Instructor Biographies
Jessie L. - is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She fell in love with Ann Arbor at a young age when she attended University of Michigan's Debate Camp. Jessie is a graduate of the University of Michigan where she did her Bachelor's in Classical Art and Archaeology and Art History as well as the University of Cambridge where she received her Master's of Philosophy in Archaeology: Heritage and Museum Management. She is proud to own and operate a Yoga studio, where intangible heritage is a part of the daily landscape. She was a competitive dancer in her youth and found yoga after she left the world of dance. Jessie has been dedicated to a daily practice for the past ten (10) years. She has envisaged the concept of aUM Yoga as a studio that she would have frequented during her time as a student. Jessie is an E-RYT 500 and is certified in Aerial Yoga, Pole Dance, Thai, and Sports Massage. She has taught over 20,000 hours of yoga in the greater Detroit Area, Las Vegas, New York, London, Beirut, and Zurich. She specializes in Ashtanga, Chair & Geriatric Yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Specialty Workshops (Arm Balances, Contortions, and Inversions). Jessie has been an ambassador for Lululemon, Lucy, and Lole. She seeks meaningful connections in order to create a strong community both internal and external to the aUM Yoga studio space.
Ani S.
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is a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Arts & Ideas in the Humanities with concentrations in book arts and music. She began her yoga journey during the pandemic, seeking to better her mental and physical health, and immediately fell in love with the practice and philosophy of yoga. Wanting to share that love with others, she completed her RYS 200-hour training last semester and has been teaching ever since!
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Annella B.
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is a 2021 University of Michigan graduate where she studied Biology. She is now staying in Ann Arbor to pursue an MPH in Global Environmental Health. Annella grew up competitive dancing and became consistent with her yoga practice shortly after her dance career ended. She loves yoga because it brings her to the present moment and makes her feel connected to the world around her. She completed a training in yogic philosophy in the Summer of 2019, and her 200-hour teacher training through aUM in the Winter of 2021. Annella hopes to spread peace and love through her teaching so her students may step off the mat radiating positivity.
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Chelsea F.
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has been a student of yoga for over ten (10) years. She started teaching yoga in the Fall of 2017, and has taught a variety of modalities in a multiplicity of locations around Ann Arbor. Chelsea loves to try new things, think deeply about alignment and philosophy, ask questions, and learn together! Her classes are generally flow based with a focus on building breath and alignment principles, offering variations to allow every student to reach their fullest expression. Off the mat, Chelsea has received degrees in Psychology, International Studies, and Elementary Education. She is currently a fourth grade teacher in the Ann Arbor area.
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Laura M.
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believes that you can work hard and have fun getting fit! She has been passionate about teaching fitness classes ranging from Kangoo Dance to Pole Fitness for over eight (8) years. Laura has a creative and energetic approach and strives to motivate all of her clients to achieve their goals and be the best versions of themselves. Pole has helped to increase her strength, flexibility, creativity, confidence, and friendships. She was hooked from her first class! When she is not busy getting fit - Laura enjoys bonfires, pit bulls, General Hospital, and taking song requests for class!
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Liv G.
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began her yoga journey in 2021 as an excuse to get out of the house during her remote internship. After growing up a dancer, aUM became a new and exciting place to explore movement. Serendipitously, she enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training during her last semester at the University of Michigan in Winter 2022. After graduating both college and aUM's training, she accepted a job teaching at a resort in Petoskey, Camp Michigania, where she taught over 200 hours of vinyasa, chair, yin, and children's classes. After the summer season, she moved back to Ann Arbor to work as a full time graphic designer. Still teaching yoga on the side, Liv loves to connect with the community through her practice.
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Macy M.
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Macy has been a practitioner of yoga for about 8 years and became certified to teach in the Spring of 2022 through aUM’s YTT program. She was prompted to start practicing yoga by her cousin, who is a yoga instructor herself, and her parents. With her yoga history comes an immense love and passion for the practice. The way yoga brings a feeling of peace to both her body and mind is the feeling she hopes to share with as many people as she can moving forward. Outside of yoga, Macy is a web designer for an office at the University of Michigan. Working in educational technology, she strives to make her design work as understandable, accessible, and inclusive as she can, which is also what she is aiming to do while teaching yoga. Macy loves being creative in any way that she can and is excited to share that creativity within the sequences and flows that she teaches!
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Saydi M.
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Saydi began practicing yoga in November of 2018 after moving to Michigan from Tennessee. Seeking a sense of stability and comfort, yoga granted her permission to adapt to uncertainty, settle into discomfort, and establish solace in unfamiliar spaces. Saydi obtained her RYT 200 with aUM Yoga in 2020. As a lover of intensive programs, she is currently enrolled in an accelerated graduate program at the University of Michigan School of Social Work - pursuing her Masters. Yogic principles and social work ethics parallel one another allowing for effortless incorporation into both of her professional and personal life. Saydi aspires to provide intentional movement and breath-based flows in a playful and safe environment to advance self-expression and exploration. She is honored to share space and breath with those around her and grateful for the precious connection to our global community.
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