INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES

Jessica Leinberger Jess Leinberger has studied jazz, modern dance, African, Latin, swing, Indonesian and other folk dance styles. She sees belly dance as both a social and personal dance that satisfies fitness goals as well as provides a creative outlet. Through belly dance, the core body strength improves and the muscles become toned. This supports the spine, and the student's self-image! Ultimately, she is moved by the amazing rhythms, instrumentation, history, and dances of the Middle East.

Meg Abene Newlin Meg Abene Newlin is a long-time student of Hatha yoga. She has studied primarily in the radical Tantric tradition of Anusara Yoga, but happily explores many different traditions. She has been sharing what she has learned in classes since 2002, and has been teaching in Viroqua since 2006. Meg is a devoted wife and mama and wrangler of chickens and goats. She is amazed with the opportunity to practice everyday in all kinds of ways. When not practicing, reading, teaching, or talking about yoga, she can be found with her babes, in her garden, trying to finish some knitting project, concocting a new Ayurvedic formula, facilitating rest for a small person, or making yet another cup of tea. Meg is eternally grateful to all of her teachers for their wisdom and grace.

Gayle Nielsen Gayle Nielsen is passionate about healthy and joyful movement. Her background of 25 years training and teaching in martial arts and healing arts has blended seamlessly to create her current Nia practice. Certified as a Nia white belt, she loves sharing Nia with those seeking a mind, body, and spirit connection through movement. In a non-critical way, she encourages her students to play, to discover, to make the connection to full-body awareness through joy.

Kathy O'Rourke Kathy O'Rourke loves yoga and has been a dedicated student since 2001 when she was pregnant with her first of two kids. Quickly, yoga became a place to restore and find balance to a busy home life. She soon completed her 200-hour teacher training at the Willow Street Yoga Center outside Washington, DC where she taught before moving to Viroqua in 2007. She teaches yoga based on two influential styles of contemporary yoga: the Anusara and Para yoga methods. An initiated student of master teacher Yogarupa Rod Stryker (Para Yoga) she is dedicated to seeing grace in the totality of experience and skillfully teaches with patience, enthusiasm and a good sense of humor.