Lauren Maples, Bija Kids Director
Lauren is the founder of Bija Kids and teaches many of the weekly classes. In addition, she runs Bija's teacher trainings,
workshops and retreats. Lauren stumbled into teaching yoga for kids almost by accident (or so it seemed at the time). In 2005,
she had worked her way through college as a full time nanny, completed an adult yoga certification through Integral Yoga
Institute, and already retired from a successful career as a professional ballet dancer. She was intrigued by the profound
change that children experienced from even the most brief yoga practice, so she started incorporating more and more yoga into
the creative movement classes she was teaching at the time. Thus began her journey to create a program for children that
incorporated not just asana and yoga games, but tools that students can take out into the world. Today Bija Kids is a part of
over 500 children's lives on a weekly basis, serves as the yoga program for 12 NYC schools and continues to grow through
classes, trainings, workshops and retreats. Lauren has been fortunate to work with many wonderful teachers along her path
(too many to count!) but ultimately she considers the children she works with the greatest teachers of all. In 2008 Lauren
received her ISO Certified Ayurvedic License while studying in Coonoor, India. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Liberal Arts and
has created and successfully sold two other Brooklyn businesses.
Kristen Bower, Bija Kids Senior Instructor
Kristen has been supporting women and their families through pregnancy, birth and parenting for nearly a decade. While going
through a difficult time, Kristen found yoga to be a safe haven. She began to recognize how yoga relates to every aspect of life
and felt compelled to share it with others. Kristen completed Om Yoga teacher training, Ma Yoga Prenatal training with Mia
Borgatta and Eden Fromberg and was the first certified Bija Kids instructor. Kristen offers childbirth classes, lactation support,
is a labor and delivery nurse and labor and postpartum doula. Kristen runs the anatomy portion of the Bija Kids teacher training.
Kristen's Bija Kids classes are fun, nurturing and help students approach yoga in an inquisitive and meaningful way.
Lindsay Sullivan, Bija Kids/Adult Instructor
Lindsay is a graduate of the Conquering Lion Teacher Training program and a student of Kelly Morris. She has also studied
alignment with Angela, Stephanie and Christina at Mala Yoga as well as Yoga, Buddhism and Meditation with Kimberley
Theresa at Yoga Studies Institute. Lindsay loves teaching kids yoga because it's fun! Children offer a sense of ease and
lightness to the practice that is sometimes forgotten in adult classes. It's also exciting to offer tools that help them with THEIR
worlds - for instance how to move their bodies and develop kinesthetic skills, how to use breath, rest and movement to feel
better or how to resolve conflicts with a good heart. In addition to her work as a yoga teacher and practitioner Lindsay is a singer
and songwriter and plays music with her band Clair. Lindsay was certified to teach children through Bija Kids in 2010. In
addition to her children's classes ,Lindsay is teaching Parent Practice (adult w/ childcare) classes at Bija Kids Clinton Hill.
Paige Hinton, Bija Kids Instructor
Paige is a certified yoga instructor trained at Laughing Lotus School of Yoga in NYC. She loves witnessing the ultimate joy
children embody while in creating different shapes with their bodies and embracing all the creative fun yoga has to offer. She
says, "When your with children you can't stop from smiling and laughing." Paige has been practicing yoga for the past 13 years,
has had en extensive career as a professional dancer on Broadway and is a trained holistic health counselor. She was certified
to teach children's yoga at Bija Kids in 2010.
Britt Carlson, Bija Kids Instructor
Britt has studied yoga for children with Bija Kids and Little Flower, and has been teaching kids since the beginning of 2009.
She's certified to teach adult yoga in 2008 with Tias Little of Prajna Yoga. She continues to practice and study with Stephanie
Creaturo, Angela Clark and Christina Hatgis of Mala Yoga and at the Iyengar Yoga Center. She loves the joy children find in the
movement of asana and their creativity and silliness in 'playing' yoga. She is especially interested in making connections
between kids' lives and the tools yoga offers and is deeply moved by their intuitive understanding of how to use yoga 'off the
mat'. Outside of her practice and teaching of yoga, Britt also enjoys reading literary fiction and mysteries, playing the
Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira and dancing, especially samba.
Carly Jacobs, Bija Kids Instructor
Carly first started practicing yoga in 1995 during a year-long study abroad trip in India. Since moving to Brooklyn in 2004, she
has studied primarily with Carla Stangenberg Sara Lewis at Jaya Yoga. Carly has always felt that yoga is best practiced with a
sense of humor and a willingness to play. Kids know this innately, and this is one of her favorite aspects of working with them.
Carly believes that children epitomize the non-judgemental spirit of yoga; she nurtures this intuitive wisdom and expands it by
teaching positive body images, and respect for oneself and the world. She thinks it's particularly for city kids to learn (and enjoy!)
how to calm down, slow down and breathe. Off the mat, she is a documentary filmmaker and television producer, an avid
traveler, and most importantly, mother to inspiring and amazing toddler who loves to bark while doing downward-facing dog.
Shenaaz Jetha, Bija Kids Instructor
Shenaaz's favorite part about teaching is seeing that look of pure joy on kids faces when they are doing something they really
enjoy, liking jumping on the parachute, dancing to a song that inspires them, or listening to a great story. In addition to working
with Bija Kids, Shenaaz is currently completing her adult teacher training certification at OM Yoga with Cyndi Lee, and has also
completed Part I Foundation Training with Tias Little. She's completed master classes with Shiva Rea, Dharma Mittra, Sean
Corn and Gurmaukh Kaur Khalsa. Shenaaz loves to cook, grow herbs and is a music enthusiast.
Marcus Bernardino, Bija Kids Instructor
Formerly an actor, Marcus first trained to teach adults with Laughing Lotus Yoga in 2008 and completed Bija Kids training in
2010. He feels like the best parts of teaching yoga to children include watching their beautiful faces focusing and coming alive
while completing a yoga 'task', their readiness and joy exploring new poses and games, and the overwhelming feeling of calm
in their bodies and minds during savasana. In addition to his Laughing Lotus and Bija Kids training Marcus has trained with
Tias Little of Prajna Yoga, is a NYS licensed massage therapist and has been practicing yoga for 10+ years. He is an avid bike
rider and nature lover.
Stephanie Larriere, Bija Kids Instructor
Stephanie's yoga practice has taken her to Jivamukti, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center and Yogasana Center.
She has worked as a professional dancer, a teaching artist and has worked with children from nursery to middle school.
Stephanie had become an expert at integrating her art, movement, into educational settings. After experiencing the benefits of
yoga practice herself, Stephanie was compelled to begin adding yoga to her children's classes and became certified to teach
through Bija Kids in 2009. After this rewarding year of teaching yoga to youngsters, she is thrilled to pursue her work with Bija
and thankful for the concepts and ideas she is now able to incorporate into all her children's classes. Stephanie has recently
begun work on her new business, Brooklyn Beanstalk, a language program for children.
Yelena Zaric, Adult Instructor
Yelena is 500 Hours Certified through Conquering Lion Yoga and Yoga Studies Institute. Both Lineages teach the Indian
tradition of Vinyasa, and the Tibetan Buddhist Principle Paths. Her teaching is based on reuniting the outer methods (physical
postures and breath) with the traditional inner methods (ethical living, meditation, philosophical training, and correct worldview)
into a powerful synthesis the ancients called royal yoga. She is currently pursuing her yoga philosophy studies through Yoga
Studies Institute and Diamond Mountain University. A mother of two girls, Yelena is a certified prenatal yoga teacher and she
enjoys helping pregnant women gain strength in such a transitional time of their lives. She is a DONA trained doula, providing
women and their partners with emotional and physical support throughout labor and delivery. Yelena teaches Prenatal Yoga,
Mommy Baby Yoga and Parent Practice at Bija Kids Clinton Hill.
Sasha Slocombe, Adult Instructor
Sasha has been teaching yoga for eleven years. She teaches in the vinyasa style with a focus on alienment and breath. Her
Prenatal and Mommy Baby classes stress the importance of self awareness and compassion for the changes that accompany
pregnancy and parenthood. She is the proud mama of tow daughters, Xela (10) and Tusli (7).
Lauren is the founder of Bija Kids and teaches many of the weekly classes. In addition, she runs Bija's teacher trainings,
workshops and retreats. Lauren stumbled into teaching yoga for kids almost by accident (or so it seemed at the time). In 2005,
she had worked her way through college as a full time nanny, completed an adult yoga certification through Integral Yoga
Institute, and already retired from a successful career as a professional ballet dancer. She was intrigued by the profound
change that children experienced from even the most brief yoga practice, so she started incorporating more and more yoga into
the creative movement classes she was teaching at the time. Thus began her journey to create a program for children that
incorporated not just asana and yoga games, but tools that students can take out into the world. Today Bija Kids is a part of
over 500 children's lives on a weekly basis, serves as the yoga program for 12 NYC schools and continues to grow through
classes, trainings, workshops and retreats. Lauren has been fortunate to work with many wonderful teachers along her path
(too many to count!) but ultimately she considers the children she works with the greatest teachers of all. In 2008 Lauren
received her ISO Certified Ayurvedic License while studying in Coonoor, India. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Liberal Arts and
has created and successfully sold two other Brooklyn businesses.
Kristen Bower, Bija Kids Senior Instructor
Kristen has been supporting women and their families through pregnancy, birth and parenting for nearly a decade. While going
through a difficult time, Kristen found yoga to be a safe haven. She began to recognize how yoga relates to every aspect of life
and felt compelled to share it with others. Kristen completed Om Yoga teacher training, Ma Yoga Prenatal training with Mia
Borgatta and Eden Fromberg and was the first certified Bija Kids instructor. Kristen offers childbirth classes, lactation support,
is a labor and delivery nurse and labor and postpartum doula. Kristen runs the anatomy portion of the Bija Kids teacher training.
Kristen's Bija Kids classes are fun, nurturing and help students approach yoga in an inquisitive and meaningful way.
Lindsay Sullivan, Bija Kids/Adult Instructor
Lindsay is a graduate of the Conquering Lion Teacher Training program and a student of Kelly Morris. She has also studied
alignment with Angela, Stephanie and Christina at Mala Yoga as well as Yoga, Buddhism and Meditation with Kimberley
Theresa at Yoga Studies Institute. Lindsay loves teaching kids yoga because it's fun! Children offer a sense of ease and
lightness to the practice that is sometimes forgotten in adult classes. It's also exciting to offer tools that help them with THEIR
worlds - for instance how to move their bodies and develop kinesthetic skills, how to use breath, rest and movement to feel
better or how to resolve conflicts with a good heart. In addition to her work as a yoga teacher and practitioner Lindsay is a singer
and songwriter and plays music with her band Clair. Lindsay was certified to teach children through Bija Kids in 2010. In
addition to her children's classes ,Lindsay is teaching Parent Practice (adult w/ childcare) classes at Bija Kids Clinton Hill.
Paige Hinton, Bija Kids Instructor
Paige is a certified yoga instructor trained at Laughing Lotus School of Yoga in NYC. She loves witnessing the ultimate joy
children embody while in creating different shapes with their bodies and embracing all the creative fun yoga has to offer. She
says, "When your with children you can't stop from smiling and laughing." Paige has been practicing yoga for the past 13 years,
has had en extensive career as a professional dancer on Broadway and is a trained holistic health counselor. She was certified
to teach children's yoga at Bija Kids in 2010.
Britt Carlson, Bija Kids Instructor
Britt has studied yoga for children with Bija Kids and Little Flower, and has been teaching kids since the beginning of 2009.
She's certified to teach adult yoga in 2008 with Tias Little of Prajna Yoga. She continues to practice and study with Stephanie
Creaturo, Angela Clark and Christina Hatgis of Mala Yoga and at the Iyengar Yoga Center. She loves the joy children find in the
movement of asana and their creativity and silliness in 'playing' yoga. She is especially interested in making connections
between kids' lives and the tools yoga offers and is deeply moved by their intuitive understanding of how to use yoga 'off the
mat'. Outside of her practice and teaching of yoga, Britt also enjoys reading literary fiction and mysteries, playing the
Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira and dancing, especially samba.
Carly Jacobs, Bija Kids Instructor
Carly first started practicing yoga in 1995 during a year-long study abroad trip in India. Since moving to Brooklyn in 2004, she
has studied primarily with Carla Stangenberg Sara Lewis at Jaya Yoga. Carly has always felt that yoga is best practiced with a
sense of humor and a willingness to play. Kids know this innately, and this is one of her favorite aspects of working with them.
Carly believes that children epitomize the non-judgemental spirit of yoga; she nurtures this intuitive wisdom and expands it by
teaching positive body images, and respect for oneself and the world. She thinks it's particularly for city kids to learn (and enjoy!)
how to calm down, slow down and breathe. Off the mat, she is a documentary filmmaker and television producer, an avid
traveler, and most importantly, mother to inspiring and amazing toddler who loves to bark while doing downward-facing dog.
Shenaaz Jetha, Bija Kids Instructor
Shenaaz's favorite part about teaching is seeing that look of pure joy on kids faces when they are doing something they really
enjoy, liking jumping on the parachute, dancing to a song that inspires them, or listening to a great story. In addition to working
with Bija Kids, Shenaaz is currently completing her adult teacher training certification at OM Yoga with Cyndi Lee, and has also
completed Part I Foundation Training with Tias Little. She's completed master classes with Shiva Rea, Dharma Mittra, Sean
Corn and Gurmaukh Kaur Khalsa. Shenaaz loves to cook, grow herbs and is a music enthusiast.
Marcus Bernardino, Bija Kids Instructor
Formerly an actor, Marcus first trained to teach adults with Laughing Lotus Yoga in 2008 and completed Bija Kids training in
2010. He feels like the best parts of teaching yoga to children include watching their beautiful faces focusing and coming alive
while completing a yoga 'task', their readiness and joy exploring new poses and games, and the overwhelming feeling of calm
in their bodies and minds during savasana. In addition to his Laughing Lotus and Bija Kids training Marcus has trained with
Tias Little of Prajna Yoga, is a NYS licensed massage therapist and has been practicing yoga for 10+ years. He is an avid bike
rider and nature lover.
Stephanie Larriere, Bija Kids Instructor
Stephanie's yoga practice has taken her to Jivamukti, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center and Yogasana Center.
She has worked as a professional dancer, a teaching artist and has worked with children from nursery to middle school.
Stephanie had become an expert at integrating her art, movement, into educational settings. After experiencing the benefits of
yoga practice herself, Stephanie was compelled to begin adding yoga to her children's classes and became certified to teach
through Bija Kids in 2009. After this rewarding year of teaching yoga to youngsters, she is thrilled to pursue her work with Bija
and thankful for the concepts and ideas she is now able to incorporate into all her children's classes. Stephanie has recently
begun work on her new business, Brooklyn Beanstalk, a language program for children.
Yelena Zaric, Adult Instructor
Yelena is 500 Hours Certified through Conquering Lion Yoga and Yoga Studies Institute. Both Lineages teach the Indian
tradition of Vinyasa, and the Tibetan Buddhist Principle Paths. Her teaching is based on reuniting the outer methods (physical
postures and breath) with the traditional inner methods (ethical living, meditation, philosophical training, and correct worldview)
into a powerful synthesis the ancients called royal yoga. She is currently pursuing her yoga philosophy studies through Yoga
Studies Institute and Diamond Mountain University. A mother of two girls, Yelena is a certified prenatal yoga teacher and she
enjoys helping pregnant women gain strength in such a transitional time of their lives. She is a DONA trained doula, providing
women and their partners with emotional and physical support throughout labor and delivery. Yelena teaches Prenatal Yoga,
Mommy Baby Yoga and Parent Practice at Bija Kids Clinton Hill.
Sasha Slocombe, Adult Instructor
Sasha has been teaching yoga for eleven years. She teaches in the vinyasa style with a focus on alienment and breath. Her
Prenatal and Mommy Baby classes stress the importance of self awareness and compassion for the changes that accompany
pregnancy and parenthood. She is the proud mama of tow daughters, Xela (10) and Tusli (7).
BIJA INSTRUCTORS |
