Fitness and Yoga Instructors

Dawn Hayes – Tuesday Yoga Instructor

Dawn is first and foremost a student of yoga, eager to learn and expand her knowledge of the eight-limbed royal path. Her classes emphasize breathing, balance and grounding as the foundations of asana and a launching pad to introduce yoga into daily life and the world.

Dawn began to study yoga in 2001 with the Himalayan Institute, and she considers the three months that she lived there the seed from which her practice and teaching has grown. Many people have inspired and encouraged Dawn in her path to teach, and she values their guidance and support of her as a student and a teacher. It is this same relationship and attitude that she aspires to provide her students.

Dawn’s certification was earned after completing a nine-month teacher training course at Moksha Yoga Center in Chicago with Daren Friesen. This training allowed her to deepen her personal practice while giving her the tools and techniques to share her knowledge with students. This comprehensive training consists of: yoga history & philosophy, theory & practice of asana, pranayama, teaching and hands-on experience & learning. This program meets the Yoga Alliance 200 hour certification requirements by presenting the breadth and depth of yoga philosophy and technique. Dawn continues to study with many master teachers from throughout the world and collaborate with teachers and students to question and learn.

Teaching has opened many doors for Dawn as she aims to bring her yoga practice into the world and life. She is excited to constantly learn from her own students as she practices and teaches in Chicago. Dawn intends to complete another teacher training program in October of 2006, and looks forward to experiencing all that the Chicago yoga community has to offer by attending workshops and special events. She is transitioning to a full-time job in the yoga community, and is excited about the combination and balance of yoga in her professional life.

Kerry Anne Kronke – Sunday Yoga Instructor

Kerry Anne was first introduced to yoga and pranayama in 1992, when she studied Iyengar yoga and "breathing meditation", which included a technique that is often referred to as "rebirthing" or "circular breathing" in the west. It was then that she discovered the possibilities to create deep mental, emotional, and physical space (or Awareness) though asana and pranayama.

She has since studied and explored many styles of yoga and theraputic/expressive movement, including, Iyengar, Vinyasa Flow, Astanga, Vinnie yoga, as well as Feldenkrais (awareness through movement,) butoh, and other modern dance techniques. Kerry Anne considers the yoga she teaches Tantric for many reasons, one being that she emphasises the use of bhanda, kriya, pranayama, visualization and meditation to move energy, all within the context of integrity of alignment and compassion for limits.

Kerry Anne is particularly influenced by practices and teachers that incorporate movement with precise alignment cues. She has studied with Tias Little, Aadil Palkhilvala, Gabriel Halpren, Angela Farmer, Mark Whitwell, Barbara Bennagh, Seane Corn among many others. Her language is sparse and carefully selected to encourage students to shed automatic (and often erroneous) associations in the mind, and patterned holding /movement in the muscles that create inefficiency, struggle, and pain. She seeks to inspire her students to explore their yoga practice honestly, with the spirit of deep listening, and to find an approach and combination of techniques that create an awareness of a sacred space within, from
which to heal and grow.

Joshua Keesecker - Monday & Thursday Functional X Fitness Instructor

Senpai Joshua holds a first degree black belt in Seido Karate. He is the head instructor of the fitness program. Joshua also teaches in the Little Kicks, Junior, Youth, Teen and Adult programs. Joshua is an avid soccer player and physical trainer; he combines his athletic background with a patient yet enthusiastic teaching style for all ages.