Yoga Teachers at Hot Yoga Burlington

Bill O'ConnorOwner/Teacher E-RYT-500 YACEP

From my first vinyasa class 21 years ago, I knew yoga was for me for the rest of my life. Did I practice and teach yoga in another life? I especially enjoy introducing yoga to those who think they are too stiff, or sore, or injured or old. Not true! Come try a class with me! I am grateful to share my enthusiasm and expertise in each class that I am fortunate to teach. I especially love the moment when class finishes and everyone experiences the deep peace, satisfaction and enjoyment of the yoga experience. What can I offer and share? Only the best of what has been given to me.

ERYT-500 Prana Flow
RYT-200 Hatha Anusara Style
Barkan Hot Yoga Certified
Other trainings include Asthanga, Iyengar, and Partner Yoga
Over 4,000 teaching hours registered with Yoga Alliance

Andrea O'Connor Teacher RYT-200

With 20 years’ experience teaching, Andrea’s classes offer yoga and Specialty Fitness to combine relaxation, strength and cardio, fun, and mindfulness. All in an hour! Andrea teaches and practices that being present is better than doing to distract from the present. And that being naturally leads to a lot of fun, effective and helpful doing!

She has done Kripalu, Bikram, Ashtanga, and is a certified teacher in Anusara Yoga. She is certified in the Gyrotonic Movement System and has studied Postural Restoration Physical Therapy. She has a daily mindfulness practice, studies monthly with Har Prakash Khalsa, is a mindfulness guide, and does seven-day silent retreats with Shinzen Young at least annually.

She loves her family (Bill! – his students and sailing crew love him, but she loves him MORE!) and their dog. She will swim, garden, sail, walk, cook, feed the birds, visit with friends and family. She enjoys and shares the Gonna Feel Good of life in any way she can.

Steph MuzzyTeacher RYT-500

My classes consist of a strong, steady flow with an emphasis on connecting to, and moving with your breath. My goal is to create a space where you can slow down, connect with your body, creating a sense of wellbeing and inner peace that you can take with you when you leave class.
Outside of the studio I am the mom of three girls and three rescue dogs, so you’ll often find me watching kid’s sporting events or walking in the woods.

Kelly McAuliffeTeacher RYT-500

I am always amazed at the strength and capabilities of these awesome bodies we are blessed to walk in every day. One of my favorite quotes is: “I’m in competition with only myself; I simply want to be a better me today than I was yesterday”. Yoga certainly supports this journey bringing balance and strength; both on and off your mat. The mind body connection developed through a practice of breath and movement brings us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and allows us to come from a place of grounded awareness. This practice may begin in a physical form, but has a magical way of tapping into the deeper self each and every time you come to the mat.
I hope you’ll join me as we move through creative, challenging and energetic asanas; building strength and balance together. Namaste

Kelly is an RYT-500 certified Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance a Barre Above certified Barre teacher, a Reiki II and Biofield Tuning trained practitioner and a believer that energy is everywhere and everything

Sara GarsideYoga Teacher

Sara Garside earned her RYT500 from Yoga Vermont in 2022 and completed a week-long immersion with David Garrigues a few months later. Though she does not subscribe to any particular asana school exclusively, she is typically attracted to strong practice with a special fondness for Ashtanga. Sara has found that in working with challenging postures and transitions on the mat, she is better equipped to negotiate the mental and emotional tests that life itself brings. This is just one of the benefits of yoga that she hopes to share with her students.

Though Sara is playful and light-hearted in her approach to teaching, she appreciates the ambitions of some students to evolve in their physical practice, and will teach to this end where appropriate while offering options to all. In her classes, you will be given space to move away from the turbulences and cyclical thinking of the mind, and allow the body to become the pilot. Being that Sara is fascinated with the yogic ideals of working through resistance juxtaposed with acceptance and surrender, you are sure to experience both within her classes and thus be empowered to do the same off the mat

Hermine FlaniganYoga Teacher

I have always been involved with exercise, whether working out, taking a yoga class, or going for family walks.

After taking my first Pilates class I was amazed! It was so fun and made me feel strong! When my second child started school I enrolled in Pilates teacher training with Peak Pilates. It was a 6-month training where I was certified in 2010 to teach Mat and Reformer classes. In 2011/12 I was certified by Power Pilates to teach beginner, intermediate and advanced Mat Pilates.

I then discovered BarSculpt. BarSculpt is called “Pilates evolved” and that’s exactly how it felt. In 2012 I was certified to teach BarSculpt level 1 and 2 and in 2013 level 3. I wanted to expand on barre and was trained in bootybarre and certified in 2015. I love the way bootybarre compliments BarSculpt and Pilates.

Pilates and barre have changed my life. I have such passion for how good it makes me feel. I love to teach others and share the fun, strength and possibilities. It’s amazing to see people realize their own abilities.

Tara MayoYoga Teacher

Introducing the amazing and inspirational yoga and fitness teacher, Tara. She can bring you to new heights of body awareness and deep depths of introspection, sometimes even in the same class. Come experience her Yoga Nidra and Singing Bowls Sound Bath class for the ultimate in relaxation. Or, try her very sweaty and lively Inferno Hot Pilates. And, in between the 2, take a signature yoga class and experience the best of both worlds.

Justine ZolotasYoga Teacher

In addition to teaching yoga, Justine has been a personal trainer in the Burlington area for the past 7 years. She is also a dragon boat coach with Dragonheart Vermont. Her favorite quote is “be curious not judgmental.”
Justine combines her love of movement with her knowledge of the body in classes that include a hearty dose of joy and playfulness, inviting students to strengthen both their body and mind.

Emily Holt-Gosselin Yoga Teacher

Emily loves to incorporate breath-work, meditation, and philosophical elements into her classes in an effort to emphasize the power of this practice, not only on a physical level, but mental and spiritual as well. Her classes tend to be light hearted, upbeat, and moderately-paced with plenty of options for rest and modification.

Her primary intention as a teacher (and human) is to offer a space where folks can learn to develop a deeper sense of self-trust, discernment, body acceptance, and self compassion in an effort to not only uplift themselves, but the greater community as well.

Emily’s personal values greatly influence how she teaches. Both personally and professionally, Emily challenges toxic narratives that can pervade some wellness spaces including diet culture, ableism, classism, and spiritual bypassing. This, she believes, is an important way to honor yoga’s radical roots which encourage more than just individual self-optimization. She feels strongly that individual liberation is directly tied to collective liberation. Yoga—in the comprehensive sense of the word—is a rich practice that allows us to explore this concept of unity and put it into action.

Thembie GamacheYoga Teacher

Thembie is a delight. She is so passionate about yoga you can’t help but catch fire with enthusiasm and fervor. It helps that she teaches Bikram hot yoga. Here instruction is precise and deliberate so you can dive deep into the poses and carry the results of flexibility and relaxation with you for the rest of the day.

Sara SwartzYoga Teacher

Sara earned her 200 hour yoga certification from Center for Yoga Amherst in 2005. She has been a practitioner and teacher for over 20 years and is currently working towards her 500 hour certification. She is also certified in trauma-sensitive yoga instruction and trance dance. As a mental health professional, she has taught yoga to clients and staff in a variety of clinical settings.

Sara takes an embodied approach to practice, integrating structural anatomy, creative exploration and self-inquiry into traditional yoga asana. Informed by her work as a therapist, she aspires to create a safe and compassionate space that allows you to experience greater self-awareness, acceptance and joy. Her playful yet structured practices will allow you an opportunity to be curious and light-hearted while also meeting your edge. A lifelong lover of movement, Sara will inspire you to envision your practice from a fresh perspective.

Sara is also a forever student of the practice, so you’ll probably see her alongside you in the studio. When she’s not practicing yoga, she’s likely exploring the natural beauty of Vermont on foot, by bike or in a kayak.

Laura BirdsallYoga Teacher

Laura teaches with the hope that her classes leave you feeling rejuvenated: rested in your physical body and energized in your soul. She approaches yoga as a transformational way for us to slow down and come home to ourselves.

Laura began her yoga practice in 2011, initially seeking a routine to compliment her passion for running and fitness. She quickly fell in love with yoga, realizing that the physical practice was an access point to her mind. Laura completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training at UVM and specializes in gentle and restorative yoga.