunity for transformation, growth and healing on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

niya has a degree in communications and documentary film. she currently works in television production, and is involved in numerous artistic endeavors, including painting and spoken word. she is continually energized and humbled by how teaching and practicing yoga continues to grow and nurture her journey.

mary catherine starr

although mary catherine was first introduced to yoga in high school, it didn't become a part of her life until she moved to new york and began searching for a new physical activity after suffering from a running injury. she re-discovered yoga at her neighborhood gym in the east village, and once she began practicing regularly, she continued anywhere that she could -- including the "living area" of her 200 square-foot studio apartment. through this regular practice, mary catherine quickly realized that yoga is so much more than a "physical activity," and it has been an integral part of her life ever since.

three days after moving to dc in august 2009, mary catherine found tranquil space--and finally felt that she had found her yoga home. she has been welcomed, nurtured, and inspired by the tranquil space community, and it has become a very important part of her new life in a new city. she completed her 200-hr teacher training at tranquil space in may, 2010.

mary catherine's teaching style has been described as sunny, encouraging, and inclusive. she strives to encourage her students to truly listen to their bodies while practicing, as she believes that the modern-day individual tends to ignore his or her body until it screams out for attention. it is with great care that she chooses the music that she plays in class, which includes a wide range of genres, including soul, rock, pop, acoustic, new age, and bluegrass.

a southerner at heart, mary catherine is from atlanta, ga, and earned her b.a. in art and english at centre college in danville, kentucky. by day, she is an oil painter and a job developer for a dc superior court program. when she is not working, practicing, or teaching yoga, she can be found painting in her studio, riding her bike, or frolicking around rock creek park.

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abby strunk

abby's yoga journey began at tranquil space in 2002. as a lifelong runner, she was simply looking to add something new to her routine. within the next two years, abby’s mother lost her battle with ovarian cancer, leading abby to realize that yoga had come to be so much more than a physical practice; it helped carry her through the most difficult time of her life.

having completed the tranquil space 200-hour teacher training in may 2009, abby is grateful to be able to share the gifts of yoga with others. her teaching style has been described as calming, nurturing and creative. her intention is to help her students find a sense of peace and balance amidst their stressful lives and to discover the beauty and uniqueness that lies within, and all around, them. abby was raised in a family where music was central, and she treats her classes the same way, featuring an eclectic mix of new age, rock, classical, electronic, world and hip-hop.

abby is grateful to the yoga teachers who have influenced her path including danielle pollen and kevin waldorf-cruz. and, she is particularly excited to be offering a class for women who are living with and surviving cancer.

abby is the executive director of street sense, dc's newspaper which educates the public about issues of homelessness and poverty and creates economic opportunities for people who are facing homelessness in our community.

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anne thiel

anne is a teacher at tranquil space. she completed the 200-hour yoga alliance-approved teacher training at tranquil space in 2003. anne also is a certified prenatal yoga teacher and a DONA-trained doula. while based in the vinyasa style, her study and practice of yoga has spanned other styles and schools of thoughts as well.

initially, she began practicing yoga to find relief from stressful dissertation-writing process, but has discovered that it is much richer than just a stress management tool.

"every time i step onto the mat i become witness of a fascinating interplay of oppositional, yet harmonious forces. it is an opportunity for me to quiet my mind and reconnect with a still center inside myself while getting blocked energies inside me moving; it is a chance to cultivate a healthy balance of strength and flexibility that i then try to carry with me into my 'practice off the mat.'"

anne also is a licensed massage therapist and practices thai yoga bodywork. in addition, she completed the ayurvedic lifestyle consultant-program at Kripalu's School of Ayurveda.

in her classes, anne encourages an internal focus to access deeper layers of our being. her primary interest lies in helping her students develop awareness to ultimately connect with the highest form of awareness (brahman) of which we all carry fragment inside of us (atman). to that end, she teaches moderately paced classes that include extended holding of some poses; she uses mostly instrumental and chanting music as background.

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siobhan troy-carranza

siobhan is a registered experienced yoga teacher (eryt) with yoga alliance and wants her students to experience a challenging yet nurturing yoga practice every time they step on the mat. that balance is what she found when she started taking classes with kimberly wilson.

yoga has brought her much joy, challenges, and change into her life and that journey began in 2001 when she discovered tranquil space in a church on 16th street. she loved the practice of yoga and began to teach at tranquil space in 2002 and also serves as the spa + studio relations manager. her "past life" includes spending ten years raising funds for a few different non-profit organizations.

in addition to studying at tranquil space, siobhan has studied with: ana forrest, shiva rea, baron baptiste, cyndi lee, simon park and rod stryker. she has also studied children's yoga with shakta kaur khalsa, author of "fly like a butterfly: yoga for children" and is an itsy bitsy yoga facilitator after studying with helen garabedian.

siobhan strives to remind students that we all come to the mat with our own strengths and weaknesses, and wants to help them embrace these and see themselves as the beautiful person they are meant to be. her classes have a strong but playful vinyasa that is uniquely balanced between challenging and nurturing both body and mind, she is known for focusing on alignment and strengthening the core. siobhan finds music a great motivation so she plays a mix of new age, pop, 80's, dance and reggae.

in 2006, siobhan became a mother to a girl and discovered itsy bitsy yoga for tots and tykes and enjoyed the class so much with her daughter that she became an iby facilitator. now she gets to share yoga with those under the age of 4 yr and loves it, children haven't forgotten what our true state is, joy.

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melissa van orman

melissa began her study of yoga in 1993 as a high school student in rural maine. Since that time she has practiced several styles, including iyengar, kripalu, and slow flow, before finding her home at tranquil space.

melissa's style is fluid and creative, with a reverence for classical teachings and attention to alignment. she emphasizes breath, mindfulness, and sheer delight in the experience of movement. music complements her classes in an eclectic mix of indie folk rock, blues, and traditional yogic chanting. classes are often begun and concluded in silence to encourage reflection and meditation.

melissa's influential teachers include kimberly wilson and the tranquil space team, barbara benagh, and seane corn. she has a master's degree in health communication and works as a health educator.

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kevin waldorf-cruz, msw, licsw, e-ryt

kevin encourages his students to tap into their individual brilliance, strength, vitality, creativity, and awakened wisdom of spirit. he began teaching in 2002 and is currently the director of teacher training at tranquil space. he leads workshops on teaching yoga, psychology, buddhism, mindfulness, partner-yoga, personal growth, and art. background acoustics may include: traditional kirtan-chanting, emo-pop, house, hip-hop, world infusions, laughter, and even silence.

he is grateful to his yoga mentors-friends who have led him to teach with honesty from the heart, especially kimberly wilson, lisa farmer, peg armstrong, and anne 'banana' thiel. kevin has studied with inspired teachers like cyndi lee, darren main, baron baptiste, shiva rea, and ana forrest. he has great appreciation for his students and teacher-trainees who continually awaken his spirit.

kevin holds a combined master's degree in social work with a focus on clinical therapeutic practice and welfare policy. currently, he counsels hiv+ adults, struggling with mental illness and chemical dependency. other professional accomplishments include working as a psychotherapist for adults living with depression, anxiety, trauma, and queer identity/coming-out issues. during this lifetime he has inhabited many incarnations such as: proud latino-boriqua, immigration activist, painter, writer, policy analyst, perpetual student, aids advocate, world traveler, runner-marathoner, photographer, trainer du jour, party-boy, wordsmith, and proud parent of rescue dog misha. kevin offers classes for all levels of yogi. check out a workshop or one of his classes: monday, tuesday or saturday.

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hilary wentz

hilary's yoga journey began in january 2004. she discovered yoga as a way of physical healing from the effects of competitive rowing and running, not realizing the benefits would expand to a complete transformation of mind, body, and spirit. she eventually initiated a daily practice. it was through this progression that she describes yoga as the practice and journey to uncover one's true self on and off the mat.

hilary completed the tranquil space 200hr teacher training in 2007 and a children's yoga certification through karma kids yoga in 2008. her teaching philosophy is to infuse creativity, humor and lightness while allowing students a safe space to explore and reset boundaries. music is a big part of hilary's life and she carefully selects playlists for her classes to create a fun, inspiring and positive environment. a fan of almost every type of music, suggestions are always welcome! she would like to express her gratitude to kimberly wilson and the entire tranquil space team for creating a nurturing environment to grow and learn throughout this journey of life.

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pary williamson

since pary williamson was a little girl, she has always contemplated the meaning of life and where we came from. she lived a very colorful life and in school, many would exclaim "you're out of your mind!" and isn't that the point? to be liberated from the constraints of our noisy, distracting minds?? between a grandfather who is a medicine man in the mountains of iran, a grandmother who could translate dreams and was obsessed with numbers, a mom who made astrology her religion, and a dad who grew up watching miracles take place in sufi temples, she was never at a loss for very interesting answers to life's questions. as a child pary vascillated between becoming an astronaut or a nun. she loved and continues to love the mystery of the church which is why she was attracted to tranquil space in 2002 when housed in a church parlor. she experienced great feeling of joy, freedom and inner knowing from the very first vinyasa practice and began the journey of studying with numerous teachers. she completed tranquil space's 200-hour teacher training in 2003. she believes the true teacher is within and has learned the deepest teachings in silence from the intelligence of the universe.

pary's music varies, according to the energy of the day, and the energy of the students before her. she is attracted to the sacred chants, lounge music, and anything with a sitar or tabla. her intention for each class is to bring each person back to balance, back to the natural state of being: the state of happiness. her intention is to help everyone find that feeling of completeness, connection and integration that is yoga - to become one.

her classes are always sprinkled with humor, mysticism, creativity and energy. between teaching the most intriguing and fascinating people in the world, she is continues to study the ancient texts and is currently writing two books. she writes in a journal almost daily, and finds each day to be equal to a life! it must be recorded. she's obsessed with music and calls dancing a spiritual experience so vinyasa to her is a body prayer or a cosmic dance! pary says, "i see god in the sidewalk. i don't need to travel to india, although to see the taj mahal would be nice."

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kimberly wilson

kimberly wilson is a teacher, writer, do-gooder, entrepreneur, and eco-fashion designer. she is the creative director and founder of tranquil space– named among the top 25 yoga studios in the world by travel + leisure, author of hip tranquil chick: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat and tranquilista, and holds a master’s in women’s studies.

when not bookstore browsing, you'll find her sipping heaps of tea, crafting new designs for TranquiliT, or leading retreats. her work has been featured on martha stewart living radio, in daily candy, fit yoga, us news and various books. with a passion for do-gooding, kimberly launched tranquil space foundation to bring yoga, creativity, and leadership to women and girls and is currently pursuing a master’s in social work. in 2008, she was honored as a new leader in philanthropy by greater dc cares.

she lives in a cozy raspberry-colored flat in washington, d.c. with two fancy felines named after french impressionists, a supportive beau, a sassy black pug, and dreams of adding a potbelly pig to the mix. indulge in musings on tranquilology through her blog and podcast, tranquility du jour. learn more at kimberlywilson.com and follow her on twitter.

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chuck zebrowski

chuck began his journey into yoga in 2002 at tranquil space. it's been an incredible trip thus far! kimberly wilson and lisa farmer richards have been influential teachers on this path as have all the tranquil space teachers. chuck loves the outdoors - climbing, biking, hiking - its all good! music is a big part of chuck's life and practice - almost anything can find its way into the classroom - jazz, latin, rock and roll, country, and world music are all fair game.