meet the team
sam calvano
founder & instructor
she/her
i started practicing asana (postures) after college; my introduction to yoga, and teaching it was problematic to say the least (VICE article / THE CUT article). while i’ve spent a lot of time since educating myself about Yoga, teaching in different ways, and to different communities (EDUCATION + EXPERIENCE), i’m still learning. i’m still unlearning.
Yoga as a philosophy, and yoga as a practice are integral to who i am, what i do, and how i do things, but my understanding and practice of yoga is just that - MY understanding, MY practice - and to equate my take on yoga with Yoga feels appropriative, and i want to do better. i use yoga and Yoga very intentionally. Yoga is ineffable. Yoga is limitless. Yoga is the essence, the truth, the all and the nothing. Yoga is full and empty all at once. yoga is the attempt to understand or attain Yoga. Yoga is the painting in full. yoga is the brush stroke or collection of brushstrokes that are merely a part of the painting, but never the painting itself. language is important, words define our reality, and the only definitive thing i can say about Yoga is that it's rooted in the Vedic period of Indian civilization, and resists definition by virtue of it's myriad expression and practice throughout time, spanning cultures and continents. Yoga means a lot of different things to a lot of different people- i can only speak for myself and my experience.
i am a human being, and i am very human. i am thin, able-bodied, bi-racial, third-cultural, and biologically female. my pro-nouns are she/her. i am educated. i live with anxiety and depression. some days i choose to lose myself in movement by whipping myself around, other days i find myself in movement by slowing way down and learning to listen. i aspire to be thoughtful, kind, supportive and patient. i wish i was less insecure, stubborn, undisciplined and petulant. i am silly, playful and serious. i love the sun. i’m indulgent - taurus sun/pisces moon/cancer rising - i cook and eat and drink and do all the things. i love my partner Aaron, my two feline babes Nyx and Loki. rain and snow days are for couches and covers. i have loving and complicated relationships with family and friends. i accidentally kill plants. i read. i write...sometimes. i craft. i watch a LOT of shit, good and bad, and honestly, love it all. i feel the most connected and centered in the ocean, in a forest of trees, or deep in the desert. i make mistakes. i try to do better. i listen. i dream. i pray. i believe in Yoga. i engage some yoga techniques, but not all. i also believe yoga requires contextualizing, problematizing and critiquing. i practice movement, informed by yoga, inspired by Yoga, but also other kinds of movement and practice that are neither and not.
i facilitate movement! my focus lives in the realm of the physical body and how to better support it; the mind, as it relates to the body, and the breath, as a primary mediator between the two. i help you make moves that are intended to be challenging, but accessible. be prepared to work but know i will always offer options to prepare for, amplify, or soften the intention or intensity of a posture, transition or technique. i will miss the mark! i will make mistakes! please challenge me on what and how you kNOW (as in know right NOW) better.
so excited to move with you!
asha wafer
instructor
she/her
hi! i’m Asha. i found yoga during a time in my life when my body desperately needed it, after a long career of pushing my body as an athlete. i fell in love with the practice, the combination of effort and ease, and years later began teaching. it’s a journey that is continually unfolding, and I’m grateful to every teacher and student I meet along the way.
i’m a virgo sun, pisces rising, and taurus moon. so I’m both a dreamer and a doer, opposing natures I often feel myself torn between. i’m a writer, home chef, and avid reader. above all, I’m a sister, daughter, friend, partner, and human in constant search and discovery of self, purpose and what it means to live a joyful life.
whether it’s deep diving on current astrological transits, sharing recipes, or chatting about the latest season of Love is Blind, my favorite thing to do is sit and talk. so chat me up after class!
my classes are meant to be a container for curiosity, play, and rest. We’ll have fun, groove to some good tunes, and create space for ____ [insert whatever you need more of on any given day]. i’m so excited to move with you!
bobby javier
instructor
he/him
A latecomer to the yoga world, I began my practice at Bikram Yoga Silverlake at the age of 38! In 2012 at 42, I became a Bikram yoga instructor and that changed my life tremendously.
I was hungry for more and wanted to learn more so in 2014, I did my 200 hr vinyasa training with Noah Maze in Los Angeles, and followed it through with a 300hr training, again with Noah, in 2018.
I haven’t stopped since and am the owner and lead teacher at Home Yoga Studio. I am now 54 and I think I will be teaching till I’m 85….or more… ps: I love Sammy - she inspires me.
kiki williams
instructor
she/they
Greetings! My name is Kiki and as a native Altadenian, I am thrilled to join the team here at Practice in my homeland below the San Gabriel Mountains. I have been a mover and groover since my tiny baby body discovered it could move itself around. Coming from a professional dance background, my initial introduction to yoga was a bit of an accident- down dog and mountain pose woven into warm-ups, for example. But when a college yoga course introduced the philosophy and teachings behind/within the asana, I knew that I’d found something deeply important. The teachings, particularly when embodied both on and off the mat, offered me somewhat more of a “systematic” approach to exploring the wisdom that I knew, innately, was already in this body (and in yours!). I went on to become a 500-hr RYT and teach aallll over Brooklyn before moving back home to California.
I am a black, queer facilitator of meditation, asana, somatic movement, and relational practice. I am deeply committed to individual and collective healing, as well as creating space and opportunity for marginalized folks to access healing spaces. I love camping, hiking, the platonic romances I share with my friends, and sitting in coffee shops alone with a good book. Many days throughout the week you can find me managing Octavia’s Bookshelf, the best bookstore in Pasadena! ;-)
In my classes you’ll find an authenticity of spirit in the form of story-telling, making mistakes, laughing together about it, and care and attention to everyone in the room. I love to draw from my dance background, various yoga traditions, and my practice of Buddhism and meditation to craft classes that engage the body, quiet the mind, and soften the heart. I am propelled by the belief that all people have the innate right to thrive, experience unmitigated joy, and to be free, beginning with the freedom we each have the capacity to feel in and through our bodies. Hope to see you in class!
sam feinerman
instructor
she/her
hi, I'm Sam F.! another/the other Sam. I was first introduced to yoga when I was in highschool. My mom told my aunt to start taking me with her on Saturdays, probably to keep me busy and out of trouble or something. I'm endlessly grateful for that because it's been one of the most important influences and guides in my life to this day. I've been practicing ever since and have had the privilege of studying and teaching since 2010.
I truly love teaching yoga and consider it a great responsibility to pass on such rich, deep and vast knowledge that brings us into closer connection with ourselves and all that we are part of are inter-connected with. And it’s fun, feels good and has something that allows us all to celebrate being embodied.
Besides yoga, I’m a musician, rock climber, outdoor enthusiast and advocate, writer, mother, and amateur gardener. I’m a local! So if you see me on a local trail, walking around the neighborhood or playing at the park with my family, say hi!
maddy kirkpatrick
instructor
she/her
Hi Altadena, I'm Maddy! :)
Some ways I know myself are as a friend, sister, la native, valley girl, a spirit in a body. I'm a student of Yoga first, and a teacher second- I completed my teacher training in 2020. The widening circles of this ~ modality ~ philosophy ~ practice ~ continue to inspire and challenge me. My personal practice is ever evolving and has shaped how I interact with the world, my body, and my perceptions. I like to explore my teaching practice as a way to share what is currently sparking inspo in my mind and body, and see how the practice can bring others into harmony with themselves, and one another.
I'm a triple fire sign (sag sun, aries moon, leo rising) and do my best to embody qualities of warmth. You can catch me laying like a lizard in the sun, giving reiki to my cat Maitri, making and enjoying nourishing foods, and convincing myself and others that we all deserve a sweet little treat. ;) I’m super grateful to be a part of this community and can’t wait to share space!
danielle lincoln
swing instructor
she/her
My yoga journey began a decade ago, initially as a way to slow down and connect with my physical self. Over the years, my practice has evolved from focusing on physical postures to understanding mindfulness and its profound impact on daily life. Having faced my own challenges with anxiety and stress, yoga has become a vital tool for finding relief and regulating my nervous system. The practice of yoga has become a driving force for me to approach life with mindfulness and gratitude.
Beyond the mat, I channel my passion for design into creating cozy spaces within the home, aiming for harmony and serenity in every detail. After hustling in fast-paced New York City, I found peace returning to my native Southern California. I'm so thrilled to be a part of the Practice community, where I hope to share my journey and learn from others.
kari lu cowell
swing instructor
nameself pronouns/kari
for more info on my pronouns, click here
Hi All! My name is Kari Lu!
I love all kinds of food (sushi is my fave!), animals, and learning. I often have at least 2 beverages with me, and I am a nerd! 🤓
I formally started taking yoga classes after college and consistently started taking yoga classes when I worked a high risk/high reward job to keep me grounded and focused at work.
When I moved to LA in 2014, I asked myself what I wanted to do to financially support my acting career, and the answer was, "Teach yoga and become a reiki master!" I took my first yoga training in 2015 and have been teaching full time since 2016.
I have over 3000 hours of teaching experience, over 1000 hours of yoga training (ERYT 500), and have led 10+ yoga teacher trainings!
I am passionate about creating, yoga philosophy, accessibility & inclusivity, and many other things!
I live with my partner, Josh, and we take care of 2 cute pitbull baby dogs named Beau and Rufio. (Yes, from the movie Hook - RU-FI-OOOOOOO!!)
teague schneiter
swing instructor
she/her
I began my yoga journey during the ten years I lived in Australia as a way to start getting back into my body (I was a year-round athlete from 5th to 12th grade, and once I went to college, the extreme sedentary lifestyle of Academia took over!) I was born with back pain, and when I was a pre-teen we finally discovered I had scoliosis. The experience of taking my first yoga class is still vivid; the felt sense of alignment and breath awareness were transformational to me - even in the first 20 minutes. Ever since then (around 2001) I have made my yoga practice central to my life, which has grown and enriched me in ways I never imagined. This practice has also helped me ground how I live, who I am, and how I want to be. It has helped me come to a new resonance and to literally move through anxiety, to breathe and be in the present in the moment, to yoke the seemingly disparate parts of me and my familial lineage into a container I feel grounded in.
I am an Altadena local. I am a queer, white, feminist and environmentalist from Santa Cruz, born to hippie/artist parents who are wise from self-study and a love of reading. I spent my childhood with my mom who encouraged me to explore and find my own way. As an aries sun, scorpio rising, capricorn moon, I am a good mix of fire, water and earth. For me that has always meant a strong passion for living, an openness to exploration and discovery, and a steadfast commitment to who and what I care about. I have traveled, come into being more of an extrovert, and recently had the transformational experience of giving birth and becoming a parent. It's the most radical shift in human experience I've ever felt.
What I love about practicing and teaching yoga is that it draws our levels of existence into one experiential practice. I love rolling on the ground feeling and noticing little shifts; strengthening large muscle groups; creating more physical and psychological space and safety in the body; using weights and bands; creating a fluidity of experience that webs each movement to each other movement and -- to life off the mat. I have been exploring within the realm of what I would call alignment-based Hatha; emphasizing breath, biomechanics, exploration, play and creative prop use. The classes I want to teach are balanced in terms of strength and mobility, so that they can be functionally accessible and challenging.
I completed my 200 hour teacher training in 2015 with Tony G, and have continued my yoga education with workshops in Iyengar with Amey Fearon Matthews, and SATYA with Tias Little. Besides the art of movement in space, inspiration continues to come from my meditation practice, study of esoteric philosophies, and love of healing and cosmic musics.
As a movement teacher, my goal is to pass on some of the enthusiasm, dedication, curiosity and openness that I feel when practicing. See you on the mat!