Breathe. Relax. Renew.

Desert Song Teachers, Therapists & Staff

Experienced, Professional, Caring

At Desert Song, our staff, teachers and therapists all live what they teach, practicing the principles of yoga both on and off the mat. They also deeply care about Desert Song clients and students, and their dedication is evident in their commitment to the Center. In 2008, six of our yoga teachers have taught at Desert Song for more than nine years. We celebrate the commitment of all of our outstanding instructors and invite you to read more about them and our incredible staff and therapists. Find out more about who they are, why they love their practice and their students, and what brings them joy.

 

Mary Beth Markus - LMT, CYI, E-RYT, Holistic Health Consultant, Director

Mary Beth Markus

Mary Beth particularly loves the group experience and the incomparable energy of yoga classes and workshops, while at the same time enjoys connecting individually with clients through massage and private consultation.

Long before yoga became a national trend, Mary Beth was sharing the practice’s benefits with the central Phoenix community. In 1979, as a stressed-out, interior design student at ASU, Mary Beth began practicing yoga, after being reluctantly dragged into her first yoga class for PE credits. Mary Beth knew that yoga was an integral part of her life. In 1982, Mary Beth officially set-up shop and began teaching in her home and in offices, churches, spas and community centers in Phoenix. That same year, Mary Beth became a licensed massage therapist and over the next decade, went on to study with world-renowned Iyengar teachers, at the Ananda Yoga Center and completed Levels I and II in Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. Over the last decade, both John Friend's Anusara system of yoga and Erich Schiffmann's easy, accessible and enjoyable approach yoga have influenced Mary Beth's practice.

On a personal level, Mary Beth is continuously inspired by her spiritual teacher, Rama Jyoti Vernon, founder of The International Yoga College, and by her personal friend, mentor and yoga master, Louise Rickel, who has been practicing for half-a-century. Today, Mary Beth continues her commitment to her education in the areas of yoga therapeutics, chakra and energy work, bodywork, meditation and philosophy. Mary Beth has been a leader in the training and development of yoga teachers in Phoenix, since 1991.

Mary Beth and her husband Vince share interests in traveling, relaxing by the ocean, Sunday bike rides and sharing time with family, friends and the Desert Song community.
More on Mary Beth’s and Desert Song’s history...

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Vince Markus - LMT, Co-owner of Desert Song

Vince Markus

Vince’s firm flowing massage style produces a deep satisfying experience that allows the musculature to release with lasting affects.

Vince is a professional carpenter by trade for over 30 years and a licensed Massage Therapist for over 20 years. He is a graduate of Westwind Academy of Massage in Phoenix and the Ingram School of Reflexology based in Florida. He has a firm flowing massage style that produces a deep satisfying experience that allows the musculature to release with lasting effects. Vince’s strength, professionalism and nurturing spirit endear him to his clients. Vince enjoys his work at Desert Song as both Massage Therapist and co-facilitator of the center. It brings him great joy to see his clients leave relaxed and healthier because of his offerings. His background support at the studio is also a part of his mission to keeping the studio running smoothly. Vince enjoys nature, photography and travel and has produced a line of beautiful inspiring cards and photos, which are offered at the studio. He continues to develop his skills by taking classes and workshops to better serve his clients.

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Brenda Bryan - CYI, RYT

Brenda Bryan

Brenda’s greatest hope as a teacher is to motivate students to find the delicious freedom of going solo from time to time by cultivating a home practice to compliment their experience in class.

Brenda has practiced yoga for over a decade and taught for almost as long.  She completed teacher training through At One Yoga and Scottsdale Community College and has studied extensively at Desert Song, including completion of Anusara Immersions I and II. Along with her studentship at Desert Song, notably her studies with Meg Byerlein and Mary Beth Markus, Brenda studies with Rod Stryker whom she credits with opening her eyes to the immense power found in a dedicated meditation practice.

Brenda describes yoga as one of the great loves of her life, and it has brought her more joy, abundance and freedom than she ever thought possible. While she loves the community, humor and grace experienced  during group practice, one of her greatest hopes as a teacher is to motivate students to find the delicious freedom of going solo from time to time through cultivation of a home practice to compliment their experiences in class.

Brenda resides in Phoenix with her three greatest teachers, her husband and their two beautiful, Shakti-filled children. In additional to teaching yoga, Brenda is a communications professional in the health arena. She holds a master's in adminstration and health sciences. She loves to write and publishes a yoga blog, which she invites you to check out and join in the conversation at http://poserepose.blogspot.com/.

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Meg Byerlein - BSN, CYI, E-RYT, Certified Anusara Instructor

Meg Byerlein

Meg’s teaching style is experiential and she creatively integrates principles of alignment with a spiritually oriented, heart-centered perspective.

Meg is a certified Anusara yoga instructor with 17 years of teaching experience (and 17 years at Desert Song!). She studies and travels extensively to maintain her ongoing commitment to personal and professional development, while concurrently pursuing education in allied fields of interest including: yoga therapeutics, yoga philosophy, Ayurveda and nutrition.

Meg teaches weekly classes, private yoga sessions, workshops, retreats and teacher training programs. Additionally, Meg offers individual holistic consultations, which focus on general health, nutrition and lifestyle planning. Her teaching style is experiential and she creatively integrates principles of alignment with a spiritually oriented, heart-centered perspective. One of her primary intentions in teaching is to encourage students to incorporate the wisdom of yoga’s timeless teachings into their day-to-day lives. Meg holds deep respect and gratitude for all of her teachers and for the lineage of yoga.

Meg has a B.S. in Nursing and spent 14 years specializing in the areas of psychiatry and medicine providing direct patient care, staff education, leadership and administration. These experiences contributed significantly to her decision to make a dramatic career change and are the foundation of her commitment to health and well-being.

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Victoria Crawford - CYI, RYT

Victoria Crawford

Victoria brings trust and love to Desert Song and finds great joy in being a part of this heartfelt community.

Victoria has joyfully practiced yoga for over 35 years and taught for 15 years at Desert Song. She completed her teacher training as Desert Song under Mary Beth in 1996 and has been delighted to learn new things about yoga each time she practices, whether it is on or off the mat. Victoria brings trust and love to Desert Song and finds great joy in being a part of this heartfelt community.

She has studied with John Friend, Erich Schiffmann and Doug Keller. Their practice and teaching have been a great influence and inspiration. As a teacher, her intention is to create a calm, lighthearted setting that allows her students to relax, be open to the present moment and experience the spaciousness and beauty of a quiet mind, open heart and vibrant body. She teaches gentle, all levels, flow and advanced classes.

Victoria is the owner and founder of The Way of Discovery, a coaching and consulting company committed to realizing our greatest potential as individuals, teams or organizations. She is the author of, The Art & Practice of Trust, a book that offers a simple pathway to align and take action from your most authentic self. Although she works as a coach, seminar leader and mentor, she believes that yoga is a part of everything she does and that the principles of yoga supports transformation, change and right action.


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Sandra Egli - Th.D.

Sandra Egli

Sandra facilitates self-healing and is passionate about supporting her clients in rediscovering their natural health and emotional vitality.

Sandra Egli, Th.D., is an energy healer and also offers life coaching. She has a doctorate in theology from Holos  University Graduate Seminary and is an ordained minister. She is a graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing® and a certified practitioner of Brennan Healing Science®. Sandra studies Integrated Kabbalistic Healing (IKH) with the Society of Souls and is a practitioner of IKH. Additionally, she is a Reiki Master and a Transformational Breathing facilitator. Sandra employs many models and traditions of healing. She facilitates self-healing and supports her clients in rediscovering their natural health and vitality.


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Anita Farrah - CYI, RYT

Anita Farrah

Trained as a Life Coach, Anita weaves coaching into her teaching style and creates a sense of community, fun and celebration in her classes.

Anita began her personal yoga practice in 1980 to help her recover from a life changing car accident and to work through the daily stresses of corporate life. In 2004, Anita began teaching yoga and completed her teacher training in 2005. Over the years she has studied with numerous gifted teachers and has been influenced by many yoga styles. Her biggest influences have been Erich Schiffmann's Freedom Style Yoga, Anusara and Iyengar.

Trained as a Life Coach, Anita weaves life's lessons and yogic philosophy throughout her classes. The asana practice concentrates on building a strong foundation through proper alignment and deep steady poses. She is known for creating a nurturing environment that is flexible enough to accommodate special needs of the students.

As an extension of her yogic and creative side, Anita spends time at her torch making handmade glass beads and jewelry. Anita is living her dream teaching yoga, coaching, and making glass beads and jewelry.

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Laura DeLoach - LMT

Laura Gibson

Laura has a gentle presence, and is wonderfully gifted as a massage therapist. While deeply relaxing her clients, she is able to give a wonderful therapeutic treatment.

Laura Gibson completed her massage training in 2000 at West Wind Academy of Massage Therapy and is a Phoenix Licensed Massage Therapist. She learned specialized techniques for Deep Therapeutic Massage. She grew up in a family of many nurturers, including her mother and grandmother who were both nurses for over 40 years.

Laura was leaning toward studying physical therapy when she was in a car accident that left her with back injuries. This journey of trying to heal her back pain led her to massage. After experiencing massage and its benefits, she knew she wanted to pursue a career as a Massage therapist. Laura has a gentle presence, and is wonderfully gifted as a massage therapist. While deeply relaxing her clients, she is able to give a wonderful therapeutic treatment.

Laura enjoys working with people with injuries and muscle pain. Helping people feel better is what she loves most about practicing Massage Therapy. Laura's hobbies include painting, hiking and biking.

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Mary Glover - M.A. Elem Ed, RYT, CYI

Mary Glover

Mary is passionate about her spiritual practice and loves helping others with their personal journeys through humor, compassion, and loving kindness.

Mary’s yoga practice began in 2003 and she knew almost immediately that she wanted to teach yoga. She completed Desert Song's teacher training in 2005 and since then has expanded the children's program to include a weekly class, monthly workshops, and private sessions for typical and special needs children.

Mary is a lifelong learner and continues to study with John Friend and Erich Schiffmann, in addition to her ongoing training with Desert Song teachers. She is actively developing yoga therapies for children with autism and has studied Integrated Movement Therapy at the Samarya Center in Seattle. Mary's adult classes follow the Anusara principles and she draws on her 29 years of classroom experience when teaching children.

She is passionate about her spiritual practice and loves helping others with their personal journeys through humor, compassion, and loving kindness. Her family, friends, garden, poetry, and art give her joy in life.

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Jan Elaine Hanshaw - Financial Manager/Graphic Designer

Jan Elaine Hanshaw

Serendipity brought Jan to Desert Song in 1995

Jan first developed an interest in yoga in 1965 by practicing the poses taught in the book Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation. In 1970, during her senior year in college, she attended yoga classes in Minneapolis. After graduating from Macalester College with a B.A. in Art, she married and moved to Arizona where she and her husband, Bruce, worked for the Prescott National Forest for eight years. After moving to Phoenix, she worked for an architectural firm for 14 year while taking accounting classes at Mesa Community College. Serendipity brought Jan to Desert Song in 1995 when she took over the office duties. She now handles the accounting, computer systems and graphic design. Her love of sewing and design prompted Jan to create and, for seven years, produce her own line of custom yoga clothing under the name Conscious Clothing. She now supplies the Yotique with eye-pillows and her new product What a Relief! hot/cold packs. After seven years as a widow, she is blissfully remarried to Bob Hanshaw and lives in Chandler.

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Evon Hart - CYI

Evon Hart

Evon’s hope is to create a space for her students where they can let down their guard and realize their fullest potential.

Evon started her yoga practice in 1999, which was the same year she became a licensed massage therapist. She relocated to Arizona from New York in 2001 and her work in massage at Desert Song led her to realize her ambitions to teach yoga. She was blessed to receive her 200-hour yoga teaching certification through Desert Song's program in 2003 under Mary Beth Markus.

Becoming a mother to Sam in 2005 brought her the opportunity to deepen the lessons of her yoga practice. Motherhood provides constant opportunities for self-study! Yoga has brought shifts into her life on many deep levels. Her hope is to create a space for her students where they can let down their guard and realize their fullest potential. Her primary yoga influences are Erich Schiffmann and Meg Byerlein, and she is committed to continuing education through workshops with various instructors. She finds deep inspiration from music, community, the ocean, traveling and laughter.

 

Check out Evon's Blog.

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Barbara Holt - CYI, RYT

Barbara Holt

Her greatest joy, as a teacher, is to see the light in the eyes of students, when they first fall in love with the Yoga practice.

Barbara began her practice of Yoga in 1970 ­ when her favorite part of class was savasana!! In 1999, she earned her teacher certificate from Desert Song and began teaching at the Center. While she has been blessed to study with Rama Jyotti Vernon, John Friend, Rod Stryker, Doug Keller, Suzie Hurley, Shiva Rea, and Meg Byerlein, the greatest influences on her teaching have come from Mary Beth Markus and Erich Schiffmann, to whom she is profoundly grateful for all they have taught her. She believes that to be a good teacher one must always be a good student.

Barbara's classes are taught in the Classical style Yoga, based in the teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, with focus on meditation, pranayama, pratyahara, and asana. As a teacher, her greatest joy is to see the light come into a student's eyes, when they first fall in love with the Yoga practice. Barbara is deeply honored to be a teacher at Desert Song.
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Debbie Kayatt - CYI, RYT, IYT

Debbie Kayatt

Debbie’s commitment to her own practice and the love she has for yoga is evident in her teaching style. She is knowledgeable, gifted and brings encouragement to her students.

Debbie began practicing yoga in 1999 and went through the 200-hour teacher-training program at Desert Song in 2003. Debbie went on to earn both her 500 and 1000-hour certifications through the Integrative Yoga Therapy Program in 2007. She also has a Masters’ Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, which has been a great compliment to her certification as an Integrative Yoga Therapist because this work is about looking at a student in a holistic way. She has also studied with Doug Keller, John Friend and Todd Norian.

Debbie’s commitment to her own practice and the love she has for yoga is evident in her teaching style. She is knowledgeable, gifted and brings encouragement to her students. Debbie has three cats, Shiva, Surya and Ellie who are often part of her practice, especially savasana. She enjoys learning, reading, watching movies and spending time with friends and family.

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Kelly Knapp - CYI, LMT, Reiki II Practitioner

Kelly Knapp

Kelly loves assisting others to help and enable themselves. The human body is an incredible miracle and she believes strongly in its innate ability to heal itself.

Kelly completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Desert Song and her 1000-hour massage therapy program from Rainstar University in 2003. She feels honored to share her gifts at Desert Song. Kelly loves assisting others to help and enable themselves. The human body is an incredible miracle and she believes strongly in its innate ability to heal itself. Her vocations enable others to find health, balance and well-being on every level.

In her yoga classes, her focus is on alignment, breath, strength and the benefits of the poses to promote healing and the relief of chronic pain. Her massage style is also therapeutic. Besides all over body massage for relaxation purposes, she utilizes a massage modality known as trigger point, which is a very focused and effective means to alleviate chronic pain.

She brings to Desert Song her loving nature and her passion to continue learning alternative methods of healing. Sunlight, warmth and the unconditional love of her dog, Jammer, bring great joy to all aspects of her life.

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Pam Leber - CYI, RYT

Pam Leber

Pam became a serious student when she realized the powerful healing effect that yoga can have on an emotional, physical and spiritual level.

Pam has been interested in various forms of healing body mind and spirit all of her adult life. She graduated from California State University at Los Angeles with a B.A. in Psychology in June 1976. While raising her two children, she became a 1st and 2nd degree Reiki Practitioner. She began studying yoga in 1993 at Desert Song with Mary Beth Markus. She became a serious student when she realized the powerful healing effect that yoga can have on an emotional, physical and spiritual level.

In July 1999, Pam became a certified yoga instructor through the training program at Desert Song and has been teaching ever since. She has studied with many teachers at Desert Song and has been teaching ever since. She has studied with many teachers in the Hatha Yoga tradition, but has concentrated on the Iyengar and Anusara methods. Pam's classes reflect these methods of correct alignment, while focusing on inner awareness through a heart-centered practice. She has studied and continues to study with such teachers as Rama Vernon, Erich Schiffmann, Rod Stryker, Suzi Hurley, John Friend, Doug Keller, Desiree Rumbaugh, Meg Byerlein and Todd Norian.

Pam has been a Registered Yoga Alliance teacher since December 2001. She also has her own line of beautiful chakra jewelry, Blessed Beads, which is on display in our Yotique.

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Heidi Lichte - CYI, RYT

Heidi Lichte

Heidi’s sense of humor and friendly manner create a comfortable space for her students to move deeply into their own practice.

Heidi received her certification from Desert Song Yoga in 1999 and began teaching at the Center the same year. She is a full-time yoga teacher, passionate about exploring the connections where science and spirit meet. Her sense of humor and friendly manner provide students a comfortable space to move deeper into their own practice .

Heidi combines a working knowledge of anatomy, along with a present-minded, honor yourself approach in every class. She encourages her students to slow down, appreciate where they're at, and create space for the changes they desire.

While eclectic in her style, major influences include Erich Schiffmann, Doug Keller, John Friend, Rama Jyoti Vernon, as well as her amazing colleagues at Desert Song Yoga. Heidi is also a master Reiki practitioner.
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Ellen Martinoni - CYI, RYT

Ellen Martinoni

Ellen loves sharing the gift of yoga with others and gently encouraging them to overcome any self-imposed limitations.

Having studied for 12 years and taught for over 8, Ellen is an Affiliated Anusara Teacher in the final process of Anusara certification. After studying many styles of hatha yoga, it was Anusara's beautiful and concise principles of alignment along with the "opening to grace" that most resonated with her. She has completed extensive training in the therapeutic aspects of yoga and its healing effects.

Working with all levels and all conditions, Ellen loves sharing the gift of yoga with others and gently encouraging them to overcome any self-imposed limitations. Forever a student with childlike curiosity, what brings her joy is seeing the sparkle of wonder in her children's eyes, hoping it is never extinguished. She loves to see that in herself and her students also. The purpose of life is to keep that spark of wonder alive, to see that life is indeed auspicious and that each day is full of unlimited potential.

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Adam Montoya - Tai Chi Instructor, CYI

Adam Montoya

Adam loves watching his students connect with tranquility and learn how to use it in their lives.

Adam has practiced martial arts since the age of seven. At age 13, he began to explore the mind body connection through Zen meditation to overcome his fears in martial art competitions. Pleased with the results, he pursued further study through Taoist meditation, Yoga, Chi Kung and a variety of martial arts, which led him to Tai Chi. For him, Tai Chi brought everything together that he had previously studied. Tai Chi philosophy continues to enrich his life. He enjoys blending Yoga and Tai Chi together and in August 2007 he completed the 200- hour yoga teacher-training program at Desert Song. Adam loves watching his students connect with tranquility and learn how to use it in their lives. His teaching style moves towards the essence of Tai Chi. He encourages his students to employ the principles of the art to their unique body type rather than shadow his exact movements. Adam also provides valuable help in the Desert Song office, where his calm demeanor is a joy to all those around him.

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Debbie Moody - CYI, RYT, office Operations Manager

Debbie Moody

Debbie thoroughly enjoys watching new students begin their own yoga journey.

Debbie left her picturesque hometown of Exeter, New Hampshire, to attend ASU where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition. She began practicing yoga in the mid-nineties and credits numerous instructors for inspiring her to continue her spiritual journey. Debbie feels blessed to have been welcomed into the wonderful community at Desert Song as office support staff in late 2006 and to have completed the Yoga Teacher Training program in August 2007. The experience of pregnancy and the birth of her son Emerson in 2008 deepened her pranayama and meditation practice and she began teaching Prenatal yoga classes. She enjoys travel and the great outdoors. She enjoys travel and the great outdoors. She has spent months exploring the beautiful landscapes of North America, the Canadian Rockies and Europe and can often be found out on the hiking trails with her husband Troy and their son. Deb feels blessed to have been welcomed into the wonderful community at Desert Song as Office Operations Manager in 2010.

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Ann Mullins Bulka - CYI, RYT

Ann Mullins Bulka

Ann’s intention is to connect each student more deeply to themselves and to each other in the spirit of community.

Drawn to yoga at a young age, Ann remembers practicing with her sisters, watching Hatha Yoga on PBS in the 1970's. In 2003, she completed Desert Song’s Teacher Training and is committed to personal and professional development through a diligent practice as well as on-going, in-depth study of asana, yoga therapeutics and philosophy.

Ann's teaching is most influenced by the Anusara style of Hatha Yoga. She is inspired by the uplifting spirit of the classes and the elegance and effectiveness of the Universal Principles of Alignment. Described as "a bundle of energy radiating outward from the heart", Ann's candid teaching style combines technical knowledge of asana with light-hearted playfulness and humor. Her yoga is enriched by the fullness of her eclectic background: a degree in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, several years as a park ranger for the National Park Service (National Mall, Washington D.C. and Grand Canyon), outdoor education counselor, a ten-year career in Girl Scouting and mostly recently, a short stint as a river guide.

The expansion of Ann's business, Exuberance (www.exuberanceevents.com), takes to the outdoors her appreciation for the depth of yoga as a living practice and her passion for health and well-being. Offering organized outdoor activities such as hikes, river rafting and overnight adventures, Exuberance events provide an opportunity for each participant to cultivate a deeper connection to themselves and to one another in the spirit of community. Looking back on those early days practicing in her parent’s living room, Ann says, “I feel like I’ve come full-circle, like I’ve come home.”



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Stefanie NeubUrger- CYI, RYT

Stefanie Neuberger

Stefanie's greatest hope is for her students to be able to dance through life with joy and self-confidence.


Even though she didn't know it at the time, Stefanie practiced yoga with her grandfather from the early age of 5. Some of the poses stayed with her until she was formally introduced to yoga in 1997, looking for a way to work through panic attacks and anxiety. Immediately drawn to the strengthening, balancing and calming experiences, she completed the Desert Song Teacher Training in 2007.

She continues her personal and professional education with a focus on safety and emotional effects of yoga. In class, Stefanie creates a safe container, where students are encouraged to find their own practice through poses, breath, meditation and self-inquiry. Her greatest hope is for her students to be able to dance through life with joy and self-confidence. Having left the corporate world behind, she now follows her heart teaching yoga, creating websites and exploring psychology and counseling. Stefanie is a Life Force Yoga I Practitioner.

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Judy Pyanowski -  LMT, CYI, RYT

Judy Pyanowski

Helping people awaken their innate ability and capacity to improve their quality of life brings Judy great joy.

Judy is an AZ licensed nationally certified massage therapist with 10 years of experience in therapeutic massage and bodywork. She has been on a journey for many years exploring and experiencing the how, what and why of the ways we move.

After 25 years as a professional dancer, she felt drawn to pursue a career in bodywork. She received her initial education in Germany, where she practiced 7 years as a physical and manual therapist and Feldenkrais teacher. She returned to the US in 2006 and received certification in massage therapy. Her interest in yoga and eastern approaches to health led Judy to complete the Desert Song Yoga Teacher Training in 2007 and begin teaching yoga in 2008.

Judy customizes the soft-tissue techniques of bodywork to meet the individual needs of the client - from a soothing relaxation massage, to releasing muscles and deeper connective tissue that hold patterns of pain, to relearning efficient, functional movement patterns and creating healthy habits.

Honoring the uniqueness of each client, Judy also uses yoga therapeutically in individual sessions. Applying her ability to identify dysfunctional movement patterns helps not only the muscles and joints increase their strength and flexibility, but helps improve quality of movement. This improves the quality of life itself and all aspects of your being. Her intention is to reawaken your ability to recognize and listen to your body's intelligence and wisdom.

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Ann Thompson - LMT, CYI

Ann Thompson

Ann receives the greatest enjoyment by responding to her clients' specific needs with her nurturing therapeutic massage and gentle energy.

Ann has been a massage therapist at Desert Song since November 2005. She trained at the Arizona School of Massage Therapy in Tempe. Her training included shiatsu, acupressure, reflexology, and cranial/sacral therapy, and has received further training in lymphatic drainage massage.

She receives the greatest enjoyment by responding to her clients' specific needs with her nurturing therapeutic massage and gentle energy. She finds joy in helping her clients to enjoy greater physical well-being, as well as finding freedom from pain and/or stress. Ann has practiced yoga since 1976, and is also a certified teacher of Integrative Yoga Therapy, receiving her training at Kripalu Institute for Yoga and Health. She also often incorporates her Reiki training into her massage sessions.

Ann enjoys her yoga practice daily, as well as venturing outdoors for hiking and climbing. She also loves cooking, playing the viola, and growing herbs and flowers.

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Michael Tucker- CYI, RYT

Marcie Wolter

Michael's teaching weaves explorations of meditation and developing intuition with a challenging physical practice emphasizing strength, flexibility, and alignment.

Michael Tucker began studying yoga in 1997 in the Kundalini tradition in order to add a component of physical movement to his devotional practice. He has also practiced intensively in the Bikram and Anusara styles, completing 200-hour teacher training programs in the heart-centered practice of Anusara yoga in 2006 with Christy Burnette and in 2007 at Desert Song Yoga. He also studies yoga with Erich Schiffman, John Friend, Rama Jyoti Vernon, and Tias Little whenever he can.

He is grateful for the wisdom and generosity of his primary teachers Mary Beth Markus, Meg Byerlein, Christy Burnette, and Hari Simran Singh Khalsa. His teaching weaves explorations of meditation and developing intuition with a challenging physical practice emphasizing strength, flexibility, and alignment.

When not teaching or practicing yoga, Michael can be found working in his law office, cooking, gardening, telling people what to do, listening to opera, and walking his dog Batgirl.


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Marcie Wolter - Office Staff

Marcie Wolter

Marcie knew from her first class that Yoga was something magical.

Moving to Arizona from Colorado for warmer hands and flowers in the winter, Marcie knew from her first class that Yoga was something magical. Her yoga practice began over seven years ago and it is still evolving and expanding her life. She has a great appreciation for the science and wisdom of Yoga.

She began working part-time in the office at Desert Song in 2004 and is currently managing the Yotique along with her other office duties. In addition to being a musician and a potter, she finds her greatest joy being out in nature and spending time with her three cats, all yogis at heart.

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