Hi! I’m Andrea, a yoga teacher and practitioner in New York City.
About me
I began my yoga practice in 2011. I was drowning in a competitive, Ivy-League environment and struggling to find my sense of Self. I walked into my first yoga class at a local studio and my ass was thoroughly kicked. I came back religiously, hoping to nail the poses and find some release from the anxiety I couldn’t completely shake.
Well, I did start nailing the poses, but I surprised myself when I began to find a deeper relationship with my practice. Yoga’s spiritual and physical renewal, and the teachers I met, were essential to keeping me centered, whole, and clear-headed. I was learning that both my mind and body were intricately connected and more powerful than I realized.
After a few years, I felt myself plateauing as a student. I wanted to go further. In 2016, I took the plunge and completed my 200-hour teacher training at Yogaworks in NYC while working full-time (I toil as a brand strategist during the day), studying under Laurel Beversdorf and Jessica Blake. To put it simply, it changed my life.
Teaching style and experience
As a teacher, my priority is to provide a safe and enriching environment where my students truly tune in to their own practice. I’m a nerd for sequencing and alignment, creating classes that make space for students to explore their abilities in unison with breath. Props and modifications are always offered to make classes accessible for anyone who walks through the door. I’m not afraid to play with music. My playlists are a mix of pop, R&B, and more traditional yoga tunes, all thoughtfully curated based on the tempo and energy level of my classes (but never meant to distract from the core practice).
Since completing my teacher training, I’ve taught bespoke classes and in several studios in New York City. I’m also a brand strategist for an agency in Manhattan and balance this with my teaching commitments. Having the opportunity to work at local studios has not only taught me basic yogi-management skills, such as using MindBody, but also the importance of caring for and maintaining studio space and creating deeper connections with students that keep them coming back.
The Corner Yoga Studio, Williamsburg Yoga Teacher + Teacher Trainer Class types: Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative
August 2021 to Present
SPARSA, Greenpoint + Williamsburg Yoga Teacher Class types: Vinyasa, Prenatal, Yin, Restorative
June 2021 to Present
Prenatal Yoga Center, Upper West Side Yoga Teacher (sub) August 2024 to Present
Namastuy Healing Collective, Bed-Stuy
Yoga Teacher Class types: Vinyasa, Vinyasa II, Hatha
October 2018 to October 2020
New York Yoga, Upper East Side
Yoga Teacher (sub) Class types: Vinyasa All Levels, Power Flow, Vinyasa Basics, Gentle Flow, heated and non-heated
July 2018 to March 2020
Jai Yoga Arts, Bushwick
Yoga Teacher and Apprentice Class types: Vinyasa All Levels, Easy Flow, Basic Beginners
July 2017 to October 2018
Private Teacher
Class types designed according to each client’s needs + periodic zoom group classes and sessions
December 2016 to Present
Education
ISHTA Yoga 300 Hr Teacher Certification (+ 30 Hr Immersion) Started April 2024 (expected completion Summer 2025)
Prenatal Yoga Center 85 Hr Prenatal Yoga Certification + 9 Hr Postnatal Yoga Certification Completed May 2024
The Corner Yoga
12 Hr Yin Yoga Training
Completed April 2022
Accessible Yoga Training School
35Hr Accessible Yoga Teacher Certification
Completed September 2021
Pure Yoga NYC
25Hr Level 1 Restorative Teacher Training with Mary Aranas
Completed March 2020
Jai Yoga Arts
100Hr Apprenticeship with Ella Luckett
Completed October 2018
YogaWorks
200Hr Teacher Training with Jessica Blake and Laurel Beversdorf
Competed December 2016
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
B.S. in Economics, Marketing and Management Concentration, Psych Minor
Graduated May 2012
Reviews
“Andrea is exceptionally good at what she does and proof that Black women do it best! She had us choreographed perfectly to her playlist, flowing and breathing through the rise and fall of [the] tempo. I was highly impressed. I felt challenged in the best ways...Excellence.”
“Andrea [is] an amazing instructor! Her music was gentle but also hip....she was very engaged with the class.”
“Andrea is awesome! I always love her class and the playlist. ”
“Super relaxing, body-positive, but also decently challenging for those who may have taken a few classes before but are out of practice. ”
“Working with Andrea was so helpful in elevating my yoga practice from just an activity I want to do when I need a stretch to realizing yoga can really build a lot of strength when done correctly. She took the time to make sure I understood what it looked and felt like to do the foundational poses making all the difference in how I felt flowing through the practice. Andrea has changed fundamentally changed my relationship with yoga... for the better! ”
“When I first started taking yoga, I was a little nervous because of the stigma of yoga of being for leisure activity for the upper class and that you needed to have a “yoga body.” However, Andrea showed me that yoga is everyone and it benefits the mind and body equally. Andrea is very patient and welcoming to students of all levels and I always felt comfortable in her classes. She always encourages me to push a little further and to try a new pose. I’m no longer afraid of “failure” and feel more comfortable with my body. I have grown in my practice under her leadership. My overall mental and physical health has improved and I cannot thank Andrea enough for introducing me to yoga!”
Contact
Follow my yoga and other adventures on IG