Teachers – Staff
A2Yoga (Ann Arbor Yoga) has a variety of yoga classes and services for you.
We are dedicated to helping you create and foster conditions of optimal health. We are committed practitioners of Yoga, Nia and bodywork with a focus that extends beyond the boundaries of exercise or relaxation. We explore movement as a pathway to greater ease and healing in the body.
Ana Powell
Ana, founder of A2 Yoga, discovered her true calling in yoga, and brings creativity and heart-centered teaching to her practice. Greatly inspired by Nia, and passionate about movement, Ana brings a unique and singular style to her classes that is playful and effervescent.
She began doing yoga several years ago, inspired to improve her health and find balance in her life. In 1995, after learning that she had scoliosis, Ana began working with her teacher, Yoga Pro founder Frederick Ferri, to help alleviate the symptoms she had developed, which included chronic pain and migraine headaches. After only 2 years, her scoliosis had nearly reversed itself and within the first month of practice, her migraines stopped entirely.
Her direct experience with the healing power and potentials of yoga, inspired her to learn more. She spent several years training with Frederick, before teaming up with him to introduce yoga teachers to Yoga Pro equipment. In 1997 Ana attended the Ann Arbor School of Massage and became a body worker. Ana began teaching yoga privately in 2000 to people with serious spinal injuries, from children to the elderly. In January 2005 she opened her first public studio.
In 2004 Ana was introduced to Nia and things haven’t been the same since. The freedom of expression available in Nia spoke deeply to Ana’s spirit, and her classes reflect this passion.
Randy Ball
Randy’s interest in yoga began in 1980. From then on he couldn’t get enough. Over the past three decades he has participated in many educational experiences including classes and workshops from many national and international yoga instructors. In 1988, he attended a three week yoga intensive with BKS Iyengar and his daughter in Pune, India. 1989 Randy began teaching in 1993 and was certified by B.K.S. Iyengar as an Intermediate Beginning yoga instructor. He has continued to teach throughout the Ann Arbor area.
Lindsay Devine
Lindsay was born in Michigan and then moved at a young age to Zurich, Switzerland. She was involved in dance and gymnastics from the age of 5, enjoying every minute of it, and became a competitive gymnast at the age of 11. After repeated ankle injuries forced her to leave gymnastics behind at 16, she thought she would never find another sport or discipline to replace it. But then she was introduced to yoga two years later by a Swiss teacher, and fell in love with the vastness of the practice – the seemingly endless possibilities for working with the body, breath and mind, and the interconnections between them.
She moved to Ann Arbor in 1998 to attend U of M, and practiced under Rafael Abrams at Yoga Shala, where she did her teacher training in Ashtanga Yoga. David Swenson, Sharon Gannon, David Life, and Ana Forrest are also some of her inspirations. She continues her own Ashtanga practice while delighting in the Vinyasa, Hatha, Anusara, and other classes offered at A2Yoga as well. Outside of the yoga studio, Lindsay spends time working at the U of M Press, reading, writing, gardening, continuing to learn guitar, and playing with her ferret and three cats. Her goal is to integrate her yogic practice into every area of her life, and to strive always for the peace and happiness of all beings.
Wendy Dolen
Wendy Dolen began teaching yoga in 2000. She has practiced many different styles with talented Instructors Including: Rafael Adams, Kino MacGregor, Mathew Darling, Richard Freeman, and Manju Jois. Wendy believes that yoga gives us the opportunity to explore our body’s capabilities through movement while expanding our minds through meditation and breathe work, guiding us to discover the core of our being. Wendy is an exercise physiologist for MFit, Health Promotion Division at the University of Michigan Health System. She has focused her professional efforts on teaching people how to reach their healthy lifestyle potential. She has been featured in the Ann Arbor News, Detroit News and on CNN and as a physical activity expert. Wendy also enjoys healthy cooking, outdoor adventures, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Heather Foster
Heather came to yoga as a dancer in her late teens and although she couldn’t articulate it at that time she knew she had found a practice that would change the course of her journey. Yoga has and will continue to be a source of inspiration, growth and heart-awareness. Eight years ago, through the practice of Siddha yoga meditation, She found her teacher John Friend. Guided by his expertise in the biomechanical principles of alignment, his shakti filled laughter, and his ability to explain deep philosophical questions in a way that was accessible Anusara yoga became her Kula, her community and practice of the heart. She was affiliated in 2003, is now Anusara-inspired and currently pursuing her certification.
In Heathers own words: “There are many things I treasures in life, my children and partner, my deep connection with nature, growing food, singing and for me Yoga is imbued in every aspect and thing I do. My highest purpose as a teacher is to provide a safe, open environment where students can find a sense of presence that allows them to remember their divine nature.” Oh! And of course to help my students cultivate a Rockin’ practice!
Nancy Gurney
Nancy gravitated to practicing yoga in 1994. Since then, she realized the gifts in what it truly meant to “live yoga” in the deepest sense so she naturally surrendered her life to serve a higher purpose. In doing so, her path led her to become an RYT 200 certified yoga instructor from Michigan ’s Rising Sun Yoga in 2003. Nancy has a gift in teaching deeply restorative yoga classes based on the Buddhist wisdom of Tara Brach and most recently in teaching Yin Yoga based on the wisdom of Bernie Clark.
Jo Horn
Jo, was introduced to yoga in 1994, while recovering from a dance injury. Since that time, she has explored numerous styles, and her teaching reflects a strong foundation in Hatha-based Vinyasa yoga. Having studied intensively in Sri Lanka, India, Mexico and the US, Jo’s unique approach combines strength, breath awareness and alignment with the laughter and creativity inherent in connecting with our higher selves.
With a Master’s degree in Social Work and Community Organizing, Jo also believes strongly in creating a spiritually supportive community; where people from all walks of life can live, learn and practice their yoga off the mat. As a lover of all things music and all things funny, Jo is known for her humor, laughter and song filled classes. She rejoices! in creative sequencing, and continues to learn from amazing teachers throughout the country, including David Life, Sharon Gannon, Shiva Rea, Dana Flynn, and Kate Olafson.
In Jo’s Words: “I practice yoga because it brings a synchronicity, a serenity, and a deep spiritual presence into my life. Seeking and connecting and seeking out again that unified presence– that ultimate yoga of breath and body and mind and spirit– allows me to jump into that flow of life that is the joyfulness of surrender. The world is inherently good, filled with love and happiness at its core. People are inherently good, filled with love and happiness in their soul. Yoga- learning, sharing, and practicing- gives me the daily opportunity to explore and encourage this omnipresent goodness.”
Ellen Livingston
Ellen is a life-long Ann Arborite, and yoga has been a part of her physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for 20 years. She feels honored to be able to share her love of Vinyasa style yoga with others. When she’s not on a yoga mat, Ellen is co-creating homeschool adventures with her three children, Hannah, Eric, and Rose. Ellen is also dedicated to following a raw vegan diet.
During the past 5 years, this journey with raw foods and yoga has enabled her to overcome several serious health challenges and to regain her natural vitality and inner joy. With passion she now coaches others interested in making empowering diet and lifestyle choices. Check out her Beginning Yoga on Sunday mornings.
Deanna McClain
Deanna resides in Manchester with her husband Mark and 4 children. She has a nursing degree and began practicing yoga 10 years ago after the birth of her youngest son. She became hooked and has done countless trainings and workshops with Yoga Fit, Twee, and Stott Pilates. She has also trained with Gail Mondry, Sara Davidson and David Swenson. In December of 2006, she completed the Teacher training with Jonny Kest at the Center for Yoga.
She is certified through Yoga Alliance. Her primary practice is Ashtanga and is working through the Primary series with Janice Hallquist. She loves the creativity and flow of Vinyasa. She continues to educate herself through workshops and different types of classes throughout the area. She can be found at A2Yoga in Ann Arbor teaching hot and sweaty power classes as well as Vinyasa.
Teresa Myers
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Veronica Percia
Veronica has been practicing Pilates since 2000, and was certified in Classical Pilates in 2007 in Chicago by the Pilates Method Alliance and Master Trainer, Dave Englund. Veronica grew up a competitive gymnast who by age 13 was a three-time Massachusetts state champion. Following the end of her gymnastics career, she discovered Pilates as a way to keep herself engaged in the study of movement, mental discipline, and body control. Master Trainer Dave Englund worked closely with Veronica for two years, challenging her understanding of the practice and the finer points of both group and individual instruction. She surprised herself by how much she enjoyed teaching, and how much she herself matured in the process.
By 2008, Veronica was sad to leave her growing practice and clientele in Chicago as she went on to pursue law school at the University of Michigan. Today, Veronica balances the stresses of law school with an active practice of Yoga and Pilates here in Ann Arbor.
Rachel Portnoy
After the birth of her second child, Rachel discovered the profound physical, mental, and spiritual benefits that yoga had to offer. She completed her teacher training program at the Johnny Kest Center for Yoga in West Bloomfield in 2006 and has been teaching for the last year. She enjoys sharing her love of yoga with her students and hopes to help them unwrap the same beautiful gifts that yoga has brought to her life
John Redmond
Yoga has been an awakening that inspires John to enliven and refine in every aspect of his life. Breath, creative flow sequencing, alignment, meditation, and a sense of humor are important elements in his classes. John offers a vigorous practice with many opportunities for his students to shape their own practice, and hopes for all students to find joy, freedom, and expanded awareness of their minds and bodies through the practice of yoga.
John studied with Michael Johnson at the Clearlight Yoga Shala (Updog Yoga Studio, Rochester, MI), thanks his mentor and dear friend Jo Horn for her guidance and support, and draws inspiration from the enthusiasm and grace of Desiree Rumbaugh from the Anusara school of yoga.
Megan Sims
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Patrick Hoffman
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We look forward to our continuing evolution and feel blessed with this opportunity to serve our community. Thanks for joining us on the journey! ~ A2Yoga Staff
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