Amber
Amber's first intruction to yoga was through a Kundalini yoga video in 2001. She quickly discovered yoga's ability to bring more spiritual clarity into her life. From the very beginning yoga became a tool for her to transform unhealthy habits in her life. Later in 2001, she began a study of music at UVSC and signed up for a yoga class where she studied Ashtanga yoga with Deni Preston. In 2002 Amber began certification with D'ana Baptiste so that she could share the transformative power of yoga with others. She completed her 500 hour training and began substitute teaching as well as teaching friends and family in 2004, and shortly thereafter organized and hosted the first of many yoga and wellness retreats to come. In 2005, Amber stumbled upon a workshop in Santa Barbara, CA with Mark Whitwell, author of Yoga of Heart and student of T. Krishnamacharya and his son TKV Desikachar. At the end of her training with him, he encouraged her to write a book, gave her his added blessing to teach, and to share his message with the people of Utah. Amber has also done trainings with Baron Baptiste, Rolf Gates, author of Meditations from the Mat, and David Williams, student of Pattabhi Jois, and has been influenced in her practice and teaching by every class, teacher, and experience she has had over the years. She is also a certified herbalist, doula, and theta healing and quantum touch practioner. At the end of 2005, Amber met her wonderful husband Justin and in March of 2006 they were married. She has an 8 year old bonus son (from her husbands first marriage) and has had two more boys since 2006. She is thrilled to make authentic yoga accessible to more of Utah Valley.
Marco
Born in Libra, Balance has been a natural alignment in Marco’s life. His initiation into the “way” or Tao as the Chinese so adequately call it (the essential element in Tai Chi and Yoga) was thru his father’s enrollment at the Effective Tao Martial Arts School, where soft and hard styles, defensive and offensive movements were instructed. Marco used to go in every session, observed and pretended to do the poses from the sidelines. Yoga came via his mother, she practiced Hatha Yoga at a local Dance Institute and eventually took Marco in for exercise and relaxation. Marco’s passion awakened when he attended a Tai Chi Yoga class offered at the University of Utah for more than 30 years. He quickly absorbed and practiced both systems until the desire of complementing his learning with teaching arose.