Our Yoga Journey and Mission

Marnie dabbled in yoga throughout the early 2000s, but she knew she’d found something special in 2007 when she wandered into the hot room on Pine Street then known as Bikram Yoga Burlington (later Tapna Yoga). She quickly became a regular, interspersing her yoga practice with running and soccer. Aside from practicing yoga, Marnie began to devour articles, books and web resources on the physiological and psychological benefits that yoga provides. Marnie credits her yoga practice with helping her manage a chronic illness and keeping her (mostly!) mentally healthy. In 2015, Marnie attended teacher training with master teacher Tony Sanchez in Mexico, delving further into her own practice, anatomy, and yoga history and philosophy. After returning from Mexico, Marnie began complimenting her Bikram practice with hot (and not) vinyasa classes. She taught at Tapna Yoga, Hot Yoga Burlington and Second Circle Yoga while regularly engaging in opportunities to enhance both her teaching and practice. Outside of the yoga studio, Marnie is often found on campus at Saint Michael's College, where she serves as the Registrar and Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs. She lives in Winooski with her husband, son, two cats, and a rescue mutt named Squire.

Jessica was in born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Dallas, TX, Jessica has been practicing Bikram Yoga since 1999. After moving to Vermont in 2001, she attended Bikram Teacher Training in Honolulu, Hawaii in the fall of 2007.  When she is not at the studio, Jessica loves to travel, eat at amazing restaurants, listen to live music and explore local art and architecture.

Kira Krier, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, EMDR therapist, 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher, with influences from my beloved father and step-mother long time Kriya and Vinyasa yogis, Buti, Ashtanga and Bikram yoga. My yoga practice has given me strength, healing and peace. Yoga continues to offer me the space to release, ground down to the earth and have confidence in being who I am meant to be. Yoga has helped me to love myself and love others more deeply. I continue to work on practicing all the principles of yoga while educating, inspiring and empowering my students through their movements. I have additional yoga certifications in trauma informed yoga, prison yoga, the Phoenix Group (yoga for people in recovery), Buti yoga, 26 &2.

Power Flow is a high energy, invigorating yoga practice that blends vinyasa yoga, tribal/primal movements, body weight training, powerful plyometrics, and cardiovascular training all in one class! This class is meant to challenge and empower, to push through boundaries and re-emerge more confident, vibrant and aligned beginners and advanced, body and -spirit oriented students.

Meet Dora Bean, a yoga teacher whose journey began amidst the captivating landscapes of her native New Mexico.As a teenager, Dora stumbled upon Hot Yoga while searching for a physical workout to change her appearance. However, the practice had an unexpected impact, guiding her to a deeper understanding of self and an embodied sense of belonging beyond her outside appearance. This revelation ignited her passion for yoga and its transformative power to connect people to their inherent worthiness.

Dora's teaching philosophy is rooted in empowering her students to embrace their strength and potential. Witnessing her students celebrate their growth and empowerment fuels her sense of purpose. In her classes, she weaves elements of Pilates, weight-lifting, and various movement modalities, recognizing that these practices not only strengthen the body but also nourish the spirit.

Embodying compassion and inclusivity, Dora strives to create an inviting space where practitioners of all body types and experience levels feel welcome and supported. Her commitment to accessibility led her to complete her 200-level yoga teacher training in Accessible Yoga with Sangha Studio, deepening her understanding of adapting the practice to diverse needs.

Beyond the yoga studio, Dora's passion extends to her work as a transportation engineer. There, she channels her dedication to improving the impact of our built world on public health, environmental well-being, and community building. Additionally, her interest in collective well-being and spiritual care has fueled an interest in palliative care. This fall, she will be completing UVM's End-of-Life Doula program as a way to be of service to people navigating the hospice system.

Thembie grew up in eSwatini and has been living in Burlington since 1991. She has been practicing yoga since 2001 and she went to training in 2011.

Thembie has taught at studios all around the world from India where she taught in New Delhi, to Hyderabad and Goa.

The yoga practice has been a constant in her life. Thembie teaches with care and compassion, and she is inspired by each student's dedication and motivation to their own personal practice.

Thembie is excited to be part of the this amazing yoga community at Bikram Yoga Williston.

Alyssa began her yogic journey in 2011 while studying Cultural Anthropology at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She immediately fell in love with the practice and had the opportunity to study yoga and meditation in India in the summer of 2013. Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga were the foundation for Alyssa's physical and mental wellbeing and carried her through the struggles of depression and anxiety for over a decade. In 2022, Alyssa discovered her passion for Bikram Yoga when a friend convinced her to give it a try. It immediately became her obsession.

Alyssa had always dreamed of becoming a yoga instructor since she began practicing yoga 12 years ago. Finding her passion in Bikram Yoga motivated her to finally make her dream a reality. Alyssa received her 200 Hour RYT certification in May 2023 focusing in Bikram Yoga (26&2 Series).

Debra Niemasz, MSW, LICSW has been practicing Bikram Yoga for 20 years. It was the combination of the heat and the physical challenge of the yoga, that allowed her to find the quiet focus and calm. It’s what keeps her coming back, class after class; feeling grounded and peaceful.

Seeing the healing benefits for herself and those around her, it was a natural progression professionally to attend a RYT 500-hour training in 2018. She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Vermont for over 30 years, also trained in EMDR. Seeing people feel better with yoga by decreasing anxiety and depression, sleeping better, improving health and overall feeling peaceful, is truly a gift.