Meet the presenters

Sandra Carden (she/her)

Hi-Volume Yoga

Yoga says that when we are aligned with our Source, we become a conduit between heaven and earth. We become a conduit, a transmitter, a broadcast tower of Divine Energy, or Prana. Tune in and pump up the volume!

Experience Level: Intermediate

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat

Sandra Carden began her yoga studies in 1970. Her teaching career began in Boulder CO in 1974. From 1978 on, she has taught in Northern MI, where she established UNION/YOGA LLC and her U/Y Teacher Training certification program. Yoga is her sole/soul work. 

Kristen Ryder (she/her)

Relational Forest Therapy

Forestbathing is: A guided sensory immersion in the ambience of the forest; re-establishing our connection and relationship with the more-than-human world Supporting the wellness and health of participants through a series of guided immersive invitations in forests and other natural settings (see health benefits and research below) Guided sensory invitations that establish contact with the present moment and surroundings Differs from a typical nature walk or hike, where we might learn about the flora & fauna of the land this type of learning, while beautiful, is a cognitive task; forestbathing is not a goal-oriented hike or naturalist/nature information tour; it is a slow-paced, sensing, sensory immersion focused on our relationship to and connection with nature Offered in small groups (minimum 2; max 8) and/or as an individual service to current SSY clients Approximately 2-2.5 hours; ends with tea ceremony (herbal tea only; caffeine free) Forest Therapy Guides acknowledge that the healing contract exists between the participant and the forest; guides are largely agenda-free and are there to provide invitations for the participant to connect/re-connection/remember their relationship with the more-than-human-world

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Kristen offers several services to her community through yoga, meditation, mindfulness, guided relational forest therapy, and psychotherapy, believing that overall well-being is impacted by our response to what is happening, or has happened, to us. This response informs the way we see ourselves, others, and our world. Kristen’s deep belief in healing in the presence of community and authentic connection drives her offerings and continues to nourish her personally, so she can continue to offer services from a place of overflow. This cyclical process of giving and receiving-reciprocity in relationship-is the foundation of her Relational Forest Therapy offering. By slowing down, noticing, and re-remembering our inherent connection to the more-than-human world, we deepen our reciprocity with Nature and the Land, and can come home to this relationship again and again. 

Jessica Merwin (she/her)

Kundalini Kriya Yoga  

Kundalini Kriya Yoga is a powerful practice that combines various elements to bring balance and harmony to the body, mind, and spirit. It involves the use of breath control (pranayama), hand gestures (mudras), mental focus, chanting of mantras, physical movements, and meditation.   This holistic approach helps to regulate the glandular system, strengthen the nervous and immune systems, increase lung capacity, and purify the blood. It also helps to release tensions and emotions stored in the body, bringing a sense of peace and well-being.  Kriya Yoga is suitable for practitioners of all levels, regardless of their prior yoga experience. Each individual is encouraged to listen to their own body and practice at their own pace, while still challenging themselves to reach new levels of awareness and self-discovery.  It is a powerful tool for maintaining overall health and well-being in today's fast-paced world.

Songs from the Heart - A Community Kirtan

Kirtan is a heart-centered, call-and-response form of sacred chanting rooted in ancient yogic tradition. Through simple melodies and mantras, we sing together as a way to quiet the mind, open the heart, and connect more deeply with ourselves and one another.   No experience is needed—just come as you are. All are welcome

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga Mat

Jessica Merwin teaches Kundalini Yoga from a foundation of lived experience and deep study. With over 15 years of dedicated practice and more than 1,000 hours in teacher trainings, she brings both depth and clarity to her work. Her approach is rooted in the belief that Kundalini is not simply a practice, but a path of transformation. Through years of personal experience, she has witnessed how this work reshapes the body, mind, and capacity to lead and live with intention. Jessica’s teaching emphasizes coherence and resilience, supporting students in regulating the nervous system, expanding awareness, and building the internal stability needed to meet life with clarity and strength. Her work invites a shift from external performance to internal alignment. She is devoted to sharing the wisdom of Kundalini awakening with those who feel called to live and lead from the inside out.

www.newmoonyogastudio.com

Libby Robold

Yoga Antics, Mystery in Movement

The Power of Tadasana and warming for a fun, yet serious practice of playful movement and exploration, possibly finding poses you may not have experienced.  Feel good.  Have fun.  

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat

Magically, Yoga found Libby Robold, from unexplained hip pain (as a young elementary teacher and dancer), to a yoga book found in an unusual place. Libby was led to Dr. Ron Chalfant, a Chiropractor/Iyengar yoga teacher.  In a short time, Libby became the Yoga instructor at Northwestern Michigan College.  Following her insatiable hunger for yoga, she taught everywhere she could and went away for training every chance she could get, studying with many renowned teachers and schools. Completely immersed in Yoga Therapy, she also was Art/Yoga Therapist at a day therapy school serving severely emotionally impaired children, ages 5-18 for years. Today, Libby, along with her husband, own Yoga for Health Education, at the Village, where she teaches classical yoga to all levels and abilities and specialty classes for those with particular needs, including Backs, Arthritis, Yin, Therapeutics,  Ayurveda, Workshops, Clinics and Retreats and more.  Libby’s joy in teaching comes from helping children and adults rekindle their curiosity and reconnect to their creative spark within.   

www.yogaforhealthtc.com

Michael Robold

Yoga for the Athletic Body

Strength, stamina and firmness of body are often the main objectives of athletic people yet flexibility of body and alignment of mind may be more important. 

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat, blocks + straps

With an extensive athletic background, Michael became passionate about the energizing power of yoga for everyone from the very fit, tight bodied person to the couch potato. With a background as a public-school teacher, and owner of a bicycle touring vacation company for 25 years, Michael now shares his yoga knowledge and passion for a healthy lifestyle. 

www.yogaforhealthtc.com

Jodi Neumann (she/her)

Rest & Resonance: A Restorative Yoga + Sound Journey

Rest & Resonance: A Restorative Yoga + Sound Journey is an invitation to pause, soften, and reconnect with yourself through the combined practices of restorative yoga and sound. Amanda Meyer will guide participants through a gentle, grounding yoga practice to prepare the body and mind for deep relaxation. Together, Amanda and Jodi Neumann will weave together the healing vibrations of sound instruments—including singing bowls, chimes, tuning forks, and other vibrational instruments—to create a space for rest, reflection, and inner harmony.  This experience invites you to release the pace of everyday life, tune into your body's wisdom, and experience the restorative power of stillness, breath, and vibration.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat, blanket + bolster

Jodi Neumann is a certified sound healing practitioner and licensed clinical social worker with nearly 20 years of experience supporting healing and well-being. Trained through the Sound Healing Academy, she integrates sound, mindfulness, and trauma-informed principles to create nurturing spaces for rest, reflection, and nervous system regulation. Jodi's sound experiences invite participants to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and cultivate a sense of balance through the restorative power of vibration. She is passionate about helping others discover moments of stillness and inner resilience while fostering a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.

www.courageouslifecounseling.com

Nick Olson

Slackline Yoga

We will work through the basics of walking on a slackline, and learn several static poses. 

Experience Level: All levels welcome

Props/Equipment Needed: None

Nick is a local entrepreneur focused on building healthy communities.  He is happiest when balanced on a slackline, and finds joy in sharing it with others.

www.hearthsauna.com

Jeanie Williams (she/her)

Ecstatic Dance: Align

Ecstatic Dance is a consent-based space for free-form movement and acceptance of what is. Music is thoughtfully sequenced to bring the dancers and the group through a full cycle of experience from opening, to building, into release, through soaring and finally to rest. Movement originates from the individual as an expression of whatever is happening for them in the moment. At the same time, individual movement is supported and influenced by the larger expression of the group and the other individuals in the space. Participants are encouraged to be themselves as much as possible as long as it is safe for everyone. We practice consent at all times. Ecstasy, wrenching grief, and everything in between is available to us in ecstatic dance.   Participants might be able to let go right away and access life-giving expression. Others might feel lost and overwhelmed by the possibilities. It is important to trust the body to unfold and move at the pace that feels most easeful. Not moving, curling up in a ball, crying, and standing still are all ways to do ecstatic dance. When we let our bodies be as they are they learn to trust and let go bit by bit.   For this session we will dance to align, to bring our bodies, actions, connections, and thoughts in alignment with our values and our vision. This is a life-long practice that requires enormous amounts of grace and humor. We will begin with a grounding meditation and briefly explore the theme “Align” before we move our bodies in dance-like or non-dance-like ways (your choice!). Cloudlifter will DJ, responding to the group as we respond to her music. When the music is finished there will be an opportunity to share about our experience and we will close with a small group practice.  

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

 Jeanie leads Northern Michigan Ecstatic Dance and has hosted hundreds of ecstatic dances in this region since 2016. She is a trained and experienced facilitator, educator, and naturalist, but not a trained dancer. Movement gives her access to subconscious information and helps her process known and unknown stuck-ness. She is curious about the body's intelligence and the power of movement for learning, decision making, and wellness for individuals and for groups. 

www.nomiecstatic.dance

Courtney Wiggins (they/them)

Sound Immersion for Reconnection

Settle in, reconnect, and nourish your mind, body, and spirit as the gentle tones of Himalayan and crystal singing bowls wash over you in this 45-minute meditative sound immersion. Rest on your yoga mat or sit comfortably — eyes closed, or softened in a downward gaze — and let the vibrations ground and restore you. Limited blankets and yoga mats will be available. Feel free to bring your own bolsters, blocks, blankets, or mat for extra comfort. Chairs will also be available for those who prefer to sit upright.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat, blanket + bolster

Courtney Wiggins (they/them) is a Vibrational Sound Therapist, End-of-Life Doula, lay herbalist, Reiki I practitioner, and dedicated community builder, facilitator, and activist. Courtney is a proud graduate of the Vibrational Sound Association's VSTCP program, having earned their Vibrational Sound Therapist Certified Practitioner (VSTCP) certification in September 2019. Their work centers on helping others find peace and relaxation through the gentle tones and soothing vibrations of Himalayan singing bowls. These vibrations and sounds work together to entrain the brain, guiding the mind and body into a theta or even delta state—similar to deep meditation. Courtney believes deep relaxation is essential to allowing the body to return to a state of good health, and they bring this philosophy into every session and sound immersion.

Sol Rah Spirit 

Activation Meditation

A deep shamanic drum & sound activation with hand made instruments, hand painted light language meditation art. A feeling of remembrance, healing through sound & color, unlocking dormant DNA within you through light language channeling.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Blanket

Sol Rah Spirit is an artist, shamanic drummer, activator, channeler & esthetician. She has created a one of a kind sound journey with handmade instruments & artwork that she has painted for a sensory experience. As an esthetician she has also created her own healing modality doing facials incorporating sound, shamanic drumming, channeling, smell & touch for a truly out of this world experience.

Phil Rosi (he/him)

Children's Mindful Movement

Before starting any physical activity, it is important to be aware of how we feel in the moment: body, mind and spirit. When we are aware of how we are feeling, we can then move with intention, taking into account and honoring how we showed up in that moment. Participants will have time to check in with themselves, become aware of how they are feeling, and then proceed through some functional fitness movements and stretching to teach skills that can be used anywhere, anytime.   

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Phil is a veteran, Yoga practitioner and teacher, martial artist, and middle school physical education and health teacher. Raised in Traverse City, Phil recently returned home after retiring from a 34-year career in the U.S. Navy.  

Rachel Reine (she/her)

Into the Fire: A Dance and Somatic Movement Experience

Something stands between us and our peace, refusing to leave on its own. Anger, frustration, the heat we carry from what we couldn't change or never got to say — it settles into the body and quietly shapes us from underneath. This hour is a place to move it. Through guided movement designed to activate and release, we'll go into the fire instead of around it, giving the harder emotions somewhere to go. This isn't about staying composed. It's about letting the body do what it's built to do, move big feelings through and out, so that what's left is something clearer and more peaceful. You'll leave lighter, more settled, and more at home in yourself. No dance experience needed. You'll be guided every step.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Rachel Reine is a former professional dancer whose work as a performer, instructor, and choreographer took her to San Francisco, Washington D.C., Mexico City, Black Rock City, and more. Before returning to movement work, she spent years in organizational culture, leadership, and sustainable performance, work that shaped how she thinks about resilience, presence, and the conditions people need to thrive. She is the founder of DanceWell, a somatic movement practice that integrates dance, embodiment, and emotional exploration. Her work lives at the intersection of movement, psychology, and wellbeing science, grounded in a lifelong conviction that the body holds knowledge the mind can't reach on its own. Rachel holds a BS in Psychology and certifications in somatic movement therapy, learning design, and wellbeing science through programs at Harvard, Yale, and UC Berkeley.

dancewell.co

Amber Hasan (she/her)

Honoring the Roots

Many of the healing practices we embrace today like yoga, meditation, herbal medicine, breathwork, and more, have deep cultural roots and rich histories that deserve to be honored. In this interactive workshop, we'll explore the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation through storytelling, guided reflection, meaningful conversation, and experiential activities. Together, we'll consider what it means to receive healing traditions with humility, gratitude, and respect while celebrating the ways wisdom has traveled across cultures throughout history. Rather than focusing on blame or rigid rules, this session invites curiosity, compassion, and a deeper understanding of the people, lineages, and communities behind the practices we love. Participants will leave with fresh perspectives, practical ways to engage respectfully with diverse healing traditions, and a renewed sense of connection, to themselves, to one another, and to the roots that nourish collective healing.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Amber Hasan is an herbalist, birth doula, meditation teacher, artist, and community wellness educator dedicated to helping people reconnect with themselves, their communities, and the wisdom of traditional healing practices. Her work draws from herbal medicine, mindfulness, cultural healing traditions, and years of community-based wellness advocacy to create spaces that are both restorative and thought-provoking.  As the founder of the International School of Traditional Healing, Amber believes that healing is most powerful when it is rooted in respect, relationship, and cultural understanding. She guides workshops that blend storytelling, meditation, reflection, and practical wellness tools while encouraging participants to honor the histories and communities from which many healing traditions originate.  Whether supporting families through birth, teaching meditation, crafting herbal remedies, or facilitating conversations about cultural appreciation and holistic wellness, Amber's approach is grounded in compassion, humility, and the belief that caring for ourselves is inseparable from caring for one another.

https://isofth.gumroad.com

River Noel (she/they)

Ecstatic Dance: Embody Your Favorite Animal

This Ecstatic Dance will begin with a grounding practice and a somatic practice that is creative, fun and interactive. The theme is Embody Your Favorite Animal and the practices and dance will support in playing with sound, movement and expression in a group setting. Ecstatic Dance is a space for free form movement, without choreography and centers around connecting with the body and listening to it in a creative and fun way. There is no right or wrong way to move and no prior experience is necessary. This experience welcomes curiosity, playfulness, self-expression and creativity. 

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

River Noel is an osteopathic healer, psychiatry resident, ecstatic dance and collage workshop facilitator and artist. She first discovered ecstatic dance in the Red Woods of California in 2019 and became inspired to share this embodied, community driven and holistic practice. She has hosted and co-created events in Lansing, Grand Rapids and Traverse City, Michigan, along with British Columbia, Canada. Ecstatic dance offers organic body movement, feeling waves of e-motions and connecting in a space that is supportive and liberating. She incorporates grounding practices, meditation, somatic practices and rituals before each dance that are inspired by the theme. Dance feels like home and sharing it is a calling and return to love. Her intention is to create spaces for people to explore mind, body, spirit healing, express themselves authentically and fully and feel seen. 

James Weston Schaberg (he/him)

Mandala Partner Yoga 

Mandala Partner Yoga is an invitation to slow down, connect, and explore movement as a shared experience inspired by sacred geometry. Through gentle partner asanas, whole-group mandala formations, mindful touch, breath, balance, and playful collaboration, we’ll discover new ways of listening, supporting, and communicating without words.  No yoga or partner experience is necessary. You’ll be guided through accessible practices that can be adapted to a wide range of abilities and comfort levels, with an emphasis on choice, consent, and curiosity. Rather than striving for perfect poses, we’ll explore how movement can become a conversation—one rooted in trust, presence, and mutual support.  Come with a partner or on your own. Whether you’re connecting with a friend, family member, or someone you meet during the workshop, you’ll leave with practical tools for mindful partnership and a renewed appreciation for the joy of moving together.

Freeflow Partner Dance

Freeflow Partner Dance is an invitation to discover social dance as a living conversation. Through guided movement explorations and playful improvisation, we’ll explore how to communicate without words, move beyond fixed steps and traditional lead-follow roles, and cultivate trust, creativity, and authentic connection. Rather than learning choreography, you’ll develop the skills to co-create movement in the moment through listening, responding, and shared curiosity.

No dance experience or partner is necessary. This welcoming, family-friendly workshop is accessible to all ages and experience levels, with an emphasis on consent, choice, and joyful exploration. Come ready to move, connect, laugh, and experience the freedom of creating dance together.

 Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Step into a space of connection, curiosity, and joyful movement with James Weston Schaberg. Trained in Kaleidoscope Community Yoga in 2012 in Bellingham, Washington, James brings a playful, welcoming approach that invites people of all ages and experience levels to explore, connect, and express themselves authentically.  A movement facilitator and lifelong student of embodied connection, James weaves together community yoga, mindful play, improvisation, and authentic relating. His sessions emphasize presence over performance—an invitation to listen, respond, and move in ways that feel natural, creative, and playful.  James also facilitates Freeflow Partner Dance, drawing on two decades of teaching dance to cultivate a co-creative practice that releases fixed steps and traditional roles in favor of shared discovery, communication, and spontaneous expression.  At this year’s gathering, join him for Mandala Partner Yoga and Freeflow Partner Dance, where movement becomes a living conversation rooted in trust, creativity, and community.

leadfollowflow.com

Mickey Boomer (she/her)

Yoga Shapeshifting (Introduction)

The Original Life Changing Transformational Yoga Practice Created by Mary Jarvis Yoga ShapeShifting is for Anyone and Every Body!!   It is a very precise series of Yoga Postures and Body Skills that make up the Yoga ShapeShifting sequence. Mary developed this series to help her relieve pain and avoid back surgery from a debilitating car accident in the early 90's. ​ This amazing series supports and supplements any Hatha Yoga practice, or fitness routine of your choice.  ​ These specific body skills practiced in this exact order, will help bring you increased strength, flexibility and stamina. Your body posture will change. The very constitution of “your total body, fitness, and wellness” will change. Your entire body will transform! Your heart will soften… Your mind will expand…  ​ It will absolutely, positively help you improve your “basic body skills” in every yoga practice, or sport fitness that you also enjoy in your life.   ​ This practice is for EVERYBODY and can be practiced anywhere (outside, inside, on the beach, in the grass, everywhere!) ​ We are so excited to De-Age, De-Puff and ShapeShift with you soon! ​

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga Mat

In the yoga industry for over 15 years, Mickey has always knew she’d be of service with movement, body, mind, spirit and JOY! For a long time she taught around the area, and visited schools around the world to teach, but Traverse City has always been home and family-like community. Opening a yoga school & juice company is a dream come true. The mission is to help every single person start somewhere, enjoy their level of success, and continue to practice and feel better than ever for the rest of their lives! Yoga is for EVERY BODY and every benefits when they do it. ITS FUN! 

Hotyogagrandtraverse.com

Connor Lindsay (he/him)

432hz Ambient Meditation w/ Connor Lindsay

This immersive ambient music performance blends meditation with live sound, creating an atmosphere for rest, reflection, and presence. Through layers of 432hz soundscapes, Native American flute, and ambient textures, the music unfolds slowly, inviting you to listen deeply and let your mind settle. No experience is needed. Bring a yoga mat or blanket, get comfortable, and settle into the moment.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Connor Lindsay is an ambient musician, mental health advocate, and meditation facilitator from Northern Michigan. Blending 432hz soundscapes, Native American flute, and immersive live sound with guided meditation, his performances create space for stillness, reflection, and presence. Drawing inspiration from nature, mindfulness, and contemplative traditions, Connor's work invites listeners to slow down, reconnect, and experience music as a practice of deep listening.

Ken Scott (he/him) 

Songs from the Heart - A Community Kirtan

Kirtan is a heart-centered, call-and-response form of sacred chanting rooted in ancient yogic tradition. Through simple melodies and mantras, we sing together as a way to quiet the mind, open the heart, and connect more deeply with ourselves and one another.   No experience is needed—just come as you are. All are welcome.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga Mat

Ken has been involved in music for more than 30 years. He has been practicing yoga since 2010, and in 2021 Ken was exposed to Kirtan in India. Ken started leading Kirtan with his wife Jessica Merwin in 2025.

www.newmoonyogastudio.com

Kelly & Ted Stiglich (she/he)

Gentle Yoga: Building Strength, Flexibility, and Confidence from the Inside Out

Coming Home to Your Practice: Gentle Yoga for Beginners and Beyond. Whether you are new to yoga or returning to your practice, this welcoming class invites you to reconnect with your body, breath, and inner awareness. Kelly and Ted guide students through a gentle, accessible practice focused on mindful movement, foundational poses, and creating a deeper connection with yourself. Come as you are and discover that yoga is not about perfection—it is about presence, connection, and finding your way home to your own practice.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat + blanket 

Kelly Stiglich, E-RYT 500, and Ted Stiglich, E-RYT 500 are experienced yoga teachers, educators, and the owners of Living Beyond Yoga in Traverse City, Michigan. For more than 15 years, they have conducted Yoga Alliance–registered teacher trainings, retreats, workshops, and continuing education programs, helping hundreds of students and aspiring teachers deepen both their practice and understanding of yoga. Their teaching blends functional movement, mindful alignment, anatomy, meditation, and the timeless wisdom of yoga into experiences that are welcoming, practical, and transformative. Whether guiding a classroom of new students or mentoring future teachers, Kelly and Ted are known for their authentic, down-to-earth approach, creating spaces where people feel supported, challenged, and inspired. Their shared passion is helping others build strength, resilience, and connection—on the mat and in everyday life.

Livingbeyondyoga.com

Amanda Meyer (she/her)

Rest & Resonance: A Restorative Yoga + Sound Journey

 Rest & Resonance: A Restorative Yoga + Sound Journey is an invitation to pause, soften, and reconnect with yourself through the combined practices of restorative yoga and sound. Amanda Meyer will guide participants through a gentle, grounding yoga practice to prepare the body and mind for deep relaxation. Together, Amanda and Jodi Neumann will weave together the healing vibrations of sound instruments—including singing bowls, chimes, tuning forks, and other vibrational instruments—to create a space for rest, reflection, and inner harmony.  This experience invites you to release the pace of everyday life, tune into your body's wisdom, and experience the restorative power of stillness, breath, and vibration.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat, blanket + bolster

Amanda is a social worker, therapist, creative and certified 500 hour yoga teacher with experience teaching all ages, specifically focusing on trauma sensitive yoga and restorative yoga teaching. She is from Minnesota originally but is loving exploring Michigan and this beautiful community. 

Cathy Fitzgerald (she/her)

Family Yoga Adventure, ages 5–11, with a parent or caregiver 

Join us for a playful yoga adventure where children and their grown-ups move together. We'll stretch, balance, breathe, and explore through games, partner poses, and a little imagination, ending with everyone feeling calm and connected. No yoga experience needed.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat

Cathy Fitzgerald is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) with specialized training in children's yoga (RCYT-95). She teaches both adult and children's classes at River Studio in Leland, Michigan, where she's known for creating welcoming, playful, and meaningful experiences for students of all ages.  Before becoming a yoga teacher, Cathy spent more than 30 years building successful businesses centered around movement, creativity, and community, including growing a dance studio to more than 900 students. Today, she is the founder of Cathy Fitz Coaching, where she helps studio owners build thriving businesses that support the life they want to live.  Whether she's leading a gentle morning flow or an imaginative family yoga adventure, Cathy's goal is to help people connect through movement, laughter, and presence. She can't wait to share that joy with families at this year's festival.

www.cathyfitz.com

Maggie Mallery (she/her)

Slow Sun Flow

This is a class designed for those who are new to Surya Namaskar or students who are familiar with the sequence and wish to deepen their awareness of the poses that create this energizing practice. Enjoy being guided slowly and gently through variations of Sun Salutation A, B, & C. 

Experience Level: Intermediate

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga Mat + blocks

 After being away for over 10 years, Maggie moved back to the Traverse City area in late 2024. Since then, she has completely immersed herself into the Yoga for Health Education studio as an office manager and Vinyasa instructor.  Maggie worked in the Wellness Industry for 13 years and enjoys sharing the knowledge she gained during that time. She has had a personal yoga practice since 2016 and truly enjoys working with students here at YHE.  When she is away from the studio, Maggie works as a “fire-tender” at Hearth Sauna. She loves spending time by the water, practicing as an intuitive interpreter of The Tarot, and enjoying long, meditative walks.

Fresh Coast Groove (he/him)

Love, music, dance

A soul driven DJ set, that flows like water, to move your body to. 

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Born and raised amongst the shores of Michigan, [Name] is a musician, DJ, and producer driven by a deep love for nature, community, and the unifying power of sound. Rooted in the belief that the dance floor is one of the few places left that transcends politics, religion, race, and sex, his mission is simple: create a sanctuary where people can let go, come together, and feel completely free. His sets are a soul-stirring blend of deep rhythm, funk, and pure heart-crafted specifically to elevate the room, spark connection, and keep the dance floor moving as one.

Yali Rivlin

Solo Saxophone Études

This will be an immersive musical experience of my own personal interpretations of genres stemming from the confluence of jazz, classical, and world music.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None 

Yali Rivlin is a multidisciplinary artist. He has dedicated much of his creative and artistic energy across dance, music and yoga. Yali has been gathering his education and professional experience across three continents and currently is based in northern Michigan. He has been playing the saxophone since the age of 10 and receives his bachelor's in dance from SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance). He has playing with many Michigan musicians and is a part of The Handstanders and The Sandbox Ensemble.

Krista Cain (she/her)

Breath for Birth, Death, and Daily Life

In this session, you will learn multiple breathing techniques to help you move in harmony with various parts of the human experience. 

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  Yoga mat or towel

Krista Cain of Sweetwater Doula provides skillful guidance in birth and death experiences. Krista helps clients balance the intensities and paradoxes that arise at life’s beginnings and endings with tenderness and grit. She’s known for her depth of knowledge, hands-on expertise, contagious authenticity, and capacity to honor each person’s unique story as it unfolds. Special focus: child loss, LGBTQ community, complex trauma, death as rite-of-passage. Outside of work, Krista enjoys laughter with friends and family, board games & puzzles, doing DIY projects around the house, and experiencing the beauty of nature throughout the year. 

Seth Bernard

Music

A legend of the Great Lakes music scene, this pop-folk artist and producer continues to win over audiences with his contagious spirit and master musicianship.

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Seth is an esteemed musician, community organizer, activist and educator based in Michigan. He has been instrumental in crafting not only a prolific collection of music, but a culture of collaboration and cooperation in Michigan’s musical community as the architect of Earthwork Music. Seth is also the founder of Title Track, a statewide non-profit engaging creativity to work for Clean Water, Racial Equity and Youth Empowerment. 

Seth has been featured on NPR, and has presented at TEDx and SXSW. He has performed with some of his heroes like John Prine, Daniel Johnston, Richie Havens, Greg Brown and Patty Griffin. He has recorded with some of his friends from Vulfpeck, Greensky Bluegrass, The Crane Wives, and Jack White’s band. Seth has been touring and making records for 25 years and continues to build, grow, refine and deliver with depth, teeth, chops and humor. It’s never too late to take back the future.

Matthew Darling

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None 

 Stephanie Lynn

Introduction to Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy is a rapidly expanding field with an individualized and prescriptive approach to yoga practice designed to meet unique needs.  Individuals are given the tools and techniques they need to care for themselves and fostering wellness, personal growth, and optimal living.  This session will offer both a discussion on yoga therapy, what it is and what it is not, and a practice session for experience and understanding.  All experience levels are welcome!

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Props/Equipment Needed:  None

Stephanie has over fifteen years of experience teaching yoga and meditation, as well as a b.s. in biology and chemistry.  She has a fascination and understanding of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics that helps her guide students in comprehensive ways. As a student of yoga, she studied directly under Sandra Carden, Raghunath Cappo, Veronica Zador, Gopi Kinnicutt, Gaura Vani Buchwald, Radhanath Swami, and Laura Kupperman, as well as with Krishna Das and Jai Uttal. She has specialized training with The Connection Coalition (yoga and meditation for "at risk" teens) and Yoga for Survivors (oncology patients and survivors), and has a special passion for Yoga Nidra. Stephanie recently completed a 3 year Yoga Therapy degree with the International Institute of Yoga Therapy.  You can find her guided meditations, talks, and music on Insight Timer, attend one of her annual yoga retreats, or book an individualized Yoga Therapy session with her.

www.stephanielynnyoga.com

More presenters coming soon

Additional presenter bios will be added here as they are confirmed.

More presenters coming soon

Check back soon for more teachers, guides, and session details.

More presenters coming soon

The full presenter lineup is still growing. More bios will be shared soon.