You are both gifted teachers - your experience
and compassion make classes a transformation.
Thank you for the patient and intricate
presentations of new postures, and for building
these together to create the inner experience.
In January, I arrived in a state of turmoil, not
healing from an injury and suffering from a
stress illness. I came looking for the physical
work, and found that the breath work gave me
much, including the focus to deal with tinnitus.
Four months of study with you has brought me to
a more balanced state; I now have better health
and a more peaceful mind. -- Lorraine
Ortner-Blake
I
have taken yoga classes before at health clubs
and adult education programmes, but the caliber
of instruction with Dennison and Matthew is far
beyond that. Matthew’s compassion and sense of
humor creates a relaxed environment in which to
learn. His ever-evolving choreography and
musical selections are wonderful additions to
class. Dennison is amazingly skilled at yoga,
but more specifically at teaching. She exudes a
true love of yoga and has a genuine concern for
her clients. The studio is so welcoming and
clean. A great place to clear your mind. Yoga
has made me feel more comfortable in my own
body. I have seen changes that I could not
achieve through aerobics, cardio training or
weight training. My posture has greatly
improved as well. Yoga is a necessary addition
to any fitness routine and would benefit any
serious athlete. --Angie Buchholz,
businesswoman
I think both Dennison and Matthew are
outstanding Yoga Instructors. I
participated in their restorative Yoga class for
two years (once a week) and gained a tremendous
amount of flexibility, greatly improved my
muscle tone, and decreased my stress level.
Yoga is not just an exercise activity for
Dennison and Matthew but rather a way of life
which show itself in the respect and dignity
they have for themselves as well as for their
students. -- Diana England
The strength of your methodology has always been
incorporating real learning into the asanas --
what the body does, the heart feels and the head
remembers. -- Erika Gerhardt
I
have taken many classes over the years in
Pilates, core strengthening and yoga. I have
never felt as invigorated, relaxed and focused
as I have after a class with you two. I have
chronic lower lumbar and shoulder discomfort and
have been able to reduce my dependence on
anti-inflammatory medicine since taking regular
yoga training. On top of pain reduction, I come
out of class feeling calm and focused - a good
way to go back to work. I am always enlightened
by your understanding and knowledge of the
asanas. I am hooked! -- Donna Rifken,
psychotherapist
I
am back from Peru, having successfully climbed
Machu Picchu! Wow! It was incredibly hard and I
still don't know how my knees made it. It was a
4 day marathon going up almost 4000ft. one day.
I was the oldest person in our group of 14, the
range was 22-36 years old and me. I am writing
to tell you I couldn't of done it without you
two. It was a meditation. There were many
moments of remembering to contract my stomach
muscles and mulabandha, to relax my shoulders,
to do three part breathing, to send my energy
down or up depending on my direction on the
mountain, to feel my core energy, to be in the
moment, to hold my balance, and others I don't
even remember. I used everything I ever learned
physically, mentally, and spiritually to make it
AND I DID! So thank you for all your help, you
were there with me, helping me. I couldn't have
done it without you and your expertise. --
Sandra Buzan, 64
I
truly love practicing Yoga with Matthew and
Dennison. They provide a supportive yet
challenging practice. One of their strengths as
teachers is their attunement to each individual
student. I often walk out of class with a
delightful experience of well being and a
greater awareness of the potential of our human
body. I have been dragging my friends and family
there and now they are hooked too. I have done
Yoga with a variety of instructors, they are by
far the best I have experienced. -- Jill
Ellinwood, social worker
"After I initially finished my time with you and
with the Yoga therapy I felt like it had
"changed my life" and changed my outlook on my
life. I felt extremely connected to my body and
knowing of what was going on inside it. I still
feel that I am more aware of exactly what it
going on. From the foods I eat, to exercise, to
the energies around it- I have found I am a
better listener and 'understander-er' of what it
feels. The other biggest impression and thing I
learned from the Yoga therapy was the process
and honor of breathing. I feel so much more
alive because I am using it to the potential and
more aware of the three basic parts of
expansion-inhalation and exhalation." --
Ellana Kelter
Over the years I have experienced many yoga
instructors. None express the breadth and depth
of your knowledge, experience, excitement or
instruction. As I have had more experience with
Matthew's instruction, I will use examples from
that: There is so much personalized and private
critique of various poses and postures. He uses
anatomical language that is appropriately
explained for beginners. His kind and calm voice
bring peace to our sessions, yet continue to
provide humor and opportunity for humility. In
the studio, his sessions often end with a quote,
a thought or a passage that regularly provoke an
emotional response and a chance to think. The
studio is a beautiful, bright space. The
ambiance is perfect for a good session- well
lit, comfortable temperature, and encouraging
for body work. I have sought out yoga for
general wellbeing, fitness, tone, stress
reduction and help with chronic pain. And it has
helped. After having recently been away from
instructed yoga, and now returning, my body
remembers the benefits from these regular
demands. -- Amy Chiriatti, physical
therapist
I
had major knee surgery in January of 2004. My
lower leg bone (tibia) realigned to reduce the
wear on my deteriorating knee joint. I started
attending classes in March, after the bone had
healed and I could walk again. The yoga classes
have helped me regain a great degree of
flexibility, strength and balance in my
surgically repaired leg. It (along with the
early physical therapy and chiropractic care)
really helped to get the muscles, tendons and
ligaments adjusted to their new position. The
stretching and strengthening provided by the
yoga postures made me aware of where I needed to
focus my effort to regain the functionality of
my knee joint. As Matthew noted the other day, I
can now (almost) sit on my heels with my knees
bent. When I first started, my leg had to be
fully extended.
Another benefit that I really like is the way
you work with students to fully understand the
details of the individual postures. I had done
yoga along with tapes and read about various
postures in books and magazines, but until you
are wrapped up in a contorted position and the
instructor tells you to pay attention to your
breathing and relax your tongue, I don't think
you can really understand the fine points! The
"hands on" adjustments to the postures really
help one to feel the proper positioning, also.
As a student for over 2 years, I
can honestly say that I learned something new at
every class. It could have been something
as major as a new posture or as subtle as a
minor adjustment to an old standard. I
also learned much about my body's current
limitations and learned that they do not have to
be maintained as the status quo.
-- Warren Mohar, engineer
We
have been telling people how much the yoga has
helped Dick. He thinks he won't need back
surgery. Isn't that just wonderful! Thanks
again for all you have done for us. It was the
best 90 dollars we have ever spent. -- Jan
and Richard Gates
You were clear, professional and very, very
human with me at all times. -- Mike Irwin,
Madison Area Technical College
"I
highly recommend your class to anyone in my
situation. My illness was my motivation and in
the transition from "old habits" to a completely
different life and life-style, your emphasis and
patience and perseverance encourages me to
continue." -- a breast cancer survivor
Detailing the asanas has broadened and deepened
the correlation of breath to movement. Having
time to further explore and extend yoga practice
in a supervised/facilitating environment has
been most beneficial. There was a definite
‘point’ this weekend of “Ah – yes!!!”
Your professional and approachable air is clear
and your attentiveness of the class members is
outstanding. I really want to, and enjoy being
guided and aided, and thank both of you for not
just letting me retain habits but to break free
and enter ever deeper. There’s always so much
more to explore. -- Helen Hudson, Massage
Therapist
You both do a terrific job. You are so nice to
all of us and try so hard to answer all
questions and guide each of us – helping us to
go that extra breath!-- Mary Spink,
Businesswoman
"How quickly I felt Yoga working within me! I
was more flexible, more agile, more relaxed. I
felt tension leaving my body. I felt
exhilarated. I slept better..." -- Marion
Manthey
I
urge everyone to try one of Matthew and
Dennison’s classes! No matter what your sex,
age, health, physical condition (or lack
thereof) there is a class that will benefit any
body! I live with bouts of chronic pain; Yoga
as taught by Matthew and Dennison helps to
alleviate some of that pain. The restorative
class in particular is very helpful as the
postures are held for a sufficient length of
time that allows my muscles to relax and unwind.
The instructors are always ready to adapt any
posture to my level of comfort, while not
letting me slack off! Unlike other forms of
exercise which leave me physically exhausted,
Hatha Yoga brings energy to my body. The deep
breathing that is practiced throughout the class
has a calming effect and I find that I leave
every class with more mental clarity than when I
entered the studio. -- "A Student"
I
have attempted to introduce yoga into my life
several times. Each time it was not right,
whether it was me or the instructor -- it just
didn't work for me. Being a health care
professional I view our body as the first gift I
was given and I choose to take care of it very
well. Chiropractic, Massage, Movement and
Personal Growth have been the cornerstones of my
foundation. The body is a expression of what
our life has been. Yoga has given me the chance
to integrate on a deeper level tensions and
distortions that prevent me from being more open
and able to adapt freely to what life throws at
me. Yoga is a way for me to get away from
everything else in my life and just focus on me
and what my body is trying to tell me now in
this moment. I have been practicing about 1 to
2 times a week... and I am amazed at how the
tension in my hip joints has changed and become
much more aware of the differences between the
right and left sides of my body in flexibility.
As this hip tension has opened up different
things have happened now a greater awareness to
my shoulders and muscles of the deep neck have
come up to the surface of awareness. I always
feel much better on many different levels after
yoga and that carries over into my personal and
professional life and relationships.
Yoga is a must for anyone who wants to achieve
a state of complete wholeness and happiness for
their mind, body, and spirit.
Having a personal instructor to help fully
achieve the awareness needed to release into a
new position and to help facilitate proper
alignment is priceless. Your VCR or DVD player
just cannot achieve this.
The dynamics of being surrounded by others with
the intent to heal, grow, and become more aware,
is very supportive.
--Michael Zolper, DC |
