yoga is a gift that has both empowered colleen and taught her humility. its benefits inspire her to deepen her own practice and share it with others through teaching. a friend’s recommendation brought her to tranquil space yoga when she moved to washington, d.c. several years ago for which she is truly grateful.

having completed the 200-hour teacher training at tranquil space in 2008, her intention is to hold a space where her students can connect with their wholeness, vitality and joy. she uses ambient, downtempo, pop and world musical genres to help set the mood for her classes. her interests include sharing yoga with underserved communities, the connection between yoga and childbirth and spirituality.

originally from michigan, colleen holds an m.b.a. and has worked in the financial and healthcare industries. she can currently be found pushing a double stroller around falls church, virginia where she lives with her husband and their two young children.

carol loves helping people learn about themselves through yoga. she focuses on mindfulness, encouraging students to reach within themselves to find truth and wholeness in their body and mind. in her classes she facilitates a calming flow balancing strength and flexibility and explores the the science of yoga alignment. her music is a combination of kirtan and new age calming music with a sprinkle of folksie or jazzy lyrical music. carol is the postnatal yoga coordinator at tranquil space and a lead teacher. she has been teaching since 2002 and has E-RYT 200 certification with yoga alliance. carol also holds a master's degree in education and is a former elementary and middle school teacher. she earned a black belt in the korean martial art of tae kwon do in 1994.

jodi first discovered yoga in college in 1997, but it was not until recovering from an injury while training for a triathlon did she come to truly appreciate the infinite benefits of yoga. jodi has found that her practice melts away the stresses of daily life and nurtures the spirit & soul. she initially practiced bikram yoga for several years before passionately discovering vinyasa flow in 2006.

jodi encourages students to hit the pause button of the mind to luxuriously discover playfulness in their practice while connecting to the inner child within – permitting oneself to take life & self a little less seriously. she infuses creativity into her classes and guides students on a fluid & energetic voyage with focus on the breath & alignment. her musical choices in class reflect an upbeat speckled mix of rock, jazz, reggae, alternative, blues, world & hip-hop. have a favorite tune? requests are always welcome.

in addition to completing her 200-hour training at tranquil space jodi has a children's yoga teacher training certification through karma kids yoga. she is grateful to her many teachers at tranquil space and fellow yoginis and yogis who have heartened and inspired her yoga journey.

lori labine

lori first came to tranquil space as a grad student and instantly knew that yoga was the answer to her stressed out body and spirit. since then, her yoga practice has helped her find an inner calmness even when work and life get a little crazy. after almost four years on the mat, she completed her 200 hour teacher training at tranquil space. her vision to to help others discover the peace and joy that she has found on and off her mat--and even in her cubicle--through yoga. lori is grateful to all of the wonderful teachers at tranquil space that continue to help her along her path and is super happy to be teaching at the studio.

lori's teaching philosophy is to create a compassionate nurturing environment so that students feel comfortable exploring their own practice; either playing with their edge or having empathy and patience for themselves. she loves teaching creative, fun flows with an emphasis on the connections between the body, breath, and spirit, to help students realize their fullest potential and find the joy of being fully awake for their daily lives. lori likes to use upbeat music with her flows and often combines some rock favorites with electronic and new-age beats.

lori is a self-described city-girl, life-long new yorker, government analyst, and avid skier.

caroline is deeply devoted to the practice of yoga, having studied in washington since 1999 and with kimberly wilson since 2000. a graduate of tranquil space vinyasa yoga teacher training program, she is a registered yoga teacher (ryt) certified with yoga alliance. her approach to teaching and life is dynamic, adventurous, and filled with love. 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 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, including the meditative flow of "roundabouts", in which students open their bodies safely through alignment, recharging and feeling satisfying evolutions and in their practice.

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 mélange 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 having earned a ba in music from the university of georgia. she sings with the cathedral choral society and holds a degree in french culinary techniques. she is admissions and concert manager at the phillips collection. she believes her own soulful practice reflects her conviction of yoga's strengthening powers on and off the mat.  

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.

anne is a teacher at tranquil space and she completed the 200-hour yoga alliance-approved teacher training at tranquil space in 2003, is a certified prenatal yoga teacher, and has studied with several nationally-known teachers. rod stryker and scott blossom are probably the ones that left the greatest mark on her teaching.

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 has also explored realms related to yoga. she is a thai yoga body worker and completed an 18-month program in ayurveda and, as ayurvedic lifestyle consultant, now offers ayurvedic evaluations through tranquil space. she is also currently training to become a licensed massage therapist.

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.

siobhan troy

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. her "past life" includes spending ten years raising funds for a few different non-profit organizations. in october of 2004, siobhan and kimberly opened tranquil space bethesda.

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. 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 once again yoga is taking her on a journey to share yoga with toddlers both in dupont and bethesda.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

kimberly wilson is a teacher, designer, writer, activist, and entrepreneur with a master’s in women’s studies. she is the founder of tranquil space yoga in washington, d.c.

she penned hip tranquil chick  with hopes of inspiring fellow femmes to lead a mindfully extravagant life on and off the yoga mat, and is currently working on her next opus, tranquilology – a fusion of spirituality, entrepreneurship, and creativity. when she's not bookstore browsing, you'll find her designing the eco-luxe TranquiliT lifestyle line and her one-of-a-kind tranquilista jewelry collection, sipping oodles of tea, or leading retreats globally. her work has been featured on martha stewart living radio and in daily candy, fit yoga, yoga journal, lucky, and shape.

with a passion for do-gooding, kimberly founded the tranquil space foundation  to assist women and girls with finding their inner voice through yoga, creativity, and leadership. she also serves on the board of the mid-atlantic yoga association.

indulge in ongoing musings of the yoga lifestyle through her blog and podcast. learn more at www.kimberlywilson.com.

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.