Balance Yoga Austin: Class Descriptions

	Nani Bacon Balance Yoga Owner and Yoga Manager Although born and raised in Texas, Nani's yoga journey began in Denver, CO, with CorePower Yoga. An avid student since the late 90's, Nani felt a passion to spread the joy and enlightenment she gained from her practice to others. Trained and certified by the original CorePower founders, Nani's enthusiasm and love for yoga and for her students was contagious, and in 2009, she was named "One of Denver's Fitness Stars" by the Denver Post. Nani is certified in Hot Yoga, Power Yoga, Hot Power Fusion, Sculpt, and multiple advanced certifications, including her favorite - an intensive training program in Hilo, Hawaii in 2006. Her final classes in Denver were packed with over 40 students with many having to be turned away, as tears, hugs and parting gifts filled the studio. Sad to leave, but excited to bring that passion back home to Texas, Nani is very excited to help grow the burgeoning yoga community here in the Lake Travis area. As owner of Balance Yoga, Nani continues to seek out and participate in advanced training programs and bring that knowledge back to Balance.
	Melissa Afflerbach A native to Texas and a Lakeway resident, Melissa Afflerbach has been a practicing student of yoga for over 7 years, and now is guiding students as their teacher through the beauty and flow of many styles of yoga. Certified under the International Yoga Federation, Melissa teaches and practices Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Yoga Integral, Restorative Yoga, and Traditional Hatha Yoga. Melissa has taught yoga all over the Great Salt Lake City in Utah and now has brought her passion for yoga to the greater Austin Texas. Building confidence and inspiring others through her passion for yoga and contagious positive energy, Melissa brings a fun-loving, easy-going, and ecstatic experience to each of her classes.
	Kalle Akers “There is a path from me to you that I am constantly looking for.” –Rumi Kalle moved to Austin in 2009 from Denver, Colorado, where she was certified through Vital Yoga Studios. Her teacher training was unique because it incorporated principles of Forrest, Power, Hot and Anusara yoga. She believes the ‘magic’ of yoga is its ability to call us out of the past, back from the future, and into the here and now. The goal of each class Kalle teaches is to remind you of how you were always intended to feel inside your own skin (so good!). Kalle is currently working on her master’s degree in social work at UT Austin and has been able to incorporate her love of yoga into her work with survivors of domestic violence. As a member of your yoga tribe, she hopes to see your practice progress. As she’s sure to tell you, “You will know that your yoga practice is progressing, not by what happens in the hour spent on your mat, but by the other 23 hours of the day.”
	Mindy Benson Mindy is a recent graduate of the Corepower Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training Program. Her yoga journey began in 2004 while living in New York City. She fell in love with the heat, the postures, and the way she felt after each class. In a matter of months she was practicing everyday and working at the yoga studio. She has been fortunate to practice at a vast array of studios worldwide and brings this experience to her teaching. Mindy is thrilled to be a part of the Balance Yoga family and looks forward to guiding you in your yoga journey.
	Amanda Lorimer Amanda came to yoga seeking something more important than just a workout and was—and continues to be—exhilarated by the practice. Her path to teaching took her to CorePower Yoga, where she is proud to have been trained and certified. Her teaching approach is to challenge her students to find their healthy edge, to allow themselves to let go of what they do not want and welcome what they do … guided by concious graceful breath. Her goal for every class is that her students emerge feeling refreshed, stronger, more confident, connected, and balanced.
	Emma Purvis "Wherever there is ruin there is hope for treasure." – Rumi It turns out tearing your ACL skateboarding isn't all that bad. That's what it took to introduce me to my love of yoga. An entire shift began with that apparent misfortune and it led to great treasure indeed! As an extreme sport enthusiast yoga never appealed to me. I thought it seemed too slow and boring. My dear friend, Natasha McRee, suggested that I take a yoga class with her in an effort to rehabilitate my knee (yoga saved her back). How grateful I am for her suggestion and for the lessons that have unfolded with the unfolding of my yoga mat, not to mention a solid knee! Someday I plan on doing a headstand at The Giant Causeway in Ireland. In the meantime, I will do headstands just about anywhere. Let's do them together!

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At Balance Yoga, we strive to find the best, most qualified, most supportive and enthusiastic instructors in Austin. All of our instructors are certified with the Yoga Alliance, and bring professionalism, experience, and positivity to the studio every day. ]

Most of our instructors have been with us since we opened, some were students with us then trained and came to work with us. All buy in to the idea of Balance Yoga as more than just a yoga studio, but more of the hub of a growing yoga community.

All have their own styles and strengths, but you can come to any class at any time at Balance Yoga and know coming in that your instructors - although individuals - will share a similar philosophy and approach to teaching yoga and supporting and helping students in the Balance style.

Try them all... you can't go wrong!

BALANCE YOGA
1010 RR 620 South, #100
Austin, TX 78738
SW Corner of Lakeway Blvd and 620 (see map)
512-263-8794