Newtown Yoga Center
Guardians
Aline Marie B.A., E-R.Y.T., L.M.T.
Focus: “Chief Yoga Mechanic”, studio guardian/owner, trauma informed, anatomy based asana, functional movement, lead trainer for YTT
Aline Marie, Chief Peace Keeper and founder of the N.Y.C. Aline has been teaching yoga for over 20 years all over the country and internationally. Trained at the esteemed Kripalu Institute in Lennox, Mass under Devarshi Steven Hartman and Megha Nancy Buttenhiem. She specializes in trauma aware yoga, yoga and mindfulness for athletes and sports teams, yoga for recovery from injuries, surgery, spinal issues, and pain management. She also works with special populations navigating PTSD, ADHD, OCD, children and adults on the autistic and Asperger's spectrum, the main stream general public just looking for some stress relief! She also is a guide and mentor to those in recovery from substance abuse and has taught yoga and mindfulness as part of the mental health initiative for residential rehabilitation centers for kids, adolescents and young adults in Connecticut and New York. Recently trained as a Level 1 Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher through Brown University Professional Studies, Aline incorporates the MBSR into most of her classes and offers formal MBSR 8 week courses online and in person at the studio and for corporations. Aline is a licensed massage therapist through the state of Connecticut, specializing in the 2500 year old Asian Healing art, Thai Yoga Massage. She trained in San Diego at the former International Professional School of Bodywork with Dr. Richard Gold and Christina Eberle. Aline, with the blessing of Dr. David Grand, also offers yoga integrated Brain Spotting sessions for those looking to delve deeper into healing the past gently by resetting the nervous system through the movement of the eyes.
Originally an artist and yoga teacher by accident Aline was the first artist in the country to hand paint yoga mats and has over 600 located all around the globe in addition to many other custom works of original art.
Cheri Tabone R.Y.T., L.M.T.
Focus: Anatomy, massage, kinesiology, functional movement, lead anatomy trainer for YTT
Cheri is a graduate of the 1100 hour, two-year clinical program at the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy in Westport, CT, a member of the AMTA and licensed in CT and NH. Cheri is also a 200 hour Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher and the lead anatomy instructor for Modern Hatha School of Yoga. Cheri’s welcoming smile and warm manner are the precursor to a wonderful massage experience. Climb onto her table and prepare to let your aches dissolve and your stress dissipate as Cheri gets to work on ‘the issues in your tissues.’ As a teacher of moving arts and yoga, Cheri is educational, empowering and enthusiastic in her approach to teaching and sharing her vast knowledge and skillset. You'll leave her table or your yoga mat feeling refreshed and inspired!
At The Newtown Yoga Center, we’ve built a dynamic team of yoga & meditation experts to help expand your practice.
Neal DeYoung R.T.
Lawyer turned yogi
Focus on: Alignment, flow, Yoga Mechanics for Men, Strength & Agility
Neal is a lawyer turned yogi. He's been teaching and practicing yoga for more than a decade. His classes are a dynamic blend of alignment, flow and adaptations of traditional yoga poses using props to offer support for flexibility, stability and mobility. Neal leads our popular Yoga Mechanics series which is a mens yoga series for biological male yoga practitioners and the unique needs of their skeletal structures, muscular tone, tightness and stress responses. Neal is a graduate of the 2022 Modern Hatha School of Yoga's 200 hour yoga teacher training program
Go deeper with expert guidance in our 200-hr teacher training
Katie Maynard M.A., C.P.A., R.Y.T,
Vinyasa flow, trauma informed, prenatal informed
Katie has a background in childhood education and changed careers joining the family accounting business. After a move with her husband to Connecticut she made a choice to also deepen her yoga practice and become a yoga teacher while pregnant learning on the spot prenatal training while teaching the class brilliant adaptations for expecting bodies. Katie’s teaching style is fluid, intuitive, mindful with honesty and laughter at the heart of her practice. Students are invited to do what they can and enjoy their time on the mat! Katie is a graduate of 2022 Modern Hatha School of Yoga 200 hour yoga teacher training program.
Amanda Jordan E-R.Y.T
Vinyasa, Yin, Pain Science, Functional Movement, trauma informed, prenatal informed
Amanda (she/her) Is a 2016 graduate of The School of Modern Hatha Yoga studying under Aline Marie, and has been teaching ever since. Passionate about education, Amanda has advanced trainings in Yin, Pain Science, Functional Movement, and Trauma-informed Yoga. She teaches with the intention of creating a safe container for students to explore what feels right for them, while strengthening the connection between their brains and bodies. Her classes are light-heated with stellar playlists. She is currently pursuing her MSW with the hope of blending counseling with mindful movement to offer both physical and mental health support. She can't wait to meet you..
DDS Dobson-Smith
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, DipNLPt, Cert Ed
DDS graduated from California Institute of Integral Studies with an MA in Integral Counseling Psychology. In 2007 they became a Reiki Master and Teacher under the guidance of Christina Moore. In 2019 they completed an internship with The Narrative Enneagram and in 2021 completed an internship as a crystal bowl sound healer with Shalom Mayberg. In August 2022 they embarked on a new journey of personal and professional growth when they began a PhD in Human Sexuality at California Institute of Integral Studies. DDS runs a private psychotherapy practice called SoulFull therapy in Newtown, CT. They help adult survivors of chaotic childhoods to heal the parts of themselves that hold the pain of their past so that they may live more fully in the here-and-now. They also hold monthly support groups for local LGBTQ youth and their caregivers. DDS runs our monthly Crystal Bowl Healing Sound Bath experiences which are transformational and restorative and not to be missed!
Melanie Beck R.Y.T., L.M.F.T.
Intuitive flow, trauma informed, anatomy focused
Melanie is so grateful to share her passion for yoga with her hometown of Newtown, CT. After working professionally in the performing arts for 10 years, Melanie is now a graduate student of marriage and family therapy, completing her 3rd and final year of study. Despite the career change, Melanie’s fascinations for utilizing the body as an instrument of well being, as well as listening to the body as an honest guide to one’s internal experience remain emergent themes no matter her environment or profession. With this phenomenal opportunity to teach, Melanie hopes to provide a spacious opportunity to feel, explore, cultivate a sense of humor about imperfections, and let the body lead. Melanie is a graduate of the 2022 Modern Hatha School of Yoga's 200 hour yoga teacher training program.
Brian LaVoie
Zen Student & Guide
Brian LaVoie is a lifelong seeker whose path has wandered through Christianity, Taoism and Buddhism. He is a 25-year Soto Zen student in the White Plum Lineage of Maezumi Roshi and a member of Treetop Zen Center in Oakland, Maine. In his spare time he is a financial systems director for The Hartford Insurance Group. He lives in Trumbull with his wife, son and a menagerie of animals. Brian will be leading our monthly Essentials of Zen meditation series which is beneficial for those brand new to seated Zen meditation or for those who are looking for a kind group of Zen practitioners to sit with!
Very special thank you to (in alphabetical order) Alexa, Chelsea, Connie, Heidi, Joe & Neal for donating their time and heart in sharing their yoga practice and poses for the pictures on this site. Thank you to Abby Cole Photography for taking the images!