The Yoga Loft-About Us

Yoga Loft Team with Elliott McEldowney.

    Thank you for visiting The Yoga Loft. We are so happy to bring a yoga practice into our community. We invite students of all levels to open their hearts, minds, and bodies to the wonderful joys of yoga. So many of you have already discovered the infinite ways in which yoga has enriched your lives, we hope to be part of that continuous discovery. Our professionally trained staff is committed to sharing their enthusiasm, knowledge, and spirit to provide fun, safe, meaningful  yoga classes. Please check our class descriptions page to see where you would like to begin. There are classes to fit everyone's needs.

Namaste.

The Yoga Loft
3 Lopez Road,
Wilmington, MA 01887

Call us at: (978) 658-5888 or at: 978-604-0051
E-mail Us at jen@yogaloftnorth.com.

Jen Ryan M.A., R.Y.T.
    Jen Ryan opened The Yoga Loft in Wilmington in October of 2005. Jen was born and raised in Wilmington and she wanted to create a fun, friendly place for people in the community to come and practice. She started practicing in the early 90's while living in California and was immediately 'hooked'. She decided to move back to Wilmington after finishing her graduate degrees and decided to teach here.

    Eventually she chose to dedicate herself to studying and practicing yoga full time. She trained and studied the Ashtanga practice and continues to study and practice daily. Jen has studied with local and national master teachers, including Shiva Rea, Manju Jois, David Swenson, Nicole Bacon and Mimi Louriero. She believes that one must continue to learn, practice and study on their own before being able to teach others; and she believes that discipline should continue in order to be a better teacher. She shares this belief and dedication with her amazing teachers in training in The Yoga Loft RYT program. She hopes that you can support them during the Community Classes that they teach

    She started giving free community classes at the local elementary school and began teaching in studios all over Boston and the Merrimack Valley. Finally she decided to open The Yoga Loft and bring the practice home to Wilmington. Besides the daily class offering and teacher training, she runs workshops and specialty classes and works with local and national charities to host fund raisers. The Yoga Loft sponsored the Wilmington Farmers Market through their Community Classes and donations and hopes to build a strong Community Class base to continue that support. As an Ambassador for Lululemon Athletica she goes into the community and invites the community into the studio for variety of yoga events. She worked as teacher liaison for the Global Mala in September 2007 and 2008 and hopes that everyone can participate in the worldwide peace effort.

     A few years ago, she started The Yoga Amistad of Massachusetts to help bring yoga teachers and students together at the local level and work on bringing even better yoga instruction to the community. You can visit the YaMas page on our site to find out more and check out the next meeting.

     When she isn’t teaching, practicing or teaching high school Spanish, Jen enjoys spending time with the two men in her life; her husband, Bill and her son, Levi, from whom she finds daily inspiration.

Lauren Prokator

As an enthusiastic gymnast in her childhood, her passion for movement and the human body led her to college in New Hampshire where she earned a degree in Exercise, Health and Fitness from the School of Health and Human Performance. Lauren’s interests in alternative medicine have also taken her through formal massage, bodywork and Reiki training. She is a Health and Fitness Specialist certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and continues to expand her knowledge of yoga, nutrition and healthy living topics.

With her education and experience in Massage and Fitness she is able to add even more dimension and depth into her yoga classes. Lauren loves the mental clarity that yoga can bring to our lives and feels that each class in an opportunity to enjoy ourselves in practice and have fun. For her, yoga challenges the physical body, exercises the qualities of the mind and nourishes the soul. In class, she loves to get creative with the tunes, be active and hands-on and is known for her generous Savasana time! Having graduated from the Yoga Loft’s 2011 Teacher Certification Program, Lauren is eager to share her passion with other yogis of all levels!

Stephanie Noyes

Stephanie is a free-spirited independent business woman specializing in fashion and beauty. As a self motivated health and fitness enthusiast, Stephanie was interested in Yoga’s ability to calm the mind, challenge the body and its ability to give balance to her busy life style. One class at the Yoga Loft a year and a half ago was the beginning of daily Vinyasa practice.

Inspired by the possibilities of Yoga and eager to learn more, Stephanie enrolled in the RYT program at the Yoga Loft taught by Jen Ryan and Nicole Bacon. She completed her certification in June 2011. Stephanie’s career as a makeup artist laid the foundation for her desire to help people look and feel their best. Teaching yoga will further full fill this passion by challenging and inspiring others to realize their true potential on a physical level. Her classes are fun and energetic, with a focus on strengthening the core. However, they never loose sight of the true foundation of yoga - linking movement with breathe. The path of Yoga is one that is always evolving. Through continuous self study and participation in various workshops she is able to keep learning and growing as an instructor.

When not practicing yoga or working as a makeup artist, Stephanie keeps busy by running, strength training, shopping, cooking, reading, spending as much time as possible on the ocean, playing with two boys and hanging out with her husband and their friends (not necessarily in that order)! Namaste’

Jackie Craig

    Jackie is proud to be a part of the Yoga Loft's graduating class of 2011. First introduced to sun salutations in a modern dance class in college, Jackie dabbled in yoga until walking into Jen's first Yoga Loft class. She is inspired by her teachers Jen and Nicole, her recently graduated peers, and her Boston-based motivator, Goldie (www.goldieyoga.com). In Jackie's class you can expect a vinyasa flow set to music, smiles, and always the chance to be upside down!

Anthony Tomasi

    Anthony has been practicing Ashtanga and Vinyasa since The Yoga Loft opened and his love and enthusiasm for the practice continue to grow. A natural yoga teacher, he enrolled in the RYT program last Fall and has been teaching consistently since then. His classes are a challenging and creative- sequenced logically to work into specific poses or to open particular areas of the body. When he isn't practicing, he can be found playing ice hockey archery hunting, hanging with his friends and family, listening to Country music or watching his nephew Julien.

Bill Drury

    A long time practitioner of Hatha yoga, Bill began practicing at the age of 17 learning a variety of poses from yoga manuals. This self taught approach allowed him to develop a disciplined connection to his practice, enabling him to explore the boundaries of his physical abilities.

     But the desire to deepen his practice led him to  seek out formal training.  Within the first two classes he knew he'd found the right teacher in Jen Ryan.  Her basis in Ashtanga yoga and her creative style were a perfect match for Bill's unique blend of strength and flexibility.

     Bill continues to work to integrate this combination into his teaching, which includes power, vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga.  To expand his understanding of the mental and physical aspects of yoga he adheres to a rigorous daily practice.  Bill graduated with a BS in Computer Science and currently is a Software Product Manager in North Andover. 

Greg McGowan

    Greg is still relatively new to yoga, having taken his first class 4 years ago. He is continually surprised and motivated by the intense physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of practicing yoga. Sharing these benefits with other yogis fuels his passion for teaching.

    Since his first yoga encounter, Greg has filled his time with classes from more than a dozen local studios. He continues to soak up as much instruction as time permits and from as many different teachers as he can.

    Greg has been certified to teach Ashtanga yoga by David Swenson and leans toward Ashtanga, but continues to pursue interest in many forms of yoga including, but not limited to, PranaVayu and Anusara. A variety of styles influence his instruction, keeping his classes fresh and challenging. He has studied with Desiree Rumbaugh, Sean Corne, Shiva Rea, Richard Freeman, Tias Little and Natasha Rizopoulos just to name a few!

    Greg graduated with a BS in psychology and sociology. He also has a background in martial arts and is a certified CPR Instructor. His calm demeanor and sense of humor can be found in all of his classes.

Lauren Smith
    Lauren is a lifelong resident of Wilmington who began her yoga practice 12 years ago after undergoing multiple neck operations. Her yoga practice allowed her to regain flexibility, control the pain, and relax. She is an avid fitness enthusiast who also teaches spinning, muscle conditioning, Cardio Kickboxing, Ball classes, Skating and Personalized Training. After earning her BA from University of New Hampshire, Lauren worked as a software engineer. She brings her energy, spirit and experience to every class.

Kristin Olson. MS. RYT
    Kristin began practicing yoga in New York City at Cyndi Lee's studio, after deciding she needed an outlet that provided a sense of serenity within the city's non-stop chaos. As she deepened her practice, she found that in addition to serenity, the physical and mental challenges of yoga led the way to a more balanced, centered lifestyle. Since moving back home to Massachusetts, Kristin has found her new yoga home at The Yoga Loft, where Jen Ryan -- and all the Loft's yogis - continue to inspire her practice. She is currently studying with Natasha Rizopoulos, Yoga Journal's Beginner's Expert, and has earned her 200-hour teaching certificate under Natasha's tutelage. Kristin's practice has been influenced by Ashtanga's emphasis on connecting breath with movement and Iyengar's emphasis on proper alignment. In her teaching, she combines these two core components with an equal interest in graceful transitions and honoring where one is in his/her own practice. Prior to having her first child in July, Kristin worked as a journalist and publicist in New York City. She earned her BA at Colgate University and her MS at Boston University

Lucy Gelormini, R.Y.T.

    Lucy has been practicing all forms of yoga and fitness throughout her life, until corporate burnout hit. When this happened she left the corporate world and into full time yoga training. Local teachers and global masters such as Dharma Mittra, David Swenson, Rodney Yee, and Shiva Rea make up her unique style that is gentle, yet challenging. Her trainings will always be ongoing for her thirst for knowledge has not dissipated through the years.

    Lucy teaches all levels, from the yoga first timers, into intermediate level, into power/core and prenatal. At all levels she encourages her students to understand their bodies better by giving thorough explanation of how to listen when bodies speak. Detailed instruction and a soft yet powerful approach lets students trust her in their yoga journey, whether just beginning or a senior practitioner.

    Yoga fitness does not remain her only form of fitness. She continues to weight train to gain and maintain muscle strength, as well any outdoor activity. She is also an advanced Reiki practitioner and Angel card reader. When not in the studio or weight room she can most likely be found with her husband, Marc. And their two Great Danes, Diesel and Achilles and thier Puggle, Cairo.

Nicole Brezinski

Nicole was first drawn to this ancient practice by its beauty, grace and the overall centering it provided. She soon realized that it was the emotional and spiritual balance that made her come back. She was hooked. The mind-body connection that her mat provided inspired her to teach others. Her intention is to help spread that sense of peace and overall physical and mental well-being to her students. Her classes are always creative, blending a sequence of poses that can be modified for any level. Together with her sense of fun, she gently encourages others to discover the joy of yoga through the conscious integration of breath and movement while inspiring others to seek deeper and reach higher.

Todd McNally, RYT

Todd began practicing a few years back upon the suggestion and encouragement from his personal trainer. Since he owns the business right next door and can walk to the studio, it was pretty hard not to "check it out". Little did he know that this was to become a huge part of his life and send him down a path that was quite unexpected and unlike anything else he had ever done. Since stepping onto his mat, Todd has practiced diligently, advanced in his studies of yoga practice and philosophy and become a huge part of The Yoga Loft community. The yoga sutras tell us that the practice of yoga is something that is done consistently, without interruptions and with a mindful and earnest presence. Todd's yoga practice is of this very nature and it shows in his teaching. He teaches flow classes that timely link breath to movement, engage and inspire practitioners and give everyone a chance to work at their own levels.

Michelle Powers

After her first hot yoga class in 2008, Michelle became instantly hooked. Not only did yoga provide amazing physically results, but Michelle also started to experience a sense of inner peace and self-awareness that made such a positive impact in her daily life. Yoga provided the balance that was needed in her busy life as a single mom working full-time and raising two boys. Michelle took her love of yoga to the next level and completed her 200 RYT in September 2010 and is registered with the Yoga Alliance. She believes that everyone should and can practice yoga. Michelle's classes are creative, fun, and challenging. With teaching she hopes to help students discover the joy of yoga and to make their practice their personal gift to themselves.