IZZY LEON
Izzy is a certified RYT 200 certified yoga instructor. He strives to help his students connect with themselves through the profound power of breath and movement. He aims to encourage body awareness, agility, and strength that is created by the power that comes from mindfulness. Izzy feels that yoga has definitely inspired him to a renewed patience in himself and others. His personal practice has opened himself up new possibilities in his life. Izzy's classes are powerful and challenging and most important they are fun and all his students can tap into their fullest potential. What makes yoga feel like home is all about the community and the people we surround ourselves with. Although we are each going through our own journey on our way we do it together as a community. This experience and sense of family is what makes practicing yoga feel like home.
JENAIA FARAH
Jenaia, turned to yoga in 2010 to recover from a running related injury. She quickly discovered and became enamored with the physical and mental benefits of yoga, which include strengthening the body, increasing flexibility, and improving mental focus. Coming from a dance background, she is extremely passionate about mindful movement and how it opens up awareness in other elements of her life – helping others achieve this as well brings her a tremendous amount of joy. In 2014, she became a Yoga Alliance RYT 200 certified instructor and has since completed a Yoga for Athletes Certification with Kiersten Mooney and a Yogalete training with Lizzy Chiappy. By December of 2018, she will complete her additional 300 hours of training and will be a RYT 500 certified instructor.
VIRGINIA ANSALDI
Virginia Ansaldi is a RYT 500 certified instructor with over 1,000 hours of teaching experience in a vast variety of settings including: jails, prisons, schools, parks, rooftops, beaches, gyms, and yoga studios. She loves to teach yoga precisely because of that. Yoga is versatile. Every time she steps on her mat it’s different, and this quality reminds her of life. Everyday can be different because every moment can be different, but to experience how one moment can be so totally different from the next, you have to be “in” the moments as they come. This is what feels like home about yoga: “being” in the moment.
ALLI RAE WILLIAMS
Alli Rae began teaching yoga at age 17 after she completed her first 200 hour yoga teacher training. Yoga, to her, is more than the shapes that we make on our mats, it's a holistic healing system that gives us the tools to invite more presence and peace into our life. With a deep passion for health and wellness, Alli Rae became interested in the holistic health system of Ayurveda, Yoga's sister science, and graduated as an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor from Kerala Ayurveda Academy in October 2021. Alli Rae's mission is to guide others towards living their best life by nurturing body, mind and soul with yoga + pilates. She completed Casa Vinyasa’s Home Based yoga teacher training in January 2022 and is looking forward to completing her certification with Polestar Pilates. To learn more about Alli Rae and her offerings follow her on instagram @alliraelenayoga.
SAM CABRERA
Sam Cabrera is a certified yoga instructor and has completed the MYP Athletes Intensive Training. With a background in sports medicine and pediatric nursing, Sam incorporates her cultivated knowledge to create well rounded classes and privates. She now helps facilitate Casa Vinyasa’s 200HR Home Base Teacher Training. Yoga has made the biggest difference in her life. Sam’s goal is to provide that opportunity for her students. She is passionate about teaching in her classes that we can find strength and power through stretches and movement. She hopes to inspire people to use this practice as a space to discover themselves, to find their challenge, and to support themselves with breath and forward movement. Sam practices yoga to ground herself. She believes if we take the time to take care of ourselves, we can better serve our community.
JIL DEVISCOUR
Jil’s eight years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer made her transition to yoga teacher seamless. Four years ago she participated in her first yoga class and immediately jumped into her 200-hour teacher training two weeks later. Needless to say, she fell in love with the practice, with how it makes her body feel and with all the new knowledge she gained not just for herself, but also for her students. Jil is also certified to teach pre- and post-natal yoga.
ANJANE GIRWARR
Anjane is a RYT 200 certified yoga teacher with a fascination for the foundation of breath work. As a professional instructor of voice, she felt the similarities of home from both her passions. She loves the necessity and beauty in communication, trust, and connection that Acro yoga brings into her practice. Anjane’s goal is to create an environment for students to explore the balance of physical and spiritual journeys of yoga on and off their mats, as it does for me.
ANA CAPRILES
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Ana was exposed to yoga for the first time in her teenage years when her mother started practicing and teaching yoga. She is a mother of 3, has an undergrad in psychology, and an MS in mental health counseling. Since her background involves mental health, Ana loves how yoga works the body, but also strengthens the mind. She believes that by leading with her heart, she can inspire others to connect with their truth.
VICTORIA GONZALEZ
Victoria's love for teaching yoga stems from her nature as a creative and active person. Her background in dance and cheerleading has given her a unique appreciation for the importance body awareness in exercise and movement. What she loves most about yoga, is how anybody, regardless of their identity, age, appearance, or background can practice it. When practicing yoga, she feels most like herself, and she strives to help others find themselves through the practice of yoga as well.
ILONA CARRELL
Austrian born former restaurateur Ilona Carrell found in Yoga the perfect equivalence to her stressful job and challenging mom life. Experiencing the incredible benefits of a grounded mind in a healthy body, Ilona got curious and deepened her practice with several workshops (Iyengar, Chakras and Meditation) and received her RYT 200 hr Power Yoga certification in January 2019. Ilona s classes are focused on precision in alignment but her main goal is to bring awareness to the real powerhouse, the breath. By reminding her students - and herself - to stay connected to their breath through challenging situations she creates opportunities of release and growth. On and off the mat
CLAUDIA GONZALEZ
Before becoming an instructor, I had a corporate job and dreams of living a less stressed life. I turned to yoga as a way to combat the continuous stress and improve my health. I was defeated in my first class, lasting only 20 minutes on my mat before wanting to pass out! But I kept coming back to my mat time and time again. I loved how in a matter of weeks I was able to see drastic progress in my body, endurance, stress level, mental health, and so many more. This practice taught me what self care was, it taught me that I was important. It showed me love and community. I felt empowered and saw how those around me felt the same. I enrolled in Teacher Training as a way to expand my practice and my knowledge of this world that was so new to me. In the process, I fell in love with teaching, specifically with guiding others in their own journeys of growth and connection to self.
STEPHANIE PASCAUL
Stephanie began practicing yoga in 2015 as a form of fitness and quickly became captivated by the combination of both the physical and mental transformation it provides. After becoming a mother, Stephanie heavily relied on yoga to help her cope with the stressors and anxiety she felt during the first year of Motherhood. Adding in yoga as a practice for self-care has transformed her life by offering her a way to destress, energize, and tackle all of life's challenges with a calm approach. Stephanie is passionate about working alongside fellow mothers and women as she also works as a family photographer and operates her own boutique-style studio. Excited to share the gift of yoga with the world she recently completed her 200-hr teacher training at Casa Vinyasa in early 2021.
DIDI SAGLAM
Didem Saglam is a RYT 200 certified instructor. She has always loved to express and reconnect herself through movement. For Didem, yoga is much more than a physical activity. After taking her first yoga class, she fell in love with both the physical and mental aspects of yoga. Yoga is home for her. Coming together as a community and connecting through movement is what makes her feel at home. Coming from a professional dancing background she is passionate about mindful movement and mindful living. Showing up and moving her body in a way that feels good motivates and helps Didem to get to know herself more. Her goal is to help and support her students achieve their goals
MADISION LEVINE
Madison was certificated in Bikram Hot Yoga in 2013 and Yin Yoga in 2015. She then taught as a traveling teacher for the next three years. Bikram yoga helped her expand her world physically and spiritually. In 2016 she took on a different type of challenge and started Law School at University of Miami. While in school, her yoga practice helped guide her during the most stressful of times. After completing law school, Madison began practicing law full time. Yoga has been a constant tool to assist her in remaining calm and centered when appearing before judges and when interacting with clients. Whether in the yoga room, the classroom, or the courtroom, Madison knows the importance of stress management and seeks to share those techniques with her students.
ALEXANDRA MIGNONE
Alexandra Mignone has been practicing yoga for the past decade and has always found the physical and mental rigor of the practice to be a grounding force in her life. She loves how each time she steps onto her mat, yoga provides another opportunity to try something new, to challenge herself and to show up for herself. Alex made the decision to deepen her practice and completed her RYT 200 certification at Casa Vinyasa in Miami, FL in 2021. Alex loves sharing all the benefits that yoga has brought into her life - mentally, physically and spiritually- and aims to guide students through a flow that challenges them and allows them to build a foundation to grow and deepen their practice
BROOKE BAILEY
Brooke’s Yoga journey began about 5 years ago when doctors began to tell her how beneficial yoga would be for her injured back. When Casa Vinyasa opened, it was soon after that Brooke decided to give the studio a try and ever since then she was hooked. Brooke took her yoga experience a step further by enrolling and completing the 200 HR RYT certification through Casa Vinyasa. Her love for the practice comes from the stability, discipline, and calmness it gives her. There is something about stepping in the studio and onto your mat that feels like home. Brooke wants to share her passion for yoga with others, and the joy she gets from watching her students grow is indescribable.
CASSIE KITCOFF
Cassie Kitcoff initially started her yoga journey as a child and rediscovered the practice after years of dancing. She received her 200-hr YTT certification in 2013 and has since went on to complete specific trainings in Restorative, Yin, Yoga for Parkinson’s, Mat Pilates and Prenatal Yoga. She has managed two yoga studios in South Florida (Including Casa!) and taught in a variety of professional and private settings including studios, homes, businesses, schools, and community events. She is passionate about inspiring others to live healthy and fulfilled lives, while discovering that the benefits of yoga can be accessible to absolutely anyone, anywhere and at any time. When she’s not on her yoga mat, you can find her cooking/baking, diving into a new podcast, and learning from her new baby girl what it means to live in the present moment.
LIZ KIELY
Liz began practicing yoga in 2012 after enduring an injury from running. She was immediately enamored with how it made her feel physically. Her practice throughout the years grew more profound emotionally and spiritually, inspiring Liz to share and deliver the benefits of yoga with others. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2020 at Casa Vinyasa in Miami, Florida. Liz loves how yoga is a practice with unlimited room for growth and grounding.
ANI MACHADO
Ani turned to yoga when she was 18 as a form of fitness and a way to make friends in a new city when she moved to Washington, D.C. for college. She was drawn to both the intensely personal, yet communal aspect of yoga and its ability to challenge you mentally and physically. Within the first week of taking classes, she enrolled in teacher training. A RYT 200 certified yoga teacher with an added focus on Yoga Sculpt, she has now been teaching for a little over four years. She loves yoga sculpt because it combines all the benefits of yoga and cardio/strength training into one practice. She is known for her up-beat playlists and challenging sequences. Outside of yoga, she teaches at a local megaformer studio, owns a swimwear company @alameaswimwear, and is a full-time law student at the University of Miami!
CRISTY ISERN
Yoga found Cristy in 2015. She resonated so much with the practice that she went on to complete her first Yoga Teacher Training the Summer of ’16 at the age of 18 through Greenmonkey Yoga. She loves the community aspect of yoga and connecting with her Soul and Breath. Cristy grew up taking Acrobatics and Dance classes, as well as competitive Swimming. After graduating FSU in 2020, she completed her second Yoga Teacher Training at Casa Vinyasa. Through Casa, she has also completed the Pilates, Yoga Sculpt, and Yogalete trainings. Her most recent accomplishment is becoming a certified Pilates Instructor with the Reformer through Polestar Pilates.
MARTHA WAMIL
Martha’s love for yoga began immediately after taking her first power vinyasa class in 2013. Within two years of practicing, she completed two separate 200hr teacher trainings at Green Monkey and Bala Vinyasa Yoga, as well as a Yoga for Athletes Certification with Keirsten Mooney. In recent years, Martha has focused her practice on cultivating the therapeutic benefits of yoga-- physically, mentally, and emotionally. Yoga has been such a profound tool for healing and growth in Martha’s life; her mission is to share those tools with others so they can also get the most of their practice on and off their mats.
MARINA TISCHENKEL
Marina graduated from Casa Vinyasa’s YTT in 2020. She began practicing yoga when she was 17. As an athlete, she immediately saw the benefits of adding a yoga practice into her everyday routine and how it helped with her sport. Soon after she realized that a consistent yoga practice helped her create a healthy mindset to get through challenges of daily life. She is currently studying Community and Applied Psychological Studies at the University of Miami . She spends most of her time exploring South Florida’s outdoors and oceans. She teaches and hopes to inspire other young adults to use yoga as a tool to create a better life for themselves and their community.
STEPHANIE DIAZ
Stephanie Diaz is a RRCA (Road Runner’s Club of America) certified running coach, mat Pilates instructor, and is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher with advanced trainings in yoga for athletes, Yoga For All, and Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra. Stephanie's goal as a coach and instructor is to provide personalized experiences that amplify joy and gratitude while also balancing work with rest. To learn more about Stephanie and her offerings follow her on instagram @thecookierunner.
EMILY NOURISHIRAZI
Emily started her yoga practice in 2016 during her first year of graduate school. She felt overwhelmed by her coursework and needed the personal space to take care of her mental and physical health. As a student working towards her degree in piano performance, she was constantly battling with performance anxiety, shoulder pain, and lack of concentration. A friend had recommended her to try yoga and she immediately felt the benefits after the first class. Although it started out as a weekly practice, it eventually turned into a lifestyle. In 2023 she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Casa Vinyasa. With a background in music, she hopes to inspire other musicians to explore the practice of yoga and how it can benefit their musical performance.
HEATHER WEBB
Heather first discovered yoga as a release from her stressful corporate job while living in London 10 years ago. The Bikram series was unlike anything she’d experienced physically but also mentally she noticed the usual constant chatter of her thoughts was completely silenced. From then on she was hooked. After moving to Miami and two children later she found her way back to yoga and almost as soon as she found Casa she knew this was the place she wanted to do her teacher training. For Heather, yoga is complete in every aspect, caring for mind, body and soul. The ability of the poses to unlock emotions she didn’t know she was carrying still surprises her to this day. It’s this deeper connection with the self that makes yoga such a unique practice and one she wants to share with every person who comes to her classes.
KATHRYN BYRD
Kathryn first fell in love with yoga as a preschooler. She participated in after-school yoga all throughout elementary school. As she grew up, life got busy and she stepped away from her mat until 2019 when she realized how vital yoga was, not just for her physical health, but also for her mental health. Wanting to spread the practice of yoga and its benefits to others, she decided to complete her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training. For Kathryn, Yoga is not just about the physical practice, it is about reconnecting, being present, and truly loving yourself.
KATERINA GRUNOVA
Katerina started her yoga journey about 3 years ago during quarantine. She started at home watching youtube videos, first she felt very intimidated by the names of the poses but as she got more comfortable practicing she visited a studio and found a new home Casa Vinyasa, as a student and as a part of our Front Desk Team. She completely fell in love with our Power classes and saw a huge health benefit to hot yoga. She felt that she wants to deepen the practice and gain more knowledge so she took our home based 200hr YTT. As of right know she also volunteers her time in the WOW centre and in the parks because she believes that the benefits of yoga should be accessible to everyone.