Home Our Story Schedule Class Descriptions Teachers Wishlist and Donations Special Events Newsletter Monica Mesa got turned onto Yoga in college after a serious injury from bodybuilding. Since then, she has studied with several masters that have had an enormous impact on her teaching and foundation including Dean Lerner, Brenda Flemming, Rod Stryker, Sean Corne, Erich Schiffman, Sharon Gannon, Alessandra Flanagan, and her Maha teacher, Shiva Rea. Her Iyengar roots have given Monica a solid foundation in Yoga, but it is the Vinyasa, Ayurveda, and Tantric philosophy that Monica has learned from Shiva Rea that has given her the passion to stay on the Yoga path and share these teachings. Her Prana Flow classes are designed for most levels and include sun-salutations, circular namaskars, and creative sequences that integrate asana, bhanda cultivation, pranayama, chanting, meditation, and a devotional element to invoke ones spiritual awakening. Monica’s devotion to her guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and her belief in God as the unifying force of all creation is her truest and deepest longing to impart to her student friends. She has been featured in her Yoga column in Blue Edge Magazine, is an assistant to Shiva Rea, and is featured in her CBTV program, Yoga Mountain High. As the founder and creative director of Yoga For The People, it is Monica’s goal to bring Yoga to all people; moms, babies, kids, athletes, and all the outdoor enthusiasts that live and play in Crested Butte. She is a soul surfer, snowboarder, cross country skier and enjoys the outdoor lifestyle that Crested Butte is so abundant with. Monica has three wonderful boys ages 7-14 who provide her with constant joy and inspiration to role model the Yogic lifestyle and activism that is such a vital part of global living. view class brochure Corina Hesse has been living in Crested Butte and studying Iyengar Yoga for the past 7 years. Her teachers are Maria Poor, Brenda Flemming, Manouso Manos, and Swati and Rajiv Chanchani of Raj Pur, India. She has traveled to India to study Iyengar Yoga with the Chanchanis twice. Yoga became a main focus in her life after years of involvement with the movement arts through dance, mountaineering, and rock climbing. Complementing her Yogic practices, Corina is also a practitioner/student of Ayurveda with Dr. Nita Desai, MD. view class brochure Aarin Czinski has been practicing yoga since '00. She began with Iyengar - which builds a great understanding of alignment and attention to detail. She then became certified in Kripalu Yoga, and has since explored and been influence by many types of yoga. She continues to study with self practice and through various teachers and styles. "Yoga makes me feel great on the inside as well as the outside. I am so grateful to be a part of Yoga for the People, and to be able to share with students what Monica has shared with me." Aarin is originally from Michigan and has lived in Crested Butte since '04. She loves Crested Butte because the adventures are endless. She really enjoys all this wonderful place has to offer – skiing (telemark, alpine and Nordic) hiking, fishing, rafting, camping and also loves cooking, crocheting and playing tennis. view class brochure Alex Lambro began her Iyengar yoga studies with Norm Allard in the year 1990. Her continuous training has included many wonderful teachers: Donita and Gary Reitze, Dean Lerner, Patricia Walden, Rodney Yee, Angela Farmer, and many dedicated years under Manouso Manos, a senior student of B.K.S. Iyengar. Alex has developed a strong understanding of Iyengar Yoga which she imparts with contagious intensity. Exacting in her style, Alex guides students to explore their own possibilities. Skiing and snowboarding competitively, Alex moved to Crested Butte at the age of 18, in 1986. She found missing elements in her athletic performance, but once yoga was introduced into her life, her performance was brought to the next level. Yoga took her sport to a new dimension by developing strength, stamina, flexibility, and balance throughout her body, mind, and spirit. She’s shown her love and desire to be a part of Crested Butte through actively coaching soccer, ice skating, and now spreading her craze for yoga. With many hours dedicated to raising four children, 5 to 17 years old, she and her husband, Chris are always finding new ways to spread their love. view class brochure Juliet Stillman became inspired to be a serious yoga student under Monica Mesa's amazing teachings. Something about the fluid flows of vinyasa made her feel graceful and peaceful. In her class, 'Meditative Flow', she tries create a space that achieves these feelings for all. When Juliet isn't enjoying the beauty of Crested Butte or practicing yoga, she is playing with dogs at her business Oh Be Dogful Pet Ranch. view class brochure Heather Originally hailing from a small town in Western Kentucky, Heather arrived in Crested Butte in the early months of 2000. She became involved in African dancing by joining local drum and dance ensemble Ballet Fote Kan (formerly Cuero a Cuero). Since then she has traveled to various camps and workshops around the United States, and in 2004 took her studies to Guinea, West Africa where she trained with master dancer Moustapha Bangoura for two incredible months. Other dance teachers who have been inspirations and influences include Rujeko Chinzira of Zimbabwe, and Fara Tolno and Youssouf Koumbassa both from Guinea. When Heather’s not dancing, she’s busy teaching pre-school, hiking with her dogs, camping as much as possible, and playing in the snow in this beautiful town she loves to call home. view class brochure Jessica began her love of Yoga in college, taking classical Hatha, Iyengar and Ashtanga. She began taking Kundalini with Jani Wedmore-Polanski and felt that it was that style that most resonated with her spirit, body, and mind. The Mountain lifestyle and the adventure possibilities attracted Jessica to Crested Butte in 1997. She has flourished with her Shiatsu massage, found her love, and proceeded to call Crested Butte home.