Dance Fitness Instructor. Alison Hoffmann, BA Theatre and Secondary Education English from Desales University, MA Theatre Education from NYU. Alison has been a student of tap, jazz, ballet, and musical theatre dance for over 20 years. Alison works full time at Wallenpaupack Area High School where she's been teaching, directing, and choreographing for over 18 years. She is also a dedicated volunteer and board member at the Ritz Company Playhouse. In 2019, she started her own non-profit theatre company Teleios Theatro Company with the debut production of Godspell. Alison loves teaching theatre and choreography.
Yoga Instructor - Maggie Lehrian draws on her life experiences to influence and guide her teaching. Yoga helps us to greet life as it is presented to us in each moment. Having received her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Certification from The Himalayan Institute in 2010 at age 25, she diligently practiced and studied yoga during her most formative years. For Maggie, yoga is not a job, or a hobby, but a lifestyle. She then went on to receive her 300 hour E-RYT from Boundless Yoga studio in Stroudsburg, pa. She finds immense joy in helping her students to relax into the present moment and increase their quality of life. When not teaching and practicing yoga Maggie is learning from her three young children and her husband, enjoying the outdoors, or traveling. She is also certified in and enjoys teaching kids yoga, stand up paddle board yoga, trauma informed yoga, and more. Currently, she is very passionate about her work with Bright Kids Yoga, a non- profit program through the Cooperage project, that works to bring non-secular yoga to children through public education. She is extremely proud of this work, along with her yoga business, Roots Yoga Hawley, founded in 2013. In addition, she is on the teaching staff for Dharmachakra Yoga School helping to train other aspiring yoga teachers. Maggie teaches people of all walks of life and all level of experience and she hopes to see you in one of her classes soon.
Yoga Instructor. Ian’s yoga journey began after years of subtle encouragement from his wife. After finally agreeing to try it, he was hooked. Experiencing a newfound physical and spiritual practice, Ian dug deeper landing him in teacher training obtaining his 200 hour certificate from 108 Lotus Yoga in Milford PA. Ian’s studies also include private instruction with Chris Loebsack, owner of Boundless Yoga in Stroudsburgh PA, Corinne Farrell, owner of Balance Yoga in Forty Fort PA, Stephanie Miller of Bamboo Moves Yoga in Englewood NJ and Sequencing Studies with Betsy Davis of BhaktiBarn in Milburn NJ. Ian has completed his 300 hour certification with Nancy Kearon at The Dharmachakra Yoga School, making him a 500RYT. Being a professional Jazz musician and College Professor for over 35 years, teaching yoga was a natural fit and progression for Ian to follow. With his experience in a classroom setting, Ian offers a comfortable mood in the yoga studio with beautiful music and individualized attention to his students. Trained in Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga, Ian makes his flowing style accessible to all levels combining an agreeable pace for newer students while still challenging more experienced yogis. Ian’s daily home practice plus attending many classes per week has been a transformative experience that has allowed him to share his love of yoga with others.
Jazz Dance For Seniors. Jennifer O’Reilly is an accomplished dancer and instructor with more than 20 years of dance experience in class settings, instruction and performance. She began instructing tap, ballet, and Jazz as a student teacher in Texas in the mid 1970’s and she has participated in numerous tap and Jazz classes, performances and events in conjunction with Miss Persis Studio of Dance (Arlington Texas), Dance Arlington, Broadway Dance (NYC, NY) & Honesdale Dance Studio (PA). She is a past member of the Texas Association for Teachers of Dance and has been honored to volunteer at the Wayne County Senior Center for the past 5 years creating original choreography and teaching tap and Jazz to senior citizens.
Just For Kicks LIne Dancing. Jean loves to dance and she loves to teach. Putting those two loves together, she has been teaching country line dancing for over 20 years in various communities throughout New York and Pennsylvania, and has also taught country couples dancing with her husband, Randy. She has been a member of the Coyote Moon Dancers, Kountry Kickers, and Kickin’ Boots Linedancers, and has performed with some of the groups over the years at local venues. Jean has attended many workshops that featured world-renowned choreographers and instructors and has taken countless classes throughout the tri-state area, so that she can stay current with what dances other instructors are teaching. The dance group she founded, Just for Kicks Dancers, was featured on an episode of Channel 44 WVIA’s Dancin’ Country television show in Pittston, PA. She aims, with her instruction, to ensure that all the dancers in her class gain confidence in their ability to learn and to keep the process fun. She wants them all to leave her class with a smile on their face.
During her formative years, Caroline received dance instruction at the Joan Sacco Dance Studio in her hometown of Freeland, Pennsylvania. She also participated in competitive gymnastics with the Mountain Gymnastics Team. Dance instruction consisted of tap, jazz, ballet, and point. Mrs. Lehman holds a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology/Audiology and an English as a Second Language Certificate. Mrs. Lehman has been a speech therapist for the Delaware Valley School District in Milford, PA for the past 33 years and will retire this November. Caroline has choreographed and/or assistant directed high school productions for the past 28 years while employed by Delaware Valley. She is active in the Ritz Theater Company in Hawley, PA performing in musicals and comedies since 2000. Her most recent children’s productions included The Little Mermaid, Jr., Cinderella, Willy Wonka, Jr., Bye-Bye Birdie, Youth Performers Edition, Seussical, Jr. and most recently Mary Poppins, Jr. Caroline has been providing dance in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania since 2000. Students participate in a winter and spring recital, however, in recent light of the Pandemic, there will be no recitals for the 2020-2021 year. Past themes have included, a Tribute to Broadway, Country Jamboree, Music in Movies, One Hit Wonders, Tribute to the Troops, and Dancin’: the 60s to the Present. Caroline’s dance philosophy is simple…feel the beat, connect with the rhythm, don’t be shy, and have fun!
Ballet Instructor, Larisa Yusko had been dancing for 4 decades. She has trained in Cecchetti Ballet, Modern, and many other forms of dance. She holds a Grade III Level Certificate with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. In her formative years, she performed with Deborah Vinton Dance Ensemble in New Paltz, NY and as an adult with Jeanne S Burger’s Performing Arts Center in Conyngham, PA with whom she had the privilege to perform with in Disney World. Along with her dance experience, she holds a BS in Art Education from Mansfield University of PA and worked as a teacher for Head Start. Her theory of dance education is to present dance principles simply and let the students find their creative voice through the movement. And have fun, always have fun!
Hayley Cohan, CYT 200, has been a certified yoga instructor since 2016. Yoga is her passion, not only the asana (posture) practice, but all aspects of living a yogic life. Hayley’s dharma (life’s purpose) is to share her wealth of spiritual knowledge with fellow seekers. Meditation is a large part of her practice; as a daily meditator, Hayley has a deep connection to the mind and spirit, as well as the body. “I meditate every morning and while going about my daily activities such as making food, eating, showering, walking. Almost any task can become a meditation!” Her yoga journey began in 2014 when she realized college wasn’t right for her. “I was lost and yoga not only helped me find myself but also helped me find something much bigger—the unity within all of humanity. We’re all the same on the inside.” Yoga philosophy is a great part of her yoga practice. Incorporating all 8 limbs of yoga provides a balanced practice. That includes constant reminders about the daily choices she makes right down to the thoughts she thinks. It’s important to think the appropriate thoughts, as healthy thoughts lead to a healthy life. Hayley can practice meditation, posture, and reading yoga literature for hours on end. She has studied for her advanced 500 hour yoga certification but has yet to finish.See you on the dance floor!!