Judi “Uma” Maloy, a former dance instructor, has been studying yoga for the past 14 years and has served as Director and now Co-Director of the Yoga Gallery since founding it in 2002. Judi is a (RYT) Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher, a Certified Integral Yoga Instructor, a Certified Mamaste Prenatal Instructor and assisted Jyothi Larson, author of Yoga Mom, Buddha Baby in the Post Natal Yoga Course at Yogaville Ashram in Buckingham, Virginia in August 2004. Her continuing training has been in mainly Iyengar and Anusara Yoga, taking workshops with John Friend, Doug Keller, Sianna Shermann, Aadil Palkhivala, Erich Schiffmann, J.J. Gormley, Roger Cole, Kausthub Desikachar, Felicity Green, David Frawley, Baxter Bell, and Karen Prior to name but a few. She has combined these teachings to develop a style that focuses first on opening the heart, followed by proper alignment principles, strength building, increasing flexibility and reducing stress. Judi continues to take workshops whenever possible to increase her knowledge in both the physical and philosophical aspects of yoga.

Yoga Gallery co-director Lynn Felder, R.Y.T., received her teacher training from Stephanie Keach at the Asheville Yoga Center in 2001 and founded Arts of Yoga on Brookstown Avenue that same year. Arts of Yoga moved to 717 S. Marshall St. in 2003, and Lynn continued her studies with Anusara teachers Doug Keller, Todd Norian and John Friend. She has subsequently studied and taught Yoga for Cancer patients, Restorative Yoga, expanded her understanding of Integral Yoga, Vipassana meditation and has taken many workshops and classes. She has published several articles about yoga in national and regional magazines. "Although I had practiced yoga off and on since the 1960s, it took a serious illness to bring me into a full realization of the healing power of yoga. Cancer nearly took away my body; yoga gave it back. I am grateful every day for the practice, grateful for my teachers and grateful to my students who teach me with their practice."

Billy McClain has been practicing yoga since 1975. He has been teaching since 1996 and received his certification from International Yoga Teachers Association in 1999. His classes are designed to give the student a strong background in asana practice while exploring the philosophical aspects of yoga, in a safe, fun and caring atmosphere. The emphasis of his training has been in the Iyengar style. His primary teacher for twenty years was Louisa Klein, in addition he has attended numerous workshops and intensives with Patricia Walden, Rodney Yee, John Shumacher, Joan White, Judith Lasater and others. Billy continues to work and study both the physical and philosophical aspects of yoga.

Kirtan Coan, MA, LPC, CAGS, was certified by Dr. Rammurti Mishra, the founder of the Ananda Ashram, to teach hatha yoga in 1978. She has taught at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, the North Carolina School of the Arts, Pretzel Logic Yoga Studio, and at silent mindfulness meditation retreats led by Shinzen Young. A founding teacher at the Arts of Yoga Studio from August 2003 through August 2008, she is now being certified in Mindful Yoga at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA. Kirtan finds that her love of yoga deepens with every wrinkle.

Maureen Stitt, RYT, is a certified Kripalu yoga instructor who was introduced to Hatha Yoga in 1995. She began her yoga studies at the Yoga Zone in Manhattan and currently studies with Yoganand Michael Carroll who teaches in the Kripalu tradition. Maureen’s experience includes teaching all levels of hatha yoga, private instruction, running her own yoga studio and teaching in several other studios in the Greenwich, CT and New York area. Her classes are known for their great variety and playfulness and she likes to empathize a moving away from the known to the unknown.

Sydney Hughes-McGee, LMBT 1243, RYT 500, has a private practice as both a Yoga Teacher and Massage Therapist in Winston-Salem. She is a student of Gary and Mirka Kraftsow of the American Viniyoga Institute, has recently completed their Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Program and is currently working toward certification as a Yoga Therapist in the Viniyoga tradition. Sydney loves the practices and teachings of the Yoga tradition because they take the complicated and at times crazy experience of living within a human body and out of it create compassion and love. In her classes Sydney invites students to slow down, listen closely to their bodies and to let their breath led the movement.

Jacob Felder has been practicing yoga consistently since 1969. He is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. His teaching abilities include gentle, intermediate, advanced and partner yoga, and meditation. He teaches a unique form of partner yoga that includes a gentle introduction and moves into extreme partner poses seldom seen outside of circus performances. He is also a meditation trainer, successfully using a training method that he developed, "The Awareness Approach." Jacob has two yoga DVD's published with a third soon to be released. His latest project is the production of an audio Meditation Training CD that will be available in the fall of 08'. He can be contacted through his website or 336-407-8602.

Lindsey Meacham has been practicing yoga consistently since an introduction to Bikram yoga five years ago. In the time since, she has explored many traditions of yoga including Iyengar, Anusara and Viniyoga. She received her teacher training and certification (RYT) at the Yandara Yoga Institute of Todos Santos, Mexico. Her classes are open to practitioners of all levels, emphasizing the union of mind and body through alignment-based Asana, Pranayama and meditation practices.

Jennifer Haydon began practicing yoga in 1980, while in college at the University of Tennessee and became immediately smitten. She has remained deeply in love with yoga ever since! She received her certification in Hatha Yoga from The World Yoga Center in Manhatten in 1986. She is also certified to teach prenatal, postnatal and those with heart disease. While living in California for the past 20 years, Jennifer immersed herself in the Iyengar, Anusara and Yin Yoga traditions. She also studied restorative yoga extensively with Judith Lasater. One of her objectives as a yoga teacher is to help her students discover the poses from the inside, rather than force them from the outside. She focuses on the breath and in slowing down in order to really feel the poses and their effects and after effects on the body, mind and spirit. Her classes are deeply relaxing, joyful and fun. Please see her website: jenniferhaydon.com for further information.

Vicki Bartnikowski started taking Mat Pilates classes several years ago after becoming bored with the weight room scene and quickly realized the many benefits this type of exercise can provide the body. She has since successfully completed the Pilates Certification of North Carolina in Basic Mat and her classes will focus instruction on beginner to intermediate Pilates. In addition to Vicki’s enthusiasm for Pilates, she also practices yoga and meditates on a regular basis bringing peace and balance in her life.

Brittany Johnson, a competitive athlete since the age of nine, was a 2-time qualifier and participant in the United States Olympic Trials. Brittany has been studying yoga since her devastating, career ending shoulder surgery in 2004. She recently received her 230 hour RYT certification from Stephanie Keach in Asheville, NC at the Asheville Yoga Center and is going on to pursue her 500 hour certification. “Since I stumbled upon yoga in 2004 in Gainesville, FL I have been hooked. I have found that yoga has given me new perspective and meaning in life. Through my yoga practice I have been able to heal my injuries both inside and out and find my true self. I am grateful for my yoga practice everyday.” Brittany is also a certified personal trainer who recognizes the fitness need for flexibility training and the power behind the body/mind connection. Brittany continues to pursue additional knowledge and certification in Yoga and exercise sciences through regular conferences and workshops.

Cara Hagen, "As a yoga practitioner and teacher, I believe in a practice which stresses correctness of form, the union of movement and breath, and attention to lines of energy created in both the physical and subtle bodies. My practice and my classes have been greatly influenced by the Vinyasa and Iyengar traditions, as well as dance, in which I have received my BFA from the UNC School of the arts. I received my 330 hour certification at the Triad Yoga Institute in Greensboro under the tutelage of Terry Brown. I am registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 200 hour level. I have previously studied yoga at Yoga Works New York with various teachers in the Vinyasa, Anusara and Iyengar styles. I have attended workshops with Nicolai Bachman, Doug Keller, Har Darshan Khalsa, Aadil palkhivala, Bo Forbes and Matthew Seweeney. The list continues to grow as I attend workshops on a regular basis to increase my skills and knowledge of all the different aspects and approaches to yoga. When not on the mat, I am a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher. I am artistic director of 87 Dance Productions and an adjunct faculty member at High Point University. My dance work and yoga work inform each other, in that each practice asks me to look deep inside myself and bring to the surface parts of my soul. Both require great discipline and dedication, and both can be a path to enlightenment!"

Amanda Tanner, discovered her love of yoga while living in New York City and it has continued through the many states she’s lived in—Indiana, Maryland, and North Carolina. She has been practicing for eight years and continues to be inspired by the practice both on and off the mat. In 2009, Amanda completed her 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification with Kim Manfredi at Charm City Yoga in Baltimore. She combines her passion and academic training in public health with the movement and meditation in yoga resulting in fun and flowing classes that help students explore the natural abilities of their body.

Becky Hieter shares, "While I have studied Yoga off and on for much of my adult life, I have become consistent in my studies since 1999. My regular practice started as a way to compliment my running by adding flexibility to my hips and legs, later I realized that it wasn’t only my muscles that were receiving the most expansion from my practice. I love the growth and awareness that Yoga provides, to students of all abilities, in their physical and mental journeys. For this reason I chose to deepen my practice by enrolling in a teaching certification program in 2008. Since that time I have received my 330 hour certification at the Triad Yoga Institute in Greensboro, NC and am registered with the Yoga Alliance. I teach alignment based Yoga in the Iyengar tradition in addition to Vinyasa and Power Flow in the tradition if Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois. I seek to constantly expand my understanding of the Yoga tradition and share this love of learning and growth with my students. I believe that by releasing judgment and seeking compassion for ourselves, we find joy. Namaste"