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About Urban Ashtanga, we believe in...

About our teachers...

Linda Walker

Linda Walker, Owner & Founder of Urban Ashtanga, began her journey into yoga in 1981 with a basic yoga class in the Key Largo Public Library.  In the years that followed, she tried many different forms of exercise, including yoga.  After suffering some injuries from running, she found her way to a yoga studio as an alternative type of exercise to running.  It was an introduction to "Power Yoga" and that quickly developed a need to learn the traditional teachings of Ashtanga, from which power yoga is derived.  There was no looking back.  Linda believes that there is no need to fix what is not broken and Pure Ashtanga Yoga is tried and tested and continues to be perfect exactly the way it has been taught for many years.  Linda has studied with many wonderful Ashtanga teachers in America and is excited be traveling to Islamorada this year for her first introduction to Sri K Pattabhi Jois!  She has enjoyed learning from her many teachers but feels that the best education comes from her personal practice as well as her interaction with students.  It has been a long journey from that first class to this place, but she is proud to be providing this amazing practice to the Orlando Community!

Theresa Anderson

Theresa is a long-time exercise enthusiast who maintained a conventional workout program of free weights and cardio exercise for many years during the 6 years she spent as Marketing Director for a small health club chain. As part of her employments she was required to attend regular group exercise programs, despite her lack of body confidence and coordination. After being asked to leave several “traditional” aerobics classes for endangering other attendees with her wild, uncontrolled movements, in 2001 she discovered yoga and a transformation of her body, her confidence and her life soon followed.

Teacher training in 2006 with David Swenson marked the beginning of her teaching experience and her business relationship with Linda and Urban Ashtanga. As a sometimes substitute teacher and the head of the studio’s marketing efforts, she is thrilled to be a part of honoring the tradition of the Ashtanga practice with the teachers and students of Urban Ashtanga.

Absalon Figueroa

Absalon began practicing yoga to compliment his training as a ballet dancer.  He began dancing in his early twenties, and was faced with the challenge of conditioning his body without the advantage of childhood training.  Yoga, Pilates, dance conditioning, and stretch became elements of his physical training along with a full schedule of dance classes.  Having majored in dance at Ryerson University in Toronto, and having danced as a trainee with the Orlando Ballet Company and School, Absalon developed a strong foundation of physical skill and a deep knowledge of functional anatomy.

Absalon's journey in yoga has deepened over the past few years.  He enjoys the vigor and challenges of the traditional Ashtanga practice as well as the benefits from various other styles.  He has combined elements of these styles to create the Hot Fusion Series offered at Urban Ashtanga.

Today, Absalon has found a calling to teach yoga in a friendly and enjoyable way.  He continues to practice for much more than the physical benefits that originally attracted him to yoga and loves the opportunity to share this gift of yoga with others. He incorporates his knowledge of body awareness, alignment, movement, anatomy, and intuition into his classes.

Lauren Gaines

Her playful nature creates a loving, safe environment in which to experience peaceful self-discovery and a deeper connection with oneself. Lauren believes that yoga not only affords us physical and energetic purification but through moment to moment mindfulness we receive increased awareness of ourselves and our deep interconnection with all beings. To Lauren, yoga is the most life-affirming practice we can bring to our lives. She embraces an open heart of gratitude for her teachers and for the opportunity to teach yoga and she encourages her students to experience a positive connection to themselves and the abundance of joy life brings.

Lauren has received her Hatha yoga certification through White Lotus, her Anusara yoga certification through The Yoga Center, and her Ashtanga 200hr RYT Ashtanga yoga teacher training certificate with Krista Shirley. Lauren is a 200-hr member of Yoga Alliance as well as a Karma Krew Chief for the Orlando area.  She is also teaching yoga and meditation to the male juveniles incarcerated at the Orange County jail. In addition to her passion for yoga, Lauren has received attunement for Second Degree Reiki as well as Intermediate Certification in Herbalism through the Florida School of Herbal Studies. 

Maureen Hanusek

“As a teacher the most rewarding experience is to see a student realize their capacity for what is being taught. From the very first time I practiced yoga, I knew it was something that I wanted to share with others. These are the reasons I practice and the reasons I teach.”

Maureen has been practicing yoga since 2000. She received her yoga certification through Smiling Dog Yoga in 2004 and has since continued her yoga education by attending workshops and practicing with other experienced teachers in the yoga community.

Maureen received her Bachelors Degree in Spanish from the University of South Florida and has been a foreign language teacher of Spanish in Orlando and an English teacher in Korea. After spending a year teaching English to young students in Asia, she traveled to yoga Thailand where she attended a workshop to deepen her Ashtanga practice. From there she spent two months in India where she spent one month studying at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute and one month studying at the Sthalam8 yoga shala with Ajay Kumar. She hopes to return to India this summer to continue her yoga studies.

Akemi Sato

"My journey of Ashtanga yoga has just begun, and I will be always a teacher and a student. I would like to share this great traditional Ashtanga practice with others and grow together."

Akemi completed a 200 hour teacher training course with Krista Shirley and is registered through Yoga Alliance (RYT200)

Laura Daniel

Laura has been practicing yoga since 1991 and teaching since 1996. She began her practice in the Iyengar tradition, then turned to a vinyasa form at the Yoga Institute in Maitland Florida. She began her practice of Ashtanga in 1999 and is certified to teach Kundalini Yoga. She has studied and attended many teacher trainings with many established yogis, but finds her best teachers are her students and her yoga practice buddies. “My purpose as a teacher is to help students find a path that is right for them, to help them find a yoga practice that will enhance their lives.”

Steve Rubin

Steve Rubin has been a student and practitioner of yoga for 5 years, and has been teaching yoga for 1 year. He left his career in the corporate world to arrange his life around the study, practice, and teaching of yoga as this is his greatest interest and passion. His main teacher is Paul Dallaghan, having trained with him on two separate occasions in Koh Samui, Thailand, the last trip being a 33 day intensive foundation in yoga training (a 200+ hour yoga alliance certified teacher training). Steve has spent over 4 months traveling and studying yoga throughout India including 1 month study at the AYRI (Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute) in Mysore, India under the direct guidance of Sharath Rangaswamy, and also spent considerable time studying with other masters in various yoga disciplines, including several Certified Ashtanga Yoga teachers. Steve maintains a dedicated daily yoga practice of asana, pranayama, and meditation, and continues to travel to Thailand and India to further and deepen his studies with his teachers.

Steve’s approach to teaching yoga primarily lies within the ashtanga vinyasa approach. Keeping the focus on what is most important in a comprehensive yoga asana practice: consistency through development of contentment with one’s self (honoring how you feel today), quieting and focusing of the mind through the use of tristhana (dhristi, breath, and bandhas), and freeing the body of blockages by guiding one’s aim in the middle between effort and comfort. The science of yoga was created by humans, for the benefit of humans, and Steve feels its practices are palatable to all regardless of one’s starting point. He works towards enabling his students to create a practice which suits their current needs and growth potential, thus allowing yoga practice to bear its fruits upon the practitioner in all facets of their life. Namaste ?