Mind & Body Instructors
Diana Kiesel is a native of Mississippi and moved to Massachusetts in 1987 after graduating from Mississippi State University with a BPA in accounting. She spent the next 9 years as a public auditor and corporate lender at several firms in Boston. After being introduced to martial arts through a Tai Chi course, Diana decided to leave the corporate world to devote her energies towards health and fitness. Over the course of the past eighteen years her goal has been to help educate and lead her students towards a better, healthier lifestyle. Diana is a certified Aerobic & Fitness Association of America (AFAA), National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA), C.O.B.R.A. Self-Defense Instructor, Physical Mind Institute Mat and Standing Pilates, Body Training Systems (BTS), and P90X certified instructor. Her specialties are in the areas of Fitness Kickboxing, Mat Pilates, Yoga and Reebok Core Board. Diana has studied with Natasha Rizopoulos, Yoga Journal's Beginner's Expert, and has earned her 200-hour, Yoga Alliance compliant, teaching certificate under Natasha's tutelage. In her spare time she enjoys taking daily walks with "her boys", Cosmo and Zipper (two beautiful Yellow Labrador Retrievers).
Kelly Michaud After several years in the corporate world, Kelly found she wanted a more active, engaging and peaceful career path, and decided to make herpassion for yoga a profession. Kelly is a graduate of Ana Forrest’s Foundational Teacher Training, known for addressing today’s stresses andchallenges using intense pose sequences, compassionately taught, to develop skills in awakening each of the senses. She is also a gold-level certified PiYo instructor, and has completed YogaFit's Prenatal Yoga teacher training.
Kelly strives to provide a space where students can safely explore and challenge their bodies and unplug from the outside world. She stresses linking breath with movement and listening to what the body needs. Music, physical adjustments and compassion are all an integral part of her classes. Vinyasa, Forrest and Power yoga styles, as well asher students influence her. Kelly, her husband, and their bulldog, Rupert are moving to Andover in the fall of 2011.
Geeta Vallecha Yoga is Geeta biggest passion. Fully immersed in the discipline and practice of Yoga, Geeta believes yoga is a necessity for everyone. Yoga is much more than just an alternative form of exercise. It is a path that brings people closer to their true nature, important for gaining true health and happiness. Geeta uses quality instructions in her yoga classes to integrate challenging and powerful flow of "asanas" with proper breathing, deep meditation and relaxation techniques. The intensity of Yoga can be modulated for every fitness level. Substantially improving flexibility, strength and balance, Yoga allows even the top athlete to improve their game. Geeta loves working with people and is enthusiastic in helping people thrive through sharing her practice.
Her certifications include - 200 RYT, PIYO, YogaFit, Balyoga, Yin yoga and classic form of Hatha yoga. She has participated in numerous yoga, meditation and breath-workshops for a deeper study of the mind and body field. Geeta is currently enrolled in a 300-hour teacher training program focusing intensely on anatomy and alignment. She is also an advanced Reiki practitioner and loves to share Reiki/energy in her classes. Expect to stretch, twist, breath, laugh and sweat in her classes.
In addition to teaching classes, Geeta is also available for private sessions at Yang’s. Holding a Masters degree in Computer Information Systems, her biggest strength and love is her husband Akash Vallecha and her two handsome boys, Ayur (9 yrs) and Yash (6yrs).
Meg Holmes an Andover resident, has had a lengthy career as a school librarian/teacher working with students at every grade from kindergarten through college. She believes strongly in the value of education and knowledge, and has especially enjoyed her position in the elementary schools of North Andover where she has been able to instill children with the desire and skills to become lifelong learners. Meg considers herself to be a life-long learner and on a lifelong journey as a student of Taiji. Meg began studying taiji in 1990 at Yang's Martial Arts under the tutelage of Alex Kiesel. She has been a student within the YMAA system ever since and has learned from instructors like Master Yang Jwing-Ming, Ramel Rones, and Jeff Pratt. Not only has Meg been trained in the Yang-style Classical Long Form of Taiji, but she also has received training in the Simplified 24 Short Form of Taiji; pushing hands; solo saber and sword forms; and two person fighting set.
She has participated in numerous courses and workshops on qigong taught by Master Yang and Master Liang Shou-Yu including the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Because she believes that people can accrue many benefits from Taiji, Meg has been an instructor at Yang's for over ten years. Her experience and expertise as a public school educator are reflected in the way she instructs her Taiji classes and interacts with her students. Meg truly enjoys sharing her knowledge of Taiji and qigong as she helps others begin their own Taiji journeys.
Paul Blake began at Yang's Martial Arts as a student in 1991, developing his expertise under the tutelage of Chief Instructor Alex Kiesel. Paul deepened his understanding of Tai Chi through the study of Xing Yi and Baquazhang with Master Liang, Shou-Yu, as well as through the study of Qin na, Tai Chi sword, Qigong, pushing hands and the martial applications of Tai Chi with Instructor Jeff Pratt and Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. Mr. Blake became YMAA certified to teach Tai Chi by Dr. Yang in 1998 and gains great pleasure from sharing his knowledge of this contemplative martial art with his students.