Your Teachers

Carmen Champion RYT 500hr, E-RYT 200 is the Owner and Director of Main Street Yoga.  She began taking yoga classes at MSY in 2004 while going to college. She found the practice to alleviate anxiety of mind and tension of the body.

If you take a class from Carmen, you will find that she tends to focus a lot of her language around the muscles of the body and how they affect your body and your movement.  You will learn each of the muscle’s role in a posture and how to strengthen and lengthen each one.  Carmen strives to educate and empower students by using each class as an opportunity to learn about themselves.

Carmen has her 500Hour Certification from the Pranakriya School, is an E-RYT 200 and a Prenatal Yoga Teacher. Carmen is also and Director-in-Training with the Pranakriya School.

She been trained by the following teachers:
–Yoganand Michael Carroll
–Jacci Gruniger
–Tra Kirkpatrick
–Jeff Schoaf
–William Hufschmidt
–Shelbi Miles

In addition to others.

 

Jenny Williams is certified in two 500 hour Advanced Teaching programs through the Pranakriya School of Healing Arts. After finishing the Basic 200 hour Teacher Training program she went on to earn an additional 300 hours in the Therapeutic Advanced Teacher Training program in 2013. She continued her yoga education and received certification in the Professional Development 300 hour program in 2016. She also is certified to teach Prenatal Yoga. She finds the philosophy and ancient practices of yoga to be fascinating and believes we can take what we need but as practitioners we also need to respect the ancient tradition. Through her own practice she has learned that yoga is dynamic and morphs and changes with the individual’s needs. One of her goals in class is to use the process of yoga to nourish the body and mind with breath, movement, meditation and relaxation. In her classes modifications are provided, props are always encouraged and honestly listening to your body is always admired!

Sonya Stremming has had a long time Pilates practice. She gained her certification to teach and has been running on-site Pilates for a number of years, in addition to her bi-monthly Sunday class at the studio. Sonya is an energetic teacher who will encourage you to explore your range and abilities. Sonya spends much time outside of class continuing her education to always provide her students with new information and support.

Amy Hancock-RYT 200 (she/her) began practicing yoga in 2018 as a way to connect with her body. Throughout her short time practicing, she has found relief in joint pain and anxiety, as well as an easier ability to approach things with love (including herself). She completed her 200 hour training with Pranakriya in October, 2020. Outside of the studio, Amy is a high school special education teacher, gardener, hiker, and letter writer.

Kristin Teeples started taking yoga classes in 2016 because she was experiencing anxiety at work. Kristin found asana and breathwork to be very healing. In Kristin’s classes, she focuses on alignment and body awareness-along with helping students to modify and use props. Kristin is excited to share how healing a regular yoga practice is both on and off the mat. Kristin received her 200 hour yoga teaching certificate from Yandara Yoga Institute and an extra 100 hours of Yin/Restorative yoga training.

Rachel Hockenberry RYT 200 has been practicing yoga since 2011 and completed her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in June of 2018. Rachel believes in the power of a regular yoga practice to transform the body and the mind. With the physical practice encompassing only a fraction of yoga, Rachel incorporates meditation and breathing techniques into her classes. She trusts in the ability of a well-rounded yoga practice to bring us closer to ahimsa, the practice of nonviolence toward all living beings.

A professional musician and music educator, Rachel received her doctorate in French horn performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and is currently the French horn professor at Illinois State University.

Nell Wood started down her yoga path in 2001. She came to yoga as just another way to exercise but it was quickly revealed to her how yoga is so much more than just a way to exercise your body. With a dedicated practice she has found that yoga has not only strengthen her body but also her mind and soul. Strengthen in ways that were never thought possible before she found yoga.Nell became a certified Pranakriya Yoga teacher in 2013 and hopes to share her passion and encourage students to explore the ways yoga can strengthen and open body, mind and soul.

Nina Gorden completed her 200 hr training at Amara in Champaign in 2020.  She started practicing yoga in 2008 when she was pregnant with her first child.  She was so taken with the practice and its physical benefits during pregnancy, labor, and delivery that she continued her practice.  She liked the physical practice of yoga but really fell in love with the philosophy and teachings over the years.  The connection of mind, body, spirit has been a life giving journey, which she is excited to share through her teaching.  Meditation and reflection, along with breath work and gentle movement is what you can expect in Nina’s class.l.