Our Bios

Charles Secallus

Charles was introduced to Yoga over a decade ago while he was working toward his certification in Massage Therapy. He has been a dedicated practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga since 1999. Over the years, Charles has been influenced by many well known teachers and in particular the late Pattabhi Jois.  He continues to follow the direction of the Shri K. Pattahbi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute and Sharath Jois. He completed the Intermediate Series under their guided direction at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute during his second trip to Mysore, India.  Charles is interested in continuing his study of Yoga, deepening his understanding and furthering his personal growth in the practice.  In April of 2010 he began working with Nancy Gilgoff on Advanced A Series.  In January of 2012 Charles is honored to received his certificate of Authorization Level 2 from his teacher Sharath Jois in the Ashtanga Lineage.  Charles teaches with full respect for Ashtanga and this system.   He has been teaching Mysore style classes and led Ashtanga since 2001. Charles has an intuitive nature which is genuine and serves him well with his students.  Charles has worked to stay true to the traditions of Ashtanga and believes that the system can change you from the inside out. It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that he teaches and passes down this system to aspirant students today.  He enjoys music, travel, hiking, yoga and cooking..

Deborah Williams

Deb enjoys practicing and teaching yoga.   Ashtanga Yoga became part of her daily life shortly after she discovered the practice and is thankful for the many classes, teachers and fellow practitioners along the way.    Once she discovered Ashtanga she became dedicated to the practice and has learned to truly trust the system and is comforted by this deep and rich tradition.  She recalls back on her first Mysore style classes and how much she has gained from this practice since 2001 with respect to the physical, emotional and overall well-being.  She is indebted to Chuck Secallus for imparting his wealth of knowledge to her, for carrying her through the challenging poses in the primary series and for his encouragement to keep coming back to the practice. She is continually learning and discovering through her personal practice as well as her students and is enthusiastic in sharing her experiences through her teaching.  Deb received her 200 hour yoga teacher certification in 2007 with a desire to deepen and broaden her knowledge of yoga and the philosophy behind the yogic texts.  She thanks Raji Thron for the Yoga Synthesis training where many of the pieces came together for her.   The primary series of Ashtanga Yoga never ceases to amaze her as it continues to unfold every day she steps on the mat.  Deb continues to attend workshops and classes to broaden her spectrum of knowledge of yoga and seeks out teachers to practice with wherever her travels take her.  She completed David Swenson's 40 Hour Ashtanga Teaching Intensive in Feb of 2010 increasing her knowledge on adjustment techniques, modifications in the primary series and teaching traditionally.  She aspires to stay in the moment, trust in the universe, to work the yoga in her life on and off the mat and to breathe.

Charmaine Warren

Performer, yoga instructor, historian, consultant and dance writer, Charmaine Patricia Warren is a faculty member at Alvin Ailey/Fordham University, The Ailey School and New York University/Tisch School of the Arts-The Classical Theatre.  She holds a Ph.D. in History at Howard University where she taught for eight years, a Masters Degree in Dance Research, Reconstruction and Choreography, and two Bachelor’s Degrees: one in Speech & Theatre/Dance and the other in English.  She has lectured and taught movement nationally and internationally.  Charmaine began teaching Ashtanga-based yoga classes in 1998, and today Ashtanga yoga remains an integral part of all her movement classes.  She has lectured and taught movement and yoga classes nationally and internationally, including St. Peter's College, StarSeed Yoga, the Atlantic Theatre Company and "Dick Gregory's First and Second Holistic Health Retreat" in Kingston Jamaica and West Point, Texas.  After studying Kundalini, Hatha, Iyengar and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, intermittently, she became an avid practitioner of Ashtanga yoga under the guidance of Eddie Stern for upwards of 25 years.  Charmaine also studied Ashtanga yoga with Chuck Miller and Richard Freeman.  Charmaine lectures on western dance history, the Black tradition in American dance and Jamaican dance.  After performing for many years with major New York dance companies, she joined the internationally known, New York-based, dance/theater company david rousseve/REALITY in 1989.  She currently writes on dance performance for Dance Magazine and The Amsterdam News among other magazines and journals. 

Hillary Leonard

Hillary took her very first yoga class in 1998 at the recommendation of her mother to help with stress.  Hillary knew after the first class that yoga was ‘right for her’ and committed to keeping yoga in her life.  After several years exploring different yoga classes, Hillary came upon the Ashtanga yoga tradition at Wendy Green’s studio in Avon-By-The-Sea.  She found the Ashtanga practice challenging and the benefits tangible and it helped deepen her commitment to having yoga in her life.  Now, Hillary has a daily mysore practice with Charles Secallus and Deborah Williams at Asana House in Montclair, NJ, and credits their dedication to Ashtanga yoga with creating the fire within her to making this commitment to the practice.

 

In May 2010 Hillary graduated from Lotus Yoga Montclair’s 300 Hour Teacher Training Program.  Through this specially designed program Hillary grew her practice even further not only in yoga asana but also in yoga philosophy.  Hillary’s yoga journey has been and continues to be a transformative experience for her. 

 

Hillary’s life has been blessed by wonderful yoga teachers throughout the years and she wishes to honor all of them for what they have shared and continue to share with her on a daily basis.