Our Instructors
Cariann Stafford, LPN, LMBT, eRYT-200
An intermittent practitioner of yoga over a span of 30+ years, Cari(ann) further strengthened her personal commitment as well as her professional belief of yoga’s role in wellness and completed her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2016. She earned a Certified Group Fitness Instructor credential through the Athletics & Fitness Association of America (AFAA) in 2018, Pilates Mat Level 1 for Rehabilitation through the APPI, Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga in 2018, and most recently participated in Mindful Yin Yoga and Insight Meditation training.
Cariann offers group and private yoga and fitness classes designed to introduce her students to the benefits of yoga and mindful fitness and offers a variety of classes from relaxing to challenging. She enjoys integrating her background in nursing and massage therapy into classes that encourage each student to find their own perfect balance, their own perfect practice in a multi-optioned flow of poses during each class for a safe and effective yoga practice.
Cariann teaches “Gentle Yoga” on Fridays via Livestream on Zoom. Please contact her at cariannstafford@live.com or 336-324-5516 with any questions.
Classes Taught
Liz Bailey
Liz is a Lecturer in the Department of Health and Human Performance. She is a certified Wellness Coach and holds the Exercise Specialist and Program Director certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine. She has extensive exercise leadership experience with children through older adults. Liz has been offering ‘Lifting with Liz’ for 7 years now through the Fac/Staff Wellness Program. She also runs Phoenix Fit, an early morning exercise program using circuits and Tabata to improve fitness and modify risk factors for disease.
Classes Taught
Cricket Foster
Cricket’s love of movement arts began about the age of seven. Her passion for dance led her to the practice of Pilates that in turn led to the wonderful world of yoga. While working as a personal trainer in a gym in New York City, she pursued her Pilates certifications so that she could encourage others to keep moving for a better quality of life. Cricket also teaches at Zentry.
She obtained her Sundial Yoga and Silver Sneakers certification while she was in Pennsylvania and continued to educate herself obtaining her E-RYT 200 through Carrboro Yoga Company. She is dedicated to continue learning and studying through amazing workshops with the long time practitioners of yoga. Her studies have included great teachers including Sage Rountree, Michael Johnson, Carol Krucoff, Amy Matthews and Leslie Kaminoff. The mind/body balance that yoga develops has encouraged her to share her balance philosophies and love of movement arts.
Classes Taught
Michelle Spurlock
Michelle was first exposed to yoga as a child in her living room. Her mother taught yoga classes in their home and later became a published yoga scholar and professor. Her mother’s lifelong dedication to yoga and mindfulness practices profoundly influenced her, and Michelle began teaching yoga in 2004. Michelle completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training (RYT 200) through the Subtle® Yoga program, which emphasizes yoga for improving physical health as well as inner transformation. She incorporates mindfulness techniques into every class and enjoys teaching multi-level classes with lots of pose options that allow students to meet their own unique needs.
Michelle was also a pharmacist and pharmacy professor for many years. But she noticed that while her yoga students were becoming healthier and happier, the people she encountered in the health care system seemed to require more and more medications to stay “healthy.” This contrast taught her the true importance of the mind-body connection and how profoundly movement affects physical and mental health. In exploring various movement disciplines, she found aerial arts in 2010 and fell in love. Ultimately, she gave up her career in pharmacy to follow her passion: in 2018, she opened Upside Aerial Arts & Fitness, a Burlington aerial and circus arts studio. Through Upside Aerial, she teaches both yoga classes and aerial arts to people of all ages.
Classes Taught
Kaci Pike
[Bio coming soon]
Classes Taught