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The Works Instructors
Alan Leon is a graduate of piedmont yoga studio's advanced studies program 2001. Alan weaves, adapts and interprets daily life into the asana practice, He teaches to celebrate the creativity of life and bring greater awareness to our precious embodied existence. His workshop themes have included Partner yoga, Exploring Balance, a Yoga of Creativity, Yoga in Watercolor and Restorative Yoga. Alan has taught around the bay area and internationally since 2000, He considers leading others on the journey of a class practice a great honor.
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Chrissy MacDonald -
Cardio Dance.
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Jessie Brown has been teaching group exercise since 2009. After completing the kickboxing instructor training program with Shane Barnard at the Recreational Sports Facility at U.C. Berkeley, she went on to expand her expertise in strength, core and cardio conditioning. She now teaches a variety of classes at the RSF—from step, to abs and back, cardio kickboxing, body toning, boot camp and indoor cycle. Jessie graduated from UC Berkeley with her Bachelor's in May of 2011, and will continue on at Berkeley in the fall to pursue her Ph.D. in urban and architectural history. When not teaching or studying, Jessie enjoys swimming, running, yoga and road cycling in the East Bay hills. She tries to incorporate the discipline and body awareness that she's learned from each of these activities into her teaching techniques, and she looks forward to a long career of sharing her passion for an active lifestyle with others.
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Joanna Clinton (formerly Joanna Arhon) is a certified Pilates instructor trained in both mat and apparatus through Balanced Body University and a certified fitness instructor. She began studying Pilates as a dancer seeking rehabilitation for her lower back injury. She finds joy in helping her clients learn, understand and grow in their own practice and is passionate about educating her clients about the strength and power of their own bodies. Her class information is available at www.jopilates.net.
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Morning Star (currently on hiatus) has a variegated background that includes a BA in music,over
30 years of teaching piano, dance, swim coaching, athletic team
training, music/exercise therapy, stress reduction, therapeutic
stretch, cooking, and yoga.
She believes in synergistic living and movement, which means one
thing, affects and contributes to another action on a holistic level.
Travel, living in various countries, wiggling in Brazil, trekking in
Australia, learning to teach yoga in Spanish in Mexico, and writing
music—all have been key ingredients to her approach, with humor,
of teaching people to be comfortably and transformatively in their bodies.
Certifications include AAFA, ACSM, Contra Costa Leadership, Integral
Studies, and more. She gives retreats in connecting with
nature, yoga, dance, and exploration of the outer/inner universe.
Try her class and you will feel the magic!
Check out her website at:
www.connectingsystems.us.
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Shaw-Chin Chiu started her career in fitness teaching aerobic kickboxing at the Recreational Sports Facility (RSF) on the U.C. Berkeley Campus in 2005, the same year she graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a bachelors in psychology and anthropology. She regularly trains and competes in half marathons and triathlons but enjoys sharing her passion for health and fitness with others through teaching. Shaw-Chin has taught a wide array of classes - spin, aerobic circuit training, body toning, body conditioning, bootcamp, kickboxing, step, aerobic kickboxing, and abs & back classes, and has taught for numerous Bay Area & Sacramento fitness clubs and companies: Club One, 24-hour fitness, In-shape, Inside/Outside Fitness, and the RSF. Shaw-Chin is also the founder and Executive Officer for Pacific Health Club, a not-for-profit organization fighting obesity in the Pacific Islander community globally through specialized and effective health and fitness programs. When not indulging in her passion, Shaw-Chin works for the Judicial Council of California as a Senior Human Resources Analyst and is a certified Senior Human Resources Professional.
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Other Instructors
Alex Lerman
first started teaching Ceili dancing in 1994. Alex has also taught other dance forms including Scottish Country, English Country, and Vintage Ballroom in venues as varied as pubs, studios, weddings, and formal balls. Beyond dance, Alex teaches improv acting at the Berkeley YWCA.
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Fiona Li has been dancing salsa since September 2005. She took her first salsa dance class in Community College. Since then she fell in love with salsa dancing. While she was in University of California San Diego, she continued training by award winning Instructor Tony Caligagan. Fiona has being practicing her salsa dance in social dance clubs. She wants to continue learning and teaching basic salsa dancing technique to the community.
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Geneva Clay, a certified Fitness Trainer, Aerobics Instructor, Fat Loss and Weight Management Expert and Diabetes Prevention Strategist, has shared a message and a vision about the business of fitness and good health to communities throughout California. For over twenty-five years Geneva has enjoyed assisting individuals desiring the benefits from a healthy and fit lifestyle achieve real, lasting and powerful results which in turn completely transforms their overall health well-being enabling them to - Feel better, Look good, and Live longer!
For more information about Geneva's Fit Body BootCamp, 21-Day Rapid Fat Loss, 14-Day Fat Flush, 6-Week Body Transformation, Diabetes Prevention and Personal Fitness Training programs and more, contact her directly: geneva@fit4livingnow.com
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Jadson Souza de Jesus is from the homeland of Capoeira—Salvador, Brazil. He started his Capoeira training in 2000 at the Associação de Capoeira Mestre Bimba with his mentor Mestre Bamba. In 2006, Jadson received his graduation of Formado and taught Capoeira in Salvador at the Associação and local schools. In 2007, he graduated from Unijorge University with a degree in Physical Education. This has complemented his Capoeira instruction as well as his vibrant energy and passion for this significant art form. Jadson moved to the U.S. in 2010 and is now passing his Mestre's knowledge to his students here.
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Main Stacks was started in Spring 2008 by May Matsuo and Vivian Peng. Main Stacks is just a group of friends that love to dance! The dancers come from different dance groups on campus and all contribute their style of training, choreography and dedication to the group to form a unique, successful competitive dance team. The team consists of UC Berkeley students, alumni and friends. This team builds upon the dancers' strengths and helps them overcome their weaknesses through hard work.
Main Stacks creates long-lasting memories at every practice and performance.
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Mandjou Koné was born and raised in West Africa in the countries of
Mali and Burkina Faso. She was born into the Koné family, a well-known
Griot Family. The Griot people of West Africa are world renowned for
their unique ability to record events carefully and accurately,
passing history from one generation to the other. One cannot learn to
become a Griot; rather one is born into it. Being a Griot there is a
responsibility to preserve the culture.
As a young girl Mandjou
assisted her Griot father in keeping his band alive by singing,
dancing and playing instruments like the Djembe, Bala, Dundun, Kora
and Tama. She also danced and performed with the National Ballet of
Burkina Faso. With her brothers group 'Surutukunu' Mandjou toured
Europe extensively as lead singer. Mandjou was then invited to come to
the United States to help translate a documentary about the last 40
years of her family's musical tradition and history.
Taale Laafi
Rossellini met the Kone family in Burkina Faso in the late 60's. He
produced a documentary about the Kone Family, titled "Great Great
Great Grandparents' Music" The film's US premiere was in the National
Museum of African Art in Washington DC, Best Documentary Nomination,
Los Angeles PanAfrican Film Festival, the biggest Black film festival
in the U.S. and later on the west coast at the Cascade African Film
Festival in Portland, Oregon. "Great Great Great Grandparents' Music"
was praised by documentary critics, and received several awards and
nominations, including: Prix Spécial Award, FESPACO (Festival
Panafricain du Cinéma de Ouagadougou), the biggest Black film festival
in the world. Awarded by Ousmane Sembene, internationally acclaimed
author and filmmaker.
Mandjou is a very popular dance educator
and has been teaching and performing over the past eleven years
throughout the US. In March 2003 in Santa Cruz, CA she was honored
with the 'Calabash Award' for her excellence in the ethnic arts.
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Nives Wetzel de Cediel is an internationally trained visual and performing artist with 20 years of experience in performance and dance education. Nives has studied and performed Spanish, Brazilian and Cuban dance with groups such as Bailes Flamencos, Ginga Brasil, Fogo na Roupa and Kubata. She studied Capoeira for 8 years with the late Mestre Carlos Aceituno and is currently the Artistic Director of Batucada do Leste - Escola da Samba. Nives is concerned with the energy and emotion dance solicits - the 'power' of dance to communicate.
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Rebecca Miller is a natural dancer and enjoys sharing her passion for movement. Her enthusiasm and love around dance, music, and teaching comes together seamlessly as a East Bay salsa dance instructor of five years (and counting!). Rebecca has taught in Oakland at Lake Merrit Dance Center and is now teaching Monday nights in Berkeley at The Works Co-op on Telegraph. She has performed and taught dance in the San Francisco bay area. Rebecca is a SalsaCrazy/DanceSF instructor. She is currently studying Belly Dance in Albany with Suhalia Salimipour with the intention of teaching and performing in 2012. Rebecca has been described by her students as a patient, caring, warm, and fun instructor. Learn more at www.SalsaWithRebecca.com.
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Originally from Guantanamo, Cuba, Royland Lobato is a founding member of the Havana-based dance company, 7 Potencias, an Afro-Cuban Folkloric dance and music ensemble.
A graduate of the Escuela de Instructors de Arte de la Ciudad de La Habana, (School of Arts Instructors in Havana) with a degree in Education, specializing in dance.
A professional dancer with an expertise in Afro-Cuban folkloric and Cuban popular dance, Royland has also participated as a principal dancer as well as instructor, and invited guest in performances, workshops and classes throughout the greater Bay Area, Hawaii, New York, Cuba, and Mexico.
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Stacey and Vaughn - Lindy Hop.
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Award Winning Bay Area Dance Instructor and Co-Founder of Dholrhythms Dance Company and the legendary Non Stop Bhangra party in SF, Vicki Virk is excited to bring her Bhangra class to the Works Cooperative Community. Vicki was born and raised in Punjab India and grew up dancing to Bhangra. Though she became an attorney, her passion for dance inspired her to form Dholrhythms Dance Company that is dedicated to promoting the artistic and cultural heritage of India through the beautiful Bhangra and Giddha folk dances of Punjab, India. Vicki is the leading instructor and choreographer for all Dholrhythms classes, workshops, performances, and events. Since its inception in 2003, Dholrhythms Dance Company has grown into a boundless and unique platform for people of diverse backgrounds to come together, express themselves, and dance in a non-competitive and positive environment. With Dholrhythms and Non Stop Bhangra, Vicki has taught and performed at some of the largest stages on the West Coast including San Francisco's renowned Stern Grove Festival, Michael Franti's Power to the Peaceful Festival in Golden Gate Park, Yerba Buena Center For the Arts, War Memorial Opera House, Asian Art Museum, Grand Performances in Los Angeles, Pasadena's Levitt Pavillion, New Mexico's ¡Globalquerque!, Canada's Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival and many more. Dholrhythms and Non Stop Bhangra have won numerous awards and recognitions including the Independent Artist Award for Making a Global Impact by Independent Artists Week as well as One of the most inspiring in 10 years on the Bay Area Dance Floor by San Francisco Bay Guardian. Non Stop Bhangra was also voted as one of 250 Things to do in SF before you die by 7x7 magazine. Vicki's passion and love for this dance is at the core of her teaching style which is inviting and infectious to anyone that joins the Dholrhythms classes.
She loves teaching Bhangra because its done with zest, energy, and enthusiasm and she believes that's how life should be lived.
~Move to the rhythm of your soul, and you'll never miss a beat~ Vicki Virk
For more info on Vicki, Dholrhythms or Non Stop Bhangra:
www.dholrhythms.com;
www.nonstopbhangra.com.
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Personal Trainers
Selena Passy is a Certified Pilates Instructor through the Physical Mind Institute and MindBody Connection. She was trained in Classical Pilates under the instruction of Maria Leone in Los Angeles and Angelina Spector in Emeryville. Before beginning a career in the fashion industry, Selena was a modern dancer for many years in Santa Barbara. 'Movement and Dance are my passions as well as expressing my art through clothing and costume.' In Los Angeles, Selena had a career as a wardrobe/fashion stylist for music videos, editorial, and commercials. In 2009 Selena opened a boutique Pilates studio in L.A. Selena is a recent transplant to the Bay Area.
"I am extremely passionate and inspired by the power of the body and its infinite wisdom."
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