ABOUT IN BALANCE YOGA, PILATES & IB BARRE
"Pilates at In Balance Yoga & Pilates has changed the way I feel mentally and the way I feel physically. I am 61 and the grandmother of 3 and I never felt better in my life."
- Beth Z., Heathrow
Valerie Simonson - Studio Director
Valerie was introduced to Yoga in 1994 due to nagging knee and back injuries from running and biking. An outdoor enthusiast she was extremely hesitant about this style of “workout”. When finishing her first yoga class, that was the beginning of the love affair. She found that Yoga is integral in every part of life, every breath you take becomes a purpose, and other rigorous activities actually benefit from the practice! Valerie went on to find many forms of practice and enjoying and morphing each one to her own liking. After many years and experience on the yoga mat, she decided to bring the experience to others as a way to break the barriers we have in the west today when it comes to yoga. Obtaining her 200hr teaching certification through Discovery Yoga a Kripalu studio in St. Augustine Florida has allowed her to do that. In the midst of finding her way, Valerie has been a student of many teachers including: Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, Bryan Kest, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Deva Parnell, who will always be her Guru, Om Shanti! Power Yoga is her passion and bringing the practice of Yoga to others without limits, rules or dogma is her style. Currently Valerie is obtaining her 500hr Certification through Discovery Yoga and she is teaching throughout Central Florida.
Shari Nein - Founder
Founder and Director of In Balance opened the studio in search of something "More" than just a workout. After 20+ years of spending hours in the gym and various aerobic classes, she was introduced to Yoga through her sister. Her sister found the cardio and toning benefits of yoga and was also able to relieve stress and pain from tennis and Shari knew she had to check this out. At the age of 38, after having 3 daughters, Shari finally found yoga and pilates and her mind and body feel and look as she wished they had in her 20's! Shari opened In Balance in 2006 after a little awareness of Yoga studios in the 90's while living in San Francisco. Her mission is to provide her community with a Balanced way to enjoy working out at all ages. Shari realizes her role as both teacher and business owner is to promote kindness, patience and inner strength and she shows in all of her classes. Shari believes all Mind/Body excercises are crucial to maintaining a healthy, happy lifestyle. If we don't make the time for ourselves, are we truly Balanced?
Aretuza Caldas
Aretuza Caldas comes to In Balance from Rio de Janeiro Brasil. She started
Ballet at the age of 3 years old and trained as a professional dancer for the past 16 years. She graduated from Sindicato Professoniais of Dance in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 16. After which, she danced for numerous Professional Ballet Companies, Musicals, and Television productions. Her continued Ballet training was done in Cologne, Germany where I also received training in Pilates. The past 9 years have been spent in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos where she was the owner of Aretuza’s School of Dance and Pilates.
Bevalie Pritchard
Bevalie (Bev) Pritchard comes to us with a professional ballet background. She was an apprentice with the Atlanta Ballet and after receiving her college BA Degree in Ballet with a professional and teaching certificate, became and is still the School Mistress/Principal Teacher for the Orlando Ballet School. Bev’s teaching path has led her to Yoga and Pilates and is a gifted, inspirational and challenging teacher in both. She has certifications in Pilates and Yoga as well as with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), and is a member of IADMS (International Association of Dance Medicine and Science). Her knowledge of kinesiology and strong use of muscle balance and alignment, along with amazing energy and strong passion for health and helping others is a gift to us all.
Julie Remington
Julie Remington, RYT completed her 200 Hour Yoga teacher certifaction in Vinyasa Flow Yoga. Julie's love for teaching Yoga comes from years of practice, inspiring teachers AND her amazing Yoga Community. She provides yoga that gives her students both a sense of peace and physical and mental relief that she has personally experienced in her life. Julie's classes focus on health of my physical body and ongoing discovery of how to live with kindness and mindfulness. Her teachings share what she is passionate about- "Ahimsa", or non-violence, in both thought and deed? How can we be more compassionate to ourselves and others? "As a teacher, I want students to experience the sense of fun and joy that comes with a yoga practice. I hope that when students leave the class, they will have an open body, an open heart and a smile on their face." “You are a child of the universe; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.” - from Desiderata by Max Ehrmann.
Leslie Martino
Leslie Martino, originally from New York City, started her movement training with classical ballet at the age of 4, and later went on to study modern dance and the Simonson jazz technique. She has taught dance and creative movement for over seven years. Leslie received a B.A. in Dance and History from Columbia University and an M.A. in Education from Teachers College. Leslie began practicing Pilates to help with chronic injuries. She completed her Pilate’s certification with The Willow Pilates and Yoga. She trained with studio owner Jennifer Shea, who came to Pilates by way of Bob Liekens, Ellie Herman, and later, Power Pilates. It was there at The Willow where Leslie was first exposed to the classical repertoire of the Pilates Method.
Lisa Ryan
Lisa began practicing Pilates in 2004 out of her interest in rounding out her approach to a total fitness lifestyle. She is a Level 1 Certified Peak Pilate System Instructor, certified to teach individual and group classes on the mat, reformer, and cadillac. Her classical approach to teaching this transformational movement system remains true to Pilate’s principles and protocols as they were originally designed, beneficial to students of any level. Her students experience the Pilates method as a system of exercises linked with purpose, providing for satisfying results and safe progression. Lisa instills a deep understanding and a strong enthusiasm for Pilates; and she encourages her classes to take their practice out of the studio and into their lives.
Marilyn Parker
Marilyn discovered yoga while recovering from a running injury that had put a halt to her usual physical activities. At first, she practiced because it was the only form of “exercise” available to her at the time. Over time, the motivation for her practice has changed. She now practices primarily for the inner peace that yoga provides. She completed her 200 hour teaching certification so that she could share that peace with others. When your mind is peaceful, it is much easier to see that you already have everything that you need to be happy. She is grateful for the fabulous teachers that have led her on her journey.
Melissa Rosario
As a dance aerobics instructor of 11 years and an avid runner, Melissa Rosario decided to venture into the world of yoga. Having heard all the benefits of yoga, she knew this would be an exciting experience. Melissa had no idea however, that it would also transform her life. It was evident that her strength and stamina began to increase. Every area was reaping the benefits of this practice.
Melissa couldn’t help but fall in love with yoga. Her journey of self-awareness and discipline was beginning to unfold.
After 2 years of practicing, she really wanted to enroll in a teacher training program but had to put it on hold due to being enrolled full-time in nursing school. Life took Melissa in a different direction and after completing 3 semesters of nursing school she couldn’t help but follow her dream of becoming a yoga teacher. Shortly thereafter, she started her 200 hour teacher training and graduated in August of 2011.
Melissa is thrilled and honored to share the practice of yoga with others and continue to learn grow and breathe….
Natalie Miller May
Natalie Miller offers thirteen years of experience in yoga instruction and seven years in Pilates mat instruction. She holds certifications from The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and The Pilates Institute of America. She completed Level 1 instructor training for Pilates Reformer. As a child and young adult, Natalie trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance. She continues modern dance training in Central Florida. In addition to maintaining a busy fitness schedule, Natalie works as a Pre-K special education teacher for Seminole County Public Schools. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Florida State University and a master’s degree in the same field from the University of Central Florida. Most importantly she is a mom to her beautiful daughter Makayla.
Rob Hefele
Rob Hefele, R.Y.T. originally explored yoga purely for the physical benefits. As an avid surfer, he discovered increased balance and flexibility and began to notice the subtle, non-physical changes he experienced; mental clarity, stress reduction, and compassion slowly began to surface. After deepening his practice for several years, Rob's decision to share yoga with others compelled him to leave a career in sales and instruct full-time. Rob has studied with many of the world's most highly respected teachers and attended numerous conferences and workshops and has his 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification. His teaching style has been described as dynamic, inspirational, informative, and accessible to students of all levels, whether it's Powerful Vinyasa Flow, Mellow Hatha, Yin Yoga or a blend. Currently, Rob enjoys traveling to teach workshops on yin yoga, arm balancing and many other aspects of yoga. He also teaches bi-monthly at Step It Up Recovery Center, working with quad/paraplegic yoga students. Regardless of the setting, Rob encourages every student to progress safely at their own pace.
Sarah Morgan
Sarah Morgan discovered yoga in 2004 when a couple of friends dragged her to a Power Yoga classes at the YMCA, but was hooked after a workshop with Bryan Kest! She loved the yoga philosophy regarding compassion and non-judgment and couldn’t deny how the physical practice made her feel. In 2007, Sarah began to focus solely on yoga, which, at the time, was Ashtanga. Eventually, she began to think outside of the Ashtanga box and began to practice more vinyasa yoga, which challenged her in a different way. So many of the postures were new to Sarah – it was humbling and forced her to be patient and accepting of where she was – at that moment. Eventually, Sarah progressed to a point where she thought she might benefit from teacher training, not to become a teacher but to deepen her practice. In January 2011, Sarah began her nine-month journey to become a 200-hour RYT. As a new teacher, Sarah hopes to bring the same sense of kindness, honesty and integrity to her teaching as she does in her own practice.
